When I left my full-time job as a product marketer at a B2B SaaS company, I didn’t leave for more money. I left for the freedom to live a life on my terms.

Fast forward to April, the freedom was starting to dwindle.

I was constantly context switching between multiple Google Chrome profiles, email addresses, and Slack workspaces. All of my calendars were jumbled together, making it easy to miss meetings. I was working late multiple nights a week to get everything done and by the end of the day, my brain was fried.

While I said yes knowing it was going to be a busy few months, I knew this wasn’t sustainable.

If you looked at my revenue number for May, you’d think that everything was going well. But numbers just tell part of the story.

🎯 How I hit my first $20K month

There were three factors that contributed to a higher revenue month:

Signing a new, flat fee project

This client came in through a referral.

I created a proposal, we had an initial conversation to check the “vibe” and discuss questions on both sides, and I got a verbal agreement before drafting the contract where I was paid 50% of the total project fee upfront, contributing to the $20K number.

Negotiating

A few months into our initial scope of work, I realized I was doing more of what was originally asked for. While I was brought on for “keep the lights on” type work, I also had revamped a new process and was starting to help with event work.

When the client asked to increase my hours, I thought it was also a good time to negotiate. I anchored the ask in the value I had already brought to the team, the increase in scope, and the future value I would continue to bring to the eam.

While they didn’t meet my exact number, I was able to increase my rate by 27%.

Working more hours

I don’t want to always be in a position where I’m trading time for money but for some of my clients, I’m still hourly (vs retainer or flat fee).

In April, I traveled for a site visit for an upcoming conference, which meant I logged more hours than usual traveling and being onsite the entire day, which reflected in the money I received in May.

⏭️ What I’m doing next

Now that a few projects are wrapping up in June, I’m in desperate need of a quick pause to think about what’s next. Here’s what I plan to work on:

1. Capacity and sustainability: Can I earn the same with less hours?

2. Alignment: Saying yes to clients that fit my guiding principles

3. My ideal customer: Learning from current work to craft my ideal customer and offering

I’m excited to be working with a business coach who can help me stay accountable and brainstorm new ways of thinking through some of these things, too.

💭 Final thoughts

I’m proud that I hit this milestone because I proved to myself I could do it, but I know the reason I left my stable, 9-5 job wasn’t about the money.

It was about pursuing the dream of working whenever and where ever I wanted. It was about prioritizing the moments you can’t get back outside of work. It was about being a future example for women who want to walk a similar path.

Some people will look at the number and think that I made it, but I know the real work—building a sustainable, values-aligned business—has just begun.

💬 Your turn

What does freedom look like for you in your current (or future) business?

✨ Weekly Feels

Currently on Day 4 out of 10 in Orlando for a conference 🫠 so will keep this short and sweet and express how I felt this week in a reel:

📖 Keep Reading

• What was the tipping point to leave corporate

• What I earned and learned in Q1 as a first-time solopreneur

• How my spending habits have changed after being self-employed

💼 Ways to Work With Me

• Want to be featured in this newsletter? I’m looking for entrepreneurs who want to share their inspirational story! Simply reply back with interest.

• 1:1 Private Coaching: I’m offering free coaching strategy calls to those looking to build a more fulfilling life. Feel free to book some time with me!