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THE CONFIDENT
ELT FREELANCER COLLECTIVE
Community and practical business and mindset support
for ELT Freelance Professionals and Business Owners
Do you want to build a freelance business you love, find the clients you want, and feel confident to charge what you deserve?
Join the largest and fastest growing membership for freelance ELT Professionals, where you can do just that.
It’s a game-changer and has really increased my confidence.
(pay monthly, no cancellation fees, for less than £7 a week, or get 12 months for less than the price of 10 at £297 annually)
If you’re looking for sound business ideas, expert support, and a caring community to build your ELT business, this is THE place to be.
‘It’s great to feel part of a community. It feels as though Rachael is really looking out for you and supports her members. Monthly trainings are very relevant and useful. Well worth the investment.’
Does this sound like you?
– You work harder than anyone else around you, but it’s not paying off.
– You love what you do, but marketing your business feels alien, and nothing you try gets you results..
– You’re trying to work out everything you need to run a successful business by yourself, and it’s proving a lot harder than you thought.
– You don’t feel like you can charge much for what you do when others are only charging a few dollars on platforms like Preply.
– Freelancing feels like an emotional rollercoaster and you’d love some unbiased support.
– Working for yourself and by yourself is proving lonely and you long for a sense of community.
It doesn’t have to be that way…..
Welcome to the Confident ELT Freelancers Collective
I’ve been in the English Language Teaching world since 1989, and a freelance business owner since 2008.
Over that time, I’ve met some amazing people, and, unfortunately, time and again, I’ve seen freelancers and business owners underselling what they do, being exploited, working themselves into the ground..
That’s why I’m on a mission to support and help other ELT Freelance professionals and business owners, so they can gain confidence, focus their efforts in the right direction, charge good rates, and generally work less, earn more and thrive!
So, I’ve created a membership just for ELT freelance professionals and business owners, The Confident ELT Freelancer Collective.
It’s a collective because it’s about all of us raising each other up through a vibrant and super helpful community. I want to give ELT freelancers more confidence, more know-how, more power, more autonomy…more money!
Together we’re stronger, and we can really have a massive impact on the industry as a whole.
| Joining is a must! It’s like having a virtual staff room filled with lovely, supportive colleagues.” |
What you get inside the Collective.
Help to focus only on the things you need.
You’ll have the chance to fill in a detailed questionnaire when you first join, which pinpoints exactly which areas and training to focus on according to your individual needs.
I’ll also help you learn how to plan what needs doing in your business, so the way ahead is always clear.
Expert training
Trainings come under 6 main categories: confidence, money and pricing, tech know-how, peace of mind, productivity and systems, and social media and marketing.
Monthly trainings from Rachael, plus trainings from invited guest experts. We also run in-community challenges, for example the small steps to get more leads challenge.
A growing training library of ELT freelancer relevant training sessions and resources, to consume as and when you want to.
Accountability to get things done
Weekly accountability sessions to keep you focusing on and doing the things that matter most.
Access to an accountability pod (of 2-5 community members). Research shows that we are more motivated when we feel like we’re part of a team, so being part of your own accountability pod means you can get moral support whenever you need it. Pods are reviewed and can be changed every few months.
ELT Freelancers Directory
An ELT directory, so you can find and collaborate with other freelancers in the membership. Search by keyword, freelance role or country (maybe get a face to face coffee?!)
Motivation and support
A supportive community of like minded people who get the journey you’re on. This is what one of our current members had to say
“Joining is a must! It’s like having a virtual staff room filled with lovely, supportive colleagues.”
Get to know your peers
Freelancing can get lonely. Sometimes we just want to spend an hour with like-minded people having a social chat.
Join our Zoom coffee chats for a super-relaxed chance to get to know other ELT freelancers, swap stories about our experiences, network, or just chat about your upcoming holiday plans.
Co-working
Twice-monthly drop-in coworking sessions. There’s nothing like working with others to get you motivated and to hold you accountable to get things done.
Group coaching and challenges
New for 2023: I’m introducing even more support. Every month we will have a group coaching session, or a hotseat live Q&A , or a mini marketing challenge.
If you joined my recent LinkedIn Visibility Challenge, you know how impactful such a challenge can be
Member benefits
- 50% off my smaller digital training courses, such as Attract New Clients with a Lead Magnet
- Free or reduced cost beta access to new trainings and courses.
- Discounts on services and software, including 20% off Dubsado and £10 credit on StreamYard
- Discounts and bonuses on partner services around website creation and copywriting.
Help when you need it
A dedicated Facebook community, with Monday Motivational Live videos, group discussions on anything and everything and a supportive community of like minded ELT freelancers who get you.
Want to know what app to use to add subtitles, or whether an offer you’ve received is reasonable, or support and feedback on your IATEFL proposal?
The group is awash with experts in all these fields. Community really is the backbone of the membership
Why choose the Collective?
I get that it can be scary making an investment in something you can’t look at or touch. It’s why the Collective subscription is pay monthly and you can cancel at the press of a button any time, no questions asked.
Apart from that, don’t just take my word for it, here’s what our current members have to say…..
It has exceeded my expectations because your coaching style really resonates with me, and because of the people I have met in the community. Other communities I was a member of in the past offered plenty of advice and resources about the business side, but not about how to deal with the emotional rollercoaster attached to being a freelancer. I think this really makes your work stand out, and I realise this is what I was missing in the other communities.
It caters for all the needs of an ELT (or in my case modern language) freelancer. It is very well rounded. It is also great to keep your momentum and motivation.
It’s an all-round experience, excellent materials, sessions, exchanges, Rachael’s always there to answer questions and provide support. Members are supportive of each other and happy to offer advice.
It is really rewarding to be part of a group with similar challenges, spear-headed by someone who genuinely cares AND knows her stuff, and to know you’re not alone!
The Collective is a really positive, supportive space. Life as a freelancer can be tough and having access to relevant training opportunities and a group of others in the same boat is so helpful.
The Collective has transformed the way I approach my freelancing business. It’s helped me to figure out where I need to channel my energy, and it’s got me in the habit of setting professional goals and monitoring my progress toward them. It’s also allowed me to meet lots of wonderful and supportive colleagues, several of whom are now friends. I’m really grateful to Rachael for setting up this community!
Just a few of the recorded sessions in the training library
How to get the legal stuff sorted.
How to get plenaries and keynotes.
Branding for your business.
All About Hashtags
Align Your Website with Your Business and Your Clients
Creating a 5 Star Client experience
Things about Copyright and IP that may affect your business
Using the Profit First System to Mange your Money
Starting a Podcast Step by Step
How to ask for what you want- and say no when you need to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the membership for?
It’s for you if you consider yourself to be freelance, a business owner, an entrepreneur, or self-employed within ELT (or MFL). You might be an online teacher, or own a bricks and mortar school, or write for publishers, or publish your own materials or training courses, and more.
Isn’t it a bit weird being in a community full of my peers? What if they’re competitors? What if they judge me if I don’t know as much as them?
It’s understandable to feel imposter syndrome knocking at your door with the prospect of meeting industry peers, here’s what some of our community had to say…
“I’ve met lots of really interesting people. A side benefit is that I always felt a little intimidated by the academic profile of so many people in ELT. Because I like the commercial aspect of making sales, I thought that I might even be considered to be a bit of a “lightweight” because I don’t have lots of degrees, and I’m not an academic in any sense. But none of that has happened. I’ve found the ELT community to be really welcoming and inclusive.” Clare Whitmell, English Teacher and Coach
“It is reassuring to know that there are others out there grappling with the same issues I do. The training opportunities are excellent and there is a great sense of community in the group.” Gillian Flaherty, ELT Materials Writer.
What if I don't have enough time to get value from the Collective?
Only you know how much time you have available to you. If you know that deep down, you’re spending a lot of time trying to figure out how to run the business by yourself and are spending too much time scrolling the internet, then the Collective will help.
You’re taken through a quiz as soon as you join to help you spot your gaps and figure out exactly where you need to focus your energies in terms of training and coaching sessions, so you aren’t wasting valuable time.
The beauty is, you can consume what you need, when you need it and there are plenty of opportunities to ask questions of both Rachael and the community whenever you want.
“I was worried that I wouldn’t have the time to attend everything. Now, I’m relaxed, it’s OK if I can’t attend something, because I can catch up later.” Annie Altamirano, Teacher Trainer & Mentor | ESL & ELT Author
“Since I’ve been making the effort to take part in the group events, it has really helped me focus on what I need to do for my business and it’s been really great talking to other ELT freelancers and having a supportive network.” – Clare Catchpole, Founder of Express yourself in English
‘Time is not an issue as if I can’t attend live I can dip back into the replay later. Asking us to put # replay in the chat is great as it banishes any FOMO when see how many others are watching the replay too! You, and the group are always so supportive, and there is no pressure to take part in collective events, just a warm and open invitation.’ Stephanie Brennan, English for Medical Professionals
What if I live in a time zone outside Europe?
All training sessions are recorded and stored so you can watch them back whenever you like and our community is in a private Facebook group, so you can pick and choose when and how often you want to dive in.
Coffee chats and co-working are run at two different times (am and pm) each month to maximise your chances of being there live.
“Although my schedule doesn’t allow me to participate in the live events as much as I’d like, I have learned a lot — and made noticeable progress — by watching the replays and catching up on conversation threads. This is also a very encouraging community. I love getting to chat with fellow ELT business owners who have or are experiencing the same things as I am. It’s comforting and motivating to know I’m not the only one on this road. “ – Heather Johnston, Organizational Coach for EAP/ESL Professionals
“I was worried that I wouldn’t have the time to attend everything. Now, I’m relaxed, it’s OK if I can’t attend something, because I can catch up later.” – Annie Altamirano, Teacher Trainer, Mentor and Materials Writer.
Will you help me with developing a niche, creating a business model or marketing my business?
Yes! Having run this membership since March 2022, I’ve realised that it IS possible to help you along the path towards achieving these things within this group. I’ll still be recommending my group programme, Flourishing Foundations for a more in-depth and personalised service, which will save you a lot of time and wrong turnings, but you’ll still get some useful pointers in this community if you want to take more of a DIY approach (at least for now).
Equally, if you’re on the fence about working more closely with me, you can come and get a taste of what it’s like by joining the membership. And when you’re ready to step up and really get stuck in, I’ll give you your membership free while you’re working with me.
What happens if I join and then decide it's not for me?
That’s perfectly okay. Circumstances change. Of course, we’ll be sad to see you go, but you can cancel your subscription using a simple button on the site, no awkward conversations needed. Please bear in mind that if you want to join again there are no guarantees the subscription price will be the same. As long as you stay in the Collective, your joining price will never go up.
I’m concerned about spending money on things like marketing...
I totally understand how scary it can be to invest time and money into something. If you think you simply won’t use the Collective, then trust your gut and don’t join.
But if you know you need help, can’t figure it all out by yourself and realise that you’re probably not charging enough, learning and implementing the training and the help provided by the Collective will give you a return on investment.
Better marketing = building awareness = more leads and more customers.
Gaining confidence to charge higher prices = earning more money for doing less work.
Join the Confident ELT Freelancer Collective today.
RECENTLY AND COMING SOON….
September Challenge
An easy yes: how getting clear on your niche can help you get more, better, and better paying clients.
In this challenge, I’m going to take you through the four stages of getting clearer about your niche, and how to reflect that in your offers and messaging, so that you can attract more of the RIGHT kind of clients.
At each stage there will be a short video to watch, and a workbook to complete, and, for accountability, a task to share in the group. I’ve spread this out a bit further than 4 days, to give you more time to complete each task, but I’m also keeping it to a limited time slot to give you a bit of a push to prioritise this and get it done.
Monday 18th September- Monday 25th September
Online security for your business
In this session I’m going to go through 10 key security concerns when running a business online.
We’ll make sure you have all the security basics in place, and work together to create a plan for any gaps or missing areas.
Coming up in October
Blog writing to bring traffic to your website
In this session I’m going to be talking about how a blog on your website can help to drive traffic, and particularly those people who might be your ideal clients.
We’ll look at what makes a good blog post, how you can decide what to write about, with some examples from different niches, and how you can integrate the right keywords to help your blog posts rank on Google search.
Wednesday 27th September 4.00-5.00pm UK time (recording also available)
Top tips on writing engaging content on LinkedIn
Sharon Murray, LinkedIn Brand Builder for Ambitious Disruptive Introverts
More details to follow.
Coming up in November
Working together to organise a Digital Retreat
Lisa Jayne Wood, Sarah Morgan and Tree Blakemore
Back in July, Lisa, Sarah and Tree held the first Relax into YOUR English Digital Retreat: a free two-day online event for curious learners who want to relax into their English by exploring practical and mindful ways to grow in language confidence. In this session, they will explain where the idea came from, how they organised the event and what they’ve learned from the process.
Sarah is an online English language teacher who helps advanced English users participate in meaningful communication without being held back by anxiety and criticism.
Lisa is an English teacher and Neurolanguage Coach® who helps English learners get unstuck and push past the intermediate plateau to finally feel comfortable, confident and happy speaking English.
Tree is an English Language Trainer who helps higher-level language learners to achieve more with English in their academic and professional lives – and grow in confidence and self-expression. She also hosts the Grow Your English podcast.
Thursday 14th Sept 12.00 pm UK time (recording also available)
COFFEE CHATS
A chance to chat with other group members in small groups, about work related stuff, or anything else you like! Times and days are:
LIVES
Every Monday at 12.30pm UK time, I go live for about 10 minutes with a kind of ‘pep’ talk for the week, to give you more motivation, encouragement and inspiration. If you can be there live, that’s brilliant, and please say hi and ask any questions. But. if not, the replay will be available straight afterwards.
And all 40+ recordings are available in the Training Library if you have 10 minutes spare.
CO-WORKING
To help you get stuff done, our twice monthly co-working session.
We’ll start by writing in the chat box what we plan to do with the time and then turn off mikes, but keep cameras on (unless you prefer to have the camera off) and work solidly for 50 minutes. Then we’ll take a 10 minute break, and check in with each other, before doing another 50 minutes.
You might surprise yourself with how much you get done!
