This course focuses on equipping freelancers with the essential financial knowledge and skills needed to thrive in their independent careers. From developing disciplined financial habits to navigating the unique challenges of irregular income, participants will gain the tools necessary to establish a solid financial foundation and achieve long-term success as freelancers. 

Guest Speakers

Freelance Producer

Jeffrey Elizabeth Copeland

Jeffrey Elizabeth Copeland is a comedian, documentary producer and post professional. She served as a writer and performer on house teams at UCB, The PIT, and the Washington Improv Theater. Her comedy has been featured on Funny or Die, Who Ha Ha, The Toronto Sketch Fest, and she was selected for the inaugural Saturday Night Live fellowship. Her self-directed/produced/written comedy, QuaranDream!, premiered at the 2021 American Black Film Festival, won best web series at the 2022 Dublin International Film Festival, and was awarded Honorable Mention at the 2022 Big Apple Film Festival Screenplay contest. Jeffrey currently works as a freelance producer for NBC/Peacock's Leguizamo Does America, which premiers in April 2023. She's also produced series for HBO, Netflix, and Disney Plus. She lives in Harlem with her partner and her 6-year-old Morkie, Nino Brown.

Director/Producer/DP

Ted Wilis

Ted grew up in the desert of Arizona and now lives in Brooklyn, NY with his boyfriend. He is a director, producer, and DP specializing in international documentary, commercial production, and branded content. From directing a 30 episode international travel YouTube series for The Points Guy to filming Modern Marvels for A&E, Ted has spent his career striving to highlight the complex beauty of humanity around the world. His favorite productions unite people from different backgrounds through the common joys of food, natural beauty, and thirst for discovery. After filming projects in over 20 countries he is accustomed to expecting the unexpected.

Co-founder and Director at Rally On Media

Alex Portera

Alex Portera is a co-founder and director at Rally On Media, a commercial production company in Brooklyn. He used to work on Wall Street, but quit his job to make documentaries. He's been a freelance copywriter and documentary filmmaker, but now runs a production company and hires out freelancers for his projects. The coolest place he's ever filmed is Mongolia. The least cool place he's filmed was an acai bowl influencer's kitchen.