The secret to winning a week back every month? You’re looking at it.
One proven model. 45 hours back every month. And a business that actually scales.
Freelance marketers often leave traditional jobs dreaming of freedom and flexibility. But the reality? Many find themselves overwhelmed, not only with creative projects, but with everything else.
According to time-tracking reports from Clockify and Toggl, and surveys by platforms like Bonsai and Bench:
- Solo marketers spend 80+ hours per month on tasks unrelated to client delivery (including admin, their own marketing, lead gen, and tech management)
- Only 60–100 hours/month are truly billable
- Many freelancers earn £20,000–£45,000/year depending on experience and niche (Source: IPSE 2023, Fiverr 2024, and freelance survey data from HubSpot and Hnry)
That’s a lot of time working in the business, not on it.
The activ Difference
activ is built to change that. For all those wanting to run a profitable digital marketing business as an activ Branch Director.
Our award winning franchise model gives marketers access to ready-to-go tools, streamlined systems, and a full-service support team, cutting down the hours spent on everything from admin to email marketing.
When you join as a Branch Director, on average, activ saves you 45+ hours per month.
Here’s where those hours come from:
Task | Time Spent (Freelancer) | Time Spent (activ Franchisee) |
Admin & Invoicing | 15-25 hrs | 5 hrs (template-led + support, invoicing, proposals, contracts, chasing payments, file management etc.) |
Business Development | 10–15 hrs | 5 hrs (franchise support) |
Own Marketing | 15–20 hrs | 5 hrs (monthly plan, team support and quarterly ‘done for you’ campaigns provided) |
Tech Setup/CRM/Tools | 5–10 hrs | 2 hrs (pre-built activ Flow system) |
Learning & Development | 10 hrs | 3 hours (training and support provided in bitesized chunks) |
Admin & Ops | 15–25 hrs | 5 hours (templates, processes, internal systems.) |
TOTAL SAVED | 45 – 80 hours |
And what about earnings?
Many solo freelancers cap out at £40k–£50k/year unless they scale through employing a team.
At activ, we’ve built a structure designed for long-term income growth without growing a team.
What does an activ branch director earn?
Our average Branch Director (franchisee) revenue is currently tracking at £125,000 a year, with new franchisees set up to hit five-figure months earlier than they ever could solo. We’re not just giving them time back, we’re helping them scale smarter.
You became a marketer to create impact, not get buried in admin. If you’re tired of juggling every role in your business, there is a better way. Franchising is a proven a secure route to scale with the industry worth £19.1billion in the UK, with a less than 1% commercial failure rate.
With activ, you’re not going solo. You’re joining a powerful network, backed by systems and support that let you spend more time earning, and less time firefighting.
👉 Find out more about becoming a Branch Director
