10 Articles by The Freelancers To Read Before You Freelance
Looking back on the first year of The Freelancers
Today, most of us will be scrambling to find time at the polls.
What better time to look back at the top 10 articles of the year that would immediately help someone jumping into the freelance pool.
#10
Balancing Busy and Free
“This ebbs and flows. For the past two years, I have been mostly failing at protecting my free time. I say yes to most work, probably because as a freelancer, it’s easy to have a scarcity mindset. That said, it’s incredibly freeing not to be encumbered by the significant time commitments that come with being a full-time employee. There’s always going to be an administrative load, freelance or in house, but it’s far less demanding as a freelancer.”
#9
Creating Art and Motion That Inspires
“It all comes down to communication. Unfortunately I’m not a mind reader and neither are they so I make a point to share everything I’m thinking for the project. Through visuals, social media and talking it out I try to include them from the very start so there’s no surprises. Every project is a collaboration so I’m very transparent and share early and often so everyone is happy with where we land. In the end I want something cool to share and I hope they feel the same too.”
#8
Niching Down: The Process Behind Stadium Graphics Packages for Professional Sports Teams
“Niching down is key. Stack your skills and learn business basics. Share your work and creativity online and provide value in abundance and ask for nothing in return. Fall in love with the process and have your activities outside of the grind to stay well rounded. Help others as you ascend always. Understand the difference between trendy skills and evergreen skills, and pursue the evergreen ones. Take it one step at a time and try not to have shiny object syndrome. The path will reveal itself.”
#7
Can Designers Use Their “Style” as a Bat Signal for Clients?
“Through making, making, and more making, there’s things I internally picked up over time that helped me realize what my “style” was. I truly think it comes down to noticing what kind of things you like to make in your free time, each paint stroke or type of digital brush you go to when you create something, color palette choices, finishing touches like texture, or even the subject matter you’re inspired from, etc. are all pieces of your stylistic puzzle, that we don’t even notice is happening right before our eyes.”
#6
How One Ad Creative Turned Freelance Into Shelance
“For anyone who is freelance, community is everything. It serves as a sounding board, helps you land your next gig, and provides support in what can sometimes be a very lonely path. I truly just enjoy helping others who have been in the same situation. And I'm on a mission to prove just how bloody wonderful freelancing can be.”
#5
Available for Freelance
“Find ways to be available at all times of the day without losing your sanity and independence. It's crucial when you establish a relationship with a new client, agency, or company, that they know they can count on you.”
#4
Red Flags Every Freelancer Should Navigate Carefully
“Freelancers often find themselves wearing two hats: the creative, which is subjective and fulfilling, and the business owner, focused on the bottom line. These roles can shift client to client, project by project, sometimes overlapping, leading to tough decisions about project viability and rate adjustments.”
#3
Navigating Client Relationships…Remotely
“Working remotely has worked very well for me. It's nice to have full control over my environment. I feel more creative and get more done faster and more efficiently. As long as I have the right tools and a clear line of communication with clients, things go pretty smoothly.”
#2
5 Books To Read Before You Freelance
“You don’t have to be an expert investor but learning personal finance basics is a must to help your career as a freelancer flourish. Money management will be just as important as time management. If you’re coming from a full time job, your money habits will need to adjust.”
#1
5 Steps to Get Your Freelance Career in Motion
“You can’t be picky, unless its unsafe or goes against your morals. Take work and learn the types of people, industries and businesses you want to partner with and the types of projects you want to take on. Some may surprise you. Some projects may be easier to make money and take fewer hours of labor.”
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