This Freelance Insights interview features life coach and wedding celebrant Holly June Smith.

I first became aware of Holly and her work when she did some live training in the Being Freelance Community on Facebook all about intentions, goals, and productivity. When I found her on Instagram, I gave her a follow and was not disappointed! From her hilarious stories (check out the highlight on her profile entitled ‘The Pants’) to her frankness and honesty about the reality of being a freelancer with young children, Holly is a joyful person to follow.

Holly offers a free 5-day challenge for anyone wanting to declutter their digital life. If you ever feel overwhelmed by your email inbox or social media accounts, this one’s for you. Holly will help you tidy up your online spaces and get some control back, tackling one area each day. Click the button further down this page to sign up!

How do you describe what you do for work?

I'm a life coach who helps people find their sweet spot between productivity and presence. We've all got dreams we want to achieve but can't forget to live in the moment.

I'm also a wedding celebrant who helps creative couples celebrate their love stories in style.

What's your favourite thing about working freelance?

Definitely the freedom and flexibility it gives me to work on a variety of things while also fitting in around our childcare. My daughters are 3 and 19 months and go to nursery a few days a week, so the balance feels right. I'm also lucky that my work brings me the most incredible clients ever - they are such fascinating and inspiring people so often it doesn't feel like work at all.

Where do you usually work from?

Most of the time it's from our dining table, which I love because I can grab a chunk of time here and there. If I'm in writing mode I'll often work from a cafe after the nursery run, and when I speak to clients I have an office space in our spare room upstairs. I'm also lucky that a lot of my work can be done from my phone, so you'll often find me parked somewhere while my girls nap, writing posts for Instagram or my newsletter.

What does a normal working day look like for you?

I drop the girls at nursery at 8 and then get straight to work, which is really varied. I usually have a couple of client calls and we work on all sorts - this week has included business strategy, confidence in handling a relocation, setting financial goals, and managing imposter syndrome. I also teach online guided coaching workshops, which anyone can join from their own home, so I'll often be working on those and creating content for Instagram. In the evening I might have a call with one of my wedding clients to finalise details for their wedding ceremony and then it's dinner and TV with my partner before bed.

What one tip would you give other freelancers about running a freelance business?

Don't forget about your own needs too. Freelancing can offer wonderful freedom and flexibility to work the way you choose, but it's easy to always be doing "just one more thing" and before we know it we're working constantly. Make space in your week for yourself!

Free resource

Holly offers a free 5-day challenge for anyone wanting to declutter their digital life. If you ever feel overwhelmed by your email inbox or social media accounts, this one’s for you. Holly will help you tidy up your online spaces and get some control back, tackling one area each day.

Connect with Holly

Website: www.hollyjunesmith.co.uk/

Instagram: @hollyjunesmith

Twitter: @hollyjunesmith