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Freelancing: what to be prepared for
Saturday, January 9th, 2010I have started freelancing in July 2009. It was a shocking change from the advantages or having a fulltime job as a radio DJ and then being fired. Unemployment wasn’t an option for me, getting back in the media business meant having to accept a very very low wage. I wasn’t interested in this so I tried my hand in freelancing.
Even if any decent theory would advise you to start it as a side job and then move full time on it, when you get to a decent revenue, I was forced to take the bull by the horns and start fulltime freelancing. No money in my savings account, was able to pay for my bills for 1 month and a half. And then …
Since I was able to gather some experience in this and survive the entire “game”, I thought it might be useful to you to get some ideas from these months I have spent surviving financially. Here is what you have to expect, if you’re thinking about this.
1. STRESS. There’s nothing more stressful than knowing you’re not getting a new “gig” and still the bills are piling up. You will be more relaxed once your savings account starts looking “decent”, but still, you might have the occasional panic attack. It’s OK to feel this, just don’t let this overwhelm you. Make sure you do save money and are prepared for a “dry spell”. Then it’s all better.
2. WORK. Let me tell you something: I have never worked in MY LIFE as I have worked the past 5 months. NEVER. And I wasn’t a slacker, and was never accused of not doing my job. But freelancing kills you alive, at least till you’re getting to a decent portfolio and that savings account that lets you maybe take a vacation. My biggest enemy now is my urge to work as much as I can. My resolution for 2010 is to actually learn HOW TO RELAX.
3. MONEY or LACK OF IT. You have to understand there are good and bad months. This is why many advise you to keep a normal job and freelance in the spare time, till you get a portfolio up and some constant work. And MONEY SAVED. Then make the move. I wasn’t fortunate to be able to develop this way and I had to work like a madman to recover from getting fired. It can be done. It’s stressful (see point no.1) and takes effort (see no.2), still it can be done. You can prepare for those bad weeks (let’s hope it’s not months) by saving money. I need new sport shoes. I still postpone this for few more weeks. Now I have the money, but I’d rather save. 2-3 more months and I think I can go to a healthy shopping spree.
4. LOW RATES. It is possible to have to drop your rates. I had to lower mine A LOT so that I can grow my portfolio and earn the every-day life money. I could keep my high rates and get a “gig” every 2 months or lower them and have 5-6 projects a month. Yes, I am making quite some money this way. And people still say I need to raise my rates and I am constantly doing this. My portfolio got fat, I have collected a lot of raving reviews from the freelance job sites I work on and get contacted by people who see my work there and want me to create their site. If you are not starting from zero as I had and don’t rely entirely on the freelancing revenue, then you are not forced to decrease your rates. But, if you need that money, it’s a compromise till you’re getting back on your feet. Then you increase them gradually and get to work for the price you’d like to work for.
5. A KICK IN YOUR PRIDE. Yes, being a freelancer is seen by some as a “meager” job. Yes, you’ll have friends laughing at you for not being able to get a “decent” job (they still think being employed is the next best thing), clients giving you hell, and you’ll have to breathe in, breathe out and take their crap since you know you’re also taking their money. With work and experience you’ll receive a better “deal” in time. People will be impressed with your skills and want you to create their presence online, your friends see you’re earning a decent living, with all the freelancing perks (work from home or Puerto Rico, if you want to, set your own schedule, less expenses, more freedom etc.) .. this is the moment the initial “kick in your pride” is paying off.
I don’t want you to be scared. I don’t want you to NOT consider freelancing since it has been THE BEST THING I HAVE DONE IN MY LIFE. I just wanted to share some of the things I wasn’t really prepared for (the negative ones) so that you know what might happen. The first months are the hardest. You are stressed, you work a lot, learn a lot, have to make financial decisions that will shape your freelancing future. But, my god, it’s worth it 
Why I love freelancing
Monday, November 16th, 2009My activity on the blog was pretty scarce lately so you might not know about my new professional situation. 3 months ago the radio station I have worked for the past 3 years closed its local studio and I was fired. Recession is serious in Romania too and mass-media is one of the most affected areas. I got a possible job invitation at another radio station for half the wage and double the workload. Not pretty at all.
The last 10 years of my life have been spent doing radio shows. I loved this so much. It was my dream job and I got it at 20. Now I am over 30 and it looks like some changes needed to be done.
Aside working in the media, 7 years ago I started web design. One site, another one, you learn how to design a layout, code it, in no time you realize you kinda have some skills and experience. And then you work more, you start earning some dollars and consider a possible fulltime job. And still you have that nice radio job, well paid, coleagues, fun. And just develop your tiny web business while still relying heavily on the radio wage.
Well, it’s all gone now. My changes in the media are small. Well, I can work for 200 USD a month or can earn this money on my own. I chose to freelance fulltime now. It’s been 3 months and I LOVE IT. Here is why:
- no more pesky coleagues or bosses. Well, I can’t say I had a bad relation with any of them, but there were times I didn’t like how someone spoke to me or the fact some used to “backstab” me. Yes, it’s normal at most jobs, even the fun ones as in the radio business.
- I don’t have to dress “nice” every day. I have to admit I don’t like wearing “fancy” stuff, even if I am a woman and some think I should. I can work in my pijamas or some tshirt/pants “home version” and not have to worry about my clothing.
- My car doesn’t need so much fuel. Having to drive each day to work and fro made my monthly budget lose money on the fuel. Now my car is parked outside and my “trips” in the city are less frequent. Of course, I “feel” the increase in my savings.
- I make my schedule, my time is MINE. I was sick for some days. I didn’t work and recovered. We wanted to visit Berlin, we went. No worries about not getting permission to leave the job, “do I have enough vacation days”, “do I need to cut off my journey to solve some job issues” .. My time is well spent or not, it all depends on me. As a freelancer and web designer I need to work based on deadlines. As long as I respect this, I can decide on how to spend my spare time, what workload to take etc.
- I earn FOR ME. All the money I get is mine. Of course there are taxes, but I am the one earning the “bucks”, taking the profits and having to benefit from all.
Freelancing does have its risks. You depend on your clients, you need to work A LOT to succeed, but, with good organization and budgeting you cannot but succeed. For me these last 3 months have been a blast. I do work immensly, I have to keep an eye on my spendings, especially since there’s no more wages to rely on, but it’s the best thing in my life. My social life is better, I can meet my friends, I can offer my clients better meeting hours (since I don’t have a strict schedule), I can go on trips or just take a day off.
