“Having a freelance model gives us agility,” says Dan Sheridan (pictured above). Dan is the founder of the Manchester-based PR and Communications business Duo Consulting.
“I started out as a freelancer myself and then as I got busier, my reputation grew and more opportunities came along, I plugged in other freelancers. It was a neat and tidy way of expanding from solo entrepreneur to something bigger.”
Dan, 38, became a Starling business customer when he registered as a limited company in 2019. “Starling seems to have nailed it for an entrepreneur like me. Staying organised with finances and paying our freelancers couldn’t be easier. It’s dependable and does everything it needs to do.”
Duo works with a number of freelancers to help clients enhance their business reputation and boost growth. The agency mainly works with technology and B2B companies, as well as providing support for consumer-facing brands.
Running a business with a freelance model
The main advantage of running a business powered by freelancers is flexibility. “You can dial things up or down in response to the dynamics in the market,” says Dan.
“Another benefit is the versatility it gives us – we can challenge the agency status quo. When we receive a project or take on a new client, we can step back and ask: Who would be best for this? Or we can turn to our network and ask for recommendations. We can create an exceptional team that’s specific to the client or project.”
Dan also finds that working with freelancers gives him, and his clients, access to highly experienced, senior people. “If a company doesn’t have an internal Head of Communications or PR, or if they want to bolster their comms or marketing team, we can step in. Duo consultants are a trusted extension of our clients’ teams. Unlike with a traditional PR agency, where you may have fleeting calls with a director and mainly work with someone more junior, you’ll be working week in week out with seasoned pros.”
Charlotte Lorimer
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