Candid Comment - Freelancing

Freelancing, ever done it? I do, or at least I try to do it. Freelancing is a great way to learn how to run a small business. It's also a good model for deciding what you want to do in your business or a particular line of work. However, you should not be fooled into thinking that the freelancing world is a super-way to earn fast cash. Competition is stiff, and getting a good paying customer long or short-term is very challenging. Frankly speaking, I have only ever had one customer that did repeat business with me. That was back in 2011ish.  

You should know that when you dive into this world, you are driving into a fish tank, not an ocean of sellers and buyers.   Everyone is looking for each other. One group looking for the cheapest deal, and the other trying to get as many orders as possible. Some are really great at doing this work, others not so much. And you have to be aware that there are others out there looking to make a fast buck with fake accounts and jobs. So it pays to keep your focus and educate yourself on what the benefits and risks are when it comes to working as a freelancer. So what are the benefits and risks? Let's take a look.

1. You work at your own pace. You are in charge, and the hours you set can be fixed or flexible. Because you can decide when you work, you can have a more balanced life.

2. While you can set your hours to a fixed time, a lot of the work comes from people in different parts of the world, and that means you may need to meet deadlines outside of your regular schedule.  

3. You can charge what you want for the services you offer.  The flip side or con is that if you set too high, no one will look at your offerings; too low, and you won't make a decent amount of money.  

4. You can choose who you do business with, which is excellent.  You may find someone that you work really well with.  This said you want to ensure you do not get too cozy with your client.  Familiarity can breed contempt; some customers are dictatorial and may make demands or try running your business via remote control. In short, handle the business. Do not let the business handle you. You must always be in control of what you are doing while still providing service and building a solid relationship for your personal brand.  

Besides these things, you need to be aware of tax rules, know that you have to pay for your own expenses, and if you take time off, you don't make money. You may have to find a regular full or part-time job to supplement your freelancing work. You may have to do work that provides you with a continuous income in an automated fashion.  A webstore or YouTube channel can help, but you really have to research that too. The bottom line is that you must do some leg work before diving into freelancing.  Research, research, research.  It's all about knowing what people want, where to find the people, and how to manage time and the work.  

I hope you found this article interesting. Please feel free to comment and share this article.  I hope you have a successful run if you decide to try freelancing.  It is a lot of work.  But it is also fascinating and fun to do.  You can learn new skills and earn money at the same time and get a feel for what it is like to run a business.  See you in the next article.

C. T.