The Freelance Business Workshop

Your Path to Financial and Emotional Sustainability

Presented by the Institute for Independent Journalists, Palabra and National Association of Hispanic Journalists

Saturday, July 12, 2025, from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm CT

Hilton Chicago
720 S Michigan Ave. Chicago

This full-day workshop will help freelancers develop a sustainable independent journalism practice. While geared toward people with a few years of experience, even long-time entrepreneurs will learn skills to level up.

Topics Include:

The 3 P’s model of structuring a freelance portfolio and what to negotiate for in addition to higher pay.
Effective networking, recruiting anchor clients, identifying your brand and niche, and when to say no.
A range of organization, time management, and mental health strategies

Schedule

Saturday, July 12, 2025, (8:30 am to 5 pm CT)

8:30 am - 9:00 am

Registration

Grab your name badge, meet other freelancers, and settle in for a day of learning and community! We’ll provide coffee and snack bars.

Workshop Presenters:

Katherine Reynolds Lewis, Founder, The IIJ

Katherine is a science journalist and author based in the Washington, D.C. area who writes about education, equity, mental health, parenting, journalism, and social justice for publications including The Atlantic, The New York Times, Nieman Reports, Parents, and The Washington Post. Her 2018 book The Good News About Bad Behavior grew out of Mother Jones’ most-read article. A biracial woman (Asian American and White), she previously worked as a national correspondent for Newhouse News Service and Bloomberg News.

Valeria Fernández

Valeria is a Phoenix-based investigative journalist and managing editor of palabra., created by NAHJ to support freelancers. She has produced documentaries for Discovery Spanish, CNN Español, and PBS. Her work can be found in The Guardian, California Sunday Magazine, Latino USA and the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting. In 2018, she won the American Mosaic Journalism Prize for her freelance coverage of underrepresented communities. As a 2021 Nieman Visiting Fellow, Valeria created Comadres al Aire, a Spanish podcast on health.

9 am - 10:30 am

Session 1: Principles for Sustainable Freelancing

Learn the 3 P’s model© of freelance gigs and the importance of hourly rates. Review an income-expenses statement, and adapt a budget to use in your freelance practice. Learn about the options for business formation and organization and time management strategies. Make a plan for setting goals, tracking income and time, paying taxes, and being accountable to yourself.

10:45 am - 12:00 pm

Session 2: Your Brand and Your Network

Learn the importance of cultivating relationships with peers and potential clients. Discuss brand identity and marketing strategies. Compare effective networking and excessive self-promotion. Create a Venn diagram of your interests, your experience and the market, as you identify potential anchor clients. Hear about supports and strategies for maintaining mental health and work discipline. Understand the importance of turning down work and practice several ways to say no.

12 pm - 1:30 pm

Lunch Offsite

If you register directly with the IIJ, lunch is included in your workshop registration. If you register through your NAHJ registration, you may purchase lunch for an additional $25, or elect to have lunch on your own and return for the afternoon session. We will walk to the lunch site together.

Email info@theiij.com if you’re not sure whether you’re confirmed for lunch.

1:45 pm - 3:00 pm

Session 3: Editors Panel

Hear from editors who assign to freelance journalists, including what they’re looking for in a pitch, how to become a go-to contributor, strategies for deepening your relationship with a client, managing conflict, and more. Speakers include editors for the New York Times and Chicago area publications.

3:15 pm - 4:30 pm

Session 4: Freelance Systems for Success

This session will be a practical, hands on approach to setting up your freelance practice for emotional and financial sustainability. You’ll adapt a new client checklist for your particular needs and risk level, set goals for insurance, retirement savings, tax compliance and tax support. Identify several key contract terms and common red flags to include in contract review. Evaluate your current motivation strategies, high-low discipline hours and needs for rest, connection and fun. Review sample client proposals, pitch letters, and contracts. Draft a business plan at granular and annual levels.

4:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Wrap-Up Networking

Finish the day by sharing contact information with new colleagues and setting up any systems that will help cement your day of learning.

“This experience was one of the most impactful, educational courses I've ever taken in my career (and I've sat through a lot of them!) … such meaningful encouragement.”

Testimonials

“The entire workshop was wonderful, but session 4 -- particularly the sections on scheduling work and rest and creating habits and systems -- were enlightening and empowering. I left feeling excited about freelancing and put some gems on post-its that I now look at every day when starting my workday.”

“Understanding the essentials of a contract and practicing negotiation skills were crucial parts of this seminar for me. I was pretty oblivious before this. Now, I feel confident that I can stand up for myself when pursuing a project.”

Thank you to our sponsors!