Add up your income from the last six months, then imagine losing your single biggest client tomorrow. For a lot of freelance writers, that one client covers half the income, or more.
If that’s you, this episode is about the biggest risk you might be carrying right now and what to do about it.
I start by reframing what independence actually means for a solo writer. You never stop depending on something. The real question is whether you chose those dependencies on purpose or slowly adopted them without noticing.
Then I get specific about the most common one, the single anchor client. I tell the story of how a great, reliable client can grow into 60 percent of your income before you realize it. Then they lose an account, and most of your business is gone in one email.
From there, I give you a few practical recommendations: how to run your own concentration number, how to build a second income leg before you need it, where AI genuinely helps, and how to keep a little marketing going even when you’re full.
What You’ll Learn
- A simple way to measure how much of your business rides on one client, and the number that should worry you
- Why you never really stop depending on something, even when you’re solo, and the dependency most of us drift into
- The four places concentration hides: one client, one referral source, one channel, one type of work
- How a great, reliable client can become your biggest risk without you noticing
- Three practical recommendations for spreading your income so no single client can sink you
- Where AI genuinely helps you take on more work without burning out
- Why reducing your reliance on a great client feels disloyal, and why it isn’t
- The one small step to start this week
Key Ideas & Takeaways
- You Never Stop Depending on Something. Going solo doesn’t remove dependence. You depend on clients, on referral sources, and on the channels where work comes from. The writers who last choose those dependencies on purpose, instead of slowly adopting them without noticing.
- The Risk Hiding Inside a Great Client. The better the client, the easier it is to let them grow into most of your income. A reliable agency client becomes 60 percent of your business, you stop marketing, and then they lose an account. In one email, most of your income is gone.
- A Big Client Can Be a Job in Disguise. When one client is half your income or more, you don’t have a business with clients. You have a job with one boss and none of the protection, perks, or benefits a real job provides. You’ve taken on all the risk of employment and kept none of the safety.
- Run Your Concentration Number. Add up what each client paid you over the last year and find the percentage your biggest one represents. If it’s over 40 or 50 percent, that’s your project for the quarter. You don’t have to panic. You just have to know it.
- Build a Second Leg Before You Need It. The aim is to grow a second and third source of income around your big client, so no single one can sink you. You keep the big client. You just stop letting them be the only thing holding you up.
- AI Buys You the Bandwidth to Diversify. Most of us let a big client take over because we’re already maxed out. When used properly, AI takes a lot of the production load off your plate, the research, the first drafts, the repetitive pieces. Those freed-up hours are what let you take on another client without working nights and weekends.
- The Hard Part Is Emotional. Reducing your reliance on a great client can feel ungrateful, even disloyal. But diversifying protects you and your family when something goes wrong on their end, and that’s usually out of your control. That’s just being a responsible owner of your business.
Action Steps
- Run your concentration number this week. Add up last year’s income by client and find your biggest client’s percentage. Over 40 to 50 percent means it’s time to act.
- Pick one realistic second leg: a new type of client, a new channel, or a new service. Take one small step toward it this week.
- Hand one production task to AI (research, a first draft, a repetitive piece) so you free up hours for finding that next client.
- Block one or two hours a week for marketing, even while you’re full, so your pipeline never goes cold.
- Think about where your income is too concentrated, then start building, one small step at a time, over the next few weeks.
By the way… whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow your freelance business:
1. Stop losing projects to writers who are already operating at the next level
AI is quickly changing what clients expect from a writer. The winners show up with better ideas, sharper thinking, and stronger client conversations—plus the confidence to scope, price, and deliver work that’s more strategic. That’s how you move up the value ladder, from “writer for hire” to “trusted partner who writes.”
The AI Advantage Hub gives you practical, field-tested capabilities every week, so you stay competitive without chasing tools or prompts. Plus, inside the Hub, you get unlimited, 24/7 access to my AI clone, Ed on Tap, to help you brainstorm, price strategically, and untangle your biggest business challenges.
2. Work with me for 90 days
Need a trusted business partner to tackle your most pressing challenges? I occasionally offer an intensive 90-day coaching program for freelancers at all income levels. We work together 1-on-1 to identify your most critical business obstacles, come up with innovative solutions, and develop a customized action plan. Email me with “90-Day Accelerator” in the subject line to learn more.
3. Build a premium AI revenue stream without rebuilding your business
When my schedule allows, I open 1 or 2 private spots for The 21-Day AI Consultant Accelerator. This is a half-day 1-on-1 workshop where we build your AI consulting offer, pricing, and pitch materials. Plus, three weeks of support while you pitch it to real clients. For details, and to see if there’s an opening, email me with “AI Revenue Stream” in the subject line.
