Mark: In the UK, 54,000 women lose their jobs each year while pregnant or on maternity leave. Michelle: Fifty-four thousand? That’s not a statistic; that’s a silent crisis. It makes you wonder, is freelancing a choice, or is it becoming a lifeboat? Mark: That's the exact tension at the heart of The Freelance Mum by Annie Ridout. And Ridout isn't just an observer; she lived this. She's a journalist who lost her own full-time job after having a baby and channeled that crisis into building a successful freelance career and a digital magazine. Her experience is what makes this book so raw and practical. Michelle: Okay, so let's start there. The lifeboat. Is this book about escaping a sinking ship or building your own yacht?

Mark: It’s about realizing the ship was never built for you in the first place, and then deciding to build something better. Ridout’s own story is the perfect example. She was a copywriter, had her daughter, and then her job was gone. The book describes this moment of panic, this feeling of being professionally erased. Michelle: That must have been terrifying. To lose your job right after having a baby... it's a crisis of identity, not just finances. You’re navigating this huge new role as a mother, and suddenly your professional self is just… gone. Mark: Exactly. But here’s where the story turns. Instead of just accepting it, she got angry. She channeled that panic into productivity. A year after her daughter was born, she launched a digital parenting and lifestyle magazine called The Early Hour. It became her platform, her proof of life. Michelle: I love that. It’s pure defiance. It’s a refusal to be sidelined. There's a quote in the book that captures this, isn't there? Mark: There is, and it’s powerful. She says, "You can take away my job but you can’t take away my power." That's the core mindset shift. For many women, as the book highlights, freelancing becomes less about a desire for flexibility and more about sheer necessity. Michelle: So you've got the fire and the anger. But what's the first, tangible step Ridout says to take? Where do you even begin when you're in that state of panic? Mark: The book is very practical here. It’s not about some grand, five-year business plan. It’s about starting small. First, you identify your assets. What skills do you already have? Writing, graphic design, project management, accounting? Then, you distinguish between "passion work" and "money work." Michelle: Okay, break that down. Passion work versus money work. Mark: Passion work is the thing you dream of doing, like starting a magazine in Ridout's case. Money work is using your existing, marketable skills to pay the bills right now. The book suggests you might need to do the money work to fund the passion work, and that’s okay. It’s about getting the ball rolling and building momentum, not waiting for the perfect, fully-formed business to appear. Michelle: That feels so much more achievable. It’s not a giant leap; it’s a series of small, deliberate steps. And it seems like this isn't just a niche movement. You mentioned some data on this. Mark: It’s a huge economic force. The book cites that businesses run by mothers, or ‘mumpreneurs,’ contribute an incredible £7 billion to the UK economy each year. And over the last decade, the number of freelancing mums has jumped by nearly 80%. This isn't a cottage industry; it's a revolution in how work gets done. Michelle: A £7 billion revolution, built one small step at a time. This all sounds incredibly empowering, but it hinges on one thing that's often in short supply for new mums: confidence. Especially when it comes to money. How does the book tackle that?

Mark: It tackles it head-on. The book has a whole chapter called "Fake it till you make it," which sounds like a cliché, but the way Ridout frames it is really insightful. She uses this wonderful analogy of being a swan. Michelle: A swan? How does that work? Mark: You know how a swan looks on the water? All graceful, calm, and serene on the surface. But underneath, its feet are paddling frantically just to stay afloat. The book argues that’s the reality for many freelance mums. You project confidence and competence, even when you’re paddling like mad underneath, feeling anxious and overwhelmed. Michelle: Oh, I know that feeling. It’s the calm voice you use on a client call while your toddler is silently de-potting a plant in the background. Mark: Precisely. And the book argues that this performance of confidence isn't just about appearances; it can actually lead to real success. But the ultimate test of that confidence comes down to money. And this is where the book shares one of the most striking stories I’ve read in a while. Michelle: I have a feeling I know which one you're talking about. It’s the one that made my jaw drop. Mark: It has to be. It’s the story of a designer, Meagan Fisher Couldwell. She quoted a rate for a project. The project manager came back to her and said—and I’m quoting here—"how about we triple that, so it better matches what we’ve paid our male designers for the same work?" Michelle: Wow. Just… wow. To have a client be your ally like that is incredible. It’s heroic. But most people aren't that lucky. They don't have someone offering to triple their rate. So what's the advice for someone who has to fight that battle alone? How do you find your 'inner Cara' and demand more? Mark: 'Inner Cara' is a great reference from the book! For context, that’s the author’s friend who is relentlessly good at demanding and getting pay raises. The book’s advice is to channel that energy. But it also gives you the tools. It starts with knowing your numbers. You have to calculate your baseline—what you need to cover bills, taxes, and time off. That gives you a floor. Michelle: Okay, a baseline makes sense. But what about the ceiling? How do you know what to ask for? Mark: This is where another great story comes in. The author was approached by a large homewares store for an ad campaign. Instead of immediately quoting her usual day rate of £500, she did something different. She asked them, "What's your budget?" Michelle: And what did they say? Mark: They said it was £3,000 a day. Six times her normal rate. She was floored. The job didn't end up happening, but the lesson was huge: always ask about the budget first. You might be undervaluing yourself by a massive margin. Michelle: That is such a simple but game-changing piece of advice. It shifts the power dynamic. You’re not just guessing what you’re worth; you’re responding to the value they’ve already placed on the work. Mark: Exactly. And it’s part of a bigger theme in the book about transparency. Ridout argues that women need to talk more openly about money. She tells a story about discovering a blogger with a fraction of her following who was charging more for sponsored posts. Her immediate reaction wasn't jealousy; it was action. She raised her own rates immediately. Michelle: It’s like the gender pay gap in microcosm. The secrecy and the tendency for women to undervalue themselves perpetuates the whole system. Mark: And the book’s message is that you can start to dismantle it, one negotiation at a time. It’s about valuing your work, being realistic about the demands of motherhood—the book has a great quote about this being the "rush hour of your life"—and defining success on your own terms.

Mark: When you put it all together, you see it’s a two-front battle. You're fighting an external system that often pushes mothers out, and you're fighting an internal one that can fill you with self-doubt and tell you you're not worth enough. Michelle: What I'm hearing is that becoming a 'freelance mum' isn't just a career change. It's a radical act of self-valuation. You're not just setting a day rate; you're declaring your worth in a world that's often trying to discount it. You’re taking the chaos and the challenge and turning it into power. Mark: That’s it perfectly. The book is ultimately a story of reclamation. Reclaiming your career, your time, and your sense of professional value. And Ridout's core message is that this power is accessible. It starts with one small step, one bold email, one conversation where you ask for what you deserve. Michelle: It’s a really hopeful message. It makes you think, what's one small, defiant step you could take this week to value your own work a little more? We'd love to hear your stories. Find us on social media and share your experience. Mark: This is Aibrary, signing off.