In this episode, hosts Edita Bandur (Business English Teacher) and Darko Mareš (Portrait Photographer) welcome Ivan Židov, an AI developer with 7-8 years of industry experience who has achieved top 1% status on Upwork, sharing his journey from neural network enthusiast to successful freelancer.

Ivan offers practical guidance on navigating the AI landscape, from selecting the right tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Gemini 2.5, Claude 4) for specific purposes to managing client expectations around AI implementation. Through his freelancing success story, he demonstrates how technical expertise combined with strong communication skills creates opportunities in the global marketplace.

The conversation becomes particularly valuable when Ivan addresses overcoming language barriers and perfectionism in professional communication, showing how authenticity often matters more than flawless English when building client relationships and delivering high-value services.

Key moments:

• Choosing AI tools based on specific project requirements rather than hype
• Practical strategies for achieving success on competitive freelancing platforms
• Using AI to enhance resume building and professional communication
• Overcoming language perfectionism to communicate authentically with international clients
• Career advice for computer science students entering the AI field

A practical conversation for freelancers looking to leverage AI in their services, computer science professionals considering independent work, and anyone interested in building successful client relationships despite language barriers.

Ivan's contact links:

Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/ivanzidov

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivan-zidov/

Email: ivan@textvalue.ai

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