You started your business for freedom, but somehow, you’ve ended up juggling client work, admin, and family life, feeling more stretched than ever. Sound familiar?
The dream of being a self-employed mother is often about having flexibility and control, but the reality can quickly become chasing a never-ending to-do list while trying to manage the school run. You want to work less and earn more—it’s the holy grail of entrepreneurship, and honestly, it’s what you deserve
The good news? It’s completely achievable, and the secret lies in one simple word: specialism.
Hannah Zora Strong, an experienced PPC (Pay-Per-Click) specialist, chatted to business coach Ceels Lockley to discuss how she built a business that delivers both profit and peace. Her journey offers invaluable lessons for any self-employed mother looking to transform their service or product into a high-value, high-efficiency machine.
Step 1: Charge for Your Expertise, Not Your Time
One of the biggest takeaways from Hannah’s experience is how she approaches pricing. She doesn’t just charge a flat day rate; her fees are calculated based on the complexity and value she brings to the client.
“From working as Head of Department at two Newcastle-based digital agencies, I knew the difference between the hourly rates that we would bill the client for an exec, a manager, a senior, head of department. So for someone with my experience, even though I charged nowhere near what an agency would charge for me, I had a good idea of what a PPC day rate was.”
For you, the self-employed mother, this means shifting your mindset. Stop charging what you think you need to live on, and start charging what your years of experience and specialised skill are worth to the client.
Your Action Plan for Higher Prices:
- Identify Your Seniority: You are not an “exec.” If you’ve been doing your craft for years, you are a “senior” or “head of department.” Price accordingly.
- Know the Benchmark: Research what large agencies or top-tier freelancers charge for your service. Even if you’re based regionally and offer “good value” compared to London rates, this knowledge gives you confidence to set a strong price.
- Price the Solution, Not the Hours: When a client comes to you, they are looking for a result. Your fee should reflect the value of that result (e.g., increased sales, a perfect website, a stress-free campaign), not the 10 hours it took you to deliver it. A specialist can deliver faster, which is a key component to working less.
Step 2: Embrace the ‘Chrysalis’ Phase and Find Your Niche
If you are currently trying to be all things to all clients, you are working harder, not smarter. This is where specialism becomes the engine for efficiency.
Hannah admits it took her the first 12 months of being in business to figure this out, using a beautiful metaphor: she was in the “chrysalis” phase, still “forming an idea of what’s good” for her. This is a crucial admission; the need to niche down never stops, but the benefits for the time-poor mother are immense.
How Niching Helps You Work Less:
- Speed and Efficiency: When you specialize – whether by industry (e-commerce vs. lead generation) or client type (B2B vs. B2C) – you gain incredible efficiencies. As Hannah says, your work becomes “faster.” You stop reinventing the wheel for every client.
- Faster Recommendations: Your industry knowledge becomes deeper. You can spot problems and offer solutions almost instantly.
- Less Time, Better Results: In the end, this efficiency translates directly into you spending less time at your desk, while still delivering superior, specialist results that justify your higher fee. It’s the ultimate pathway to working less while earning the same, or more.
Don’t be afraid to ask the big questions Hannah is currently considering: Which industries have the budgets you want to work with? What type of work feels most natural to you? The answer to these questions will be your ‘specialist zone’. The area where you achieve maximum profit for minimum input.
Step 3: Peace and Profit: The Quality-Over-Quantity Rule
When you charge premium prices and specialise, you don’t need to “take on the world.” In fact, you only need a handful of high-value clients to keep your business comfortably ticking over.
“I only need 10 clients to keep myself ticking over. So I don’t need to take on the world.”
This is the freedom you started your business for. When your pricing reflects your expertise, you stop having to chase every single lead. Your clients are higher quality, they respect your boundaries, and they are happy to pay well because they know you can deliver.
Most of Hannah’s clients come from word-of-mouth or referrals; the most organic and least time-consuming methods of client acquisition. When you are a sought-after specialist, the clients start coming to you. You stop needing to push for outbound sales and can focus your energy on what you love and, more importantly, on your family.
The journey to specialist status and true work-life integration is ongoing. Give yourself permission to be in the “chrysalis” phase. Focus on defining your value, raising your prices, and embracing the efficiencies that specialization brings. Your future is one of peace and profit.
To hear more of Hannah’s story and get her top tips on building a business that gives you peace and profit, you can listen to the full interview here: Listen to the full interview on Spotify
You can connect with Hannah online via LinkedIn (hannah-strong-ppc) or get in touch for Google Ads support and further podcast opportunities here.
