“When I started freelancing three years ago, I viewed it as a way to supplement my full-time income to pay off a mortgage that I couldn’t afford. Welcome to adulthood! Of course, I had distant dreams of freelancing full-time with all the benefits that came with it: Sleep-ins, wearing pajamas all day and being within reaching distance to snacks. But mostly I dreamt about having the freedom to work when, how and where I wanted.
I was naive. I’d never run a business before (besides charging my parents to watch me put on plays, or taking a cut on trips to the canteen for my friends). So, with that, I made plenty of mistakes early on. I did a lot of work for free, I didn’t value my time as much as I should, and I didn’t spend enough time honing my craft or building my business. My enemy was time, mixed with a heaped cup of self-doubt. Eventually, the demands on my time caught up with me: I was anxious, sleepless, and weak. Freelancing sounds like fun right? Don’t worry—things get better from here on out.”
Want to know how to navigate the tricky waters of freelance to arrive on the island of business?
Our Director, Laura, gives us seven tips on how to turn a freelance side hustle into an empire.
Thank you to A Girl in Progress for this feature. Read more…
