Welcome to the Freelance Success Community
Build Your Freelance Business With Expert Support
Join a Trusted Community of Growing Freelancers
FLX is where freelancers come together to build sustainable, joyful careers.
Since 2000, we've been the place where writers, content creators, editors, marketers, and journalists gather to talk honestly about getting paid what they're worth, finding clients who value their expertise, and overcoming the isolation of independent work.
Unlike the noise of social media or public forums, FLX gives you a private space to ask the real questions, share genuine wins, and get advice from people who actually understand what you're going through.
What You Get With FLX
🌟 Connect with veterans who've built thriving freelance businesses and are willing to share how they did it
💼 Discover client opportunities that never make it to job boards
🔍 Get honest feedback on your pitches, proposals, and rates
✍️ Join writing groups that actually help you finish projects
💰 Learn how to negotiate higher rates (without the panic sweats)
🤝 Meet colleagues who become collaborators and friends
Conversations Are Happening Right Now
At FLX, members are discussing the topics you can't talk about anywhere else.
We're sharing insider knowledge about pitching strategies that actually land clients, how to structure retainers that benefit both parties, and which red flags mean "run away now."
Our community dives deep into pricing models, the best tools to streamline your workflow, and how to handle those clients who make you question your career choices.
We talk openly about AI's impact on our industry, emerging market opportunities, and how to adapt to rapidly changing trends.
You'll find honest conversations about taxes and business structures, personal branding that doesn't feel fake, and the day-to-day realities of freelance life—all in a space where everyone understands exactly what you're going through because they're living it too.
Expert Advice, Exclusive Events
Through your FLX membership, you’ll have direct access to some of the most seasoned professional freelancers in the game.
Every month, you’ll be able to attend webinars, events, and Q&As with FLX masterminds and special guests—events that you can’t access anywhere else.
Ilse Benun, FLX Mastermind of Marketing
Business expert Ilise Benun is the author of seven business books for the "creatively self-employed,” a national speaker, a business coach for the Savannah College of Art & Design, and founder of Marketing-Mentor.com.
During her more than thirty years in business, she has worked with thousands of creative professionals to help them learn the skills to build the business (and life) they dream of.
She has developed and delivered programming for creative professionals, previously as an instructor in the Business of Design graduate program at Maryland Institute College of Art and as co-founder/host of the Creative Business/Design Entrepreneurship program of HOW Design Live.
Connect with Ilise Benun on LinkedIn, and be sure to catch her presentations in our educational section at FLX! Better yet, attend her exclusive live presentations and ask questions about your own efforts.
Liam Carnahan, Freelance Mentor & Coach
Liam Carnahan of Inkwell Services has worked in content for more than a decade, eventually becoming director of content at a major digital content marketing agency in Sydney. Today, he, too, is a freelancer, consulting with companies on best SEO practices and guiding other writers to the tools they need to be successful.
As a successful freelancer and digital nomad, Liam creates exclusive content for FLXers, including weekly Liams Insights posts and a host of resources available only to members of FLX. Liam also offers 1:1 mentoring and coaching, and his DMs in the FLX forum are always open.
Connect with Liam Carnahan on LinkedIn, and don't miss his helpful, exclusive sessions at our community that advise FLXers on can't-miss strategies to strengthen their clients' results.
Austin L. Church, FLX Mastermind of Scaling
Austin Church, founder of Freelance Cake and author of Free Money, is on a mission to help one million freelance creatives hit a six-figure income while grabbing more freedom to enjoy life and be generous. You know that as having your cake and eating it too.
FLXers know him as a friend. They have his coaching experience and knowledge to lean on with their direct questions and struggles.
Connect with Austin Church on LinkedIn, and be sure to catch his quarterly scheduled outreaches at FLX.
And you have a team of peer mentors at your side, too:
Satta Sarmah Hightower, marketing mentor. Satta puts her "always be marketing" slogan into practice, and she's eager to help others find their same rhythm.
Corinna Santa Ana, encouragement mentor. Corinna runs our accountability and peer partner program—perfect for those who want to get beyond words and start putting plans into action.
Erik Sherman, contracts mentor. When you need to get into the nuts and bolts of legal language, Erik is more than happy to weigh in.
Sheri Bell, mindset mentor. As a certified life coach and creative herself, Sheri is all about helping colleagues figure out what's getting in their way, then removing that block.
Michele "Wojo" Wojciechowski, happiness mentor. Michele specializes in entertainment issues (she's a stand-up comedian in addition to her editorial focus), and she's always bringing a smile and a pep talk when your day feels blah.
Success Stories from the FLX Community
“I landed a new client through FLX. Just looked at my 1099: the amount I earned in eight months alone was more than enough to buy FLX subscriptions for the next 59 years.” —Jeff Steele
"It’s not just about comprehensive market opportunities. Julie is ahead of the curve, recognizing that being a freelance writer is not just about writing for publications. That can lead to starvation.
"It’s necessary to slide gently and respectfully into the bulging content space and be one of the best due to our well-honed skills in research, interviewing and, yes, writing. Julie is a remarkable leader, moderator, technician, businesswoman, leader, and creative of the highest caliber. Julie has revived a solid platform for freelance writers."—Stephanie Stephens
"I see FLX as a control group for freelancers. Many of us wonder if we are being mistreated or disrespected by clients and potential clients on everything from rates to revisions. Imposter syndrome kicks in hard: is it me,
"Raising these issues on FLX helps us isolated freelancers level set our expectations, and commiserate when necessary."—Gary Wollenhaupt
“I first joined FLX in 2009 when I was starting my freelance career. I scoured the message boards and found the advice and vulnerability of other writers so helpful and refreshing. One day I saw that a member was looking for writers for business stories. He was asking for pitches for one of his clients. I’d never written a straight business story, but I sent him a series of pitches anyway.
"Not only did I get the assignment but his magazine is now one of my longest-term clients - I’m going on 15 years with them. They’ve referred me to *many other clients, too. It isn’t an exaggeration when I say that without FLX my freelance career would look entirely different. I’m forever grateful and will always be a member.”—Katie Morell
“FLX changed my life. Seriously. I’ve been a member for more than 20 years, and I’ve not only learned so much about the field in that time, but, just as importantly, I met my mentor, so many colleagues, and even some of my closest friends on FLX. It’s the best place for any writer to find information, camaraderie, and lots of fun!” — Michele “Wojo” Wojciechowski
Is FLX right for you? Take our brutally honest test to find out!
Join the FLX Community
Membership is just $14.99/month — less than a streaming subscription for access to:
24/7 forum discussions and support
Monthly expert-led webinars
Exclusive resource library
Regular market opportunity alerts
Accountability partnerships
No long-term commitment. Cancel anytime.
Questions? Get in touch
I'm Julie Sturgeon, publisher and editor of FLX. Reach out to me if you have questions or concerns. I'm happy to shoot you a straight answer, even in the middle of the night.
