Tom Kozacinski.
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Articles, essays & letters

Writing.

Notes on design, communication and working life. A little more room to think something through.

The archive, so far: 85 articles · 32,528 words · 176,136 characters

Clients & pricing

Newest first
A tiny orange pennant celebrates one of three stepping stones.
Clients & pricing

Small victories

Using difficult client situations to practise empathy, build confidence, and recognise progress.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance

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A jar of bath salts sits beside a blank invoice and a small camera.
Clients & pricing

Client from hell

The client who tried to settle a web design and photography invoice with bath salts.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance

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A durable orange mug beside a disposable paper cup.
Clients & pricing

One-night-stand customer?

Thinking about repeat business, customer lifetime value, and the clients you want to work with.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance

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A paperweight holds an invoice beside an empty coin purse.
Clients & pricing

Fuck you, pay me

Lessons from an unpaid first invoice, and why being the cheapest is not a business strategy.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance

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One wooden key fits an orange lock while other keys lie aside.
Clients & pricing

Minimum viable customer

Understanding who needs your work before trying to build a business that serves everyone.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 44

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A paper ghost lifts away from a simple coin jar.
Clients & pricing

Budget is a scary word

How to talk about budgets with clients and understand what they are ready to invest.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 38

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A wooden doorway rises from an open book with an orange path.
Clients & pricing

What story are you telling?

Thinking about the story your work tells and what your clients are really buying.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 37

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Two cups sit together on a firmly supported wooden plank.
Clients & pricing

Happy clients

Building working relationships through clear expectations, honest communication, and reliable delivery.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 25

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A crafted wooden object balances against an orange price tag.
Clients & pricing

How much do I charge?

Thinking beyond a price list to understand the value of your work and how to communicate it.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 23

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A wooden abacus beside a blank ledger and pencil.
Clients & pricing

Pricing basics II: calculating rates

Working out what you need to earn and comparing hourly, project, and personal priorities.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 16

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An hourglass and sun disc beside a crafted wooden cube.
Clients & pricing

Pricing basics I: hourly vs. day rate

Why your time and your value are different, and how billing choices shape your working life.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 15

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