The notebook
Articles worth bookmarking.
Practical writing for one-person businesses — the methods behind the tools in this shop. Written when there's something worth saying.
-
Deemed acceptance: the 5-day window every freelancer needs
What the clause does, the exact contract wording, the delivery email that starts the clock, and the day-six script for "one more thing."
-
How to price a rush job (and the rush-fee line that works)
Why rush work legitimately costs more, the 25/50/100% tier structure, the exact proposal sentence that makes the fee stick, and when to waive it.
-
Quarterly estimated taxes for solo operators
The $1,000 threshold, the four due dates, the 100%/110% safe-harbor rule, and the 25–30% set-aside habit with a separate account that makes April boring.
-
Freelance late fees: what to charge, what to say, when to send it
The fee structure that survives scrutiny, the contract line that makes it enforceable, and word-for-word follow-up emails for day 3 and day 14 past due.
-
The statement of work that actually protects you
SOW vs proposal vs MSA, the six sections that carry the weight, exclusion lines that save projects, and why "reasonable revisions" is a trap.
-
Moving from projects to retainers: the solo operator's version
Hours bank vs capacity reservation vs care plan, pricing that discounts predictability and nothing else, and the exit terms that make it signable.
-
The 13-week cash flow habit that keeps a solo business honest
Why thirteen weeks is the right horizon, the three-block forecaster structure (inflows, outflows, running balance), and the fifteen-minute Friday ritual that makes it survive contact with real life.
-
Scope creep starts as a favor. Here's the exact moment to send a change order.
The four patterns behind "while you're in there," the internal wince that means it's time, and word-for-word change-order language that says yes first and prices only the delta.
-
The five automations actually worth writing for a one-person business
Invoicing, reporting, email triage, price watching, and backups — what each one should do, and an honest build-vs-buy call for each.