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The allure of freelance is hard to resist. Ditching the 9-to-5 slog to work whenever and wherever you want, sipping margaritas on the beach between emails—that’s pretty much the dream. But how do you make it a reality? What’s the secret to getting started and keeping clients? And how do you avoid the feast or famine trap that can plague freelancing?
As with any new business venture, it’s important to understand the risks and responsibilities. That includes choosing the right legal structure (e.g., sole proprietorship, limited liability company) and learning how to manage your finances and paperwork. It’s also a good idea to hire an accountant or bookkeeper to help with taxes, invoices and payments, and to provide you with a thorough overview of your income and expenses.
Time management is also key to success for freelancers. They need to be able to prioritize tasks, stay on top of deadlines and keep a track record of their work. That also means knowing how to effectively delegate, which is especially important if you’re working with multiple clients simultaneously.
It’s also important to be comfortable networking and hustling to find new clients. That requires a certain amount of aggressiveness, especially when it comes to approaching potential clients or negotiating rates. You’ll also need to be able to deal with rejection—it’s a common part of the gig.freelance
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