The Principles of Successful Freelancing

Important: Remember to Have Fun!
There may be times ahead that will make you feel overwhelmed by the mission that you’ve chosen to undertake—juggling money, being a salesperson, working late at night, and seemingly never stopping or being free of responsibility for your business.

However, make sure you take time to look at your achievements, the hurdles you’ve crossed, and the exciting road still in front of you. Freelancing is a rewarding career choice, and allows a level of flexibility that you’ve no doubt dreamed of.

Take time to have fun, pat yourself on the back regularly, and know that the start-up phase is the hardest part—it will become easier and more enjoyable as you travel along this path.

Tip: The Pick-me-up List
Keep a list of recent goals you’ve achieved on a sheet of paper stuck up near your desk. On those dark days when you feel like nothing is working, read the list and reaffirm your progress so far.

Case Study

Emily

For the last few weeks, Emily has spent a few hours most evenings reading up on business planning, and getting a grip on what she believes are her development areas around her business administration knowledge. Not only has she been furiously reading blogs and discussion forums on this subject, Emily has also managed to scour her local library for relevant books to read on the train.

Emily has written the shell of a plan, and as she makes decisions, she adds them to this file. Although she has some savings behind her, Emily is using spreadsheets to keep track of what expenses will crop up in the first three months, and is working to allow for them as soon as possible.

After much deliberation, she has decided since most of her work will actually come from other web companies and freelancers, and she is certain that she’ll never have any staff working for her, that she’ll use her name as her trading name. Emily has a friend who is a graphic designer, and she’s asked him to work up her stationery in exchange for some web development work for one of his clients.

Jacob

Jacob has grand plans, and hopes to hire an office and employ staff within his first year. Since trialing a few names with friends, Jacob is down to two contenders, and has decided to spend a few weeks weighing them up before making a decision.

Meanwhile, he has surveyed a few friends about their hosting suppliers, and already has contacts at a local printer for when he is ready. A work colleague has offered to do the development for Jacob’s web site, in exchange for cash.

Jacob is keen to start telling all of his contacts his plans, but also knows he needs to hand in his resignation first and get everything sorted—he’s worried that when he tracks down some leads, he won’t even have a business card ready to hand them.

Summary

It’s been quite a whirlwind, taking in all the far-ranging subjects of this chapter as you prepare for the complexities of freelance life! The approach to getting the ball rolling is as simple as jotting down your thoughts into a simple business plan, and writing a short list of goals and milestones to work toward in the next few months.

We discussed putting some serious thought into naming your freelance enterprise, and preparing to spend some money on a few staple business purchases. You also need to consider your business structure; making bad decisions now could have long-term and possibly expensive repercussions in the future.

We dealt with looking for suppliers whom you can trust, and considered the benefits of handing the painful paperwork over to a professional who can do it better than you can, and probably cheaper too. It’s also worth looking for someone who can be your informal coach or mentor—their advice will be invaluable to you.

Finally, remember to recognize your recent achievements and have fun!

Now to the thorny subject that lies behind all enterprise! In the next chapter, we’re going to take a look at the lolly, spondulicks, moolah, greenbacks, cashola—in other words, money.

Hooked? If you enjoyed this chapter, you’ll love the rest of the book. In Miles’s new book, The Principles of Successful Freelancing, you’ll learn how to start your freelance career on the right foot. Grab a free preview today!