What is the hardest part about starting as a freelancer?
Replies6
- Have to disagree with everyone else about needing savings. You have to figure out what your niche is and then identify who your clients are. As long as you have customers and/or income you can go from there . If you don’t have customers your business is going to struggle
- You just really need to have savings for 4-6 months to kick it off.
- Love @Richard Cannon's advice on reframing "freelancer" to "business owner"!When I started working for myself, I struggled with all the stuff I hate like admin and accounts. I just wanted to get on with all the creative stuff but as a one-woman business owner, I have to do all the other bits too. Recently, I made a list of all those things and it turns out, it's not that much and it's not that bad. I have an accountant, which I couldn't do without.I also found the gaps between work hard to accept. After 16 years working for someone else, I was in a very comfortable routine. The routine goes out the window when you work for yourself but that's a good thing, because you create your own routine. Also, the gaps don't last long so make the most of them when they come. Don't panic about not having work because you will.
- Never look at it as being freelancer what you really are is running a small business!. Not having a regular income. staying on top of your finances especially when it comes to paying tax. Only ever as good as your last job. Having to deal with with people you have no respect for as they are the ones giving you the work. Being creative is only a small part. admin , chasing payment negotiating with budgets, marketing yourself, contacting as many buyers as possible and being able to deal with rejection on a regular basis. but saying all that there are many positives too and that is why I keep going. Good Luck.
- Hi Yusuf,A big challenge for me in the beginning was getting a constant stream of work. Reaching out to a few recruiters helped me to get in a few agencies and that really got the ball rolling in terms of buidling up a network of recurring clients. It's also good to be part of creative communities, because in my experience we all want to help eachother out and pass on work if we're fully booked. The financial reality is that it would be more comfy if you could save up some money first to bridge some potential down time in the first few months. Good luck!
- Getting enough work to keep going. Building up contacts that will give you regular work every month. Getting paid. Being able to market yourself when you are working. ie you can't do both at the same time so you will get an up and down pattern in your work flow. keeping money back for tax. Oh and you have to be better than everybody else trying to get the work you want . boy oh boy.
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