Retainers: WTF

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from sportswear designer Lily Pawley. She says:

“Retainers. The holy freelance grail. But WTF?? I've got one with a client I’ve worked with a fair bit before, it's new and shiny but now I'm in a weird relationship with the client — Am I freelance? Am I an employee?

From working out how to allocate my time (them, other clients, life, smalls) to which email account I need to use (the one they set up for me — which I keep forgetting to check and isn't linked to my phone grrr? Or mine — which has my freelance signature on so it's confusing?)

What are the top tips for retainers, managing them successfully and basically retaining some semblance of life?! It feels like I really wanted this annoying toy that I kept seeing advertised and now I’ve got it, I’m not sure how it works or what it does and I think I just need to take the batteries out. I own a retainer furby! Help!”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.

•••

This episode is supported by Penfold.

The flexible pension for freelance parents. Penfold provides freelancers with an online pension that’s simple to use and completely flexible.

Sign up with the code DIFTK and get a £25 bonus into your pension pot. Penfold are also offering up to a £1,000 top up on pension transfers until the 31st of March 2021, so you can earn more from your old pension pots!

Penfold is regulated by the FCA. When you put money in a pension, it’s an investment, and like all investments, your capital is at risk. Check for benefits before transferring.

Go to www.getpenfold.com/diftk

•••

Lily Pawley's website
Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Facebook Community
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi