At Freelancing Unfiltered, we're going to be tossing out the polished pitches and we're starting REAL conversations — with freelancers, entrepreneurs, and founders who are building bold businesses.
This is NOT your average industry interview.
We ask the kind of questions you wish someone would really ask — the ones that cut through the noise, crack open new insights, and make you feel seen and think deeply about you, your business, and your industry.
How Emma Jane centres Authentic Storytelling for big impacts
In this episode of Freelancing Unfiltered, I sit down with Emma Jane, a distinguished storyteller and founder of Common Thread Agency, to explore the underpinnings of successful freelance storytelling.
Emma explains why she believes that every single small business owner possesses an innate value that often goes unrecognized, urging them to uncover and articulate their unique narratives.
We discuss the benefits of emotional honesty, and highlight how it can serve as a powerful differentiator in a crowded marketplace.
Emma also shares her insights on the pitfalls of surface-level content and the importance of crafting stories that resonate on a deeper emotional level. As they discuss the evolving nature of content creation in the age of AI, the episode wants to challenge listeners to prioritize depth over volume, and encourage a shift towards more meaningful engagement with their audiences.
This conversation not only empowers freelancers with the tools to enhance their storytelling but also reaffirms the significance of authenticity in building a brand that truly reflects one’s values.
3 Dec 2025
Why Authenticity Beats Virality Every Time With Vanessa Contreras
In this episode, Ada sits down with Vanessa Contreras, founder of Avrios Media, to talk about:
What happens when you chase algorithm tricks instead of understanding your actual audience.
Vanessa breaks down why human behavior psychology beats every viral hack, how to turn engagement into actual revenue, and why the most successful creators focus on connection.
Together, they get real about:
• Why hashtag obsession was always a distraction (and why Instagram agrees)
• How to spot the difference between vanity metrics and revenue-driving content
• Why AI is great for brainstorming but terrible for caption writing
• The power of micro-influencers over massive accounts with dead engagement
• How authentic creators build sustainable businesses while aesthetic accounts burn out
• Why your comments section is your best market research tool
🎧 Whether you’re a freelancer trying to build your personal brand, a service provider who feels lost on social media, or an entrepreneur tired of chasing trends that don’t convert, this episode cuts through the noise with real strategy.
FOLLOW ADA:
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/advancewithada (https://www.instagram.com/advancewithada)
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/ada-wogu- (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ada-wogu-)
Website → https://www.advancewithada.com (https://www.advancewithada.com)
FOLLOW VANESSA:
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/avriosmedia (https://www.instagram.com/avriosmedia)
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-valencia-0a157a225/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-valencia-0a157a225/)
23 Nov 2025
On My New AI Agent Builds and Why I'm Delving into This Space!
Today we’re talking identity crises, stagnancy, originality, and why the online business world feels… weird right now.
But more importantly — how creators, freelancers, and service providers can actually thrive through it.
We’re breaking down:
• Why the creator economy isn’t dying — it’s evolving
• How AI “slop,” generic offers, and passive-income clones caused market fatigue
• Why niche creators and nano-influencers are still hitting 6-figure years
• What’s actually working in 2025 (and what’s absolutely not)
• How AI agents are changing the industry — and why this is the most exciting time to be building
• Why your originality is the only competitive advantage AI can’t touch
If you’ve been feeling the tension — like the digital space is stuck between two eras — you’re not crazy.
We are in a transformation period.
And moments of transformation belong to the people who understand how to create something irreplicable!
Follow along as I build my AI agents:
If you want the real-time breakdown of my agent builds, you’ll find them here first:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/advancewithada
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@advancewithada
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/advancewithada
14 Nov 2025
Spilling on What Actually Matters in Web Design With Helen Olivia
In this episode, Ada sits down with Squarespace designer + developer Helen Olivia to talk about:
What happens when your website looks gorgeous… but your business is still suspiciously quiet.
Helen breaks down the real reason beautiful sites don’t always work, how to build a website that actually supports your goals (not your Pinterest board), and why templates are both massively underrated and wildly misunderstood.
Together, they get real about:
Why some founders shouldn’t build a website yet
When a template works and when it doesn't
Why SEO absolutely is not dead (please stop saying that)
The problem with designing for your fantasy CEO era
The “do less, convert more” principles that make sites work
How to think like a designer and a digital strategist
🎧 Whether you’re a freelancer, agency owner, coach, or a founder trying to figure out why your homepage feels cute but kinda dead, this episode is for you.
FOLLOW ADA:
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/advancewithada
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/ada-wogu-
Website → https://www.advancewithada.com
FOLLOW HELEN:
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/itshelenolivia
Website → https://www.itshelenolivia.com/
8 Nov 2025
Building Systems for the Business Owner You ARE, Not the One You Wish You Were
In this podcast, Ada breaks down what happens when your business systems look good on paper but feel awful in practice — like the “Clean Girl” aesthetic but for entrepreneurs.
She dives into how to stop building systems for your fantasy self (the one who never gets tired) and start creating ones that actually fit the real you — the one juggling clients, coffee, and real freakin' life.
🎧 Whether you’re running a creative agency, coaching clients, or just trying to keep your aesthetic Notion dashboard from eating your soul, this one’s for you.
FOLLOW ADA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/advancewithada (https://www.instagram.com/advancewithada)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ada-wogu- (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ada-wogu-)
Website: https://www.advancewithada.com (https://www.advancewithada.com)
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Subscribe here → (https://www.advancewithada.com/pricing)
31 Oct 2025
Scope Creep Is Stealing Ya Checks! Some Boundaries That Add Revenue: With Samantha Smith
Operations wizard and OBM Samantha Valentino Smith joins me to get real about building a business that actually runs — without stealing your evenings.
We dig into boundaries that add revenue, systems that buy back time, and what it really looks like to lead with both heart and logic as a homeschooling mom, military wife, and right-hand to high-profile CEOs.
You’ll learn
• Why “more clients” ≠ more freedom and how fewer, deeper retainers can be the quiet growth play.
• Three ops shifts that instantly lower stress: the Daily/Weekly/Monthly ladder, goal-backed planning, and a simple 90-minute weekly reset.
• Discovery call red flags (unrealistic timelines, vibe checks, budget mismatch) and how to qualify without people-pleasing.
• Handing off work without chaos: mapping what you really do vs. what you think you do.
• Discipline → freedom: why calendars, not vibes, create time wealth.
• AI without losing the relationship: where automation helps and where the human still wins.
Connect with the Guest
• Samantha Valentino Smith — Service 4 Your Business: service4yourbusiness.com/about
Connect with the Host (Ada)
• Website: advancewithada.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/advancewithada
24 Oct 2025
Your Delusions are Essential! How the Right Systems For You Shape Them Into Reality: With Christa Bogumill
What really keeps a business running? In this episode, we look beyond the branding and the viral moments, and take some time to understand the quiet systems that no one sees.
In this first episode of Freelancing Unfiltered, Ada sits down with operations expert and OBM Christa Bogumill, founder of Virtual Christa, who has spent more than 14 years helping entrepreneurs scale with systems.
Together, they unpack what it means to build a business that actually works — from setting boundaries and hiring the right VA to slowing down enough to maintain quality and sanity.
It’s a conversation about the importance of the heart behind systems: how structure creates freedom, why “being delusional” is sometimes the key to growth, and how to choose tools that make your business feel good to run.
Follow Christa: virtualchrista.com
Follow Ada: Advancewithada.com
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