Freelancing (2026)

If you want to learn freelancing from scratch, I recommend following people who teach how to find clients, develop valuable skills, charge properly, and build a sustainable freelance business - not just people who show off their earnings.

Here are some people worth following.

10 people to follow to learn freelancing

1. Alex Hormozi

Business fundamentals

• Learn sales, marketing, pricing and acquiring customers.
• Great for understanding how to sell your services.

YouTube · Instagram

Follow on YouTube

2. Dan Koe

• Personal branding, writing and building an online business.
• Learn how to turn knowledge into valuable services.

YouTube · X · Newsletter

Follow on YouTube

3. Chris Do

Pricing and clients

• Learn how to communicate with clients.
• Negotiate prices and sell creative services.

YouTube · The Futur

Follow on YouTube

4. Ran Segall

• Freelance web design.
• Finding clients, building portfolios and growing a design business.

YouTube

Follow on YouTube

5. Jonathan Stark

• How to price freelance services.
• How to stop competing purely on hourly rates.

LinkedIn · Podcast

Website

6. Daniel Vassallo

• Starting small independent businesses.
• Building multiple income streams and experimenting with services.

X · Newsletter

Small Bets

7. Stefan Palios

• Freelance business strategy.
• Client acquisition and building a freelance career.

LinkedIn · X

Website

8. Steve Folland

• Real freelance experiences.
• Learn from interviews with freelancers across different industries.

Being Freelance Podcast

Podcast

9. Liam Ottley

• AI automation services.
• Finding business clients and building an AI services agency.

YouTube

Follow on YouTube

10. Kat Boogaard

• Freelance writing.
• Managing clients, workload and your freelance business.

Blog · X

Website

Additional recommendations informed by 2026 freelance creator guide and Wave's beginner freelancing guide.

My recommended learning order

Don't try to learn everything at once. Follow this sequence:

1. Choose a skill: Graphic design, video editing, web development, copywriting, virtual assistance or digital marketing.
2. Become good at it: Practice and create 3–5 portfolio projects.
3. Learn client acquisition: Understand proposals, outreach and networking.
4. Learn pricing: Understand how to charge for your work.
5. Get your first client: Start with platforms like Upwork and Fiverr.
6. Build a business: Get testimonials, referrals and repeat clients.

Let me help you choose the right freelancing path

I have one important question:

What is your current situation?

I'll use your answers to recommend the right people, YouTube channels, free courses and a step-by-step path toward your first paying client.

Learning how to freelance effectively is best done by following operators who share transparent, tactical advice - such as how to pitch clients, price your services, manage contracts, and avoid burnout - rather than "guru" types who only sell a lifestyle.

Depending on your niche and preferred platforms, several top-tier freelance experts, writers, and communities are worth following:

1. Top Freelance Writers & Content Creators (Great for Practical Tips & Newsletters)

• Kat Boogaard: A highly respected freelance B2B writer who shares incredible, no-nonsense tactical advice. She runs a widely read weekly newsletter that breaks down real business metrics, pricing, client communication, and even curated freelance job boards. Kat Boogaard Freelance WriterSubscribe - Kat Boogaard

• Kaleigh Moore: An e-commerce and SaaS writer who is a gold standard for learning how to freelance smarter. She frequently shares insights on Twitter/X and LinkedIn about setting flat rates, protecting your time, working with enterprise clients, and professionalizing your freelance business.

• Elise Dopson: Known for her deep expertise in B2B SaaS content creation. She is very active in mentoring newer freelancers, discussing pitching strategies, and pulling back the curtain on what it takes to build a stable six-figure freelance income.

2. Communities & Publications (Great for Broader Business Frameworks)

• Freelancers Union Blog: Run by the Freelancers Union, this is an essential resource for the structural side of freelancing - such as taxes, health insurance, legal rights, and navigating non-payments or contracts. 70 Best Freelance Bloggers to Follow in 2026 - FeedSpot

• Millo: A fantastic hub and blog specifically designed for solopreneurs and freelancers. They focus heavily on client acquisition, landing your first gig, and scaling a freelance side-hustle into a full-time agency. 70 Best Freelance Bloggers to Follow in 2026 - FeedSpot

• The Writer’s Co-op (Jenni Gritters and co-hosts): If you are in the creative or writing space, this podcast and community offers an amazing counter-narrative to the "hustle culture," focusing on financial transparency, setting rates, and treating your freelance career like a real business.

3. Platforms for Freelance Tooling & Workflow Insights

• Harlow Blog / Creative Class resources: Software tools built for freelancers often publish the best educational content. Companies like Harlow put out regular guides on onboarding clients, invoicing templates, tracking expenses, and scaling independent businesses.

Where to Look Next

• On LinkedIn & X (Twitter): Search for tags like #freelancing, #freelancewriter, or #solopreneur and look for professionals sharing weekly income breakdowns or pitch templates.

• Substack: Many seasoned independent consultants write free, weekly deep-dives about their specific niches (design, development, copywriting, marketing).

What specific field or type of freelancing (e.g., design, writing, coding, marketing) are you looking to get into? I can tailor these recommendations to match your exact goals!

To learn the ropes of freelancing, client acquisition, and scaling a solo business, it helps to follow practitioners who actively share transparent, real-world advice.

Top industry experts and independent operators share actionable insights across platforms like X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and specialized newsletters:

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** Kaleigh Moore** - A high-profile e-commerce and SaaS freelance writer who frequently shares tactical advice on Peak Freelance, focusing on client pitching, pricing, and structuring a writing business. 42 Freelancers to Follow on Twitter Today - Harlow

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** Emma Siemasko** - Writes extensively about the operational side of managing a freelance business, client communication, and sustainable solo-entrepreneurship. 42 Freelancers to Follow on Twitter Today - Harlow

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** Kat Boogaard** - Known for practical breakdowns of freelance life, finding gigs, and productivity tips via her popular newsletters and social channels. 42 Freelancers to Follow on Twitter Today - Harlow

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** Tom Basgil** - Focuses heavily on lead generation, modern social media workflows, and transitioning from a traditional job into full-time freelancing. 42 Freelancers to Follow on Twitter Today - Harlow

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** Masooma Memon** - Specializes in B2B SaaS freelancing and offers great transparency on scaling income and pitching enterprise clients. 42 Freelancers to Follow on Twitter Today - Harlow

If you let me know what type of freelancing you're interested in (e.g., writing, design, development, marketing), I can tailor this list with specific platform recommendations and specialized communities to check out.

Start with Chris Do for pricing and client conversations, Kat Boogaard for practical freelance-writing advice, and Jonathan Stark for learning how to charge for your expertise rather than just your time. They cover different parts of building a freelance business, so I’d choose based on what you need most.(thefutur)(canvasrebel)(nydla)

Who to follow - and why

Person	Best for	Where to follow	What you’ll learn
Chris Do / The Futur	Designers and other creative freelancers	The Futur’s videos and podcast	Handling low-budget clients, asking better sales questions, negotiating, and explaining the business value of your work. His client-conversation role-plays are a useful starting point. (thefutur)(thefutur)
Kat Boogaard	Freelance writers and beginners who want practical guidance	Her newsletter, blog, and LinkedIn	Lessons from running a freelance-writing business, plus resources and templates for fellow freelancers. Her own work focuses on long-form content for software companies. (canvasrebel)(katboogaard)
Jonathan Stark	Consultants, developers, and freelancers rethinking their rates	His daily newsletter and Ditching Hourly podcast	Pricing services, selling expertise, and moving away from hourly billing toward value-based pricing. He brings a former software developer’s perspective. (nydla)(podcasts.apple)
Shreya Pattar	Content writers and digital marketers	LinkedIn	Freelancing through the lens of content writing and marketing, including building a career around a marketable skill. (scoopwhoop.com)
Saheli Chatterjee	Social-media freelancers looking for clients	YouTube and Instagram	Approaching prospective clients and developing a freelance business around social-media services. (scoopwhoop.com)

Where I’d start

• For client calls and pricing confidence: start with Chris Do’s “How to Respond to Price Buyers or Low Budget Clients.” It demonstrates how to move a conversation from a client’s stated budget to the problem they actually need solved.(thefutur)
• For freelance writing: start with Kat Boogaard’s newsletter and blog; her advice is grounded in her own writing business rather than freelancing as an abstract lifestyle.(canvasrebel)(katboogaard)
• For an established service business: try Ditching Hourly. Stark’s focus is specifically on selling and pricing services, making it a closer fit when your main question is what to charge - not which skill to learn.(nydla)(podcasts.apple)

My shortlist would be one person in your field plus one business-focused educator, rather than following everyone. For example, Kat Boogaard and Chris Do make a complementary starting pair for a freelance writer: one covers the writing-business experience, while the other emphasizes client conversations and commercial value.(thefutur)(canvasrebel)

If you want to learn freelancing, follow a mix of experienced freelancers, educators, and influencers who share practical strategies, not just motivational quotes. The best voices combine real-world experience with actionable advice on pricing, client management, and building sustainable freelance careers.

🌟 Top Freelancing Experts & Influencers to Follow

Name / Platform	Focus Area	Why Follow
Freelancers Union Blog	General freelancing, worker rights, industry trends	Offers expert advice, freelancer stories, and updates on the independent workforce. Great for understanding the bigger picture of freelancing. 70 Best Freelance Bloggers to Follow in 2026
Millo	Business tips, client acquisition, freelance growth	Practical strategies for finding clients and scaling freelance businesses. 70 Best Freelance Bloggers to Follow in 2026
Elna Cain	Freelance writing	Shares hands-on tips for writers starting out, including pitching and building authority. 70 Best Freelance Bloggers to Follow in 2026
Jonathan Stark	Pricing & consulting	Author of Hourly Billing Is Nuts. Teaches value-based pricing, a crucial skill for freelancers. 12 LinkedIn Voices Every Tech Freelancer Should Follow in 2026
Ran Segall	Freelance web design	Focuses on turning design into a business, with strong YouTube presence. 12 LinkedIn Voices Every Tech Freelancer Should Follow in 2026
Latasha James	Social media & online freelancing	Shares practical freelancing tips across YouTube and courses. Follow These Top 10 Online Creators For Freelance Tips 2026 - FeedSpot Blog
Steve Folland (Being Freelance Podcast)	Real freelancer stories	Highlights the messy realities of freelancing - burnout, boundaries, and resilience. Follow These Top 10 Online Creators For Freelance Tips 2026 - FeedSpot Blog
Jamie Brindle (@thejamiebrindle on Instagram)	Practical freelancing tips	Focuses on building profitable client bases and growing freelance businesses. Top 40 Freelance Influencers in 2026
Prachi Gautam (@gautamprachi.co)	High-paying clients & digital marketing	Helps freelancers level up with AI-driven marketing skills. Top 40 Freelance Influencers in 2026
Allie K. Miller	AI & business freelancing	One of LinkedIn’s biggest voices (1.6M+ followers), sharing insights on AI and independent consulting. 12 LinkedIn Voices Every Tech Freelancer Should Follow in 2026

⚠️ Risks & Challenges to Watch Out For

• Overhyped “gurus”: Many influencers sell courses without offering real value. Stick to those who share free, practical insights backed by experience.

• Platform noise: Instagram and TikTok are crowded with recycled content. Focus on podcasts, blogs, and LinkedIn where experts go deeper.

• Pricing pitfalls: Beginners often undercharge. Following experts like Jonathan Stark can help you avoid the trap of hourly billing.

✅ Actionable Next Steps

1. Pick 2–3 voices from the list above to follow consistently (e.g., Jonathan Stark for pricing + Steve Folland for real-world stories).

2. Engage actively: Comment, ask questions, and apply their advice to your own freelancing journey.

3. Balance learning with doing: Don’t just consume content - start pitching clients, testing rates, and building your portfolio.

Would you like me to tailor this list specifically to your freelancing niche (e.g., writing, design, tech, consulting)? That way, I can highlight the most relevant voices for your field.