Market your business to attract more clients
Find bigger and better clients that pay more
Close bigger deals using my proposals & contracts templates
Convince clients to choose you over your competitors
Improve project management and client relationships
Manage your business with less stress and maximizes profits
Price your work with confidence and protect your margins
Set boundaries that clients actually respect
and much, much more!
Everything you need to build a profitable creative business.*
6 courses. 174 lessons. The Ultimate Freelance Course is built for creatives who want to run a real business—not just survive freelancing.
Build a successful creative business.*
Normally $800. Enroll for $299. CODE=SAVE500
Testimonials
Real results from 5,000+ students.*
Systems developed while scaling my agency—now proven by creatives around the world.
Enroll now and get instant access to the course.
$299 $800
Save $501 on the full six course bundle!
($800 when purchased individually)
COUPON CODE = SAVE500
What’s included…*
Course 01: Preparing for Full-time Freelance
Course 02: Selling Creative Services
Course 03: Proposals and Contracts
Course 04: Pricing Creative Services
Course 05: Project Management for Creatives
Course 06: Managing a Creative Business
40+ Hours of Video Instruction
174 Detailed Lessons
60+ Downloadable Resources
Lifetime Access
14-Day Money Back Guarantee
You’ll learn…*
Start freelancing with confidence
Sell services without feeling salesy
Find new and better clients
Close clients at higher prices
Increase revenue and maximize profits
Price work correctly and stop undercharging
Run projects smoothly and consistently
Manage clients and control scope creep
Manage your creative business finances
Track and understand business data
and much more!
Lessons
Six courses. 174 lessons.*
A complete system for creative business.
The Ultimate Freelance Course brings together six complete courses that guide you through every stage of running a creative business—from getting clients and pricing your work to managing projects and scaling sustainably.
Course 01: Preparing for Full-Time Freelance
In this course, I walk you through the things I wish I would have known when I started freelancing in 2002. Fortunately, I made more right decisions than wrong and my freelance business exploded into an Inc. 5000 agency. The lessons in this course include strategies to help you prepare for self employment including mindset preparation, financial preparation, and marketing preparation. This course also includes a lesson that contains some of the foundational principles that were at the heart of my success as a creative entrepreneur.
Course Lessons
M01L01: Mindset Preparation (10:19)
M01L02: Financial Preparation (13:18)
M01L03: Marketing Preparation (21:41)
M01L04: Support Team Preparation (9:04)
M01L05: How to Go for it, Full-time Freelance (4:50)
M01L06: Fundamental Principles for Creative Entrepreneurs (10:10)
What’s Included
More than 1 hour of video content
6 video lessons
3 downloadable resources
Mindset strategies for success as a freelancer
Calculations and strategies to financially prepare
Marketing preparation to start selling
Fundamental principles instrumental to my growth
Course 02: Selling Creative Services
This course is a deep dive into sales — the skill that determines whether a creative business survives or stalls. You’ll learn the exact sales systems I used to grow my agency to over $30M in revenue, closing more than 2,000 projects for brands like Disney, Google, NBC, Fox, Warner Bros., Pepsi, and YouTube. These lessons focus on practical, ethical, non-sleazy selling that works in the real world.
Module 01: Positioning Your Business
M01L01: Developing a Vision (24:17)
M01L02: Market Positioning (9:34)
M01L03: Finding Your Niche (11:53)
M01L04: Niche Funnels (12:27)
M01L05: Validating a Niche (7:48)
M01L06: Unique Value Proposition (12:25)
M01L07: Understanding Your Sales Position (15:18)
M01L08: Freelancer or Agency Brand? (21:54)
M01L09: Referring to Your Business (3:58)
M01L10: Creating an Elevator Pitch (9:50)
M01L11: Three Marketing Summaries (14:27)
Module 02: Finding Clients
M02L01: Sales Principles (15:21)
M02L02: Building Trust (5:58)
M02L03: Hot, Warm, & Cold Sales Strategies (10:49)
M02L04: Client Genealogy (5:27)
M02L05: Relationship Levels (10:21)
M02L06: Staying Top of Mind (15:19)
M02L07: The Rule of Seven (6:00)
M02L08: Finding Hot Leads (10:18)
M02L09: Finding Warm Leads (12:18)
M02L10: Finding Cold Leads (26:00)
M02L11: Selling to Pain Points (16:14)
M02L12: Finding Your First Client (5:33)
M02L13: Finding Better Clients (15:05)
M02L14: Using Freelancer Sites (11:37)
M02L15: Understanding Buyer Roles (11:54)
M02L16: Body Language and Sales (8:32)
M02L17: People Skills 101 (17:56)
M02L18: Overcoming Sales Introversion (14:38)
M02L19: Tracking Sales Efforts (15:16)
Module 03: Capabilities Decks
M03L01: Capabilities Decks Overview (16:53)
M03L02: Capabilities Deck – How to Edit (14:27)
M03L03: Capabilities Deck – Agency Overview (8:56)
M03L04: Capabilities Deck – Identity Design (14:00)
M03L05: Capabilities Deck – Print Design (9:13)
M03L06: Capabilities Deck – Website Design (11:37)
M03L07: Capabilities Deck – Generic Template (2:39)
M03L08: Case Study Deck – Example (10:32)
M03L09: Case Study Deck – Generic Template (4:20)
Module 04: Deal Flow
M04L01: Lead to Sale Flow (8:36)
M04L02: Qualifying Opportunities (21:08)
M04L03: How to Analyze a New Project Opportunity (23:42)
M04L04: Client Red Flags (28:49)
M04L05: Discovery Meeting – Unknown Project (13:40)
M04L06: Discovery Meeting – Identity Design (8:33)
M04L07: Discovery Meeting – Print Design (8:09)
M04L08: Discovery Meeting – Website Design (12:34)
M04L09: Closing the Sale (Documents) (8:14)
M04L10: Closing the Sale & Resolving Sales Concerns (13:57)
What’s Included
10+ hours of sales training
49 practical sales lessons
17 downloadable sales resources
Niche selection strategies
Market positioning worksheets
Messaging formulas that convert
Core sales principles explained
Sales scripts and examples
Client vetting strategies
Editable capabilities deck templates
Sales tracking spreadsheets
Discovery meeting questionnaires
Course 03: Proposals and Contracts
This course contains the proposal and contract system I refined through thousands of pitches and 15 years of agency work. You’ll get battle-tested templates and clear explanations so both you and your clients know exactly what’s included, how projects run, and how you get paid — no confusion, no scope creep.
Module 01: Proposals & Contracts Overview
M01L01: Proposals & Contracts Overview (15:18)
M01L02: Phased Based Production Strategy Overview (20:24)
Module 02: Proposals
M02L01: Proposal Overview (21:05)
M02L02: Proposal Template – How to Edit (11:02)
M02L03: Proposal Template – Logo Design (32:20)
M02L04: Proposal Template – Print Design (18:24)
M02L05: Proposal Template – Website Design and Development (26:15)
M02L06: Proposal Template – Generic Template (4:06)
M02L07: Combining Proposals (7:44)
M02L08: Proposal Presentations (10:43)
M02L09: Proposal and SOW Numbering Formula (7:57)
M02L10: Tracking Proposals & SOWs (8:14)
Module 03: Statements of Work (Project Contracts)
M03L01: Statement of Work (SOW) Overview (21:35)
M03L02: SOW Template – Generic Project (37:15)
M03L03: SOW Template – Terms and Conditions (27:31)
M03L04: SOW Template – Website Design and Development (39:23)
M03L05: SOW Template – Logo Design (26:06)
M03L06: SOW Template – Print Brochure Design (23:59)
M03L07: SOW Template – Website Maintenance (18:49)
M03L08: SOW Template – Time-based Engagements (24:48)
M03L09: SOW Template – Retainers (13:41)
M03L10: Combining SOWs (7:28)
M03L11: Delivering an SOW (6:01)
Module 04: Master Service Agreements (MSA)
M04L01: MSA Overview (7:53)
M04L02: MSA Template (6:03)
Module 05: Other Agreements
M05L01: Rough Estimate Template (8:22)
M05L02: Simple Proposal Template (10:24)
M05L03: Addendums / Change Orders Template (9:21)
What’s Included
8+ hours of instruction
28 detailed proposal lessons
16 proposal and contract templates
Client presentation examples
Proposal tracking spreadsheets
Project-specific proposal templates
Editable contract templates
Legal terms explained clearly
Change order templates
Simple proposal framework
Rough estimate templates
Course 04: Pricing Creative Services
This course goes deeper than my book The Psychology of Graphic Design Pricing. You’ll learn how to understand your numbers, price confidently, present pricing effectively, and increase profit using my full Price Master System.
Module 01: Pricing Fundamentals
M01L01: Three Pricing Variables (10:20)
M01L02: Profitability & Hourly Burn Rate (8:24)
M01L03: Calculating Hourly Burn Rate (Part-time Freelancer) (7:53)
M01L04: Calculating Hourly Burn Rate (Full-time Freelancer) (23:45)
M01L05: Calculating Hourly Burn Rate (Agency) (21:41)
M01L06: Calculating Production Cost (10:51)
M01L07: Calculating Market Value (28:46)
M01L08: Calculating Client Budget (26:03)
M01L09: Creating a Pricing Spectrum & Pricing Scenarios (31:11)
M01L10: Verifying Your Final Price (4:35)
Module 02: Pricing Structures
M02L01: Fixed Bid Pricing (8:54)
M02L02: Hourly Pricing (18:51)
M02L03: Bucket of Hours (15:14)
M02L04: Retainers (23:34)
M02L05: Dedicated Resources (14:10)
M02L06: Partnerships (16:53)
M02L07: Pricing Structures Review (12:45)
Module 03: Price Master System
M03L01: Price Master System – Overview (7:57)
M03L02: Price Master System – Identity Project (20:53)
M03L03: Price Master System – Print Project (14:29)
M03L04: Price Master System – Digital Project (20:09)
Module 04: Pricing Extras
M04L01: Pricing Mindset Rules (8:20)
M04L02: Line-item & Phased Pricing (7:38)
M04L03: Price Anchoring (14:10)
M04L04: Price Bracketing (9:30)
M04L05: Design & Price Perception (3:52)
M04L06: Solution First, Price Second (4:39)
M04L07: Value Based Pricing (16:40)
M04L08: The Left-Digit Effect & Rounding Prices (8:30)
M04L09: Show Your Discounts (4:02)
M04L10: Rush Fees (6:49)
What’s Included
7+ hours of pricing training
31 pricing lessons
8 pricing resources
Pricing presentation strategies
Cost calculation formulas
Pricing worksheets
Hourly cost calculators
Price Master System spreadsheets
Course 05: Project Management for Creatives
This course teaches the systems I used to deliver hundreds of successful projects for brands like Disney, Google, Netflix, FX, and NBC. You’ll learn how to reduce stress, improve quality, and create client experiences that lead to repeat work and referrals.
Module 01: Project Management Fundamentals
M01L01: Project Management Fundamentals (15:53)
M01L02: Client Management Fundamentals (15:40)
M01L03: Client Project Goals (10:54)
M01L04: Agency Project Goals (15:28)
M01L05: Production Methodologies (21:04)
M01L06: Project Management Role Strategies (9:35)
Module 02: Project Organization
M02L01: Project Organization Overview (7:32)
M02L02: Project Organization – Identity Project (23:55)
M02L03: Project Organization – Print Project (14:25)
M02L04: Project Organization – Website Project (23:57)
M02L05: Project Organization – Worksheet (5:15)
M02L06: Project Management Tools (14:53)
Module 03: Project Execution Strategies
M03L01: Project Kickoff Meeting (11:28)
M03L02: Competitive Research (7:54)
M03L03: Personas (13:05)
M03L04: Mood Boarding (11:29)
M03L05: Critiquing Design (10:19)
Module 04: Communication
M04L01: Wait, Worry, Wonder (5:52)
M04L02: Verbal Communication (6:08)
M04L03: The Ultimate Email Formula (8:38)
M04L04: The Power of Words (4:44)
M04L05: Email Black Holes (7:17)
M04L06: Friendly Updates (7:26)
M04L07: Canned Communication (14:26)
M04L08: How to Miss a Deadline (8:38)
M04L09: How to Decline a Project (5:07)
M04L10: How to Fire a Client (18:36)
Module 05: Milestone Deliveries
M05L01: Art is Meant to Be Framed (25:32)
M05L02: Milestone Presentation Flow (8:11)
M05L03: Delivery Template – Overview (15:14)
M05L04: Delivery Template – Identity (12:47)
M05L05: Delivery Template – Print (8:29)
M05L06: Delivery Template – Website (13:21)
M05L07: Forgiveness Points (6:17)
M05L08: Managing Project Scope (8:29)
M05L09: Change Order Process and Template (5:42)
Module 06: Post Mortem
M06L01: Project Post Mortem Agenda (8:43)
M06L02: Post Mortem Client Interaction (8:38)
What’s Included
7+ hours of training
38 project management lessons
13 downloadable templates
Scalable project systems
Execution checklists
Service system templates
Design critique checklists
Research process systems
Client communication scripts
Project presentation templates
Project closeout templates
Course 06: Managing a Creative Business
This course covers what happens after you’re “busy.” You’ll learn how to manage finances, grow a team, track meaningful data, and make smart decisions at every stage of growth — from solo freelancer to agency owner.
Module 01: Overview
M01L01: Entrepreneurship Responsibilities (20:51)
M01L02: Business Structures (17:42)
Module 02: Tracking Data
M02L01: Tracking Data Overview (21:02)
M02L02: Spreadsheet – Revenue vs. Expenses (8:41)
M02L03: Spreadsheet – Proposal Tracker (9:03)
M02L04: Spreadsheet – Tracking Sales Efforts (9:41)
M02L05: Business Insights Worksheet (19:27)
Module 03: Financial Management
M03L01: Understanding Cashflow (6:05)
M03L02: Accrual vs. Cash Accounting (4:49)
M03L03: Spreadsheet – Invoice Scheduling (17:24)
M03L04: Next Worry Date and Spreadsheet (12:57)
M03L05: Banking Strategies (6:43)
M03L06: Paying Yourself (8:36)
M03L07: Accounting Software (5:39)
M03L08: Bookkeeping 101 (11:06)
M03L09: Invoicing and Collections (24:07)
Module 04: Growing Your Agency
M04L01: Hiring (16:58)
M04L02: Employment Offer Letter Template (7:58)
M04L03: Employment Agreement (Simple) Template (13:23)
M04L04: Firing and Layoffs (16:13)
M04L05: Employment Termination Letter Template (4:20)
M04L06: Employment Layoff Letter Template (3:26)
M04L07: Studio Space (11:27)
What’s Included
5+ hours of business training
23 management lessons
10 downloadable resources
Business tracking spreadsheets
Financial management systems
Hiring and team guidance
Employment agreement templates
Termination letter templates
Studio expansion guidance
Meet Your Mentor
Hi, I’m Michael Janda–I’ll be your mentor.*
I’m a designer, agency founder, and three-time author with more than 20 years in the creative industry. I built my agency, Riser, from solo freelancer into a creative agency with 20 employees, leading over 2,000 projects and generating more than $30M in revenue. Along the way, we worked with brands including Disney, Google, Warner Bros., ABC, NBC, Fox, National Geographic, and more.
In 2015, I sold Riser and went on to serve as Partner & Chief Creative Officer at the agency I sold to, EKR, where I helped guide the business through a major growth phase that resulted in two Inc. 5000 listings.
I didn’t have a mentor while figuring all of this out — which meant learning a lot of lessons the hard way. That’s exactly why I created this course. Everything you’ll learn here comes from real projects, real mistakes, and real systems that actually worked inside a creative agency.
Today, I run More Creative Academy, helping freelancers and agency owners build profitable creative businesses without burning themselves into the ground in the process.
Enroll now and get instant access to the course.
$299 $800
Save $501 on the full six course bundle!
($800 when purchased individually)
COUPON CODE = SAVE500
What’s included…*
Course 01: Preparing for Full-time Freelance
Course 02: Selling Creative Services
Course 03: Proposals and Contracts
Course 04: Pricing Creative Services
Course 05: Project Management for Creatives
Course 06: Managing a Creative Business
40+ Hours of Video Instruction
174 Detailed Lessons
60+ Downloadable Resources
Lifetime Access
14-Day Money Back Guarantee
You’ll learn…*
Start freelancing with confidence
Sell services without feeling salesy
Find new and better clients
Close clients at higher prices
Increase revenue and maximize profits
Price work correctly and stop undercharging
Run projects smoothly and consistently
Manage clients and control scope creep
Manage your creative business finances
Track and understand business data
and much more!
Frequently Asked Questions*
Is this course a good fit for my creative business?
The course is for creatives of all types. My personal background is design and my agency did a ton of digital work, so the you may “feel” that thread throughout some of the content. However, the systems in the courses have been effectively used for marketing, photography, videography, development, illustration, and motion graphics businesses. If you are a creative entrepreneur of any discipline, you can assume that a significant portion of the course content will directly apply to your business and the small portions that do not directly apply will be easy to adapt to your business. All that being said, if you enroll and don’t find enough of the content to apply directly to your creative business, there is a 30-day money back guarantee. No hassle.
I already have an agency, will this course help me?
I market this course as a “freelance” course due to the enormous size of that audience. However, the course is really “How to Run a Creative Business.” These are the systems and strategies I used to grow my agency to millions in revenue with a team of 20 full-time employees. I sold my agency in 2015 and implemented these same systems and processes into the agency I sold to and we won Inc. 5000 two years in a row. If your business is doing less than $3 million in revenue, this course will have numerous tactics that will help you improve your workflow, generate more revenue, and increase your profits.
I'm just starting, will this course be too advanced?
It is never too early to learn “the right way” to do things. If you already have creative skills, my course will teach you how to propose, sell, contract, and execute those skills for your clients. Students who have already been working in the creative industry will have likely seen “the wrong way” people run their creative businesses. Taking my course early in your career will help you run your business effectively from the start of your career, rather than learn lessons the hard way.
If I'm not satisfied, how do I get my money back?
In the unlikely scenario that the course is not a good fit for your business, you can request a refund within 14 days of enrollment. Send an email directly to me: [email protected]
How long do I have access to the content?
You have lifetime access to the content. The content can be accessed through any web browser or using the Teachable app on your mobile device or smartphone.
What file formats are the templates in?
The proposal and contract templates are provide in both Adobe InDesign and PDF formats. They are “simplistically” designed for content delivery only with the assumption that course students will want to create their own templates matching their brand style in the software of their choice. Many students have easily converted the content to Powerpoint, Keynote, or “document” formats based on their software preferences.
Most of the other templates and worksheets included in the course are provided in XLS spreadsheet and PDF formats. These can be opened using built in software on your computer or Google Docs (free to use).
Is there a payment plan option?
There is not a payment plan for the courses. To be honest, I’ve really struggled with where to price the course. Many courses that offer far less than this course cost significantly more ($$$$ thousands). I have decided to price this course at a more affordable price point to get it to as many people as I can without devaluing the content too much. However, I know that it is still too costly for many people who would like to enroll. I give away a ton of value for free on my Instagram, YouTube channels and weekly newsletter. I also have published books that will help you grow your creative business. If this course is too expensive for you right now, I recommend that you consume my free and cheaper content to help improve your earning power. My course will be here when you’re ready.
Do you have any student discounts?
There are no special discounts for students. “Everyone” in the course is a student. This is a 40+ hour course with tons of downloadable resources and it costs significantly less than formal education choices.
Can I watch the without internet access?
The course is hosted on the Teachable platform. Teachable has a mobile app that can be downloaded on a tablet or smartphone. Through the mobile app, you can log into the courses and download videos to the device for watching without an internet connection. Check your App Store for the “Teachable” app.
I forgot my password or username. How can I regain access?
Send me an email and I’ll get you back into the system. Email: [email protected]
Can I get a formal invoice for tax purposes?
The course is hosted and sold through the Teachable platform. At the time of enrollment, you will receive an email receipt of purchase. This should be sufficient for your tax purposes. However, some students have requested a customized invoice specific to their country’s tax requirements. If you need a customized invoice, email me directly [email protected]
Can I remove the VAT tax at the time of purchase?
The course is hosted and sold through the Teachable platform. Teachable works hard to stay up to date with tax requirements for each country. While I don’t have the ability to remove the collection of VAT tax through the checkout process, there is a way to add your VAT number. Please see Teachable’s documentation for more on VAT tax collection…
Can I pay for the course using PayPal?
The payment gateway for the checkout page uses Stripe for the transaction. However, if you need to use PayPal to enroll, send me an email and I can send you a PayPal request for the enrollment fee and then manually enroll you in the courses. Email: [email protected]
