Freelance With Structure
Build a freelance marketing business with the systems, support and community that help it grow.
Most freelance marketers don’t struggle to deliver great work.
They struggle to build a business that can support more of it.
Pipeline. Pricing. Positioning. Retaining clients. Growing without burning out.
Freelance With Structure is about building a marketing business that works for you – not one that depends entirely on you.
If you’re already freelancing, you’ve done the hard part.
You’ve proven your skills.
You’ve built relationships.
You’ve won clients.
But many freelancers reach the same point:
There’s demand, but growth feels fragile.
Income fluctuates.
Time becomes the ceiling.
Confidence dips when pricing, positioning or scaling.
This isn’t a capability problem. It’s a business model problem.
The Reality of Going It Alone
Freelancing sounds flexible… until you realise how many roles you end up taking on.
- Admin – building process, contracts and templates
- Sales – endless prospecting and pitching not knowing if your pricing hits the mark
- Tech – fixing websites and building tools
- Marketing – the client work you actually enjoy (if you get to it)
No surprise then that:
- 80+ hours a month can vanish on non-billable tasks
- Only 60–100 hours per month are truly billable
- Average freelance earnings sit at £20k–£45k/year
- 30% of consultants struggle to retain clients because they can’t do it all well
Sound familiar?
You’re not alone. But you don’t have to build your business this way.
The Activ Difference
Activ is here to change that for you.
Activ Marketing is a marketing agency franchise designed specifically for experienced freelance marketers.
Created by Katie Bullon, former corporate marketer turned freelancer, who identified the unique power of franchising to make things better for self-employed marketers.
It gives you the structure, systems and support behind a full agency while you remain independent.
You’re still your own boss.
You still build your own client base.
You simply don’t do it alone.
Franchising isn’t about retail chains anymore.
It’s becoming one of the smartest ways freelancers scale sustainable businesses.
- Save 45+ hours every month on non-billable tasks
- Build recurring income streams
- Work towards six-figure revenues by Year 2
- Be the trusted partner SMEs are looking for (75% prefer one provider)
- Join an award-winning, British Franchise Association accredited marketing network listed in the top 10% of UK franchises
Ways to Launch with Activ
If you established or just starting out, there is a route for you.
Location Franchise Partner
Build a recognised local marketing business under the Activ brand with your own protected territory
Consultant Franchise Partner
Trade under your own name, backed by Activ’s systems, training, and delivery support.
Already trading? Chat to us about how you can elevate from your current position, powered by Activ, with our team delivering behind the scenes.
Whichever route you choose, you’ll never be building alone.
The Market Opportunity
We also shared the size of the opportunity that’s waiting for you:
- Over 60,000 self-employed consultants in the UK
- Digital marketing industry growing 8–10% every year
- 99% of UK businesses are SMEs and 70% outsource their marketing
- Average hourly rates range from £50–£150
In short: demand is growing, businesses need support, and this is your chance to step in with a proven marketing agency business model that you don’t need to build from scratch.
Success Stories
Our partners prove just how powerful the Activ model can be.
Across the Activ network, freelance marketers are:
Retaining clients longer
Working fewer evenings
Winning larger projects
Building recurring income
Growing businesses without employing teams
Not because they work harder – but because they work within a model.
Lisa
Lisa left corporate life and launched her Activ business 15 years ago. Without employing she has 200 clients.
Lou
Lou was maxed out as a freelancer. With Activ’s backing, she scaled her business sustainably to serve clients globally.
Sian
Sian is a mum to young children. After 6 years solo freelance, she joined to ease the load and take on more clients.
Watch our recent International Women's Day Webinar
Hosted by our CEO Katie Bullon, alongside Caitlin Chapman from the Activ head office team, this International Women’s Day webinar brought together three women at different stages of building their marketing businesses.
Joining the conversation were Lou Eddy, Sian Price and Laura Helme — all Activ franchise partners who now run their own marketing businesses with the structure, systems and community that Activ provides.
Together, they shared their personal journeys into business ownership, the realities of running a marketing business alone, and how franchising offered them a different path to grow sustainably without losing their independence.
Who is Activ for?
For freelance marketers who:
Have clients but want stability
Feel the capacity ceiling approaching
Want bigger opportunities without hiring
Value independence but recognise doing it alone has limits, and community has power
Are ready to build something sustainable, not just busy
See how franchising works for freelancers.
Download the Franchise Guide to understand:
How the Activ model works
What support looks like day to day
Real franchisee journeys
Investment and next steps
