How to Support Freelancers on Complex Projects

Early Stage founder: “We need help NOW but can't afford full-time hires." Finding and managing the right freelancers is a common challenge at that stage. But after helping 50+ startups, I've identified a systematic way to de-risk it: 🎯 Start with strategy, not hiring: → Map your desired outcomes clearly → Document the specific steps needed to get there → Identify which skills are truly core vs. supportable → Leverage your network for referrals (still the best source) → If no referrals, go to platforms like Upwork and Fiverr ✅ Vet and validate: → Review portfolios and past startup work → Ask exactly how they might use LLMs in their workflow → Set crystal-clear deliverables and success metrics → Cap initial test assignments at £500 → Track which freelancers consistently deliver quality work → Document detailed feedback to improve collaboration 📈 Scale thoughtfully: → Begin with high-impact, low-product-knowledge tasks → Create repeatable processes for successful projects → Develop freelancers' understanding of your business → Focus your core team on strategic innovation → Build your trusted talent network gradually If you can't identify the right freelancers because your path to success isn't clear, a senior advisor or fractional C-level pro can help map your execution plan first. Savvy founders don't gamble on freelancers. They build clarity first, then choose the right experts. ♻️ Found this helpful? Repost to share with your network. ⚡️ Want more content like this? Hit follow Maya Moufarek.

6 months of last year, I freelanced full time. Now on the flip side, I'm trying to give our freelancers an A+ experience. What should I add to this list?👇 1. Submit invoices immediately. When one comes in, I’m trying to make it my top priority. 2. Try to get a pay day ETA. I’m frankly not very successful at this, but worth a shot if it can provide some clarity and relief. 3. Set calendar reminders to follow up and make sure the payment went through. 4. Share 4-5 best reference materials, no more, no less. I'd rather my freelancer spend time on strategizing and writing than sorting through a brief with 10 to 15 links I slapped together. 5. Handle internal edits myself instead of sending the draft back. Because it’s hard as an outsider to sort through different reviewers’ feedback when you don’t really know the hierarchy or team dynamics. 6. Note when a due date is arbitrary and when it’s flexible. Then give flexibility when something comes up — an interview, an opportunity, a family commitment or loss. small c did this for me, and it was SO helpful. 7. Use freelancers’ actual names often internally. And also represent them + their work well. 8. Let writers choose if they want a byline or not. 9. Have writers email their work to me instead of learning our project management system. I remember having to juggle 8 different clients’ systems at once, which took time and energy away from the actual content work. And then some things I’m trying to get better at: - Share metrics!!! - Write LinkedIn reviews. - Plan ahead more than 1 month. - Ask for process feedback and try to do something about what I hear. A small caveat: This probably gets much harder when you're managing a whole rolodex of contractors, not just a a handful. But I really do think these little things create conditions for better work and a happier partnership. Freelancers out there — what else is helpful (or not)?  I’d really love to hear👇

Success in hiring a freelancer has to do with WAY MORE than just the person you hire. I've hired 20+ freelancers over the last 2 years for my own 3 businesses, in addition to seeing thousands facilitated by our platform. It's not only who you hire, it's HOW you hire and manage them. Here are 6 tips on how to ensure successful freelance hires: 1) Do Paid Sample Projects There's no substitute for actually working together. Budget $300-$500 for a paid sample project for your top candidate (something that you'll use), and see how they perform. If their work blows you away, make the hire. If it's just "okay", then don't. 2) Work Asynchronously One of the biggest reasons freelancers love being freelancers is their schedule flexibility. Don't bog them down with unnecessary, recurring meetings and they'll do their best work for you (and bill you less hours). 3) Pay Well & On Time Freelancers are stressed about 2 things on a daily basis: 1 - Getting work 2 - Getting paid You have full control over number 2. Don't squeeze them on their rate, and pay invoices as soon as you get them. It'll pay dividends in the work they do for you because they LIKE working for you 4) Align on Long-Term Expectations in Advance There's nothing worse than onboarding a freelancer and them having to roll off after 6 months due to a personal or professional comittment. Be upfront about how long you expect to want to keep them for, and whether or not a full-time role is a possibility. Make sure you're both aligned on those long-term expectations. Of course, things can change, but it's always helpful to align in advance no matter what, and communicate if/when things do change. 5) Avoid Surprise Bills A brand's biggest nightmare is getting a bill 5x what they thought they were going to pay for an hourly project. But they rarely do anything to prevent it in advance. Sign a contract with ALL freelancers you work with, no matter how small the project. And if you're working together on an hourly basis, make sure to put a CAP on the number of hours they can bill for a given project, week, or month. Anything more should require written approval. 6) Provide Timely & Honest Feedback This is a no-brainer for full-time hires, but brands seem to leave it out with their freelancers. Not happy with the quality of work? TELL THEM. Not happy with communication or turnaround time? TELL THEM. They can't do better work for you if they don't know where they're not meeting expectations. Share feedback, live or asynchronously (criticism is best shared live), on an ongoing basis, and make sure to let them know when they're crushing it as well. *** I've hired super talented freelancers in the past, but the engagements haven't gone well, because I left out one of these 6 steps. Once I started following them religiously, my success rate shot up. I've only made 1 bad hire in the last 18 months (90%+ success rate). Try them out and let me know how it goes.

Setting the Stage for Freelance Success: The Power of Clear Project Scopes In my experience working with freelancers, I've learned that setting clear project scopes from the get-go is key. Freelancing can be challenging, but laying out expectations early on can reduce risks, build client trust, and ensure smoother projects. When starting with a new client, it's important to outline the scope of work, estimated hours, deadlines, meeting availability, revision limits, and other important details. Always be transparent about your rates, payment terms, and what happens if payments are late. Flexibility is important, but any changes should be documented and agreed upon by both parties. This not only helps manage client expectations but also sets you up for success by allowing you to manage your time and workload effectively. Clear communication and upfront planning are crucial in the freelancing world. They ensure that both you and your client are on the same page and pave the way for successful collaborations. Remember, setting the stage for success starts with a clear project scope.

At my last in-house content job, I spent 10 minutes every month recording a Loom video for our freelance bench. It led not only to better content, but also to stronger relationships with those writers (in fact, I’m still in contact with most of these people today). There was a moment when our freelance bench had increased drastically, and the internal team was also facing a lot of changes (including some pretty giant milestones on the product roadmap). Since I had a practically brand-new team to work with, I decided to send a quick Loom video introducing myself, some main aspects of the product, and a birds-eye view of our content strategy. And I realized I had struck gold. The writers responded quickly, thanking me for the message. Their work the following month was even better than before. And they all were more willing to come to me with any questions or doubts while working on the projects they were assigned. Something so simple turned out to be much more powerful than I expected. So, I started doing it every month. And if you want to build a stronger connection with your freelance writing team, I suggest you do the same. While this will depend on your team and what your company allows you to share, these are the things I decided to include in my monthly update: - Some overall results from the previous months’ articles (any significant ranking changes, or feedback from the internal team) - New product updates, especially if they impact upcoming articles -Insights into the plan behind upcoming assignments Some months these were longer, others were shorter, but all of them had consistently fantastic feedback from the freelancers on our bench. Simple things like this help you retain your best freelance writers, and keep them coming back consistently with great content. __________ Hey, I’m Amy, a fractional content marketer for SaaS brands. If your content team needs help with project management, let’s talk. #freelanceteam #freelancewriters #projectmanagement #contentmanagement