10 Critical Mistakes That Set Me Back 10 Years in Freelancing

Here are the shifts I made to finally grow my business. Photo by Hannah Wei on Unsplash For 10 years, I’ve been an unsuccessful freelancer. That doesn’t mean I was a failure. I landed a few big projects, and I’ve been able to keep getting new clients over the years. But for the majority of that time, I hit a plateau. I wasn’t increasing the number of new clients and I wasn’t increasing my overall revenue. I just chugged along. 10 years ago, I started freelancing in graphic design. It morphed into web design. Now I do mostly web design and social media marketing, but I am shifting to a bigger focus on strategy consulting. Through all those years, I made critical mistakes that kept my business from really taking off. I’m not a successful freelancer now. But in the last 2 years, I’ve finally started making changes that I’ve been putting off for the past decade. I’m actually experiencing growth — more clients and higher-paying clients. These changes are things I should’ve done early on. Though my experience is in the marketing industry, these principles can apply to any type of freelancer. If I had known more about the pitfalls of freelancing early on, I could have experienced success in my business sooner and not wasted so much time. So if you’re new in your freelancing career or are currently on a plateau, this advice could alter the path of your business for the better. 1. I Offered Every Type of Service That Was Requested I should’ve become an expert in a few services Initially, my primary services were graphic design and websites. But people started asking me to do other things that I had little experience in. I didn’t have very many clients in the beginning, so I said yes. Over the years, I grew to add services in email marketing, social media, SEO, custom coding, blogging, photography, video editing, SEO, CPC ads, and a lot of other miscellaneous digital services. It’s not bad if I was building a full-fledged agency with experts on my team. But I was doing it all on my own and learning on my own. I learned to do everything, so I became somewhat of a jack of all trades. But we know the second half of that statement — I was a master of none. I wasn’t really an expert in anything, so I couldn’t really be known or referred to as the go-to person in any field. I also added each new service I did to my website, which diluted my messaging and unique proposition. Instead of saying I could build you really amazing websites, I gradually watered it down to saying I could help your brand online, which doesn’t mean anything. I should’ve selected maybe 2–3 related core services and focused only on that. I should’ve become an expert in doing that so I could build a reputation of being the best in the field. I should’ve limited my […]

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Hiring Freelance UI/UX Designers VS. UX Agencies

There are many companies out there that want to rebrand themselves, start a new marketing campaign, develop a new product, or make updates to existing products. Whether you are a young company, startup, or mid-sized business, you must have already thought about the ways you could get a task like this done. One of the most common questions many companies ask nowadays when it comes to design is whether they should hire a freelance UI/UX designer or a UX design company. Why should you hire a UX agency, when you could set a freelance designer for the task and pay twice or thrice less while getting it done just as good? Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of both sides before you make your final decision on this matter. Pro: Agency Hiring a UI/UX design agency usually means that you will have an extra professionalism level for your project. It helps to build trust between you and the agency. The thing is that most UX agencies always have real cases that you can review before hiring one. Examples can be both good and bad, so you’ll still know how well a company handles various projects and tasks before dealing with it directly. The Quality design makes best friends. Sometimes, such relationships can become long-lasting, if the client – you – need more UX design services in the future. Unlike freelance designers, reliable UX agencies have an established process that assures proper completion of clients’ projects. There are quite a few leading UX design agencies like Clay in San Francisco that may provide you with the required assistance and relevant results, and you have to know where to look for them. Con: Freelance When you hire a UI/UX freelance designer, you usually don’t know the person to whom you’re trusting your project. UX design is quite a complicated thing, so you can’t say for sure what exactly a freelancer can do for you and if you can trust them with anything complicated. And it goes the other way around, too, as freelancers are in a slightly similar position to yours, not being sure if they are going to get paid for their work. What if the freelance contractor will find another client who pays more than you, and doesn’t finish your project? What if you find a freelancer, who can do the same work at a smaller price? Moreover, the UI/UX freelancer might lack the required experience or not know the best design practices, thus not being able to provide you with adequate quality of service. Or, the contractor could have an outdated understanding of UX design, whereas you need modern design vision and solutions. You will have to take a chance and hope that everything plays out well. Once again, a UX design agency has a team determined to complete whatever project you have. It is the reason you can rest assured that your project is going to be completed according to the highest […]

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The Pros And Cons Of Accepting Crypto Payments As A Freelancer

Accepting crypto payments as a freelancer. Getty You provide your services to clients and you expect to be paid. And sometimes, it is tough to get paid on time or even get paid at all . So should you bother with adding yet another payment option to your current mix? Especially, one that is less in-the-know and comes with a certain degree of risk? The answer isn’t that straightforward. Thus, let’s dig a bit deeper into the matter and take a look at the pros and cons of accepting crypto payments as a freelancer. Pro: no currency exchange fees The major perk of freelancing is that you can tap into the global pool of jobs and do business internationally. You can pursue jobs in locales where your expertise is in-demand and where the compensation is higher. However, the cross-border nature of freelancing also comes with certain liabilities. There’s the whole process of figuring out how much you should charge in the foreign currency to compensate for the exchange rates and conversion fees. The Economist estimated that the average cost of sending the equivalent of $200 cross-border falls in the 4%-8% range, depending on whether you use a bank or a fintech company. And those processing fees add up, as you still have taxes to pay on top. As a result, you may end up with a much lower paycheck than originally anticipated. Accepting cryptocurrency instead means that there would be no currency exchange fees or hidden payment fees . When you are paid in crypto, you pay a flat transaction fee only. Also, you have a choice to exchange your coins to a fiat currency when the exchange rate is good. Con: cryptocurrencies are volatile Cryptos, by their very nature right now, are fluctuating in worth. What you are paid today may not be worth the same amount tomorrow. Or, on the contrary, double in price overnight. For instance, at the beginning of October, a bitcoin was worth $8,333 . At the end of the month, its price grew to $9,225. If you plan to accept cryptocurrencies as a payment option, you’ll need to become better versed in trading and investing. As prices change daily (and even hourly), the easiest way for staying on top of things is to use a crypto trading bot . Such programs include trading strategies and they can buy some of your coins and sell when the rate is more favorable. Pro: you get access to more jobs Traditional freelance marketplaces (Upwork, Fiver, PeoplePerHour) are the first destination most freelancers head to when they need a new gig. As a result, the competition there has become fierce, with more talent than jobs available. The fees are also on the steep side (around 20% on average for new contracts), meaning that you can waste a lot of time canoodling clients and competing with others for a fraction of your standard project rate. So instead of doing what everyone else does, you can consider joining a […]

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4 Time Management Tips for Remote Jobs

As more and more people turn to remote and freelance work , more people are wondering how to manage their own schedules. Some people are naturally organized and have no issues with this, but others might find themselves doing too much or too little. With no one else around to monitor you, it is easy to fall into habits that aren’t good for working . With these tips, you can learn to make the most out of your time while working remotely. 1. Keep track of deadlines When you work remotely, it is likely that you will be tasked with managing multiple assignments and deadlines at the same time. If you are freelancing, this could mean dealing with multiple different companies who work within different time frames. While it may seem like you can keep everything straight in your head, it is definitely a good idea to have a dedicated space to keep track of all your deadlines. Because different people manage their schedules in different ways, how you choose to keep track of your deadlines is mostly up to you. Some people prefer to keep track the old-fashioned way on a paper calendar while others have moved on to digital reminders. There can be many different places to record deadlines like Microsoft Outlook, Google Calendars, and using various apps on your phone. However you decide to keep track, make sure that you stick to one method, otherwise you run the risk of having to keep track of multiple calendars. It may also be a good idea to set reminders for yourself a couple days or a day before things are due, just in case it has slipped past you somehow. This is good practice so that you aren’t accidentally missing deadlines and turning things in late. 2. Make a priority list Alongside keeping track of multiple deadlines, you may be wondering how to manage your time when you have many tasks that need to be worked on. When you have so many things to do, the anxiety around getting them all done can be paralyzing. Where do you start? It is a good idea to get into the habit of making a priority list at the start of every day. This helps you get some clarity on what tasks need to be done urgently and what tasks can be reserved for later. When you have a clear priority, it is much easier to start working on it than trying to work on many different things at the same time. Often, our priorities are the things that are due the soonest, but you may want to base your priorities on what work is most important to you. 3. Have a dedicated workspace Because you work remotely, there are many different options for where and how you work. If you are lucky, try to set up a dedicated space for work. Because most people who work remotely also work from home, it can be very easy to allow yourself to […]

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Advice on Becoming a Freelancer

Want to be a freelancer? Here’s are six steps you need to take to get started. Did you know that more than a third of U.S. workers are freelancers? Freelancing is popular in Europe as well, and the number of people who freelance grew by 45% in the last five years. Across the world, small and large companies have significantly increased their use of freelancers. If you’ve decided to become a freelancer, the numbers say you’re on to something good. Whether your goal is to earn some money on the side or make freelancing a full-time career, you’ll need to arm yourself with knowledge, determination to learn and improve, and lots of patience. Here’s how to start freelancing. How do you become a freelancer? The freelance market is growing by the day, and if you want to be competitive, you have to prepare accordingly. Follow these six steps to get started. Step 1: Consider whether freelancing is for you. Freelancing has its pros and cons (more on that later), but in general, you must possess a specific mindset to be a freelancer. Being your own boss is a great thing if you’re disciplined and reliable . Freelancing enables you to set your own schedule, so you can take a day off whenever you want, but you won’t be paid for that time because there is no such thing as paid leave. If you want to be a freelancer, you should maintain a daily work routine, be ready to juggle several projects at the same time and continually look for new projects so you can maintain a steady flow of work. If you’re still working full time, don’t quit your job immediately. Instead, combine freelancing and full-time work until you accumulate enough clients and connections to support yourself as a freelancer. Working from a comfortable place of steady work and safe income is a much better environment for developing your freelance business. Step 2: Find a platform. Most freelancers use freelancing platforms to find work. While recommendations and social media channels like LinkedIn can also be a great source of gigs, platforms are popular because they allow you to effortlessly connect with clients looking for freelancers. There is always a job available there. Also, most of these platforms have policies and offer protection both for buyers and freelance workers. On freelance platforms, every project you take on is a mini contract, and both you and the client are required to adhere to its terms. Choosing the platform with the model that fits your needs and salary expectations is incredibly important for your success. Plenty of freelancing websites encourage the so-called “race to the bottom,” where freelancers provide poor quality work in exchange for poor compensation. Ultimately, it doesn’t help anyone – buyers cannot find good quality of work and freelancers cannot earn enough money. Some freelancing platforms, like Hiremotely , base their business model on admitting only top freelance software developers and connect them with clients based on very specific […]

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Freelance finance: How to make more money

Going freelance is simultaneously exciting and terrifying, and worrying about freelance finances is a big part of that. It pays to be prepared – largely because once you start freelancing, a single company will no longer be regularly paying you. We asked those who’ve made the leap for their advice on how to make it work, and their advice ranged from everything from being organised, whether or not you really need to learn how to network to getting to grips with tax. Here’s what they said: 01. Set realistic expectations “You must think of your new business like a startup: savings are a ‘runway’ to transition you from the stability of a monthly salary,” suggests strategist Christopher Murphy . It’s therefore a good idea to build up at least three (preferably six) months of living expenses prior to going freelance. Also, have a plan to step back if things don’t work out. “I told my wife we needed at least six months to discover whether my freelancing would work,” recalls creative director, designer and developer Shane Mielke . “And if I wasn’t successful, I’d immediately apply to whatever agency would have me, so we wouldn’t cut deep into our savings.” While that might sound negative, Mielke argues freelancing is anything but – as long as you’re organised and know how to network. “I made a single tweet, received my first project, and haven’t looked back since,” he says. “Although people sometimes think freelancers sacrifice money for freedom, that’s not necessarily the case – it can be very profitable and I’ve consistently made more money than when I worked as a salaried employee.” 02. Manage your overheads Mielke’s point about organisation is crucial. As Clearleft founder Andy Budd notes, a major challenge of freelancing is the uneven nature of income: “Even if you’re lucky enough to immediately land a long-term contract, you’ll probably work for a month before you can invoice. And many companies pay on 60- or 90-day cycles: miss a payment window and you’ll have to wait until the next one.” Even with smaller companies, you may find yourself chasing payments, hence why graphic and web designer Colm McCarthy recommends “mandating a 50-to-60 per cent deposit from new clients, with the remaining balance arriving in staged payments upon delivery of agreed work”. Naturally, get this written into a contract. Income is at least broadly understood among most people considering freelancing. Outgoings… less so. When you’ve worked in a salaried environment, it’s easy to forget what you’re spending and then fritter money away. “You must track exactly what you need to be using in your business,” recommends brand designer Rachel Shillcock . “I work with a lot of online tools and renewal bills quickly mount up. So I do an audit every quarter to ensure I cancel anything I’m not using.” Murphy notes that such tracking should extend to everything: “Software. Pens and paper. Sticky notes. It all needs accounting for. When you’re salaried, someone else pays for these […]

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6 Freelance Jobs that Can Pay a Full Time Income

Transitioning from a traditional nine-to-five to become a freelancer is no walk in the park. You will lose a couple of things like retirement benefits and a steady paycheck. But, you’ll gain so much more- the freedom of movement, ability to determine your own schedule and you’ll generally be more satisfied. A study by ReportLinker revealed that up to 84% of freelancers find a sense of purpose working in the gig economy while another 32% believe that they’re a lot happier than their employed colleagues. Furthermore, there are many freelancers earning a full time income without answering the daily call of 9 to 5. Below are your best bets for freelance careers that can lead to high steady pay. Medical Transcriptionist Before I move onto how much you can, I should explain the role of a medical transcriptionist. This is a trained individual who transcribes, in medical terms, what a physician or clinician dictates following a surgery, patient visit, test results, pathology and more. The field of medicine has a language of its own, consisting of synonyms, antonyms, along with the rules of the English language. Missing just one punctuation mark can alter a whole diagnosis. Based on this, you can already tell that medical transcription requires specialized training. But with training and experience, you’ll be guaranteed of a handsome pay, especially because there’s a surge in demand for medical transcriptionists. A quick visit to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveals that a full time medical transcriptionist earns an average of $34,000 per year. Payscale.com estimates that, on average, a freelance medical transcriptionist earns $16.48 per hour. However, this rate varies significantly depending on the industry you work in and the number of clients. Freelance transcriptionists who work for insurance firms, specialty hospitals and laboratories are the highest earners. If you’ve never transcribed before, you might try general transcribing first as a good way to practice. Some of the best transcription jobs that are non medical all have very low barrier of entry. Web Developer and Programmer The BLS projects that by 2024, the employment of web developers will have increased by 27% from 2014. That growth rate is faster than the average for all other occupations. This is not surprising given that more companies are relying on their online presence to get that competitive edge. This makes web design and development a lucrative freelancing job. To determine how much they earn, Code Mentor queried 5,302 freelance developers. Unsurprisingly, they found that those working in the U.S. are the highest earners, making up to $70 per hour. This study revealed that other than geographical location, the type of programming language that a developer is skilled in also determined the rate. JavaScript, despite being the most popular, did not command a high pay. Developers skilled in JavaScript earn about $61 an hour while those who deal in AWS earn up to $74 an hour. In a nutshell, how much you earn as a freelance developer varies depending on […]

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Sites like Upwork: Alternatives where freelancers can get clients

There has been a growing demand in the last years for freelancer websites to help both employers and individuals to find projects where they can invest their energy and focus. Some of the best freelancer platforms have great features that make the experience very user-friendly and one platform like that is Upwork. There are not many sites like Upwork. It was created from the merge of oDesk and Elance and is one of the best-known platforms for somebody that is looking a freelancer job in the online. It is popular because it is huge and it has been around for more than 10 years having millions of freelancers that work in different fields. However, sometimes sites like Upwork might not be the best option for each type of project. Luckily there are also other options to go for because some freelancer has mixed reviews. Another feature that the Upwork platform has and is very helpful is their tracking software that counts the time that you are spending on working on a project. It does that by taking screenshots of the person’s computer every few minutes. Sites like Upwork Advisable Advisable is a cool freelance marketplace that connects top talent with employers. Employers can find easily the person that they are looking for and what is great is that Advisable makes great recommendation for freelancers that might be the best for the job. The client doesn’t get any kind of fees, they just pay for the freelancer’s services that they get. Freelancer Freelancer.com can be also a great choice if you are looking for sites like Upwork. It works on a bid system and all you have to do is set up your profile and you are good to go. To find a job you can search in the system by adding filters or keywords. Transactions are fully secured and when you see a project you like you to make a bid for it choosing the price yourself. For sure you will be able to find all kind of jobs and if you think about Upwork vs Freelancer, this site can be a good alternative. Fiverr Fiverr is one of the most used freelancer websites and the idea behind it is very cool. Fiverr Pro is also a cool update that they did that bring in the experts for certain projects. These experts are trusted by some of the biggest brands in the world. Only 1 percent of applicants get approved to this. The most used categories that are used on Fiverr being one of the sites like Upwork is graphic design, marketing and writing together with the translation. Each category has many subcategories sometimes even in the area of one hundred. So, chances are big that you will find what you need, just give it a try and see for yourself. FlexJobs Advertisement FlexJobs is a cool online platform that lists verified job postings. The jobs that you will find here are similar to the ones on Upwork. What […]

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Need Freelance Attorneys And Paralegals?

(Image via Getty) With dramatic shifts in the legal market, law firms, in-house legal departments, and alternative legal service providers (ALSPs) are increasingly turning to freelance lawyers and paralegals to build their workforce. In turn, lawyers and paralegals may find their careers increasingly including contract and freelance work. This new world can feel overwhelming with a new legal marketplace concept popping up every month. To add to the confusion, some of these marketplaces are focused on helping consumer clients locate attorneys in violation of fee-sharing rules while others offer only independent contractor services which can cause penalties for improper worker classification and wage-and-hour claims. Here’s a breakdown of the four basic legal staffing concepts on the market to help candidates and clients sort through this new landscape, ensure compliance, and pick the concept that works best for their law practice or career, Staffing Solutions 1. Brick & Mortar Staffing Agencies: Traditional and “new law” concept staffing firms can help with direct and contract hiring services. These provide full payroll and employment compliance as well as professional liability insurance specific to staffing that adds an extra layer of protection for hirers and contractors. Further, the ABA model rules adopted by the majority of jurisdictions permit staffing services as not in violation of fee sharing. The downside is, brick and mortar agency processes tend to be less transparent and more manual, time-consuming, and expensive than online options. Candidates may find recruiters who are tasked with executing these manual processes and staffing many roles simultaneously are not responsive and hirers may not like the friction and time required to interface with a recruiter to access and communicate with candidates. Benefits: Dedicated recruiters In compliance with Model Rules of Professional Conduct Payroll and employment compliance services Temp and direct-hire options Ability to meet a wide range of staffing needs, including specialized and non-attorney roles Limitations: Fees tend to be higher than modern staffing solutions Non-transparent fee structures that may vary from project to project (or candidate to candidate) Some can find it clunky and time-consuming to go through a recruiter to connect with and communicate with candidates New Law staffing agency concepts that focus on attorneys with Fortune 500 and Am Law backgrounds can have rigid hour and length requirements requiring hirers to commit to 20-40 hours on a multi-month basis 2. Boutique Freelance “Platforms”: These services often call themselves marketplaces or platforms. They generally contain a marketing website through which a point person is contacted, much like an agency. These concepts offer independent contractor services without payroll and professional liability insurance. While they lack the services and compliance of agencies, often the fees are lower and more transparent and they also tend to offer more experienced and specialized attorneys. Benefits : Ability to connect with attorneys for a project basis License and identity verification High-touch, manual experience for the tech-adverse Fees generally lower for 1099 work than traditional agency concepts Focus on more experienced, specialized attorneys Limitations : No payroll or employment […]

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What You Should Know About Starting a Freelance Writing Business Today

So, you’re a talented writer who fancies taking the plunge and going freelance? You imagine blissful days tapping away at your keyboard at home, coffee on tap and the freedom to manage your time as you wish. Is it really that easy? Let’s take a look at five things you must know and tips for turning this dream into reality today. To be successful in this very competitive market, you need to perfect your writing skills by practicing your craft over and over again. Maybe you have worked in-house for an agency or enjoy creative writing in your spare time. But this is only the first step to freelance success. However good you think you are, you can always brush up on your grammar skills and practice different genres of writing to make you as marketable as possible. Try out some online courses or attend workshops where you get to stretch those writing muscles and challenge yourself to reach the next level of greatness. Remember, practicing writing is like a workout – do it regularly, and you’ll see amazing progress. 2. You must learn how to market yourself Once you’re confident about your abilities and can offer a range of writing styles, you need to get out there and let the world know about your abilities and services. Many freelance writers start by signing up with copywriting agencies. This is a great way to start your career as they can offer regular work in a variety of subject areas, as well as the editorial support that you will need in the early days. When you register, you will have to submit a written test to check that your skills match their standards. This is a good test to see if you can handle deadlines and any feedback – positive or negative. You may also know of businesses that require a freelance writer for their marketing materials, website or blogs. Don’t be afraid to approach them directly and inform them of your skills and how you can enhance their business. And don’t forget about social media sites where you can easily promote your business and link with other professionals. This is an essential part of marketing today and getting your name – and writing – out there. 3. It’s more than just about writing Even if you are the greatest writer in the world, this isn’t helpful unless you have sharp business skills as well, like how to deal with clients, manage expectations and deliver to deadline. As you accept assignments, be mindful of how long you think they will take to submit and plan your time out accordingly . If you don’t think you can make a deadline, speak to your agency or client and negotiate an extension, stating plausible reasons why it’s necessary. For example, you can explain that the project needs more research. It’s all about communication. Remember that your freelance writing is a business – so make a business plan and set achievable goals, for example […]

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