Opinion Freelancing is still on the rise, but the golden life of self-employment is a lie By Chantal Brocca Image by Jenia Filatova There are few things more enticing than the prospect of escaping the soul-crushing routine of the nine to fiver. In the recent decade, freelancing has risen up as the ultimate solution for the dissatisfied individual, offering the freedom of flexible self-employment, an improved lifestyle and other glittering promises of work-related happiness at our exhausted, overworked faces , prompting many of us (me included) to quit our jobs and begin the hustle towards self-fulfilment. Today, more than a third of U.S. workers are in the gig economy, and it’s hard not to see why. In 2019, we are constantly confronted with the modern ideals of success: independence, self-actualisation and purpose. The logic is infallible—almost. Why gift a lifetime of hard work, your soul and your precious ideas to ‘the Man’, when you can keep the fruits of all that you can offer to yourself? Why commit to a rigid working structure and vacations on a tight leash? Why never have the time to pursue personal passions or allow yourself to be the leader that you can be, all the while running the risk of getting sacked when the time comes to downsize? If you’re a creative, all the better, because freelancing is presented to you as the means to the glorious end of living for your art. We’re fed the myth that the way to happiness is paved by self-starters, championing the self-employed high risk, high gain lifestyle as the next step on the ladder to self-actualisation. The internet and social media are littered with articles, how to’s and interviews of successful freelancers who declare that they’d never go back to employment, painting work-as-wanderlust pictures of working from their laptops from exotic beaches, cocktail in one hand, with only the mildest sensation of being swamped from constant proposals of work from clients that they adore, for projects that they love. But the day-to-day reality for the freelancing individual couldn’t be further from the painted truth. Studies show that freelancing translates into less freedom instead of more. The line that separates work and life becomes blurred until it disappears and you end up switched on 24/7, mulling over concepts, looking over accounts, pitching to new clients, and networking, networking, networking. A 2019 survey found that, in the U.S., 92 percent of freelancers work on vacation. The flexibility promised by the freelance economy becomes another rerun of the be-careful-what-you-wish-for saga: flexibility, yes, but only to increase your working hours from 9 to a hearty 16. The truth is not that freelancers become hardcore workaholics—it’s that they absolutely cannot switch off, or risk missing out on contracts that pay the bills and the many significant overheads that come with being self-employed. The perceivably appealing position of wearing all the hats in your business quickly turns into an unsustainable situation, translating in the long term into perpetual over-exhaustion. Take a weekly […]

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With the lure of being independent, flexible working times, freedom to choose projects and a chance to experiment with their craft, more Americans are freelancing . And in 2019 their earning is set to hit the $1 trillion mark. Freelancing in America 2019 According to the Upwork Freelancing in America : 2019 study, 57 million Americans are now freelancing. By the way, this represents 35% of the total U.S. workforce. Regarding the earnings, it’s almost 5% of the U.S. GDP, which is more than the construction and transportation industries combined. What is more, being a freelancer is now a viable career choice. This is what Caitlin Pearce, Executive Director of Freelancers Union, explains in the release. Adding, “More than one in three Americans are freelancing.” Freelancing Becoming More of a Long-term Gig The study reveals many freelancers now view freelancing as a long-term career choice rather than a temporary gig. The share of those who freelance full time is up from 17% in 2014 to 28% this year. Skilled services are the most common type of freelance work, with 45% of freelancers engaging in programming, marketing, IT and business consulting. Freelancers doing skilled services earn a median rate of $28 an hour. This is 70% more per hour than other workers in the US economy. Driven by a stronger labor market, 60% of freelancers say they are freelancing by choice, up from 53% in 2014. And it is providing opportunities for more people. This includes 46% of the respondents who say they wouldn’t be working at a traditional job. This is the case for 43% who have health issues. If not for freelancing opportunities, 1 out of 5 of those with health challenges say they couldn’t work. Future prospects Freelancing is luring more younger generation workers who like the work/life balance it gives them. More than half or 53% of Generation Z Americans are freelancing, with millennials adding another 40%. And when it comes to the future of freelancing, people are optimistic. A whopping 91% say the best day for freelancing are ahead, a 14% increase from 2014. They are optimistic because of technology advances (77%) and more professionals (64%) are taking freelance work. The increased diversity is going to make freelancing a practical career path for those choosing to work this way. However, there are challenges in the segment. Freelance Challenges Freelancers and non-freelancers share similar concerns, such as fair pay, retirement funds, access to affordable healthcare and a healthy savings account. When it comes to debt, including college loans, freelancers (46%) are more likely to have these financial responsibilities. It goes down to 36% for non-freelancers. And regarding income, 59% of freelancers feel like they live paycheck-to-paycheck, while it goes down to 53% for non-freelancers. Skills and Training The reason freelancing is growing is because of all the available talent globally. And the talent pool is growing as more experts, professionals and even people with general skills start working this way. However, 89% of the freelancers in […]

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Stay Motivated as a Freelancer

Are you just not feeling it today? You’re not sick, and you’ve had plenty of sleep. It’s not particularly lovely outside, so you aren’t tempted to go out a get some sunshine. But for whatever reason, you just can’t get motivated to work.

When you worked in a regular job, you may have been motivated to work by your boss and peers. Maybe a constant barrage of calls and customers kept you on your toes.

Now that you are a freelancer, you may be working from home. You may not have daily communication with your clients.  No one would know if you had a quick nap. Or a three-hour nap. Or watched a few more episodes of The Crown.

While everyone needs to take a day off every once in a while, it can become a bad habit if you do it too often. What do you do to stay motivated enough to work each day? Here are some ideas.

Keep a visual reminder of why you are working as a freelancer.

Did you have to wear a nametag for your previous job? Display your badge in a prominent place to remind yourself that you never want to go back to that job again.

Perhaps you were never able to make it to any of your son’s birthday games because you were always traveling on the nights he played. If that’s the case, keep a baseball or a photo of your son near your workspace.

Whether it’s a pair of high-heeled shoes or your business card for a job you hated, use those reminders as inspiration to push on with your day.

Remember the money.

In your previous life, if you had a lazy day at work, it may not have affected your paycheck. Unless you worked in sales, your pay was probably the same regardless of if you busted your rear or not.

As a freelancer, your bottom line is closely related to your amount of hustle. Is it a slow week for jobs? Then you should be developing your skills by learning something new about your industry. Are your current clients not keeping you busy enough? Then maybe you need to seek more work.

It may sound crass, but most people freelance to make money. Sure, you can make the world a better place while you are at it, but you also need to put shoes on your feet and pay your mortgage.

Set work hours.

We know that one of the reasons you quit your day job to become a freelancer was so you could have a flexible schedule. But if you are struggling to stay motivated, why not try to set regular work hours? Your hours can be of your choosing. They can even be through the night if you wish.

Setting a specific schedule will also help if you find yourself at the other end of the work spectrum. Maybe you know that work=money, so you find that you are working all the time. Make sure you have balance in your life. Obtain that balance by setting specific work hours.

Try a Change of Scenery

Sometimes just the act of gathering your work items and driving to a different location will knock the cobwebs loose in your brain. In other words, nothing may be wrong with your current workspace, but the act of moving will energize you enough to move on with your day.

You may also opt for a completely new workspace. If you work from home, try a coffee shop. Use earbuds playing classical music to block out the background noise.

Try your local library. Many are very accommodating for participants of the gig economy. You may be able to schedule time in a private office or find a quiet niche to complete your tasks.

You may even want to try working outside. Sometimes the only thing you need to get inspired is fresh air and vitamin D. 

Create bite-sized chunks.

Maybe you have taken on a task that seems overwhelming. If this is the case, break up the work into bite-sized chunks. You will feel as if you are accomplishing something each day, even if you don’t complete the full project. Write down your to-do list at the beginning of each day, and tick off the items when you achieve them.

Take a walk.

If you have stared at the same screen for an hour, and you have accomplished nothing, permit yourself to take a break.

Working as a freelancer is new territory for most people. You aren’t going to be great overnight. Try different strategies to stay motivated.

This article was originally posted at Freelancing buzz!

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Ad closed by Report this ad Why this ad? Seen this ad multiple times Ad covered content Not interested in this ad Ad was inappropriate Thanks. Feedback improves Google ads Ad closed by With Freelanex the future is NOW! As the gig economy takes the world by storm, gradually replacing the nine-to-five job, Freelanex, one such amazing platform emerged on the freelancing horizons backed by blockchain technology and powered by latest techniques. This platform efficiently lets clients find professionals through query-response smart contracts. Which nullifies all the inefficiencies experienced in other freelance marketplaces. Thus enabling payments made in timely fashion, ensuring transparency, immutability, security and efficiency. Freelanex represents a decentralized platform which has been designed on the lines of Blockchain technology in order to target all the maladies affecting the freelance economy. It is here to improve the working environment for freelancers and build an atmosphere in which the chances for fraudulent and immoral practices are ZERO. Here is how Freelanex is going to be beneficial to the World: 1. Creating millions of new Job Opportunities for everybody. 2. Reducing the Risk factors in a freelancer-client relation to almost ZERO so that it’s a win-win situation on both sides. 3. Creating a Trustworthy and Transparent working environment for freelancers. 4. Maximizing chances of Earning for the Skilled people who are facing Challenges in the Current setup. 5. Creating a magnanimous relation in the world of Blockchain technology and the world of freelancing that benefits all. 6. Making cash flow throughout the community smooth and free of corruption by a Well-Regulated Cryptocurrency. 7. Launching Immutable Values in the form of Self-Executing Contracts called Smart Contracts programmed by Blockchain technology in freelancing. 8. Providing payment guarantees to the freelancers by freezing funds of the clients that they are working for. 9. Separating out and shortlisting those individuals that are fit for their jobs by Whitelisting the Trusted freelancers. 10. Giving everybody a chance to prove themselves on a platform which is open to all. In short Freelanex is planned to provide everybody with a highly trustworthy platform, through which freelancers can utilize their skills and their potential in order to work and earn online. Freelanex IEO on p2pb2b and Shortex Freelanex has partnered with p2pb2b and Shortex crypto exchange to offer its native, ERC20-compatible FLXC tokens through an Initial Exchange Offering (IEO). Investors can sign up on the exchange and complete KYC and AML checks to begin acquiring the tokens. During the event, tokens will be made available at the rate of 1 FLXC = 0.004 USD. A minimum of 20 USD must be invested to take part and more than 5000 FLXC contributors will get 25% of bonus FLXC tokens. p2pb2b and Shortex users will not need a separate security check to take part in the IEO. Website: https://www.freelanex.io/ Join Freelanex telegram community: https://t.me/Freelanex Media Contact Company Name: Freelanex Contact Person: Ibrahem Hassan Email: Send Email Phone: 240.455.3170 Country: United States Website: http://www.freelanex.io/

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October, which is almost upon us, is a more interesting month than I had realized. Halloween is a perennial favorite, of course (#2 among favored holidays, just below Christmas. Surprisingly, Valentine’s Day is way down at #8). But I’ve also recently learned that October includes Boss’s Day on October 16, a holiday I hadn’t known about before. In honor of Boss’s Day, but respecting my focus on the #freelancerevolution , I thought it might be interesting to begin a conversation about the qualities of great freelance clients. But, after reflection, a more useful article topic presented itself: What can young freelancers do to create effective and mutually satisfying relationship with their clients? In his article , “How to spot a bad freelance client and what to do about them,” my Forbes colleague Abdullahi Muhammed provides a helpful description of how freelancers should manage client expectations. I liked his approach; while it was not explicit, his thinking had much in common with Robert Frost’s wonderful poem Mending Walls and its iconic refrain, “Good fences make good neighbors.” I’ve added helpful advice from my mentor Herb Shepard , an early freelancer and a much esteemed pioneer in organization development. Here’s my take, eight reminders of what it takes to build and preserve effective client relationships: Remember, this is B2B. This is the most obvious, most important, and the most likely to be forgotten by young independent professionals. So, let me say it as simply as possible: act like you are one of the B’s in this B2B relationship. Newish freelancers with prior corporate experience in IT or elsewhere too easily forget that they are no longer employees, and that their relationship to the client is peer, not boss. But, to make that stick, they also need to be as “buttoned up” in how they do business as they want to be seen and treated by clients. Whether full time or side hustle, you need to ensure that you are seen as professional and dependable. Clarify expectations often . Top freelancers are unanimous: even when there is very good agreement on the work and the terms surrounding the work, freelance-client relationships are often difficult for all the obvious reasons. The first rule of good client management is to help the client by ensuring a clear statement of work and terms and regular conversation to identify, assess, and talk through potential or required changes to the plan, the timeline, and associated cost. Set clear boundaries with straight talk . Clients focus on their needs; they want to know that the work is completed well, as quickly as possible, and at the lowest reasonable (possible?) cost. Not surprisingly, clients often try to expand the service space, for example, “let’s touch base daily.” Or, move up the deadline. Or add features. Or renegotiate the price (“Seems like it’s taking less time than you thought.”). Your challenge as a freelancer: “straight talk” that builds a realistic relationship without off-putting the client. A fact based conversation is […]

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How to Become a Freelance Graphic Designer If you’ve always had a passion for art, illustration, and other forms of graphic design, then you really do have a marketable skill. Whether you’re looking for a little side gig to earn you fun money through college or are hoping to make a full-time career out of graphic design, you can do it. There are so many businesses and entrepreneurs out there in need of a talented creative mind with the artistic skills that they are lacking. Our guide on how to become a freelance graphic designer will offer everything you need to know to get started turning your passion into a paycheck. Before we get too deep into it, you need to understand that there really is demand for graphic design. It’s always been a need, and it always will be. So if any naysayers are telling you to get a real job, just point them to this list of people who regularly pay for graphic art. Small Business Owners. More than 600,000 businesses launch every year . Do you think that every plumber, roofer, restaurant owner, and retailer has the artistic skill they need to make a good first impression? Probably not. They’ll need a professional who knows what they’re doing for logos, business cards, pamphlets, brochures, and more. Web Masters. If you think there are a lot of business start ups who need your skills, wait till you hear the stats on websites. Almost 400 new websites are created every minute. By the time you finish reading this post, that means more than a thousand new websites will have been born. And plenty of them will need someone to design images, banners, and other graphics. Marketers. Graphic designers are called upon for just about every form of visual marketing you can think of. There are about 341,000 billboards dotting the United States, and you can bet a lot of them had a professional designer behind the scenes. Vehicle wraps, posters, packaging, mailers, and branding materials are similar graphics that marketers employ on a regular basis that require an artistic eye. https://www.legiit.com/ Learning how to become a freelance graphic designer obviously starts with being awesome at what you do. Whether you are self-taught or formally trained, what matters most to your clients is delivering high quality work consistently. For this reason, you need to take an honest assessment of your skills and fill in what’s missing. The wider your skill set, the more marketable you are going to be to clients. For example, if a business owner hires you to design a logo, they may later look to you for help with an infographic or marketing mailer. You want to be in a position where you can say “Yes!” rather than “Let me train myself first”. At the same time, you don’t have to know how to do everything. As a freelancer, you get to pick and choose your clients and the jobs you’ll take on. So if you […]

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While some investors are already well versed in financial metrics (hat tip), this article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE) and why it is important. By way of learning-by-doing, we’ll look at ROE to gain a better understanding of Freelance.com SA ( EPA:ALFRE ). Over the last twelve months Freelance.com has recorded a ROE of 13% . Another way to think of that is that for every €1 worth of equity in the company, it was able to earn €0.13. How Do I Calculate Return On Equity? The formula for ROE is: Return on Equity = Net Profit ÷ Shareholders’ Equity Or for Freelance.com: 13% = €4.4m ÷ €34m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.) Most know that net profit is the total earnings after all expenses, but the concept of shareholders’ equity is a little more complicated. It is all the money paid into the company from shareholders, plus any earnings retained. You can calculate shareholders’ equity by subtracting the company’s total liabilities from its total assets. What Does ROE Mean? ROE measures a company’s profitability against the profit it retains, and any outside investments. The ‘return’ is the yearly profit. The higher the ROE, the more profit the company is making. So, as a general rule, a high ROE is a good thing . That means ROE can be used to compare two businesses. Does Freelance.com Have A Good ROE? Arguably the easiest way to assess company’s ROE is to compare it with the average in its industry. However, this method is only useful as a rough check, because companies do differ quite a bit within the same industry classification. The image below shows that Freelance.com has an ROE that is roughly in line with the Professional Services industry average (16%). ENXTPA:ALFRE Past Revenue and Net Income, September 21st 2019 That’s neither particularly good, nor bad. ROE doesn’t tell us if the share price is low, but it can inform us to the nature of the business. For those looking for a bargain, other factors may be more important. If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). How Does Debt Impact ROE? Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. That cash can come from issuing shares, retained earnings, or debt. In the first two cases, the ROE will capture this use of capital to grow. In the latter case, the debt used for growth will improve returns, but won’t affect the total equity. Thus the use of debt can improve ROE, albeit along with extra risk in the case of stormy weather, metaphorically speaking. Combining Freelance.com’s Debt And Its 13% Return On Equity While Freelance.com does have some debt, with debt to equity of just 0.34, we wouldn’t say debt is excessive. Its very respectable ROE, combined with only modest debt, suggests the business is […]

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Getting Clients by Writing Cold Email

Does this describe you?

You have utilized freelancing websites like Upwork.

You enjoy a steady supply of work that has allowed you to develop your skills as a writer.

You have an extensive portfolio that spans many industries, but you have also found a niche that you most recently have focused all your efforts on.

You write all the live-long day, but you don’t seem to be increasing your income.

If this describes you, it may be time for you to be more proactive. After all, you have a skill that few people have. There are struggling business owners who need someone to bring in clients. Instead of waiting for those business owners to come to you, perhaps it is time to sell your services directly to them.

To begin the process of finding such clients, perhaps you want to try a cold emailing campaign.

Here are some things to consider as you attempt to grow your SEO business.

1. Start with your niche.

In the process of developing your business, hopefully, you have found your niche. As you attempt to find higher-paying customers, your niche is the best place to start.

Before you send a copy and pasted email to all the local businesses in your niche, you should develop a plan. Instead of finding new clients who will pay you a similar fee to what you have been earning, why not focus on clients who can pay you hundreds or thousands a month for an effective SEO strategy?

For example, if your niche is lawn care, you should focus your efforts on lawn care companies that could afford to pay a substantial amount for your services. You probably want to avoid the small mom and pop business that can’t afford a large SEO budget. You don’t want to work longer hours. You want to work for more money.

Instead, try to find lawn care companies with regional, state-wide, or national presence.

2. Find large or profitable businesses within your niche that need your assistance.

The next step is to do a Google search for businesses in your niche in a specific area. Instead of picking the companies that appear at the top of your Google search, scan the list to find businesses that appear near the bottom or on page two or three. Again, your goal is to look for large enough companies that can afford to pay you decently, but at the same time, companies that are struggling with their current (or non-existent) SEO strategies.

Besides using a basic Google search to get ideas on who to reach out to, you will also want to spend time with your favorite keyword research software. Whether you use Ahrefs, Moz Pro, or Google Keyword Planner, look for a keyword related to your niche industry. Find sites that have a domain rating between 0 and 10. You may also want to see how much traffic they actually get.

Finally, also pay attention to the companies that appear as a paid ad for a specific keyword. If those companies do not rank organically as well, they may also need the SEO expertise that you can provide.

3. Send a personalized email.

Once you have the names of the target companies based on your research, find the contact info and name of the owner or manager of the company. It is up to you if you want to reach out to the marketing department. These people may not be as open to your services since if they were doing their jobs, the company would rank higher.

Although personalized emails may take more time, it may be worthwhile in the long run. In your short, but sweet, email, mention that you noticed that their company ranked 23rd or 38th when typing in the keywords “lawn services Denver.” You may even want to send a screenshot showing the Google search.

This email doesn’t have to be lengthy but asks if you can schedule a call or a visit to talk about your ideas for a new SEO campaign. You may even want to include a link that would allow them to make an appointment directly from the email.

4. Follow through.

Once you have a scheduled appointment on your calendar, make sure you show up for it. Whether it is a call or an in-person meeting, salespeople fail when they don’t follow through with their clients.

That’s it! Will it take time to complete this process? Of course, it will! But as a result, you could work a lot fewer hours each week and make a lot more money.

This article was originally posted at Freelancing buzz.

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The biggest ways the freelance gig economy benefits businesses: What is a Freelance Business Gig ? Workers are the most flexible option for gig employers. They can often level the playing field with larger more well established competition, by providing access to very large, talented, diverse, and highly skilled resources from around the world, at affordable prices. Gig workers allow for flexible scale and deployment opportunities, leading to a more efficient use of working capital. Every new freelance services post (your post) will be linked to thousands of Communal News articles, including the news focused on your area of expertise. https://communalmp.com/ As a paid contractor the business doesn’t have to worry about paying employment taxes or workers compensation. This not only helps save costs, but it greatly reduces the amount of bureaucracies, accounting and regulatory requirements within the company. Accessing gig workers is a way to expand into new markets with lower company overhead, but it also helps elevate the average experience or talent level of your workers, speeding up production time . For those who can’t afford the overhead cost associated with full-time workers, Freelance Business Gigs are an excellent path . This also gives employers the freedom to work in much smaller spaces, even virtually, because they don’t require a work area for in-house staff. Often gig employers are surprised to find that many of the people who offer their services for a short contract (gig), are some of the very best in their fields. Many of these workers have highly competitive skills, but they don’t like the corporate culture and want total freedom. They specialize in specific industries, and they often list their services on a gig platform so they can have total control over their destiny. As the gig professions progress what is rarely discussed is that employers have an early opportunity to secure fantastic offers. Most freelancers go into this work with the goal of building relationship with preferred clients, or at the very least encouraging repeated arrangements. This new gig economy is changing the world . Newest Freelance Gigs Submit Your Ad Here… Due to the freedoms and flexibility freelancing creates, gig workers can select when and how often they work as well as their location. Freelancers set their own schedules, often pick the projects, and never have to ask for time off. For many it’s a dream come true. Most companies start with a quick hire opportunity as their online strategy . However, in our experience employers benefit most from repeated exposure, where you become a “committed employer” as your company builds its own community of repeat “gig” workers, much the way a home contractor might hire many subcontractors prior to a development. You should keep good documentation of every gig and build a primary and secondary list of gig workers based on their particular function and/or skill, that way you even have a quick backup. Plus, you should always be open to upgrading your gig community. This commitment greatly improves your […]

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City officials and local freelancers hope the proposal will help increase client accountability. Hailee Schievelbein As more people turn to the gig economy as their main source of income, city officials are looking to help independent workers hold stingy clients accountable. Building on protections laid out by wage theft legislation on both the city and state levels earlier this year, city of Minneapolis officials published the first draft of an ordinance Sept. 12 that would outline protections for freelance workers. While still in its early stages, local freelancers hope the policy will help retrieve payment from clients who fail to pay for their services. As a companion piece to the city’s wage theft policy that will go into effect in January, the freelance workers protections ordinance would provide steps for the city to take if employers fail to compensate freelancers for their work. City officials first announced their intent to draft the proposal at a City Council committee meeting in June. “As we are seeing our economy shift, it’s really important that we as a governing body adapt to these changes,” Ward 4 City Council Member Phillipe Cunningham said at the meeting. “I’m grateful to be able to be a part of this work.” The policy, co-authored by Cunningham, Ward 13 City Council member Linea Palmisano and Ward 3 City Council member Steve Fletcher, requires employers to establish a written contract for potential independent workers. Employers who violate the agreement will have to pay compensatory damages to the freelancer, in addition to the unpaid wage, and face a fine of up to $3,000 by the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights. Metropolitan State University student and freelance photographer Awa Mally said the possibility of untimely payment is something she considers before agreeing to work with every client. The policy would make getting compensation from clients for unpaid work much easier, she said. “Just messaging people doesn’t work because they’re not accountable to anything,” Mally said. “If the City gets involved, and it’s a law, then people have to respond and be liable for the agreements that they made.” Seventy-one percent of independent workers have trouble getting paid on time by clients at least once in their careers, according according to a 2015 report from nonprofit organization Freelancers Union. The same report says the average freelancer loses up to $6,000 per year from unpaid work. Hibak Mohamed, a Minneapolis-based freelance writer and photographer, said she hasn’t always been paid on time for her work in the past. “I’ve had instances where I’d get paid really late, like I’d do a project and then I’d get paid for it like three to four months afterwards,” Mohamed said. “That’s like a really big issue within the freelance writing community.” The Minnesota Legislature passed a wage theft bill late last session that would make minimum wage violations and withholding tips a felony. New York City’s 2017 Freelance Isn’t Free Act was the first policy on the city level to penalize employers for failing to […]

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