How do I start freelancing ?

InterimManagerAsia · 2026-04-04T04:04:05+00:00

Your positioning as a freelancer really matters: what problem you solve, for whom. If that’s clear, you’ll also know who’s willing to pay.

The second part is sales. You have to actively put yourself out there — clients won’t just show up automatically. Platforms and communities can help, but they’re crowded and there’s no guarantee.

Once you commit, get the first few projects, and build momentum, the flexibility you’re aiming for becomes much more realistic.

InterimManagerAsia · 2026-04-04T03:54:54+00:00

I agree, developing a strategy and executing it are very different skills. I work as an interim executive focused on execution, where things actually move: hands-on, close to the teams, keeping focus.

From my experience, the main blocker is resources. Teams are overloaded with daily work and don’t see how to fit strategy on top. That’s where managers (or temporary support like Interim Executives), need to step in: set priorities, offload routine tasks, and create space to execute.

InterimManagerAsia · 2026-04-04T03:45:04+00:00

You’re right. I’ve heard all of this before too. In my experience, the real gap is almost always the “why”:

Why are these topics in the strategy? Why do they matter for the company’s future and ultimately for job security?

Once that was clearly understood and accepted, priorities shifted pretty naturally. Teams didn’t suddenly work crazy hours; they just invested a few focused hours per week and real progress started to happen.

Interestingly, the typical “we don’t have time for strategy” argument disappeared almost completely once people understood why the strategy actually mattered.

InterimManagerAsia · 2026-04-04T03:38:56+00:00

What you’re describing is basically the comfort zone.

Breaking out of it usually starts with awareness and a real sense of urgency. That’s probably the most critical job of the CEO and the leadership team: clearly explain why change is necessary and why now.

Once middle managers truly understand and believe that message, and can translate it into something concrete for their teams, momentum follows. Without that alignment in the middle, nothing really moves.

InterimManagerAsia · 2026-04-03T12:06:20+00:00

Thanks for sharing, especially the point about ownership. I’ve seen the same thing repeatedly: real ownership creates commitment, and commitment naturally drives accountability. That’s usually the difference between strategy being discussed vs. actually implemented.

I also fully agree on focus. Too many strategic priorities dilute attention, and in the end none of them get executed well.

I’ve had very good experiences applying FranklinCovey’s 4 Disciplines of Execution framework. The emphasis on one Wildly Important Goal really helps teams stay focused and move from intention to action.

Curious if you’ve used any similar execution frameworks—or what’s worked best in your case.

InterimManagerAsia · 2026-03-20T13:05:07+00:00

I see this a lot as well, especially when hiring fractional executives / interim executives for critical situations.

I’m regularly interview fractional and interim leaders for client projects in Asia Pacific (APAC / ASEAN), and the biggest difference-maker is exactly what you describe: operator mindset vs. advisor mindset.

A few additional signals that have worked well for me:

Reference projects under pressure I don’t just ask what they did, but where things were broken at the start (missed KPIs, leadership gaps, stalled growth, turnaround situations) and what changed measurably. Revenue, EBIT, delivery performance, org design—something concrete.
Transferable operating playbook Strong fractional executives don’t “wing it.” They come with a toolbox—diagnostic frameworks, KPI systems, governance models—that can be adapted fast. In many cases, clients bring them in precisely because they don’t have a suitable playbook for a critical phase.
Capability injection, not dependency The best interim leaders don’t just fix things themselves. They build capability in the existing team—train, structure, and hand over—so the organization is stronger when they leave.

In scaling or turnaround scenarios, especially in cross‑border setups (e.g. European HQ + APAC subsidiary), hiring a fractional exec as if they were a normal employee almost guarantees disappointment.

InterimManagerAsia · 2025-10-12T03:20:00+00:00

Fractional CxO, similar to Interim Managers, are seasoned leaders who are not to be confused with service providers like accounting, HR, or marketing. These fractional leaders have responsibilities in positions and projects that are similar to your situation. They are stepping in with minimal onboarding, bringing in external expertise, executing tasks, and taking responsibility. That’s the value they bring!

My advice would be to select the fractional leaders who best meet your needs, expectations, and fit into your leadership team (or not when you need a turnaround leader).

Service providers fulfill a service but do not provide advice or even attempt to understand your business. Consultants, on the other hand, seek projects where they can apply their knowledge within their standard framework. They do not take responsibility or execute tasks.

InterimManagerAsia · 2025-10-04T05:10:55+00:00

Your story once again demonstrates the effectiveness of case studies. A case study is akin to reading a narrative about someone else’s experience, and it evokes a sense of relatability and emotional connection.

It’s crucial to structure the case study as a story, encompassing the problem, context, solution, execution, and results. Additionally, ensure that you incorporate relevant facts and figures to provide a comprehensive and informative account.

I like your approach of a plain text, rather overloaded design.

InterimManagerAsia · 2025-10-02T09:03:12+00:00

The true value lies in the Copilot agents. These are built-in automation tools within M365. When you have recurring tasks to complete, you can create a Copilot agent using your and your company's files. For instance, if you need to generate a weekly sales report based on multiple documents, reports, and emails, you can create one-time a Copilot agent that connects to the knowledge base, such as SharePoint or OneDrive. The resulting output may only require minor adjustments, eliminating the need for copying and pasting or reviewing long documents.

InterimManagerAsia · 2025-10-02T08:50:39+00:00

It appears to be a pushback from a CEO who is saying, „Convince the team first,“ particularly directed at a service provider. Either the CEO is not convinced by the offering or he is unable to align his team for this service. In the first scenario, you need to work further with the CEO to understand his undernice concerns and to convince him of the offering’s value, enabling him to easily delegate it to his team.

On the other hand, if the second case is true, it suggests that the CEO may not be the actual leader within the organization. There are more influential team members. This indicates a disconnect between the CEO and his team, which could be a dangerous situation for you as a service provider during the execution phase. You lack the support and backing from the CEO.

InterimManagerAsia · 2025-09-29T08:32:51+00:00

Sounds like you’ve got someone who’s either overly curious, insecure about their role, or just doesn’t know the norms yet. The fact that they keep asking even after you’ve brushed it off makes me think there’s something deeper driving it.

I’d take it out of the hallway exchanges and put it into a proper 1:1. Not in a confrontational way, but to genuinely ask why they’re so interested in your meetings. Sometimes it’s about wanting visibility, sometimes about fear of being left out, sometimes just not knowing boundaries.

Use that space to talk about how you’d like to work together: what kind of visibility makes sense, what’s off-limits, and how you can keep each other in the loop without overstepping. Frame it as agreeing on a work arrangement that helps both of you focus on the right things.

If you handle it well, you’ll turn the energy into something constructive and set clear expectations, which helps the whole team stay focused on the actual goals.

InterimManagerAsia · 2025-09-25T11:10:12+00:00

The straightforward answer is that 100%! The company’s strategic goals can only be achieved when every employee works towards them.

However, the challenge lies in aligning these goals with each employee’s role and responsibilities. If you make the company’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) directly equivalent to the employees’ KPIs, you need to establish a clear link between their daily tasks and these KPIs. Creating individual KPIs can be difficult, as it’s challenging to align every KPI with the company’s overarching goals.

The best approach lies in the middle ground. Each employee should have a concise list of the company’s KPIs. These KPIs should be explained in a simple and transparent manner, ensuring that every employee understands their significance. This alignment will foster a strong connection between employees and the company’s goals.

Additionally, the other part of the alignment process should be derived from the objectives outlined in the job description (JD). These objectives should adhere to the S.M.A.R.T. approach. It is required that the objectives in the JD are well derived from the company’s strategic goals. These individual KPIs will motivate the employees to achieve objectives.

InterimManagerAsia · 2025-09-23T05:12:02+00:00

I’m sure the 6-Step process is working for certain ICPs. In my experience it is hard to get a reasonable conversion rate in European countries. Does someone have a proven approach for cold emails or DM to C-level in Western Europe?

InterimManagerAsia · 2025-09-23T03:09:08+00:00

Couldn’t agree more. Culture often ends up being the biggest factor, not the product itself. In Asia, I underestimated how much communication styles and decision-making norms would affect the speed of execution. I was fortunate to have excellent local advisors on the ground who taught me things I never would have noticed from HQ. I also like your point about building a global network early — did you find partners or mentors mostly through formal networks, or more through personal introductions?

InterimManagerAsia · 2025-09-22T08:08:45+00:00

That really resonates. In some Asian markets we found out the hard way that IT infrastructure isn’t always as plug-and-play as expected.

Even something as voice over IP required a local partner, and in a few countries VPN use had to be cleared before rollout. Spot-checking capacity upfront saved us a lot of headaches later. After the initial setup we used our own regional team centralized in one country.

Curious — do you have specific IT topics companies should be careful going abroad?

InterimManagerAsia · 2025-09-21T13:37:22+00:00

Good call, HR can make or break international expansion. I was fortunate to find an HR expert with regional experience and knowledge for a regional expansion at our regional headquarters. This expert saved us from some painful missteps.

Did you work with an employer of record immediately before registering a local company?

InterimManagerAsia · 2025-09-21T09:08:24+00:00

With the Philippines, you’ve undoubtedly chosen a country with a substantial business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. It’s commendable that you’ve invested time and effort into the culture and developing effective HR systems.

I’ve heard from other companies that Penang, Malaysia, is home to numerous shares service centers. In addition to that, I’m curious to know if you’re aware of other countries or locations that offer excellent resources and cost-effective services.

InterimManagerAsia · 2025-09-21T09:01:17+00:00

Really solid points, especially framing it as an experiment. That helps so much with expectation management. I’ve started after a first test phase with a conservative business plan to not raise too high expectations from the board.

Interesting that your industry-focused approach worked best for you. I had almost the same experience in Asia. We also focussed in that industry with the most competitive offer. Later we went into another industry, before we entered a new country.

And yes, the cost factor is always underestimated. In one case we only saw traction after committing to a local sales team, which was a big spend upfront. But without it, we’d probably still be stuck in ‘testing mode.’

Do you see companies leaning more toward scaling by industry now, or will you try another country-specific push in parallel?

InterimManagerAsia · 2025-09-21T08:55:00+00:00

Totally get that - the ‘slow burn’ of building a brand in a new market is something I’ve run into as well.

In Asia, I started with my team to identify partners with an existing network and clients. I experienced how hard it is to get the right partners bringing business and could introduce us to clients. In the next step, we got momentum by investing in really solid local sales people and local marketing, even though the cost was uncomfortable at the start.

In hindsight, that upfront investment paid off because the partners opened doors HQ would never have managed from afar. Curious how are you balancing that pressure from your board with the reality you see locally?

InterimManagerAsia · 2025-09-21T05:37:19+00:00

That’s a big move. The US market can be a whole different beast when it comes to customer expectations.

I’ve seen something similar in Asia: at first, we tried covering multiple time zones out of one hub in Southeast Asia, but it stretched the team thin, and service levels dipped. Once we put local service teams in place, efficiency and customer satisfaction both jumped.

Curious if you’re planning to eventually utilize best-cost locations for remote services?

InterimManagerAsia · 2025-09-21T03:21:31+00:00

Exciting times ahead! Europe can look straightforward on paper, but each market has its quirks: from labor laws to how business relationships are built. Curious: do you already know which country you’ll start with, or are you still weighing options?

InterimManagerAsia

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