Learn how to build a #freelancing business and get hired by your dream clients.
The promise of a better life and a flexible schedule is tempting more people who feel stuck in a 9-to-5 job to start freelancing. But it's not as freeing as you might think when you're in charge of every area of your business, including the legal contracts.
Everyone Introducing Matthew’s Design Co. (and explaining the big changes ahead)Find out all the details of how I plan to navigate the transition from freelancer to company while maintaining my relevance and relationship to freelancers.
Freelancers How to Schedule Multiple Freelance Projects (and Avoid Burnout)You must have a system in place for scheduling freelance projects, setting your availability, and maximizing your down time if you want to avoid burnout and keep your freelance business running smoothly.
Freelancers Why I Transitioned from 1099 to S-Corp (and How It Impacted My Freelancing Business)If you're a freelancer, you're likely operating as a 1099 contractor. But that means you're paying high taxes, have no legal protection, and you're being perceived as an individual, not a business. Switching to an S-Corp can change all of that.
The Freelance Institute 🎓A global Slack community for freelancers focused on learning and professional growth. Don't spend hundreds on books, courses, and coaching. Get 24/7 instant access to real-time conversations with smart freelancers from all over the globe.
Freelancers A Beginner’s Guide to Value-Based PricingA value-based project is simply a fixed-fee project where the price is determined by the value of the outcome to the clients business – not the estimated time it will take to complete.
Freelancers 6 Ways To Upgrade Your Website And Get The Clients You DeserveIn order for a website to keep working hard on your behalf, you need to give it a bit of regular attention. In this article, Jodie Manners outlines 6 ways you can upgrade your website today and start getting the clients you deserve.
Freelancers 6 Pricing Strategies for Freelancers (and When You Should Use Each)As a freelancer, you get to decide how to bill your clients – and there's no right or wrong billing strategy. In this article, we'll look at hourly rates, daily rates, weekly rates, monthly retainers, fixed-fee projects, and value-based pricing methods and identify the pros and cons of each.
Everyone 2018 Year In Review2018 was thrilling from day one. It was packed with highs, lows, and countless exciting changes. Check out all the amazing things that happened in my life and my business as I reflect on this incredible year in detail!
Freelancers Why I Turned Down $30k and Refused to Get a Job in CollegeMy parents were skeptical about my decision to be a designer. They thought I was nuts for refusing guaranteed income from a college job to "freelance" with no experience. But that all changed once I started getting experience and gaining momentum.
Freelancers Introducing The Freelance Institute – A global Slack community for freelancers.Learn why I created a global Slack community for freelancers dedicated to learning and professional growth. Take a look behind the scenes and find out how The Freelance Institute was born and what my vision is for thousands of freelancers all over the world.
Freelancers How to Earn Freelance Income Without Any ClientsI've talked to dozens of freelancers need to find paying clients right now, but there's another way to earn money that most freelancers forget about. In fact, you can earn regular income every month without any clients at all. All you have to do is sell your own work.
Freelancers Why Thinking Like a Client Will Change Your Freelancing Career ForeverMost portfolio websites are focused on the wrong person. Thinking like a client might be all you need to kickstart your freelancing career. Find out how seeing myself from the perspective of a paying client redefined my freelancing career forever.
Freelancers Teach Freelance Clients to Respect Your Time By Setting Business HoursDo you ever wonder why clients assume that freelancers are available 24/7, over weekends, and after hours? It's because too many freelancers respond to their requests over weekends and after hours. Teach clients to respect your time by setting normal business hours.
Freelancers How to Defend Your Design Decisions Without Sounding DefensiveWhen you put a design in front of a client, they're inevitably going to have an opinion on it. These strategies move the conversation away from who is right or wrong and re-focus both sides on the business goals the project aims to achieve.
Freelancers How I Earned My First $10,000 as a Freelance Web DesignerIt took me a full four years to earn my first $10,000 of freelance income. Working 15 hours per week for most of each year, that works out to about $1.95 an hour. That's not good even for a college student, but that's where my story began.
Freelancers 7 Lessons from My First Year as a Full-Time FreelancerAfter one year of full-time freelancing, I share the observations I made, lessons I learned, advice I have for anyone interested in becoming a full-time freelancer. Make sure you have a desire to freelance, not just quit your 9-5 job. A false motivation can quickly lead to failure.
Freelancers How to Make Your Invoice Names a Little Less AwfulMost freelancers don't spend time thinking about the best way to name an invoice, but caring about the seemingly trivial aspects of your business (that other freelancers ignore) is what will set you apart in the eyes of your clients.
Freelancers Don’t Break Your Own RulesI only experience problems with clients when I break my own rules. Accepting that position, attitude, and perspective is what enables you to learn and grow from your mistakes and make better decisions in the future.
Freelancers 12 Things You Should Remove From Your Portfolio Website ImmediatelyA collection of brutally honest tips for what you should remove from your portfolio website immediately before someone decides to not hire you (and what to replace them with instead).
Freelancers How to Turn One Small Project Into Years of Predictable IncomeThere's nothing more valuable than having predictable income when you're a freelancer. Unreliable income holds us hostage to our business even if we've managed to free ourselves from past employers.
Freelancers How to Stay Comfortable as a Freelancer Even When You’re StressedThere's no avoiding stressful and uncomfortable situations when you run your own freelancing business. The key to staying comfortable during stressful situations is to maintain control of your business from every angle.
Everyone 2017 Year In ReviewAfter over two years of freelancing full-time, my business has finally started to run itself. It's become more organized and efficient. I know what to expect from it. The kinks and quirks have been ironed out and that helped make 2017 my best year of freelancing yet.
Freelancers 5 Tips for Managing Sick Days as a FreelancerYou aren't allocated a specific number of sick days each year as a freelancer. That's why it's important to have a plan for sick days before they happen.
Freelancers How to Find More Freelance ClientsIf you're trying to find more freelance clients, you've got it all backwards. Instead, spend time giving potential clients more ways to find you.
Freelancers Find Your Own Success Without Idolizing People in Your IndustryIs there anyone in your industry you really admire? Anyone you follow intensely on social media? Blogs you read religiously? If only you could be more like them, your career would be better, right? Not necessarily.