Emily Button-Lynham - Business & Life Coach
This Freelance Insights interview features business and life coach Emily Button-Lynham.
Emily specialises in helping women discover their passion and leave their nine-to-five job to become self-employed and do something they love. I loved her response when I asked her about her favourite thing about freelancing because it totally tied into that. She has two 3-month 1:1 coaching packages, which you can find out more about on her website, and she is looking to offer online courses - watch this space!
Emily is offering a free download with questions to ask yourself before leaving your nine to five. You can get hold of it by clicking the button further down this page.
How do you describe what you do for work?
I am a business and life coach, and I work with ambitious women who are looking to ditch the nine to five. I am helping them become self-employed, whatever that looks like for them. I wear many hats and have consciously created multiple income streams for myself to alleviate risk (hello COVID-19!) so I also do coaching workshops for membership clubs and some different freelance projects on the side.
What's your favourite thing about working freelance?
My favourite thing is the autonomy. I’m relatively new to the freelancing world because I was developing my coaching business while working full-time. I resigned from my corporate career earlier this year whilst I was on maternity leave, so I’m still getting used to it. But I love being my own boss and working when I want, where I want. The big driver for me to become freelance was being able to build something for myself. As a new mother, in the corporate world, I think there’s a perception that if you’re working part-time, you’re not committed to moving up in your career. So, I wanted to create something for me that didn’t have a ceiling. And being able to do it while looking after my son was really important.
Where do you usually work from?
I normally work from home, which is just outside of Brighton, in Hove. I tend to get set up in my dining room, which is a nice, airy, sunny spot that’s close to the kitchen and good for client calls. But I usually move around quite a lot; I find working on the sofa good if I’m doing something creative. I would eventually like to do a bit of work at a coworking space because I do miss having colleagues and people to bounce ideas off. I’ve found virtual memberships really useful for this - I’m part of Found and Flourish and I love it!
What does a normal working day look like for you?
I tend to work Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, which is when my son’s at nursery. I think being a business owner means that you’re switched on 24/7, but I’m trying to set boundaries with those as my working days. I’m also trying to batch my tasks, such as client calls, content creation, and workshop and course development, because otherwise it can be quite difficult to switch between my different hats.
What one tip would you give other freelancers about running a freelance business?
My tip is based on a saying: “Don't compare your chapter 1 to someone else's chapter 20.” Being clear on where you are, reflecting on your journey and staying in your own lane is really important because it’s easy to get sidetracked by what other people are doing. Be true to yourself, celebrate how far you’ve come, and know your goals and what success looks like for you. Always remember your why.
Free resource
Emily is offering a free download with five questions to ask yourself before leaving your nine to five. If you’d like to access it, click on the button below and enter your details on the pop-up message.
