Hearns Sebuado: Things I’ve learnt as a Deaf freelance artist (BSL)

Hi, my name is Hearns Sebuado, and I’m a freelance Deaf dancer and actor based in London.

I’ve been working as a freelancer for a while now, and along the way I’ve learnt a few things — sometimes through experience, and sometimes through making mistakes!

I wanted to share some of what I’ve learnt because I know there are lots of Deaf freelancers out there who are navigating the same things. Hopefully, some of these tips will be useful.

Do I really have to keep chasing overdue invoices?

This is something I’ve been dealing with recently.

I worked for a company and sent them an invoice, but when the payment date came around, I still hadn’t been paid. I had actually been told that I would be paid on a specific date, so I was surprised to discover that my invoice had never even been processed.

They even rang me and left voice mail messages – forgetting my deafness entirely! I ended up having to email them and chase it.

That got me thinking: why did I have to chase them to find out what was happening? If there was a problem with the invoice, surely I should have been told – and in an accessible way!

As freelancers, we already spend a lot of our own time doing administration. We don’t get paid for the emails, paperwork and chasing that comes with running a business — and we still have our own bills to pay.

I spent around two weeks chasing this payment, and I found it really stressful and exhausting.

I understand that companies can be short-staffed or have delays, but ultimately, I have done the work and I need to be paid for it. Their staffing problems shouldn’t become my financial problem.

One thing I’ve learnt from this is to be really clear about my payment terms. 

Depending on your agreement and the type of work you do, you can also include terms about interest or charges for late payments.

Hopefully, that encourages clients to pay you on time — and, more importantly, makes it clear that your time and work have value.

What on earth is a per diem?

This is something quite a few Deaf freelancers have asked me about recently. It’s an unusual term, that isn’t in English and doesn’t translate into BSL clearly.

A per diem basically means “per day”. It is a daily allowance that a company may provide when you are working away from home or travelling for work.

For example, it might help cover the cost of your meals while you are working away, or other day-to-day expenses connected to the job.

It’s worth checking what is included before you accept a job. Will your travel be covered? Is accommodation provided? Will you receive a per diem? Or are you expected to pay for everything yourself and claim it back later?

These are all things I now try to check beforehand.

What is a profit and loss statement?

When I first came across things like profit and loss statements, I remember thinking: What does all this actually mean?

Basically, a profit and loss statement helps you see the money coming into your business and the money going out.

As a freelancer, you might have expenses such as equipment, accountant fees, travel, food while working away, or other costs related to your work.

If a company doesn’t provide a per diem or cover certain expenses, you might have to pay for them yourself and keep track of them.

It’s useful to know exactly what you are spending, because those costs are part of running your freelance business.

How do I keep track of my income and expenses?

For me, a spreadsheet is one of the simplest ways to do this.

Every time I send an invoice, I add it to my spreadsheet, including how much I’m expecting to receive and when I expect to be paid.

That way, I can look at the spreadsheet and get a better idea of what money is coming in and what I need to keep an eye on.

It also makes things much easier when it comes to doing my self-assessment.

And if spreadsheets really aren’t your thing, don’t panic! You can always get an accountant to help you with your accounts and self-assessment. There are accountants who are deaf / use BSL too – just search for who is local to you and you’ll be surprised!

What about keeping track of receipts?

I use Monzo to help me keep track of my work-related spending.

If I’m paying for something myself that is related to my freelance work — for example, travel or another expense that the company isn’t covering — I keep the receipt and make a note that it is self-employed/work-related.

I find this much easier than trying to remember everything months later when I’m doing my accounts!

What have I learnt from all of this?

Probably the biggest thing I’ve learnt is that being a freelancer isn’t just about doing the creative work.

I love being a dancer and actor. That’s why I became a freelancer in the first place.

But there is also a whole other side to it: invoices, expenses, receipts, taxes, payment terms, travel and chasing people for money!

It can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re just starting out.

So my advice is: ask questions.

If you don’t understand something, ask another freelancer. Ask an accountant.  Ask the company you’re working for. There’s no shame in saying, “I don’t understand what this means.”

I’m still learning too.

I hope some of these tips are useful for other Deaf artists who are self-employed or thinking about becoming freelancers.

And if you’ve learnt something along the way that I haven’t mentioned, I’d love to read about it. We can all help each other make freelance life a little bit easier.

Thanks for reading!

By Hearns Sebuado