Success Archives – Freelancelifemagazine

This man shows how every freelancer can turn their passion into a business

Freelance Team — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 16:18:00 +0000

A man who started his own freelance business in 2009. during The Great Recession can now proudly say that he earns $160,000 per month, and all that – in passive income. This is a story of a successful freelancer that has turned his passion into a business. Meet Graham Cochrane.

This is what Graham did before he pursued his own freelance career

A 38-year-old man loved music from an early age, therefore his life path went into working as a corporate from 9 to 5 yet doing something he was good at – an audio engineer. Yet, that wasn’t enough for Graham, both in a financial and personal manner, so he started freelancing aside as a music producer. When The Great Recession started, a young freelancer lost his 9 to 5 job and that’s when the entire change happens.

Talented freelancer decided to start a music blog

Starting a music blog was a great idea for Graham because he had to create not only financial stability but also passive income. He and his wife were trying to make ends meet, especially since their child was born. Graham realized that as a successful freelancer and businessman, he needed to create an amazing digital self-online, and that’s exactly what he did.

Freelancer’s music blog The Recording Revolution brought him a fortune

Graham can now, in 2022, proudly say that he has achieved his freelance business goal. This young man claims that he earns $120,000 a month in gross sales. This talented freelancer achieves that through an online coaching business.

When asked about how it all started, the freelancer claims that it’s important to create a YouTube channel and a blog with the purpose to find clients. Freelancers who have just started pursuing their dream careers must also know that nothing comes overnight. In the beginning, Graham made from $200 to $500 per month, but that’s just how every freelance career starts.

This man shows us that finding what you love and what you’re good at can to help you build a successful freelance career. Building an online digital presence is also a must, as well as a lot of patience and constant learning.

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Create passive income as a freelancer with these tips and advice

Dragana Drobnjak — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 15:46:15 +0000

Creating a passive income is probably the main goal of every working human being, but freelancers today definitely have higher chances to achieve it than regular 9 to 5 office workers.

Every worker on this planet, and especially remote worker, is trying to earn some money while not actively working. That’s exactly where passive income strategies can help you.

Therefore, automating some work that brings fortune is the key to wealth. In this article, we will present many ways that can help different freelancers create passive incomes and improve their financial stability.

Passive income is income that doesn’t come from your client. Every freelancer that has a little bit of motivation and a certain skill set can achieve it. Yes, it may require a little bit of investment, but usually not too much. In the end, it definitely pays off.

Freelancers and online workers can create passive income with blogs

Blogging is a great idea to create passive monthly income. Freelance writers should focus on websites such as Quora and Medium, which are able to help you monetize the articles you write. Such and similar websites hire writers with the purpose to gain more traffic related to a certain topic.

Another great idea is to create your own blog and social media channels related to it. Try to gather as much attention as you can, and then use Google AdSense. Freelancers can earn money this way too when the readers of the blog click on certain links or ads.

A programmer and the writer can easily build their own website with the purpose to gain passive income later this way. And, of course, you don’t have to stop building one website only!

Freelancers must keep in mind that every sort of advertising online can bring passive income.

Remote workers can focus on creating online courses

Our second idea related to creating passive income is making and selling online courses. Yes, you’ll need a bit of time, skills, and energy to create a course, but once it’s done – you can earn money from it every time someone buys it. Create a digital course with a little bit of help from Udemy, Udacity, and Coursera. Write-ups, videos, and audio recordings are very popular in online courses.

Maybe the best idea would be to create a course related to your expertise. Many freelancers create online tutorials that help others to become freelancers as well. Writers can focus on writing e-books.

A successful freelancer should think about online tutoring as well

Similar to online courses, freelancers can also create tutorials that are connected with their skills and expertise. Be sure to check out TutorMe, Chegg, and Skooli for more information.

Another thing that can bring passive income to freelancers is podcast production. It’s no secret that more and more people all around the globe truly live that way of consuming material. Wondering how to monetize a podcast, if it is a successful one? Getting direct crowdfunding from your audience may be one solution while partnering with a certain brand can be another.

Freelancers are obviously well aware that they can earn a lot of money through affiliate marketing, selling products, and recording advertisements. In the end – that’s what the entire Internet is all about, isn’t it?

YouTubers can teach us a lot as well. What do they do for money? They connect with their audience. Once you recognize the needs of your public, and once you get their attention, the money comes on its own. Of course, everyone who wants to make different videos or video classes must have knowledge related to that certain topic. If you have a needed skillset, go for it.

Drop-shipping is a great opportunity for freelancers without a particular area of expertise

Don’t have a certain skill set that’s needed for video production or writing an ebook? Don’t worry – not all is still lost. Yes, you can still create passive income despite the fact that you still haven’t decided about your area of freelance expertise.

The solution to earning passive money lies in setting up a store. Selling other’s products, for example by using platforms such as Amazon or Shopify sounds like a good starting point.

Freelancers who are interested in creating passive income should focus on building a strong online presence

We all know how everything goes in the freelance world – our careers are not always stable and strong, and we are constantly waiting for that “perfect” moment to arrive so we can put our entire business on a whole new level. Instead of waiting for that best moment to come, it’s better to start building it on your own. Luckily, with today’s freelancing platforms like Upwork, freelancers can simply create banner ads that represent and showcase their working abilities. Of course, we must not forget the fact of the importance of constant learning for freelancers. Start with what you have, how you can, and where you are – and then continue improving your work and field of expertise, together with building strong digital self-image. Social media platforms can help you achieve that too, especially LinkedIn.

Connect your online business with the proper audience

Maybe the best advice would be to keep a constant record of your subscriptions. Every freelancer that wants to build a strong online business that provides passive income must connect with their audience. Take a look at that list of emails coming from different subscribers and think about the material they would like to consume. Focus not only on the things you can already offer, but also on those that would bring even more success, maybe new followers, and in the end – more profit.

Creating time for marketing is always a must. Every marketing that works for you and your freelance business is good, as long as it’s legal. Connect yourself with other people who are building their online business and share useful information and ideas. Most often, it’s needed that we start thinking outside of the box – that’s when the magic happens.

Freelancers should always think about saving money for their future

Financial stability is always at the center when we talk about freelancing and income. When it comes to passive income, it can definitely become a good way to save for your future, or even better – to invest in something else, more, or something bigger.

It may be difficult to start, but it definitely gets easier with time. As days pass and your online business starts growing and creating passive income, you will soon realize how to save time while working as well. There will also be a need to make admin work as simple as possible. Finding a way to manage invoices and create passive income streams and investment plans can be generated with a little bit of help. Check out Indy’s products and services for more information.

As explained in this article, there are many different ways to create passive income as a freelancer. We have realized that the type of passive income is related to the field of expertise, freelancer’s skills, amount of time, money, energy, and ideas, as well as interest to learn, work, and grow your online presence and business. Creating reliable passive income definitely requires time and energy. An average freelancer can work from 2 to 5 years to reach strong and secure passive income. Of course, that shouldn’t discourage you, but instead – prepare you for the journey you’re about to start. Gather your talents, strengths, and energy, and start creating your passive income from certain field of expertise and your own talents.

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Three steps to recording freelance success

Freelance Team — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 16:38:49 +0000

Success in Freelancing is attainable. With the rapid changes recorded in the workspace, more knowledgeable experts abandon regular employment for freelancing. For some, remote work is a means to generate additional income.

Freelance is recording huge changes and according to research by Upwork, reports show that about 59 million citizens involve in freelancing.

For freelancers, opportunities abound and so is competition. With so many people in freelance, it is essential to skill up in order to manage your business well. Professionals share three key insights from years of experiences in the freelance field.

1. Proper Management of Your Freelance Career

Managing your freelance career is as important as rendering top-notch services to your clients.

Brian Bass, a freelance medical writer, suggests practical steps to follow for the initiation and maintenance of a buoyant remote business. Below are some of the insights.

There should be a thoughtful and suitable business structure.
Availability of tools which involves hardware, software, subscriptions, business cards, a website, and membership in professional associations.
A distinction between business and personal life, a supportive team and suitable insurance policies.

2. Building a Network of Satisfied Clients

Oftentimes, asking your clients too many questions or charging quite low could drive them away. It is therefore important to build mutually rewarding clients’ relationships. It means your business has to occassionally offer extra value, share new ideas and resources or deliver the job ahead of the deadline.

According to candy L. Kryder, there are 12 bad behaviors that can hinder the growth of a freelance business and these behaviors could send clients away. As it is shown in Three Keys to Freelance Success on AMWA site, they include:

Not meeting up with deadlines;
Billing more than you estimated;
Charging clients too small;
Shunning phone calls and emails from clients’;
Missing your target audience;
Putting up an error‑filled work;
Putting up excuses for inferior jobs;
Asking clients too many questions;
Being inflexible with project;
Making up complaints about revising project;
Saying yes too many times;
Having a low social media judgment.

3. Developing Marketing Strategies that work.

As a freelancer, it is essential to know how to reach clients that pay. No matter how skilled a freelancer you are, you might not land high paying jobs if you do not know how to connect clients whose pay are measurable to your worth.

Sourcing for clients as a freelancer is important. It means you have to build a marketing structure which assists you to get and keep clients. More so, networking through associations of professionals would be of help as you’ll get to meet other freelancers having the same challenges as you.

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Alex Gurevich – freelancing is a career choice

Freelance Team — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 15:38:11 +0000

Imagine being a 17-year-old with a $250 investment and the dream of being a successful freelancer. Don’t get me wrong, being a freelancer is not an easy task, and anyone who says otherwise is likely lying – or not successful at freelancing. Over the years, I have built my business from the ground up, learning life and professional lessons along the way. Outside of freelancing, I have used the lessons I have learned and applied them to my tenacity as a lifelong entrepreneur.

There are many different ways that you can approach freelancing in your life and career. I want to share the insight I have gained from being in the industry and prepare you for the challenges you might face and how to overcome them and be successful on your own.

Private Life

Having immigrated from Russia at the age of ten, I witnessed firsthand how a strong work ethic and a personal desire go together with achieving goals. I watched my parents working in careers at the top of the engineering industry in Russia, only to come to America and loading bags of spices on to trucks and selling knives. These tasks were only temporary, though, because my parents worked hard and were quickly back on top. They instilled this work ethic in me – and it has taught me that who you surround yourself with professionally can motivate you, so be careful about who you surround yourself with.

Some of my passions in life have been travelling and my athleticism – namely my experience in the martial arts. I have spent over a decade practicing and studying various martial arts, having fought muay thai, kickboxing, combat sambo, and jiu-jitsu. I learned quickly how to think and react fast, which has provided me with a work ethic that I would not have developed elsewhere. Martial arts have always felt like a game of physical chess – with real consequences.

During my second martial arts competition I ever competed in, I quit with a minute left in the round – this day has haunted me ever since. Since then, I have used this memory to remind myself to set out to complete the job – and I don’t stop until it is finished.

After spending three months in a professional fight camp in Thailand, I brought back the dedication I saw in those fighters who pushed themselves to their limits every day without complaining or quitting. I have applied that to both my personal and professional life ever since.

I have spent a lot of time traveling in my life, having been to over 40 countries worldwide. Traveling taught me a lot about understanding different people and how to interact in different environments – these skills have allowed me to expand my business worldwide.

Educational Highlights

I pride myself on being an educated professional and freelancer. I currently hold a bachelor’s and master’s degree that show my hard work and perseverance. I received my bachelor’s degree in Management and Employee Relations from Rutgers University. While I studied here, I was a part of the jiu-jitsu club.

I obtained my master’s degree in Integrated Marketing, Marketing Analysis from NYU. While here, I was the president and head instructor for the NYU jiu-jitsu club.

Professional Life and Freelancing

In the role of Founder and CEO of my own company, I work hard and constantly strive to make the process easier for clients every day. For over 20 years, I have been working with businesses of all sizes (start-ups to Fortune 500), helping them with business growth and marketing brands to help them stand out in their industry. In addition to my professional skills in the industry, the Final Step Marketing team consists of designers, developers, research specialists, content writers, and financial analysts.

Final Step Marketing

I started Final Step in 1998 as a tri-state-based event promotion and production company. By the time I had been in business for five years, I started noticing a major problem with the industry – companies primarily sticking to trends and popular tactics of the times, or they were simply copying the efforts of other businesses. This realization drove me to shift my gears and begin offering marketing strategies based on the demographics of the consumer and use these strategies to communicate with my customer’s target audience.

Since I identified that problem back in 2003, I haven’t looked back. I have since grown and expanded my business to meet and exceed the needs of my clients and their brand. I created a full-service marketing and business consulting firm to create an equal opportunity for businesses of all sizes in the industry.

The Primary Offerings of a Marketing and Business Consulting Firm

The marketing industry can mean different things to different people – to me, it means being able to provide my clients with the services and resources they need to increase their brand’s awareness. So, what should marketing firms offer so that their clients can gain better exposure and positive growth?

Design, Development, and Media

The category of design, development, and media go hand-in-hand. Designers and programmers use their skills in this department to provide clients with high-quality and visually appealing websites, engaging content, and media that catches the attention of the client’s target audience. All of these come together to convey exactly what your client’s brand is all about.

Marketing

Marketing can be traditional, but in most circumstances, digital marketing has been trending. Brand marketing is essential to the overall visibility of a business. From social media posts/ads to email campaigns, and more, there is a necessity to ensure that all materials used for marketing convey the right message and help increase your client’s sales and conversion rates.

Consulting

If you want to gain an advantage in the industry, adding consulting to your marketing firm is imperative. The use of statistical and financial professionals performing advanced analysis, research, and creating operational strategies can help optimize a client’s offering and maximize their return on investment (ROI).

Tips and Secrets to Successful Freelancing

My industry is constantly changing and evolving. I can guarantee that everything I learned in grad school was obsolete less than two years after graduating. This realization about the industry led me to educate myself on the latest trends.

With the industry being as challenging as it is, I find that any wisdom I can pass to the next generation of marketing professionals is of great value. I am not giving away secrets to the competition; rather, I am investing in the future of the industry.

1) Here is my rule:

If I have three prospective or current clients reference software or a tool that I am unfamiliar with in less than one month, I begin reading about it; five prospective or current clients reference it in less than one month, and I will make sure I become proficient in it.

2) To be successful, you have to surround yourself with smart people – without thinking you are too smart to learn from anyone.

3) Don’t dismiss any idea too quickly.

4) Consider the past, present, and future trends every time you analyze new ideas.

5) ALWAYS write down your ideas – it doesn’t matter where you are (a bar with your friends/the library) – If you don’t write it down, you will likely forget it.

While these may not be written down in a book just yet, I find that these have gotten me through many situations as a freelancer. I have also learned as a freelancer that while it may seem like a cutthroat industry, there is still a high level of respect amongst professionals. With that morsel of wisdom, I do impart – be kind to one another.

The Challenges And Problems Of Freelancing

Being in business for myself as a freelancer for over 20 years does not come without its share of challenges, problems, and struggles. In all the years that I have done this, I have seen it all – with new things breaching the horizon daily. That doesn’t mean that I haven’t picked out the top three challenges for someone entering this industry to think about.

1) Competition should be the obvious challenge, with new freelancers popping up by the minute. This industry has no barriers for entry – anyone can be a freelancer.

2) When it comes to being the best freelancer you can be, remember it is your word against someone else’s. There is a lack of quality control in the industry, and everyone is claiming to be the best. Ask yourself, who is checking on these credentials? Does this person have the training they say they do? As a professional, I know that the industry is full of well-qualified and extremely underqualified individuals trying to make it – this can be a challenge when you are trying to land a position.

3) Finally, money talks in this industry. There will always be someone else who will do it cheaper than you. The idea is to find the right common ground between yourself and your client. Show them the value you can bring to the table – in many circumstances, those who bid extremely low will have nothing to show.

Motivational

Yes, freelancing can be difficult – difficult to get started in, difficult to gain traction in, and difficult to rise to the top in. I don’t pretend to have all the answers when it comes to freelancing, but what I do know is that it can be a struggle – but don’t let it discourage you. With the right balance of work ethic and knowledge, you too, can excel in the freelancing industry.

Always follow the latest trends – The trends in the industry are constantly changing and evolving. You will find that the trend changes can come out of nowhere and often require freelancers to be quick on their feet. Constantly read up on new trends, especially software and strategies, because clients are likely going to ask about them.

Find a mentor in the industry – Finding a good mentor in the industry can be a great guide through the sometimes murky waters of freelancing. After all, your mentor has gone through the same trials and tribulations you are, having taken the journey themselves.

Make yourself accountable – When you want to be a freelancer, you need to keep a schedule of daily goals. When you keep track of your schedule and daily goals, you can monitor where you are with them. You must hold yourself accountable for meeting these goals and reward yourself when you exceed them.

You Can Be Successful as a Freelancer

Freelancing means different things to different professionals. For some it is nothing more than a “side job,” but for some of us – freelancing is a career choice. I made the choice when I was 17 years old when I made the decision to take the $250 investment I had in my pocket and make it into the business it is today – Final Step Marketing.

I have surrounded myself with individuals who are like-minded, and push me to be a better founder, CEO, and marketing provider. That is my challenge for you – to find the people who make you want to do your best and push you to achieve those goals. As a freelancer, I know the benefits of achieving goals and pushing yourself to achieve greater things – ALWAYS.

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James Aquino – freelancing is freedom to live the life you want

Nebojsa Dolovacki — Sun, 20 Mar 2022 14:03:09 +0000

We live in a time when more and more professionals around the world are starting to live a freelance lifestyle. We can say that many look at freelancing as their future, especially when they see some of the success stories. Some of them are completely dedicated to freelancing, while others do it in addition to their regular work. One of them is James Aquino, top rated freelancer on UpWork.

James grew up in the Philippines and completed a bachelor’s degree in Nursing, has been happily married for more than a decade and blessed with two daughters. He has several part-time jobs online, all of them through UpWork, work as a freelance writer, copyeditor, and social media manager. James also supporting numerous projects overseas, including Japan, South Korea, Italy, and Libya.

So, what were the reasons to start freelancing?

I started freelancing out of curiosity. I registered in oDesk (now UpWork) in 2008 just because I got interested and curious about how online jobs work. At that time, I was only familiar with traditional types of work that require you to be physically working in an office. While I started my freelancing journey in 2008, it was only in the late 2014 that I aggressively pursued it as a career. I never looked back since, and I believe it is one of my best life decisions ever.

How did you learn to be a freelancer? Did you have help, or did you research it yourself and where?

Freelancing itself is still not completely embraced and understood. I believe the concept of remote work was only highlighted by the pandemic, and I love that more people are appreciating this type of work setup. In the past, the main misconception about freelancing and remote work is that we are just sitting in front of our computers and typing stuff. Now, people are discovering that freelancing is much more than that.

I love to write, and this is a skill I learned to improve through the years until it became my primary skill as a freelancer. When I was starting out, it was a bit of a challenge because resources back then are not as abundant as what we have now. Years ago, you need to find the resources yourself, and you should have the initiative to do it because no one will do it for you. So, what I did is to surf the internet for courses on writing and proper negotiation with clients, and those small steps turned into bigger leaps into what I am today.

Have you tried working on different platforms?

I tried onlinejobs.ph, Indeed, and even LinkedIn, but for me, the leverage and dynamics I found in UpWork is unmatched. I think they have found the perfect recipe to make things work in the world of freelancing.

What are the advantages of working on UpWork?

I can go on and on about the advantages of working on UpWork for the number of years I’ve been in the platform. However, the three main advantages of UpWork compared to other freelancing platforms are security, legitimacy, and exceptional freelancer experience.

There is security in terms of guarantee that your efforts will be paid based on the prevailing company policies. While I consider UpWork to be platform that is not perfect as there are still some clients who are problematic or fraudulent, the incidence is way fewer than those in other platforms. There is this great sense of security that the money you worked hard for will be properly processed and transmitted to you.

Legitimacy is one of UpWork’s strongest selling points. Being one of the first freelancing platforms, it continues to prove itself as one of the best freelancing platforms out there.

Experience has and always been amazing, from customer service to community discussions, to updates. In fact, I was able to share my knowledge and expertise when I was invited to do a speaking engagement for UpWork last June 2021 held online. I was able to talk about my experience and what can be done beyond your successful freelance journey.

What are the biggest benefits of a freelance lifestyle for you?

Definitely the freedom to live the life you want. As someone maintaining both an office job and freelance work at the same time, I feel more secure and confident about my freelance lifestyle. That’s why I already considered to dropping my “day job” back in 2019. The freedom and flexibility to work anywhere is an amazing and life-changing experience. Therefore I encourage others to give it a shot, even just for once.

And what are the disadvantages?

While I don’t directly consider this a disadvantage, the freelancing lifestyle requires considerable commitment and discipline to make things work. In a traditional office setup, your mind is programmed to do just that – work. When you have the freedom to work at your own pace, at the comfort of your own home, it will be challenging because all the distractions are there – from television, internet, to food, and of course, the bed.

Freelancing is not for everyone, but everyone is free to try. What you make out of this journey will help you understand what you really want in the future.

James Aquino

If you compare regular work with freelance, what are the advantages and disadvantages of regular work compared to freelance work?

I guess the only advantage of regular work compared to freelance work, at least in the Philippines, would be the government-imposed benefits (which are deducted from your salary) and other company-provided benefits like health insurance. When you are a freelancer, you need to mind these requirements on your own. Being a freelancer, you are your best employee, your own manager, and PR. No one will do it on your behalf – just you.

As for disadvantage, I have seen better career and fulfillment growth in the freelancing landscape than office work. There are also grave incidences of office politics, something that rarely occurs in freelancing based on my experience. One funny disadvantage as well is that I tend to spend less on food being a freelancer compared to being an office employee even when I work remotely and sometimes visit coffee shops from time to time. Perhaps this is due to the fact that my spending is not influenced by co-workers who are with me physically whenever I am in the office.

You do multiple jobs at the same time, how do you manage to get organized? Is your day long enough for all your obligations?

I get this question a lot. I believe it is all about the mindset to get things organized and done. If you will look at it from afar, it can be an overwhelming view. However, when you divide things into smaller, more manageable tasks, it is definitely doable. By the time of this writing, I have a 6-hour-a-day office job, five part-time projects in Upwork, and still able to go to bed by 11:00 p.m.

You live in the Philippines. Are there any special challenges or interesting facts about freelancing from your country?

I believe the Philippines is one of the largest countries in Upwork in terms of freelancer population and is consistently in the top ten countries with the greatest number of freelancers overall. Filipino freelancers have managed to adapt and be competitive in taking advantage of opportunities outside their comfort zone.

I think the special challenge for Filipino freelancers is still acceptance, though the pandemic really gave the freelancing landscape a boost. The years 2020 and 2021 gave the world a great overview of how the system works, and I do hope that more Filipinos embrace or at least understand this even more. I want more people to break the stereotype that freelancing is not an “actual career.”

Do you think there are universal rules for success, or every person and every success is a different story?

I always ask my friends and starting freelancers this question: Do you think you will be successful?

How they respond is my personal yardstick on whether or not they will succeed. If it is a solid, confident yes, then I believe they will. Their mind will exhaust all effort to make things happen. If the answer is unsure or given with reluctance, then we might have a problem because the foundation of success is believing that you can.

Not every journey is the same, but we all have our own share of beginnings and one beautiful milestone – success. I called it a milestone because it should not be the end goal, it should be a beautiful chapter worth pursuing for more chapters ahead.

Some freelancers claim that there is a part of their work that is particularly exhausting for them. For some it is bookkeeping, for others it is communication, or constant bidding … Is there a part of freelance life that is especially difficult for you?

Being a writer, sometimes the exhausting part is the time when creative juices run dry, especially when writing jobs are piling up. However, I always consider this as normal and something I must deal with it occasionally.

Are you planning to continue working as a freelancer?

Until I am old and gray. Even when I retire from my office job, I will still continue doing freelance work for at least two more decades, working comfortably at home together with my family.

If you had a full-time job as a freelancer, would you consider quitting your regular jobs? Or having a regular job provides irreplaceable security?

I already considered this in 2019, then the pandemic happened. This was the reason why I have decided to keep my office job as there is a possibility of a real global crisis, which means I need to keep my cash flow and resources running to prepare for the inevitable. A regular job indeed offers security, but you can use this security as a steppingstone and safety net while setting up for a freelancing career.

My best advice is this – if you want to try freelancing, don’t abandon your regular work. Test the waters, accept part-time jobs so you can understand the process, and then engage into bigger projects. Gently uproot yourself from regular work because this is the best approach without hurting your finances, especially when you are a breadwinner. Your goals should scare and excite you at the same time.

What would be your advice to those who are just starting freelance?

Enjoy the challenges, prepare to have thick skin because not everyone will understand you, keep a good heart, and be grateful. Freelancing is not for everyone, but everyone is free to try. What you make out of this journey will help you understand what you really want in the future.

Freelancing is not an easy journey to take, because if it were, then everyone should be doing it by now. It takes discipline, commitment, and openness to learn new things to equip yourself for new chapters. But trust me on this one: You are one step away from a decision that will give you a shot towards a better life.

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How a freelancer can recognize a bad job offer

Stanislava Tsvetanova — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 18:32:06 +0000

Every freelancer that has some experience worked at least once for a client they wished they never accepted the job offer, to begin with! If you are just starting freelancing in your chosen field, be prepared that out there are a lot of offers that are just trouble in disguise!

But the good news is, there are clear signs you can recognize these potential pitfalls before you fall into their sticky traps.

The reliability of the client’s account

Most popular freelancing websites as UpWork, Freelancer, and Fiverr allow freelancers and clients to create an account that can help to present yourself and your company to potential business partners. Check thoroughly the client account for potential risk factors.

An example of a risk factor is an unverified account. The verification process of a client account usually requires the validation of their identity and payment method. If the client has an unverified account, well, this is a red flag.

The age of the profile is another factor to consider. If the client just joined the platform, this does not necessarily mean this is a bad client. But if you see the client has been on the platform for quite some time but has only a few jobs posted, this means he is either not dedicated to what he is doing on the platform or is experimenting with something. Usually, these clients are not very reliable.

You may want to add an extra layer of protection for yourself by increasing your usual rates just to make sure they are committed to what they are doing and never start working before the project has been funded.

Another red flag to spot a bad client is negative feedback on their profile. If more than one person says that they had a negative experience with the same client, very likely there is something fishy about them, so it is better to stay in the clear.

When you are reviewing your potential client’s account, it is a good idea to look at the average paying rate. If the average paying rate of this client is below the usual pay rate for your field, chances are this client is a cheapskate and you will find yourself in a position of negotiating your rates with them.

Factors that can signify the client is not reliable

Unverified account
An old account with few jobs posts
More than one negative feedback
Paying rate that is below average for your field

Working for free is not fun, and you should take all necessary precautions to guard yourself against such scammers.

The job offer itself – stay on the watch for red flags!

When you first eye a job offer, its language, and style are usually tell-tale signs of the experience you will have with the project!

If it is written in poor language, bad grammar, inappropriate slang, and is lacking vital details concerning the project this definitely is a red flag. If a potential employer is failing to explain clearly what he requires from a freelancer in proper language, stay on the watch! Big chances are the communication with them will be as filled with ambiguity and uncertainty as to the job offer.

Apart from the language of the job offer, you definitely should pay attention to the actual content of the job offer. Does it sound reasonable? What kind of expectations does it set from the very beginning? Does it have deadlines, quantity, and quantity requirements that make sense to you? Is the payment in proportion to the amount of work it is needed?

If you agree to an offer that sets very demanding requirements and offers a low amount of retribution, how will this affect your energy levels and well-being? Does the style and tone of the offer sound as if it is written by an archetypal slavedriver?

The whole point of being a freelancer is that you can have the free choice to work for people you would like to, so maybe you would like to avoid subscribing to the troops of a drill sergeant!

Red flags for a bad job offer

written in poor language and grammar
inappropriate slang language
job offer is missing essential details
sets unreasonable expectations
the payment is not proportionate to the effort it takes to complete the job
the tone of the job offer suggests the author (your potential client) shows an overly demanding attitude

The “free-sample” jobs

Jennifer (the name has been changed) was a newly graduated from university and was having her first experience in the field of freelance copywriting when a client proposed a good long-term contract with remarkably good pay and conditions. He only wanted her to write a free sample for him – an article of considerable length. It sounded fair to her, so she agreed. When the free sample was ready, the client started asking for reviews, some of them sounded odd and unreasonable. Then he said she was not good enough for his project and turned her down. When she did thorough research on the client, she found out that other freelancers have had a similar experience with this client, so she spoke up about it on a freelancing forum.

To avoid being scammed in such a way you can do several things. First of all, provide your own sample – your portfolio should illustrate your skills well enough! If a client insists on receiving a sample, it should be a really minimum piece of work. If you are a writer – not more than 2 paragraphs. Otherwise, you should insist that the client funds the sample beforehand.

Working for free is not fun, and you should take all necessary precautions to guard yourself against such scammers.

Trust your intuition!

When you are reviewing a job offer and a client’s profile, usually you get an overall idea of how it will be working for this client. So, trust your guts! Try to envision the atmosphere it creates and ask yourself how you would feel in such a work environment. Will you be stressed out? Will you feel creative and driven to productivity?

Developing your freelancing instincts will make you more and more sensitive to spotting out when something is genuinely wrong with a client and steer clear from troublesome job offers and employers!

The good news is there are a great lot of good clients and awesome projects so avoiding the negative ones drives you one step closer to finding your soul clients faster!

So hurry up and find the right good clients for you, and when you find them, make sure you build a strong and lasting relationship with them!

The post How a freelancer can recognize a bad job offer appeared first on Freelancelifemagazine.

Freelance success stories – hard work, passion, and dedication that payback

Stanislava Tsvetanova — Sun, 06 Mar 2022 12:38:39 +0000

When you are just starting freelancing, it is truly inspiring to read stories of other successful freelancers. It is beneficial to learn from their experience and see what successful strategies they used and how you can apply them in your budding freelance career.

In all the freelancer’s success stories, you will see a common thread: hard work and dedication. And also, there is a lot of passion and love for what they do. This provides the drive to go on and never give up. You pursue your goals regardless of the obstacles and difficulties that arise!

Also, you can source ideas and motivation from their experiences and mindset that you can adapt to taste the magic of the freelancer lifestyle yourself.

Emilina Lomas – a 27-year-old freelance writer earning $10.000 per month

Emilina Lomas was only 23 when she decided to leave her corporate 9-to-5 job to pursue a freelance career. She decided to pursue her passion, and so, the first thing she did, was to get certified as a personal trainer with a degree in nutrition.

Then, she noticed the increasing growth of fitness and wellness Instagram accounts, so she started regularly posting fitness-related photos with her diet and exercise advice in captions.

Half a year from then, her followers grew to up to 10 000. It didn’t take long that gyms and fitness influencers started reaching out to her to help them with Instagram captions and blog posts. So she decided to start advertising her skills on platforms like Fiverr. By 2019, two years after quitting her office job, she earned $10 000 per month from her freelance writing.

Here are some valuable tips that have helped her along her way to freelance success:

Stand out from the crowd – show the effectiveness of your work in action. In her case, it had a thriving Instagram account.
Put attention and care into each project – make sure your style and tone match each client.
Introduce yourself in a video that is short, informative, and with a professional quality
Keep your rates low until you have good reviews.
Build your credentials – degrees, certifications, and other recognitions of past projects will make you stand out.
Always be respectful with clients – as a freelancer, you can deal with celebrities and other influential people, so always show respect and recognition.
Always be professional. Double-check your messages and emails for lousy grammar. Reply promptly, and always under promise and overdeliver.
Respect yourself – if someone uses disrespectful language straight from the beginning, chances are he is not a good match.

Kelly Vaughn quit her government job to become a successful freelance web designer.

Kelly Vaughn from Atlanta, USA, worked at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, but she was unhappy with the job’s lack of freedom.

Since she was a teenager, she had a passion for coding and building websites, and she kept this as a side hustle. Her colleagues at the CDC told her that there was a spark in her eyes when she talked about websites. She should pursue this career full-time, they said.

This is what she did. She started by building WordPress sites for small businesses. Later, she decided to take on more complex projects – like Shopify eCommerce sites, that enabled her to grow and learn new things in her field.

When she became more experienced with eCommerce, she shifted her focus to Shopify sites exclusively. She became an expert, and now her biggest challenge is which projects to accept to do herself, which to outsource and which to turn off completely. That many inquiries she has!

To complement her role of website builder, she started managing a small team of professionals – as graphic designers and other developers.

She describes the qualities and factors that determined her success as a freelancer:

Be prepared to go against the grain – as a woman in a field dominated by men, she needed to brace herself to face the gender gap. Now she is helping create a community that supports other women who choose coding as her career path.
Choose to work only with good clients – a business plan that is ready to invest money in a successful product that will give them fast results.
Stick to high standards for yourself, your clients, and your collaborators. Select your future clients with care and qualify them according to criteria that you decide ahead of time.
Before you leave your office job – you need to build a solid confidence and client base – this means to use most of your free time to work on side projects. This period can extend from 6 months. It is worth the effort!
Take advantage of co-working spaces – there, you will meet other professionals, have a chance to network, and make connections that will lead to more work.

Seek help when needed – if your business is successful, you will soon have more projects to work on than time to complete them. You may ask for the collaboration of other freelancers and outsource some of the projects.

David Nuff – living his best freelancing life as a Toptal digital designer

David Nuff has been freelancing for more than a decade. His field of expertise is digital products, branding, and art, and he has worked for some renowned brands like Cisco, Nestlé, and Google.

He shared that the flexibility the freelancing work offers adds more quality to his life and fulfills his true potential. When he has the freelancer’s freedom, he feels much more creative, and his work’s quality raises exponentially.

David grew up in an open-minded family, his father was working for a multinational company, and every two to three years, he moved location. This gave David a vision of the broadness of possibilities the world has to offer. Thanks to his parents, he could cultivate the interests of arts and computer technology and merge them from an early age.

Background in computer science defined his approach to being a digital designer. That allowed him to communicate with engineers and developers and bring the creativity and visual expression needed in digital design.

First project as a freelance designer which he got, was for a bike-sharing company. That gave him recognition – in a time he still had no portfolio. Since he did a fantastic job there, soon he was working with some of the best companies in Silicon Valley while traveling the world.

David highly values the “location independent” aspect of freelancing and says it contributes enormously to the quality of his work and the spike of creativity he has experienced.

Here is his advice for being a successful freelancer:

Focus on building good relationships – as you are not working in a shared space. Try to communicate as often as possible and establish good interpersonal relationships with them. This is an excellent foundation to build towards a joint mission and goal!
Prepare a marathon and not a sprint! Freelancing is not a race, so being consistent and regular in your work and routine will allow you to see the results and have a solid foundation.
Invest in doing excellent work – this will make you get hired again. Rather than finishing a project quickly, think about how to spend it excellently. The client will be satisfied with the result, and you can show the project to companies that have similar needs.

Freelancing has become a successful lifestyle for a growing community of remote workers worldwide! If you are starting your career, make sure you get inspiration from successful freelancers’ stories and life experiences – and meet some of them in co-working spaces in your area! Also, read some useful tips on how to get a job as a freelancer and stay motivated. If you are already reaping the fruits of freelancing success – share your story with us so you can inspire others!

The post Freelance success stories – hard work, passion, and dedication that payback appeared first on Freelancelifemagazine.

10 Levers That Can Make You A Successful Freelancer

Madhuleena Roy Chowdhury — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 12:05:14 +0000

“Success in life comes to those who simply refuse to give up.”

Silken Laumann Tweet

For a freelancer, success is like the ray of light at the end of the tunnel. You cannot reach it without passing through the darkness. When I decided to freelance, I didn’t know where to begin. Until I discovered the way to cherish the perks, freelancing seemed terrifying to me.

Success to me is –

S – Seeing your objectives
U – Understanding your shortcomings
C – Clarifying your thoughts
C – Creating a positive environment
E – Emphasizing improvement
S – Sticking to your path
S – Setting aside time for yourself

The 10 Levers For Becoming A Successful Freelancer

1. Excel In Communication

Communication in freelancing is different from other professional interactions. Here most of the recruiters won’t meet you in person or have your resume in front of them always. Knowing when to tell, what to say, and how to say is what we call the art of communication, and those who have mastered it could taste success much sooner.

Quick Tips –

Always respond to a client within 24 hours. Spread business through word of mouth
Agree to disagree. Don’t agree with the client if you have a different opinion. Sort it out beforehand
When you refuse a client, end the conversation on a positive note like “would love to do further works for you”/ “please feel free to communicate anytime if you need”, etc.
When you accept an offer, discuss the tidbits of the job with the client. Ask questions, educate the client about your skills, and agree on a plan before you start working on it.

2. Be creative

Tap into your creative soul. As a freelancer, you are competing with millions of professionals globally, and you have to stand out from the others to make a difference. Use your imagination, read and research more, try to put in something new every time. If you have a passion for something (like I have for crafts), use them in your work where you can.

Quick Tips –

Set aside 30 minutes daily for letting your thoughts wander. Note down any good idea that comes to your mind and discuss with the client if (and how) it can be incorporated in the work
You already have the talent. All you need is putting the efforts in the right place, and success will be waiting at your doorstep
Create unique content. Even though you can get all the information online, don’t rely just on them. Use them, but also try to input something that has never been told before
Keep nurturing your creative passions. Be that music or art or sports, make sure you can dedicate time to them. The creative process will help in gathering more positivity and organizing your thoughts.

3. Socialize

Studies indicate that lack of social interaction makes way for loneliness and reduces productivity.

Meet your friends and go out for day-outs or evening parties. Spend some time de-stressing yourself with friends and family where you are not thinking about work. On the other hand, staying in touch with communities inside the freelancing arena is also helpful. By joining communities and groups, you can gain awareness of the difficulties that other freelancers like you are facing and talk about overcoming them effectively.

Quick Tips –

Meet friends, call them home or go out with them at least once a week
Spend time with your family often
Join freelancer communities. You can find plenty of them via your LinkedIn and Facebook accounts
Attend freelancer meetups where you can chat, learn, and discuss the good and bad of freelancing

4. Value yourself

Success is a reward, not a result. You have to keep putting in your best to get the best out of it. And the only way to get it is hard work and dedication. If you have the talent, if you are diligent, if you are in control of yourself, and you know that your work is worthy of the client’s time and money, you are already headed towards the road to a long-lasting and successful freelancing career.

5. The STAR Method

A simple formula for succeeding as an independent freelancer is the S-T-A-R method, an acronym for –

S (Situation) – Analyze the situation – what your client wants, what are your skills, and how they both match
T (Task) – Be task-oriented. Work hard, be solution-focused, and try to reach targets before the deadline
A – (Action) – Take the right actions at the right time. Communicate when required, walk away when you have to, and dedicate yourself to accomplishments
R – (Results) – Aim for successfully completing every project that you take up. Successful freelancers do not consider quitting or leaving the job as an option ever.

6. Assess And Note

Start this today, if you already haven’t. Practice making notes of everything important going on in your life – that may or may not be related to your work. Acknowledge your skills and shortcomings and focus on what you can improve. You can take a career assessment for this. Go for personality tests like the 16PF Personality Assessment or the EPQ (Eysenck’s Personality Questionnaire) where you can get detailed knowledge about your aptitudes and suitable jobs for you. Make a compliment chart for yourself where you note down all the wonderful reviews that you have received from clients so far. Use it as a reminder to keep up the good work and positive spirit.

7. Motivate Yourself

Derive motivation from everything around you. Start your day with positivity – wake up early, workout and meditate, eat healthy, and follow a plan. As I mentioned in my previous article on Overcoming Loneliness As A Freelancer, work outside sometimes. Refresh your mind as often you need to. When you see your motivation failing, call a friend, have a heart-to-heart conversation with someone you trust, and instill hope in yourself again and again.

8. Have A Plan

You can’t succeed simply by jumping into the work. As I mentioned above, planning is the key to achieve reasonable success over time.

Make weekly schedules, you can use smart applications like Any Do , Google Tasks, or Evernote for this. Create tasks in your calendar and strike them once you have completed them. Discuss the timeframe and deadlines with your clients before you start working on the project. Planning your day and your work not only saves you time and unnecessary stress, it is also a subtle way of conveying your reliability as a freelancer to the clients.

9. Focus On The Positive

You know where you need to be one day, so center around what you can do now to wind up there. Don’t begrudge what you couldn’t become. Freelancing is another name for endless opportunities where nothing but your work matters. If you have a steady client base, focus on maintaining the relationships with them. Learn from failures and aim for achievements. Stick to your plan and try to make progress each day. Focusing on the positive track will let you –

Approach long-term success in your freelancing business
Reach your targets sooner
Appreciate your efforts and stay motivated

10. Manage Finances

We can’t deny that ‘Money matters’. If you have taken freelancing as your profession, start saving money and isolating funds. You may have earned thousands of dollars, but you will always feel broke when you have saved nothing from it. Having a good amount of funds saved for yourself brings a feeling of settlement and allows you to plan your life prudently. There are millions of freelancers who take care of their bills and their family, only because they have managed their finances well.

Quick Tips –

Split your earnings into three parts – expenses, taxes, and savings. It may not be the best way but is definitely a good start, and it works for me.

In A Nutshell

So there you have it, the ten simple and yet awesome tips to grow and succeed as a freelancer. They may not be the gospel truth – some you might find more useful than others, but these hacks will definitely help you capture the whole idea of success and how you can train yourself to achieve it. So “stay positive, work hard, and make it happen.”

What are your success strategies as a freelancer?

If you have any remarks or might want to share your own experience of how you trained your mind to succeed as a freelancer, please share with us. We would love to hear from you.

The post 10 Levers That Can Make You A Successful Freelancer appeared first on Freelancelifemagazine.