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Brian Honigman

@brianhonigman.com
60 followers 24 following 257 posts

Career Freelancer, Marketing Consultant & Career Coach; Fast Co & Inc Columnist helping freelancers and marketers advance their careers. brianhonigman.com

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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 01/07/2026
Uncomplicated advice for getting found in AI search for your expertise as an in-demand solopreneur. Third-party sources (websites you don't own) are given more weight when assessing your credibility as a subject matter expert. Here's how to adapt: www.linkedin.com/pulse/earnin...
linkedin.com
Earning visibility in AI search as a busy solopreneur
Howdy! This is Career Freelancer, doable strategies and actionable insights on self-employment as a sustainable, financially rewarding, and engaging career. How you get discovered in search as a one-p...
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 26/05/2026
Overestimating your bandwidth, treating marketing as a seasonal task, and pitching yourself like an employee are top mistakes new consultants often make as they first dive into self-employment. My latest for @inc.com on getting ahead of these missteps. www.inc.com/brian-honigm...
inc.com
Starting a Consulting Business? Avoid These Early Missteps
Some of the biggest mistakes new entrepreneurs make when launching a consulting startup aren't obvious at first—but they can hold your business back.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 13/05/2026
Enjoyment at work isn’t something that just happens. It’s a facet that you have to identify, prioritize, and measure so it’s an ever-present in your day-to-day. Here's how to make joy a constant in your solo business. www.linkedin.com/pulse/joy-le...
linkedin.com
Joy as a leading metric of self-employment
Howdy! This is Career Freelancer, insights on embracing freelancing as a sustainable career path, not as a stopgap. These are the doable strategies behind successful self-employment.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 19/03/2026
Relying on one source of income is a risky career move. In the latest edition of Career Freelancer, I break down why a portfolio career is actually the safer bet and how real people are using it to protect their income, sanity, and future. www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-po...
linkedin.com
Why a portfolio career is now the safer bet
Howdy! This is Career Freelancer, insights on embracing freelancing as a sustainable career path, not as a stopgap. These are the doable strategies behind successful self-employment.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 10/03/2026
5. Energizing marketing: self-promotion that doesn't drain you www.linkedin.com/pulse/energi...
linkedin.com
Energizing marketing: self-promotion that doesn't drain you
Howdy! This is Career Freelancer, insights on embracing freelancing as a sustainable career path, not as a stopgap. These are the doable strategies behind successful self-employment.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 10/03/2026
4. How freelancers act as leaders, not order takers — Selena Rezvani on Quick Leadership www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-fr...
linkedin.com
How freelancers act as leaders, not order takers — Selena Rezvani on Quick Leadership
Howdy! This is Career Freelancer, weekly insights on how to embrace freelancing as a sustainable career path, not just a stopgap between roles. Learn what strategies and tactics professional freelance...
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 10/03/2026
3. Five doable shifts seasoned freelancers are making today to stay booked www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-d...
linkedin.com
Five doable shifts seasoned freelancers are making today to stay booked
Howdy! This is Career Freelancer, weekly insights on how to embrace freelancing as a sustainable career path, not just a stopgap between roles. Learn what strategies and tactics professional freelance...
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 10/03/2026
2. Commit to what doesn't scale: momentum in freelancing comes from unscalable actions www.linkedin.com/pulse/commit...
linkedin.com
Commit to what doesn't scale: momentum in freelancing comes from unscalable actions
Howdy! This is Career Freelancer, weekly insights on how to embrace freelancing as a sustainable career path, not just a stopgap between roles. Learn what strategies and tactics professional freelance...
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 10/03/2026
These are the most popular editions of my newsletter on navigating freelancing as a career-long pursuit. 🧡 1. How to invest wisely in the right career development opportunities www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-in...
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 04/03/2026
Other hard lessons: Overcommitting to unproven opportunities, delaying testimonials, and not mapping my capacity led to burnout and missed leverage. Here's more nitty-gritty details on the best and worst decisions I've made as a freelancer to date. www.linkedin.com/pulse/best-w...
linkedin.com
The best and worst decisions I’ve made in 12 years of freelancing
Howdy! This is Career Freelancer, insights on embracing freelancing as a sustainable career path, not as a stopgap. These are the doable strategies behind successful self-employment.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 04/03/2026
Biggest mistakes: *Raising my rates too slowly and trying to be “affordable” cost me years of income and confidence. *Letting my website and service packages lag behind my growth weakened my credibility and diluted my positioning.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 04/03/2026
More wins: *Nurturing a few long-term partners created stability without feeling like a full-time job. *Always doing some business development (even when busy) kept leads warm. *Building a full life outside work made the business feel meaningful, not just a way to make money.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 04/03/2026
Best decisions: *Publishing consistently in public forums → sharpened my thinking, attracted clients, and built a recognizable brand. *Building a portfolio career → multiple services and income streams = more interesting work and real security. ​
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 04/03/2026
After 12 years of freelancing, my biggest realization is that a sustainable solo career is built on a series of choices, not a single breakthrough. Here are the best and worst business moves I've made in a decade of self-employment.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 23/02/2026
Want potential clients to trust you? Earn "reputational currency" in the form of writing, speaking, or teaching. It signals: I'm the expert. I've done this, and here's proof. My latest in @inc.com on how solopreneurs can win the trust of potential clients: www.inc.com/brian-honigm...
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 18/02/2026
The conditions today are more ideal than ever for diving into self-employment. 29.8 million solopreneurs are already doing it, and you can too. In my piece for @inc.com, I discuss why this shift is happening today and how it's easier (not easy) to begin freelancing. www.inc.com/brian-honigm...
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 10/02/2026
www.linkedin.com/pulse/overco...
linkedin.com
Overcoming the stigma that clients often associate with freelancers
The term freelancer comes with baggage. It is a straightforward way to describe someone who’s self-employed and earns a living delivering services based on their skills and experience.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 10/02/2026
Seasoned freelancers are pros at turning skepticism into trust. Reframe assumptions and create strong relationships by showing vs. telling others how you show up as a partner. If you’re looking for more reframes on common myths about freelancers, check out my newsletter. #freelance #selfemployed
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 10/02/2026
Freelancers get hit with snap judgments: Like that we're cheap labor, order-takers, “unemployable.” It's up to you to position yourself differently and get ahead of it. In last week's newsletter, I covered the common myths and how to challenge them intentionally. 🧡 www.linkedin.com/pulse/overco...
linkedin.com
Overcoming the stigma that clients often associate with freelancers
The term freelancer comes with baggage. It is a straightforward way to describe someone who’s self-employed and earns a living delivering services based on their skills and experience.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 04/02/2026
The age old advice but for freelancers: don’t forget to work ON your business and not just IN your business.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 03/02/2026
Here's the full study: www.bayes.citystgeorges.ac.uk/news-and-eve...
bayes.citystgeorges.ac.uk
Feeling the pressure: new research reveals true effects of self-employment on stress | Bayes Business School
Bayes study compares identical twins to measure how running a business directly impacts stress levels.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 03/02/2026
Finally, stop doing everything alone. Use tools to automate, hire freelancers or vendors for specialized work, and lean on your network for support. Stress is part of running a business, but these steps make it sustainable.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 03/02/2026
Next, set firm boundaries with clients. Be clear about availability, live time, and working hours, and then actually follow those limits yourself. This forces focus on the most important work instead of endless tasks.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 03/02/2026
Start by adding structure to your workload. Define clear packages, scope, deliverables, and timelines so you can accurately estimate how much work you can handle without overcommitting.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 03/02/2026
A recent study by Bayes Business School shows daily stress levels rise noticeably when you are self-employed, largely due to long working hours. Left unchecked, this kind of pressure quickly leads to burnout. Here's how to fix this, based on my twelve years of experiencing freelancing.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 28/01/2026
You'll inevitably have moments where clients aren't coming in like they used to. A normal problem that arises for almost all freelancers. Here's how to navigate these slow seasons and turn them around in your favor. 🧡 www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-bo...
linkedin.com
How to bounce back when your freelance work starts drying up
Howdy! This is Career Freelancer, weekly insights on how to embrace freelancing as a sustainable career path, not just a stopgap between roles. Learn what strategies professional freelancers adopt acr...
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 27/01/2026
Freelancing often starts with work that isn’t scalable. That intense effort is often required to break through and establish a practice with staying power.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 23/01/2026
How do you start earning reputational currency? Read my newsletter, Career Freelancer, for an explanation and examples from other freelancers. 🧡 www.linkedin.com/pulse/win-mo...
linkedin.com
Win more work as a solopreneur by earning reputational currency
Howdy! This is Career Freelancer, weekly insights on how to embrace freelancing as a sustainable career path, not just a stopgap between roles. Learn what strategies professional freelancers adopt acr...
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 23/01/2026
*Building an audience with social media, a newsletter, or a podcast. *Contributing to associations, memberships, or groups. *Securing media coverage across TV, podcasts, publications, or YouTube.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 23/01/2026
*Writing for publications (well-known publishers or industry-specific). *Earning awards and accolades. *Securing certifications, degrees, training, or regulatory credentials. *Publishing books on your expertise.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 23/01/2026
*Showcasing results with recommendations, testimonials, and case studies. *Landing well-known clients and/or leveraging past employers. *Teaching at universities and/or e-learning institutions. *Speaking at events and conferences.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 23/01/2026
Don’t seek out every type, but aim to earn a mix from the sources you and your clients care about. My advice is to pick one or two and start executing now, as these can take years and a significant amount of effort to achieve. What types are there?
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 23/01/2026
None of this is a replacement for earning experience and fine-tuning your expertise, as that’s gained from hands-on exposure to your craft, working in your industry, and learning. Nevertheless, it’s in your best interest to intentionally earn reputational currency.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 23/01/2026
Earning reputational currency is major for freelancers as your reputation is a factor that potential clients consider when deciding whether to hire you. It's a show vs. tell moment that signals your authority, track record, and professionalism.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 23/01/2026
That's writing specifically for known publications. Reputational currency is earned signals from other credible sources that indicate you’re experienced, you’ve got subject matter expertise, you’re properly trained, and you’re a reliable partner to collaborate with.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 23/01/2026
I've freelanced for 12 years now. Clients don't hire me because I say I'm an expert. They hire me because they can see how I think. That's often through my writing, as it is one type of reputational currency.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 22/01/2026
Undercharging is easy. Charging what you’re worth takes strategy. Consider the tangible results you deliver, the market rates for your type of work, and your previous salary to set rates that match your expertise as a freelancer. #freelance #solopreneur
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 21/01/2026
Here's a quick script for turning scope creep into a paid opportunity, while protecting your time and keeping the project on track. #freelance #solopreneur #selfemployed #freelancerlife
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 21/01/2026
Want potential clients to notice you? Putting in the extra effort is required today as you’re navigating sales, biz dev, and marketing as a freelancer. The goal is standing out for the right reasons, showcasing your expertise, reliability, and impact. #freelance #solopreneur #selfemployed
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 19/01/2026
Want more freelance work? Earn the trust of existing clients. Communicate these wins to signal your trustworthiness to others. And invest time in earning reputational currency from known institutions like earning industry awards, writing for trade publications, teaching at universities etc.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 16/01/2026
Hello consulting!! Here’s how to get going, land your first clients, and set up your business from the start. All based on my new article in @inc.com go give it a read. www.inc.com/brian-honigm... 🔗 #consulting #selfemployed
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 16/01/2026
Becoming an independent consultant is popular these days given the tough job market, plus it's one way to gain more control over your career. It's competitive though! Here's my guide to starting your own consulting practice in 2026. My first article for @inc.com ☺️ www.inc.com/brian-honigm...
inc.com
How You Can Start a Consulting Business in 2026
Consulting is having a boom right now. Here's a quick-start guide to launching, landing your first clients, and marketing your business.
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 14/01/2026
Five shifts smart freelancers are making to secure year-round work in today’s market. www.tiktok.com/t/ZTh67GTk1/
tiktok.com
Five doable shifts seasoned freelancers are making today to stay booked all year long. #freelance #selfemployed #solopreneur #freelancertips #freelancerlife
TikTok video by Brian H • Career Freelancer
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 13/01/2026
Here's more on identifying your niche as a freelancer: www.instagram.com/p/DTd2aUgDyPL/
instagram.com
Brian Honigman on Instagram: "Most advice on identifying a niche as a freelancer is vague. I hope to help you determine your own niche by focusing on any or all of these three areas below with example...
0 likes, 0 comments - brian.honigman on January 13, 2026: "Most advice on identifying a niche as a freelancer is vague. I hope to help you determine your own niche by focusing on any or all of these t...
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 13/01/2026
3) What kinds of outcomes do you deliver? - Identify new revenue streams - Reduce operating costs - Standardize onboarding
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 13/01/2026
2) Which roles or teams do you focus on? - Job Function: Marketing, Product, Sales - Job Title: Developers, Product Managers, or CTO - Association with a particular tool: Perplexity, SmartSheet, Slack
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 13/01/2026
1) What type of companies do you support? - Industry: Healthcare, Finance, or Retail - Company maturity level: Startups, Small to medium orgs, or large enterprise firms - What business model: B2B or B2C
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 13/01/2026
-- Smartsheet Consultant -- Consultant for B2C healthcare brands supporting product teams in market research to unlock new revenue opportunities. Determine your own niche by focusing on any or all of these areas related to your experience, credentials, and interest:
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 13/01/2026
Most advice on identifying a niche as a freelancer is vague. The goal is to land on a positioning statement like one of these: -- Marketing Consultant with 12 years driving content marketing, social media, and digital strategy for tech companies, media brands, and nonprofits
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Brian Honigman @brianhonigman.com · 12/01/2026
Every freelancer starts somewhere; clarity on what work you enjoy and what’s in demand comes with time. Be kinder to yourself in the beginning as you figure things out and set your foundations. Discernment will come later. #freelance #selfemployed #solopreneur #consulting #careerpivot
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