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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…
2018 Year In Review
2018 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…
Introducing The Freelance Institute – A Community for Freelancers & Remote Workers
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…
How to Earn Freelance Income Without Any Clients
Did you know that you can start earning money right away, without any freelance clients? All you have to do is sell your own work!
Why Thinking Like a Client Will Change Your Freelancing Career Forever
Most 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…
Teach Freelance Clients to Respect Your Time By Setting Business Hours
Do 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…
How to Defend Your Design Decisions Without Sounding Defensive
When 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…
How I Earned My First $10,000 as a Freelance Web Designer
It took me a full four years to earn my first $10,000 of freelance income. I didn't know what I was doing, but I didn't let anything hold me back. When it comes to…
7 Lessons from My First Year as a Full-Time Freelancer
After 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,…
How to Properly Name Your Freelance Project Invoices
Most freelancers don't spend time thinking about invoice naming conventions, but caring about the seemingly trivial aspects of your business is what will set you apart in the eyes of your clients.
How to Avoid Working With Bad Freelance Clients
I 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…
12 Things You Should Remove From Your Portfolio Website Immediately
A 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).
How I Turned One Small Freelance Project Into Years of Predictable Income
There'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.
How to Stay Comfortable as a Freelancer Even When You’re Stressed
There'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.
2017 Year In Review
After 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…
5 Tips for Managing Sick Days as a Freelancer
You 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.Topics
Career Transitions (11)Client Communication (12)Finances & Taxes (10)Getting Clients (22)Guest Articles (19)Lifestyle (12)Marketing & Positioning (17)News & Opinion (17)Payments & Invoicing (10)Portfolio Websites (10)Pricing & Rates (7)Productivity (17)Project Management (14)Proposals & Contracts (9) Get over 100+ answers to your biggest freelancing questions
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Join The Freelance InstituteHi, I'm Matt Olpinski
I teach thousands of freelancers how to get more clients, raise their rates, and create a better life for themselves.
Ever since I left my salary job behind, I've consistently earned a six-figure freelance income each year and have worked with clients such as Facebook, Marriott, Bloomberg, and American Express.
I want to show you how to take your freelancing career to the next level so you can build a healthy, sustainable, and satisfying freelance business.