The trend of Dads opting to go freelance to spend more time with their children has been gaining momentum. Andy Frobisher, a seasoned digital marketing and SEO expert, is one of the latest examples. After a successful stint as Head of SEO at the award-winning Digitaloft agency, Frobisher has decided to launch his own freelance SEO consultancy, Andy Frobisher SEO, according to Business Up North.
Based in Morecambe, Lancashire, Frobisher brings a decade of experience to clients. At Digitaloft, he is credited with leading the expansion of the SEO department from a handful of employees to a team of twelve SEO specialists and content writers. This expansion played a key role in driving significant growth for the agency.
Frobisher’s decision to go freelance reflects a growing trend among fathers who prioritise spending more time with their families. The flexibility offered by freelance work allows them to create their own schedules and be more present in their children’s lives. Frobisher’s personable and friendly approach, honed over his years in the industry, is sure to resonate with clients seeking SEO expertise.
This move by Frobisher highlights the increasing importance of work-life balance for fathers and the growing appeal of freelance work in achieving that balance.
New research from Pregnant Then Screwed, in partnership with Women In Data® has revealed that 70.6% of fathers who only used part of their paternity leave entitlement revealed that it was because they couldn’t afford to stay off any longer. The UK has the least generous paternity leave entitlement in Europe. Currently, the statutory entitlement to paternity leave is two weeks, and the weekly rate for paternity pay is £172.48 a week or 90% of your salary (whichever is lower).
When you go freelance you are not waiting for the next pay rise. While there are risks involved in going freelance like steady income, you can boost your income potential year-on-year when you land multiple clients.
Why so many Dads feel they are missing out
A few years back, new Dad Alex Hirst, co-founder of the workstyle movement and freelance agency Hoxby, sensed a dark cloud looming precipitated by 50-hour work weeks. He and his wife hoped a week away on holiday would reignite his spark, but upon returning, he remained uninspired. “I remember saying I don’t feel any different,” Hirst reflects in this account in The Freelance Informer. “This hasn’t worked. It was then I knew a vacation wouldn’t mend this mental strain. I needed a mental solution.”
Hirst describes becoming emotionally numb, “I’d lost touch with the emotional feelings of the highs and the lows,” he explains, “and became ambivalent to everything.” This detachment transformed him into a “shadow of myself going through life.”
The breaking point arrived when Hirst recognised the impact on his mental and family well-being. He realised a shift in perspective was crucial. “I said to myself, you’re doing a 50-hour week, you can’t physically do any more than that,” he says. “If you’re putting that much time in, it has to be enough. I’d lost touch with reality.”
This self-awareness led Hirst to a transformative approach. “I renegotiated my psychological contract with work,” he declares. “The new contract prioritised my mental health.” This reframing allowed him to find a healthier balance between work and his personal life and in creating Hoxby with business partner Lizzie Penny.
Are you a Dad who has gone freelance for his family? Share your experience and work-life balance tips in the comments
At the time of writing, Frobisher had an opening offer for SEO audits from £350.
News source: Business Up North