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

More writing

Newest first
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 wooden artist mannequin rests beside water and an orange fruit.
Working life

Magic skeleton

A reminder to care for the body that carries you through your work and your life.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 43

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A wooden boat turns its orange rudder toward a new course.
Career & growth

Career course corrections

Giving yourself permission to change direction, even when you once wanted the career you have.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 41

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Headphones surround a pencil and notebook, shielding them from scattered lines.
Productivity

My deep focus hack

Using familiar sounds to settle into focused work and cut through distractions.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 40

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A knotted cord unravels beside a wooden spool with an orange core.
Life & perspective

Are you angry?

Learning to let go of resentment, set boundaries, and stop giving difficult people space in your day.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 39

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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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A sailboat rests ashore beside a neatly coiled orange rope.
Freelancing

No work periods

Preparing for the quiet stretches of freelance life and using them without losing your perspective.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 32

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A vintage CRT computer and keyboard beside an orange floppy disk.
Life & perspective

Me and my first PC

How a childhood computer, a stubborn teacher, and supportive parents shaped my path into technology.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 30

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An orange paper bird rises above a stack of classroom exercise books.
Life & perspective

Teachers' pets

What unfair treatment at school taught me about authority, creativity, and speaking up.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 29

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A hand mirror reflects an open doorway beside a wooden box.
Freelancing

The lies we tell ourselves

A reflection on gratitude, freelance uncertainty, and giving yourself permission to consider other options.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 28

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A wooden house with an open orange door and a portfolio on the step.
Freelancing

You need a website

Why a simple online home for your work makes it easier for clients to find and trust you.

Newsletter · Breaking Freelance · No. 26

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