I saw someone mention they feel totally overwhelmed by all the work they have to do daily. How about you guys? Are you in an agency or part of an in-house team? How’s your day like?
I used to work in an agency, and honestly, I was both overworked and underpaid. Now I work with individual clients on contracts, and it’s been way better. For part-time, I do around 15 hours a week (though I officially call it 20). Full-time? Maybe 5 hours a day tops. Most of my time goes into making reports, which can be a bit much sometimes.
Sounds like you’ve got a great balance now! Why do reports take so much time? Are you making a lot of them every week? Do you use any tools for it?
If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you? Congrats on finding something that works for you.
Do you run your own company now?
What does that even mean?
Tree fiddy… it’s a classic joke. Look it up!
Wait… you’re getting tree fiddy? I need to visit the loch and have a word about this.
I’m a consultant, and honestly, I sometimes feel bad about how much time I waste scrolling forums like this. I look at it like plumbing work—clients pay for results. Whether it takes me five minutes or five hours, it’s about getting the job done.
That’s fair. But how much work time do you think would make you feel less guilty?
It’s more about the time I waste on Reddit or snacking. I could use that time for something more productive, like going to the gym or taking on more clients.
That’s a good way to look at it. Sometimes the value you bring isn’t about the hours you put in.
Around three hours most days.
How many projects are you handling? Do you have any tools or help from others?
I focus on monitoring and making adjustments most of the time, but I work in bursts when it comes to creating content. For example, I might not touch anything for a couple of weeks, then I’ll binge work for two days straight and finish a client’s entire month of tasks. My clients pay monthly, so I manage my time based on that. It works for me as an owner-operator, but it’s probably not ideal if you’re in an agency. I don’t feel overworked or underpaid. If I do, I renegotiate with clients or part ways.
That’s super efficient! How many clients do you work with? Is it all SEO work?
I do SEO, ads and social media. I also create websites and manage GBP for clients. I have four main clients, which is plenty for me. I might take on one or two more, but that’s it.
That’s a lot to handle! What do you usually charge your clients each month?
I work a few hours a day, but I’ve been doing this for 17 years. I’ve figured out how to delegate so others do most of the work. I think that’s what every business owner should aim for.
It’s definitely a different story for employees versus owners.