How a CEO Mindset Helps Your Freelance Business Thrive

· June 4th, 2025 ·

Hey friend 👋

This week I met with several new writers who are super enthusiastic about launching their business and taking control of their journey (shoutout Alex, Savannah, and Carol).

It’s easy to get lost in the work. A long to-do list can pull your focus away from your business.

But if your goal is to build a writing business that can support you for the long-run, it’s important to find time to work on it.

I’ve started using bi-weekly “CEO Days” as a way to check in with my goals and plan for the weeks ahead. It’s just one part of the CEO mindset I’ve adopted that has helped scale my business from random gigs to reliable income.

This week, I’m sharing how you can also use a CEO mindset to find more success as a freelance writer.

Cheers!

Best,

🐦‍⬛ Cody – Founder @ Ravenwood Writing Academy

P.S. Want to charge more and land writing jobs easier? You need a niche. Check out my free course and identify your ideal niche in just one hour. Sign up free here​

🧛 Freelance Bites:

News and Resources in 2 Minutes

• Sick of mismatched budgets when pitching new clients? Liz Heflin’s Inkwell is offering a free webinar on June 12th covering how to find clients that can afford your rates. (Learn More).
• Human writing speaks volumes compared to AI slop. Here are 9 ways to differentiate your writing and command higher rates (WordStream).
• Can a podcast help you grow your freelance writing business? Audio isn’t for everyone, but Anna presents a convincing argument for having your own podcast here (FreelanceFAQs)
• Feel like your freelance biz is running your life? Here are 4 easy ways to take back control of your time and sanity (Ravenwood Writing Academy Blog).

📬 Letters From My Desk

Why You Need a CEO Mindset to Run Your Freelance Writing Business

Early in my freelance career, I was churning out 10, 15, sometimes 20 articles a week. The pay was low, and the deadlines were beyond stressful. Everything felt replaceable… and I soon found out that I was, too.

I constantly worried about the jobs drying up. Or maybe I only landed them through a stroke of luck in the first place?

I knew if I wanted freelance writing to be a sustainable career, something needed to change.

The answer wasn’t better clients or higher rates (although, spoilers, those followed). It was my mindset.

I needed to stop thinking like a cog in someone else’s machine and start acting like a business owner—because I was one.

That’s when I started to develop a CEO mindset. It’s a mental framework that has allowed me to build a six-figure freelance writing business on my terms over the past eight years.

No, it’s not mindfulness exercises or imagining yourself as an executive in a corner office. It’s also not wearing a tie to work (yuck!)

Here’s what a CEO mindset looks like for successful freelance writers.

You Stop Thinking Like “Just” a Writer

A lot of freelance writers fall into the trap of treating themselves like a commodity. Maybe you’ve done it.

You tie your value to how many words you can produce or how quickly you can turn around an assignment.

Before long, you’re working on tasks constantly, but never working on your business.

A CEO mindset flips that narrative on its head.

It means learning to understand that you aren’t a hired pen, but a strategist. You’re the visionary, the executor, and the engine behind a brand. Your brand.

You deserve respect and a seat at the table. And your pricing should reflect your expertise, not what someone thinks writing “should” cost.

You Redefine What Your Success Is

One of the biggest mental shifts I had to make was letting go of the notion that success meant making more every month or landing high-profile bylines. Sure, I’ve had huge months and clients worthy of name-dropping (hey, Bose 🎧).

But some of the most satisfying work I do doesn’t fall under either umbrella.

Success, from a CEO’s perspective, is about aligning with your goals.

Your business should support your values, lifestyle, and long-term vision for your life. It should not be a constant drain on your mental and physical energy.

The fun part is the definition of success is up to you. Step aside, dictionary!

Maybe it means working a four-day week, every week. Maybe it means writing only about topics that light you up. Perhaps it’s working flexible hours in the evenings when the kids go to bed. Maybe it’s hitting a revenue goal or launching a personal brand.

You get it. The point is: you get to define success.

But you can’t pursue your version of success if you haven’t paused long enough to figure out what it is. CEOs take time to plan.

You Create Systems to Support Sustainability

Most writers who decide to invest in their business for the long-haul quickly learn that doing the work and running a business are two very different jobs. Congrats, you now have two jobs and zero W2s (and still no health insurance).

The only way to manage both successfully is by building systems.

One of my most impactful practices is holding a bi-weekly “CEO Day.” It’s a repeating block on my calendar where I stop writing and focus on my business itself. I review my finances, track leads, check in on my long-term goals, and plan for the next two weeks.

I also use monthly revenue projections to guide my workload and client outreach cadence. This keeps me from operating in the feast-or-famine mode that freelancers are all-too-familiar with.

I don’t have crazy spreadsheets (although I do love a good sheet). I just have simple, streamlined systems that keep me in control.

None of it is flashy. But it works for me. These systems keep my business running smoothly even when I’m knee-deep in client work or when life gets unpredictable.

You Think Like a Team Leader (Even if It’s Just You Right Now)

I haven’t hired a full-time assistant or built a team for my business (yet), but I’ve brought on support when I needed it. And I know many uber-successful freelance writers who wouldn’t have scaled past a certain point without help.

The truth is, you can’t do it all forever. Your business will eventually outgrow the number of hours you have in the week. That’s a good thing! Smile.

Even if you’re not outsourcing today, you can start preparing for it. That means getting clear on what tasks drain your energy or don’t require your specific skill set. Maybe you’re the only one who can turn out a killer case study. But could someone save you time on those introductory LinkedIn messages?

You should also start tightening your systems so they’re easy to hand off later. Remember, you can’t delegate chaos. You can (and should) delegate systems that already work when you run them—you just need to show someone else how to run them too.

That’s how a CEO thinks.

Cody’s Top Picks

This is the part where I share some of the content I’ve been enjoying lately. Hope you enjoy!

(This section may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I’ll earn a small percentage, which helps support this free newsletter at no extra cost to you.)

• 📺 I’m Watching… “Andor” on Disney+. I heard my favorite author, Pierce Brown, was into this show and I was SOLD. It’s a tale of rebellion set on the backdrop of Star Wars and is grittier than you might expect. We’re only a few episodes into the first season, but it’s been great so far.
• 🎧 I’m Listening to… “Japanese Shamisen x Hip Hop Beats” on YouTube. I like changing things up when I’m working and having music on for 8-10 hours a day leads me down some strange paths. This mashup of the shamisen (a traditional Japanese string instrument) and some groovy, electronic beats has kept me bopping my head all week.
• 🌍 I’m Doing… Video editing. I’m knee deep in my editing software finishing up the videos for Case Study Accelerator. Shoutout to those who subscribed! If you want to get on the wait list for the next enrollment window, just click this link (no signup needed).
• 🧠 You Should Remember:

More From The Blog…

5 Mistakes Freelance Writers Make When Choosing a Niche Picking the right niche can put you on the fast track to freelance success. Get there faster by avoiding these mistakes. Read article

How Part-Time Freelance Writers Can Build a Sustainable Income Part-time work as a freelance writer can bring financial stability and a low-stress way to build your career. Here’s how to do it. Read article

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