
Self-employment, counted in real decisions.
The gist
ZulfTalks: Working For Yourself is a practical record of building income outside traditional employment. Episodes move between creator-business strategy, UK property decisions, YouTube experiments, hiring pressure, and the quieter math of financial resilience.
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About ZulfTalks: Working For Yourself
ZulfTalks: Working For Yourself is a practical diary of self-employment as it actually feels on the ground. It is restless, direct, and unusually specific. The show moves from creator strategy to household finance, then from UK property decisions to the pressure of scaling a one-person operation. Money is treated as a system, not a scoreboard. In the financial health episodes, wealth is measured through stress tests such as having a three-month buffer, understanding net versus gross income, saying no to unaffordable social spending, and leaving pension or tracker investments alone. That gives the show a grounded edge. It pushes back against social-media wealth performance without pretending that rising costs and financial stress are easy to ignore. The business episodes carry the same tone. A YouTube channel is built from zero with attention to channel art, thumbnails, posts, shorts, search demand, watch time, subscribers, and the usefulness of recording the process while it is happening. Success is not sold as a formula. The show repeatedly points out how timing, platform behavior, existing skills, and luck shape outcomes. Property episodes add another practical lane. They cover selling a UK house, comparing estate agents, reviewing valuations, thinking through rental income, considering tenant responsibilities, and weighing certificates, insurance, licensing, and hassle. Growth becomes a separate theme as the series turns toward the founder's ceiling. The question is no longer just how to earn. It becomes how to stay secure, how to delegate, and how to build a team without turning the business into another source of stress. ZulfTalks suits listeners who like lived experience, numbers, and process notes more than polished entrepreneurship theater. It is most useful when the hard part is not inspiration, but deciding what to do next.
Made for: Creators, self-employed people, business owners, and financially cautious strivers who want practical accounts of working for themselves. It especially suits listeners balancing creative ambition with property, savings, income stability, and long-term security.
What sets it apart: The show is built around live decision-making rather than abstract advice. It connects creator growth, UK property choices, hiring limits, and personal finance into one self-funded working life.
In their own words
I’m Zulf, and for 18 years I’ve lived the 'Work For Yourself' life . I started with Zulf Talks Photography 10 seasons of mastering the craft. But a craft without a business is just a hobby. I scaled my work into Trusted Creators, a company built to house the content and strategies that actually make money in the current economy. This podcast is the bridge between being a 'creative' and being a 'business owner.' No academic fluff just real-world experience from someone who has actually done it. Join me over seasons 11 to 20 as I dive into the raw reality of working for yourself.
Why you'd press play
Zulf turns a house move and a zero-subscriber channel into working notes you can borrow.
Press play if you want
- to compare estate-agent advice before your own property decision becomes an expensive shrug
- to watch someone document a YouTube channel from setup through the awkward early numbers
Talks about
Podcasts like ZulfTalks: Working For Yourself





Master Passive Income Podcast NetworkMaster Passive Income NetworkReal-estate freedom, taught in plain numbers.
Episodes
- 1
Finance Foundations: Managing Money & Roadblocks S14EP1
·12m - 2
6 Mindset Shifts for Long Term Security S17EP11
·10m - 3
The Founder's Ceiling: 6 Lessons on Hiring & Trust S17EP10
·13m - 4
The Income Illusion: Why More Money Isn't Easier S17EP9
·10m - 5
Creating a YouTube News Channel from Scratch S16EP6
·14m - 6
6 Ways to Stop Being Busy and Start Making Progress S17EP8
·12m - 7
What I Got Wrong in My First Year as a Director S17EP7
·15m - 8
6 Invisible Expenses That Kill Profit S17EP6
·11m - 9
Company Money vs My Money: 5 Hard Lessons on Getting Paid S17EP5
·16m - 10
Sole Trader or Limited Company? 5 Lessons on Incorporation S17EP4
·13m - 11
7 Essential Expenses to Launch Without Going Broke S17EP3
·14m - 12
5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Quit Your Job Yet S17EP2
·13m - 13
Is Working for Yourself Actually Freedom? S17EP1
·13m - 14
Deep Dive into YouTube Data & AI Content S16EP5
·18m - 15
What to Do if Your YouTube Topic Fails S16EP4
·18m - 16
How to Get Your First Views on YouTube S16EP3
·18m - 17
How I Chose My YouTube Channel Idea And How You Can Too S16EP2
·17m - 18
Starting My YouTube Journey from Zero S16EP1
·21m - 19
UK House Buying Nightmare: Real Issues & How to Fix Them S15EP8
·12m - 20
10 Home Selling Issues in the UK & How to Solve Them S15EP7
·16m - 21
Selling Direct: How I Sold My House to a Neighbour S15EP6
·12m - 22
Should You Rent or Sell Your House? S15EP5
·31m - 23
How to Sell Your House Valuations & Estate Agent Secrets S15EP4
·45m - 24
Will House Prices Collapse or Increase? S15EP3
·9m - 25
Is Now a Good Time to Buy a House? S15EP2
·15m - 26
Is It the Right Time to Buy a House? UK Market Guide S15EP1
·16m - 27
How to Create a Budget & Stick to It S14EP11
·11m - 28
How to Pay for Things Online Securely S14EP10
·13m - 29
How to check and build your credit history S14EP8
·14m - 30
Saving for Your First Big Purchase: Budgeting & Side Hustles S14EP7
·11m - 31
How credit cards work : Simple guide for UK creators : S14EP6
·15m - 32
How to Borrow Money Wisely S14EP5
·22m - 33
How I Provided Proof of ID UK Tax Residency for Google Adsense
·17m - 34
How Savings Accounts Work: Interest, Taxes & Bonds S14EP4
·18m - 35
Getting Your First Bank Account: Documentation & Process S14EP3
·18m - 36
Which Bank Account is Right for You? S14EP2
·10m - 37
6 Things I’d Do Differently If I Was Starting As A Director
·11m - 38
Is this M Word the key to Success s11ep19
·49m - 39
Why It’s Not Too Late To Start YouTube - Bonus
·41m - 40
Photography News Update, New Cameras - AI and More
·14m - 41
How to find and set up the best video lighting
·39m - 42
Lessons Learned: How YouTube Shorts Hurt My Channel (and What I Wish I Knew)
·17m - 43
How You Can Film and Which cameras shoot 4K video at 60fps
·19m - 44
Winning at Work: 10 Tips to Achieve More in Less Time
·23m - 45
Holdup Camera Robbery, Lenses, and Vlogging - Photo News ZTP
·15m - 46
If I Started a YouTube Channel now, I'd Do This S16EP8
·24m - 47
Starting a YouTube Channel from Scratch in 2026 S16EP7
·24m - 48
Photo News Update - Nikon Z8 RF-Mount Replacement for the Rebel - R100 and more - ZTP
·21m - 49
The Power of a Clear Call to Action (CTA) for Creators S13EP8
·28m - 50
Instagram Reels Hurting Photographers and Why Printing Your Photos Is Important
·15m - 51
Which Sony A7 camerato buy and Hasselblad dumps DSLRs News roundup
·20m - 52
How I handle OVER 13 Channels and keep organised
·55m - 53
Photography Tips and ideas to take better photos
·11m - 54
10 Simple Habits for a More Fulfilling Life S13EP6
·7m - 55
How to Overcome Procrastination and Increase Productivity S13EP5
·10m - 56
The Art of Self-Care: Taking Time for You S13EP4
·9m - 57
Mindfulness & Inner Peace Techniques S13EP3
·7m - 58
Goal Setting Guide for Entrepreneurs S13EP2
·8m - 59
Power of Positive Thinking for Entrepreneurs S13EP1
·7m - 60
How to Transfer Everything to a New Phone S12EP22
·10m - 61
Should You Get a Business Mobile Contract? S12EP21
·21m - 62
Is It Worth Upgrading an Old Computer? S12EP20
·1h 9m - 63
45 Minute Jazz Vibes Lofi Sax Beats Relax Study Working for Yourself Focus Session
·49m - 64
10 Lessons from My First Year as Managing Director S12EP19
·37m - 65
CEO, Founder, or Director? Choosing Your Title S12EP18
·20m - 66
20 Mins Positive Affirmations - You Can Do It- Daily New Year Motivation ZulfTalks
·22m - 67
Training Your Mind for Deep Focus S12EP17
·33m - 68
Did I Waste Money on TikTok & Reddit Ads? S12EP16
·25m - 69
Things I Wish I Knew Before Using a Password Manager S12EP15
·14m - 70
What I Learned in My First Year of Business S12EP14
·25m - 71
5 Best Free Programs for Working for Yourself S12EP13
·17m - 72
How to Choose the Right Accountant S12EP12
·35m - 73
Brand Discovery: Turning Ideas into Businesses s12 Bonus Ep
·33m - 74
Setting Up as a Sole Trader: The HMRC Guide s12ep11
·24m - 75
The Self Employment Audit: 6 Questions to Ask S12ep10
·16m - 76
Mindset & Experience: Are You Ready to Be Your Own Boss? s12ep9
·15m - 77
Client Privacy & Business Boundaries s12ep8
·14m - 78
Balancing Business and Family Crisis s12ep7
·11m - 79
Should You Quit Your Job? The Transition Phase s12ep6
·12m - 80
Scaling Your Hobby: Upselling and Reinvesting s12ep5
·14m - 81
First Paying Client: How to Transition from Hobby to Pro s12ep4
·13m - 82
Hobby to Career: The Real Cost and Reward S12EP3
·11m - 83
Mold Your Life: From College Skills to Business Success s12ep2
·12m - 84
What it takes to get into Business Life - S12EP1
·15m - 85
ZulfTalks: Working Life, Redefined
·5m - 86
Is this M-Word the key to Success
·47m - 87
You can't always do everything yourself - Hire good people s11ep18
·43m - 88
Creative Careers: From The Daily Show to Songwriting s11ep17
·44m - 89
How to Get The Attention You Deserve - Working for yourself s11ep11
·35m - 90
Higher Education or Working for Yourself? Brandon Dobel S11Ep5
·33m - 91
Why You Should hire a Professional Web Designer s11ep14
·39m - 92
Does Business Coaching Work?
·42m - 93
Every content creator should have these
·23m - 94
Content Tips for Self-Employed Creators s11ep15
·24m - 95
The ONLY 3 Things You Need to Grow Your Podcast s11ep12
·30m - 96
Why Relationship Intelligence Matters in Business Railey Molinario s11ep3
·26m - 97
Affordable and Professional Gift Ideas for A Work Colleague
·11m - 98
How to Pivot Your Business and Career Lekky Ferry s11ep8
·25m - 99
5 Tech Things New Business Owners Struggle With s11ep10
·33m - 100
How Do Mortgages Work? A Beginner’s Guide S14EP9
A beginner's guide explaining what a mortgage is, types, process, costs, and repayment options for buying a house.
·20m - 101
7 Financial Stress Tests: Are You Actually Wealthy? S18EP1
The host discusses seven financial stress tests to help listeners assess their true financial health, arguing that passing even three indicates doing better than most people on social media.
Apr 6, 2026·11m - 102
6 Things I’d Do Differently If I Was Starting As A Director
The host shares six things he would do differently if starting as a director from scratch, emphasizing the role of luck and timing in his success.
Mar 30, 2026·11m - 103
6 Mindset Shifts for Long Term Security S17EP11
The host discusses six mindset shifts for achieving long-term security after years of self-employment and building a business from zero.
Mar 23, 2026·10m - 104
The Founder's Ceiling: 6 Lessons on Hiring & Trust S17EP10
The host shares six lessons on hiring, trust, and letting go to help creators scale their businesses beyond the founder's ceiling.
Mar 16, 2026·13m - 105
The Income Illusion: Why More Money Isn't Easier S17EP9
The host debunks the myth that earning more money makes life easier, explaining that growth actually increases complexity and requires more discipline.
Mar 9, 2026·10m - 106
6 Ways to Stop Being Busy and Start Making Progress S17EP8
Mar 2, 2026·12m - 107
What I Got Wrong in My First Year as a Director S17EP7
ZulfTalks host Zulf frames his first year as a director through mistakes rather than a highlight reel.
Feb 23, 2026·15m·1 clip - 108
6 Invisible Expenses That Kill Profit S17EP6
Feb 16, 2026·11m - 109
Company Money vs My Money: 5 Hard Lessons on Getting Paid S17EP5
ZulfTalks: Working For Yourself episode “Company Money vs My Money” sets out five lessons from the host's experience moving from sole trader to company director.
Feb 9, 2026·16m - 110
Sole Trader or Limited Company? 5 Lessons on Incorporation S17EP4
Feb 2, 2026·13m - 111
7 Essential Expenses to Launch Without Going Broke S17EP3
ZulfTalks: Working For Yourself episode 3 asks what it costs to launch a business, beyond paying an online company-formation fee.
Jan 26, 2026·14m - 112
5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Quit Your Job Yet S17EP2
Jan 19, 2026·13m - 113
Is Working for Yourself Actually Freedom? S17EP1
Jan 12, 2026·13m - 114
Creating a YouTube News Channel from Scratch S16EP6
Jan 5, 2026·14m - 115
Deep Dive into YouTube Data & AI Content S16EP5
Hidden gemIn S16EP5 of ZulfTalks: Working For Yourself, the host audits a Harry Potter channel with 156 videos and 156 subscribers.
Dec 29, 2025·18m·1 clip - 116
What to Do if Your YouTube Topic Fails S16EP4
Dec 22, 2025·18m - 117
How to Get Your First Views on YouTube S16EP3
Dec 15, 2025·18m - 118
How I Chose My YouTube Channel Idea And How You Can Too S16EP2
Dec 8, 2025·17m - 119
Starting My YouTube Journey from Zero S16EP1
Hidden gemZulfTalks: Working For Yourself, Season 16 Episode 1 documents a 2025 experiment to build a YouTube channel from zero toward monetization using no outside sponsors or funding.
Dec 1, 2025·21m·1 clip - 120
UK House Buying Nightmare: Real Issues & How to Fix Them S15EP8
Mar 19, 2025·12m - 121
10 Home Selling Issues in the UK & How to Solve Them S15EP7
Mar 12, 2025·16m - 122
Selling Direct: How I Sold My House to a Neighbour S15EP6
Mar 5, 2025·12m - 123
Should You Rent or Sell Your House? S15EP5
Hidden gemZulfTalks: Working For Yourself compares selling the host's house with renting it through estate agents, using estimated sale values from £175,000 to £220,000 and rent around £1,100 per month.
Feb 26, 2025·31m·2 clips - 124
How to Sell Your House Valuations & Estate Agent Secrets S15EP4
Hidden gemThe host shares his personal journey and insider tips on selling a house in the UK, covering estate agent selection, valuations, and the selling process.
Feb 19, 2025·45m·2 clips - 125
Will House Prices Collapse or Increase? S15EP3
Feb 12, 2025·9m - 126
Is Now a Good Time to Buy a House? S15EP2
Feb 5, 2025·15m - 127
Is It the Right Time to Buy a House? UK Market Guide S15EP1
Jan 29, 2025·16m - 128
How to Create a Budget & Stick to It S14EP11
Feb 12, 2024·11m - 129
How to Pay for Things Online Securely S14EP10
Feb 5, 2024·13m - 130
How Do Mortgages Work? A Beginner’s Guide S14EP9
A beginner's guide explaining what a mortgage is, types, process, costs, and repayment options for buying a house.
Jan 29, 2024·20m - 131
How to check and build your credit history S14EP8
Jan 22, 2024·14m - 132
Saving for Your First Big Purchase: Budgeting & Side Hustles S14EP7
Jan 15, 2024·11m - 133
How credit cards work : Simple guide for UK creators : S14EP6
Jan 8, 2024·15m - 134
How to Borrow Money Wisely S14EP5
This episode provides guidance on borrowing money wisely, covering financial assessment, borrowing options, interest rates, credit scores, and budgeting tips.
Jan 1, 2024·22m - 135
How I Provided Proof of ID UK Tax Residency for Google Adsense
Dec 31, 2023·17m - 136
How Savings Accounts Work: Interest, Taxes & Bonds S14EP4
Dec 25, 2023·18m - 137
Getting Your First Bank Account: Documentation & Process S14EP3
Dec 18, 2023·18m - 138
Which Bank Account is Right for You? S14EP2
Dec 11, 2023·10m - 139
Finance Foundations: Managing Money & Roadblocks S14EP1
Dec 4, 2023·12m - 140
Is this M Word the key to Success s11ep19
Zulf interviews Phil, host of Nudge and senior product marketer at Buffer, about whether marketing is the key to success for people working independently.
Dec 3, 2023·49m·3 clips - 141
Why It’s Not Too Late To Start YouTube - Bonus
Hidden gemZulf interviews former professional basketball player and entrepreneur Huggie Johnston about leaving weekly YouTube uploads after growing Baller Bootcamp to 200,000 subscribers.
Nov 26, 2023·41m·3 clips - 142
Photography News Update, New Cameras - AI and More
Nov 26, 2023·14m - 143
How to find and set up the best video lighting
A comprehensive guide to finding and setting up the best video lighting for different budgets, with tips and examples.
Nov 19, 2023·39m - 144
Lessons Learned: How YouTube Shorts Hurt My Channel (and What I Wish I Knew)
Jun 19, 2023·17m - 145
How You Can Film and Which cameras shoot 4K video at 60fps
Jun 14, 2023·19m - 146
Winning at Work: 10 Tips to Achieve More in Less Time
Jun 12, 2023·23m - 147
Holdup Camera Robbery, Lenses, and Vlogging - Photo News ZTP
Jun 7, 2023·15m - 148
If I Started a YouTube Channel now, I'd Do This S16EP8
Jun 5, 2023·24m - 149
Starting a YouTube Channel from Scratch in 2026 S16EP7
May 29, 2023·24m - 150
Photo News Update - Nikon Z8 RF-Mount Replacement for the Rebel - R100 and more - ZTP
May 24, 2023·21m