From First Job to Long-Term Client: Geneviève Masioni’s Approach on Malt

As part of Malt’s series highlighting freelancers who have really made it work, Geneviève shared how she went from student side hustler to trusted partner for purpose-led brands. Along the way she has gone further than most, creating a dedicated marketing programme designed to keep clients coming back and to strengthen long-term relationships. Her story is not only full of practical lessons and refreshing honesty, but also shows how intentional client retention strategies can transform a freelance career into a sustainable business.

As part of Malt’s series highlighting freelancers who have really made it work, Geneviève shared how she went from student side hustler to trusted partner for purpose-led brands. Along the way she has gone further than most, creating a dedicated marketing programme designed to keep clients coming back and to strengthen long-term relationships. Her story is not only full of practical lessons and refreshing honesty, but also shows how intentional client retention strategies can transform a freelance career into a sustainable business.

Geneviève’s story began while she was studying software engineering. In 2018 she joined Malt to test out her skills in the real world, treating freelancing as a weekend and evening project.

In the beginning, she simply wanted small jobs to practise what she was learning. What started as pocket-money gigs soon turned into something more serious and by the time she graduated, she already had a flow of clients and chose freelancing, opting out of working for Big Tech and instead choosing to believe in herself.

Fast forward more than seven years, and she has stellar case studies and clients who have collaborated with her for more than four years. Part of that staying power comes from her decision to manage every project through Malt, even the ones that come to her directly.

Working as a one-woman enterprise, the platform not only provides payment security but also allows Geneviève to present herself to clients as a professional business with a dedicated tool for communications, feedback and ultimately a better client experience. 

It also helps her collaborate more effectively. Geneviève has built a small pool of other trusted freelancers, particularly designers, who also have profiles on Malt. When a client needs skills beyond her own, she brings in someone from her network. Because they know how to work together, the process is seamless, and the client benefits from a ready-made yet modular team which remains agile enough to respond to almost any client need.

And here’s the powerhouse freelance business strategy that keeps Geneviève’s best clients coming back: referrals.

If there is one strategy Geneviève wishes more freelancers would adopt, it is her unique referral programme. Around 70 per cent of her projects come from past clients, either through repeat work or referrals.

She has turned this into a system where her existing clients can refer her to their industry peers, and if that introduction leads to a project, they receive 10 per cent of the project’s value as credit for work confirmed within a six-month window.

One example shows just how powerful this can be. A long-standing client referred Geneviève to another company and received referral credits in return. Because the credits are valid for six months, the original client booked a new project with her in advance, timed for the annual Black Friday rush.

The result was a triple win: Geneviève gained a new client, secured repeat work months ahead of time, and reduced the pressure of hunting for the next project.

“This is a way to duplicate my best clients,” she says. And the system does exactly that.

This shift represented more than just a smart business tactic, but also a turning point in how Geneviève approached her freelance career. She began to think not only as a developer but also as a strategist who designs systems for growth. That ability to combine structured, long-term thinking with creative flair is rooted in her background. Her father is an artist, and growing up in a creative household gave her the instinct to see that everything can be reimagined for efficiency, even a referral programme that is genius in its simplicity.

Geneviève has learned that while technical skills are important, what really keeps clients coming back is the overall experience. She admits there were times she did not have all the answers or hit every deadline, but she faced those moments by being transparent with clients and training herself through courses, webinars, and practice projects, such as testing new Shopify features before rolling them out.

Being transparent, keeping clients updated, offering solutions, and managing expectations while upskilling herself behind the scenes has built long-term trust… it also explains why her Malt rating is an enviable 4.95 out of 5.

Freelancers juggle a lot of roles. Geneviève has found a way to stay balanced by dedicating Mondays to her own business. She calls them her “CEO Mondays.”

Every Monday she handles finances, follows up on leads, chats with other freelancers, educates herself on the latest industry trends and makes appearances on podcasts. 

She also avoids falling into the trap of endless scrolling. Instead, she subscribes to curated newsletters, like Brief.me, that deliver bite-sized updates. It keeps her sharp without drowning in noise. Efficiency, she says, is non-negotiable.

AI is another topic where Geneviève strikes a balance. She uses it for time-saving tasks such as debugging or drafting code, but she never forgets the value of the human element.

Her view is simple: let the machines handle the boring bits so you can focus on the work that requires creativity, strategy, and empathy. It is a reminder that freelancers do not need to prove themselves by slogging through every detail if a tool can free them up for higher-value work.

Geneviève’s career offers some valuable lessons for anyone freelancing:

You can explore Geneviève’s work at genevievemasioni.com, or contact her on Malt via her profile. She’s also active on LinkedIn, where her DMs are open to freelancers who want to chat about their careers or collaborate on exciting projects.