4 Lessons 2010 Has Taught This Freelancer

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4 Lessons 2010 Has Taught This Freelancer

Posted January 2, 2011 in Freelance Stories, Inspiration

I’ve made about half as much money this year as I did in 2009. I certainly hope you’ve done better, but I know that plenty of us have done worse.

It’s been the Year of the Whipsaw for me. January and February were deathly silent. March through May I was busier than I’ve been in 15 years in business for myself. Things trailed off through the summer and have picked back up this autumn.

It’s also been the Year of the Assassinated Project. I can think of at least four meaty writing projects that made a splendid entrance onto my freelancing stage, then got John-Wilkes-Booth’ed before I knew it.

I haven’t taken it any more personally than in other years of assassinated projects, but it’s been more frustrating this year. That said, I feel that I’ve salvaged four lessons about freelancing from 2010:

1. Wear Many Hats

A few years ago, a freelance software engineer told me he’d been a contractor for several years, and that he enjoyed it, in spite of the risks. He summarized his livelihood thus–of course, you have to be prepared to do a lot of different things.

In a year (or an economy) in which you can’t rely on big, fat, lucrative projects in your preferred specialty, there’s no sin in accepting stocking-stuffers that are not in your preferred specialty. Your mortgage company can’t tell the difference, and soon enough you’ll be back to doing more of your preferred projects.

Can’t stand Java programming? If those C# gigs aren’t pouring in, you’d better take the Java gigs until the storm blows over.
Direct response copywriting makes your stomach churn? Grit your teeth and do it until the feature articles and research pieces come back.
You’re trying to build your own clientele, but only getting projects from agencies? Keep chipping away at the former while you keep the latter customers satisfied.

About 30% of my income this year came from normally undesirable, small-fry projects, but it wasn’t an option for me to decline them. Sure, they were easy money in a specialty I’d hoped to abandon long ago, but they came from old customers who didn’t need white papers and technology overviews. I was just glad I still wore other hats and could service these folks.

Sometimes it’s hard to keep your heart in your non-specialty work. Just recall the words of editor Bobbie Beattie–You can put up with anything for a day.

So, I’m wearing my other hats, even if they’re no longer a perfect fit, and not losing focus on the specialties I want to develop. Opportunities will come back eventually.

2. Tend Your Cushion

The only thing harder than earning a living as a freelancer is getting far enough ahead to build yourself a cushion against low-revenue stretches. In fact, I have no idea how I managed to build one, but I did, and I needed it in 2010.

The lesson for me wasn’t about building a cushion; the lesson was about how lousy it feels to use the cushion, especially for ungratifying purposes like a paycheck. Booooo-ring. No iPad this year.

Digging into your cushion is a big drag. Not having one in the first place is bigger than a drag–it’s a mistake. It can be the difference between surviving as a freelancer and having to go back inside.

3. Don’t Look Down

I’ve long known I was a freelancer. This was the first year I felt it.
There’s a Freelancer Feeling that abides even in dark financial times. It’s somewhere between faith in the cosmic wash and distaste at the prospect of going back inside.

The inner dialog can be poisonous sometimes. It’s hard for people who work in companies to understand.

“How the hell are you going to make this work?” you ask yourself, several times a week.

“I don’t know,” you answer. “Things have never been this rough for this long.”

“Well, you need to provide for your wife and kids. Should you start looking for a job?”

“That just doesn’t feel like the right thing to do anymore. Something will happen–it always does.”

Remember those cartoon scenes in which Elmer Fudd chased Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck off a cliff and into thin air? Bugs and Daffy made it to the other side, but Elmer made the mistake of looking down. He lost confidence and plunged body-part by body-part into the canyon below.

I can’t figure out how work is coming back, any more than I can figure out how my hair grows or how the pigeons find something to eat in my back yard. I just keep trying new things. I don’t look down.

4. Go Back Inside? Nein, Danke

Have you watched any of your friends and fellow freelancers go back inside to full-time employment? I have–three of them.

I don’t blame them. The going got tough, they had no cushion, and they preferred working full-time to going deeper into debt while waiting for business to come back.
A 401(k) would be nice. So would paid holidays and some kind of help with health care premiums. But I still don’t think there’s any more job security inside than outside, and there are too many things I’m accustomed to doing now that I wouldn’t be able to do inside for lack of time and focus.

Not to mention the fact that, when you’re inside, you spend all of your time building somebody else’s brand. To me, that means you’ve got to buy into it big-time. Do you think you can do that, after a few years of busting your chops to build your own brand?

Not sure I could, in spite of how much 2010 has roughed me up. It would have to be a pretty sweet job.

Your Turn

Which lessons have you learned this year? How will they carry you into 2011 and beyond?

About the author: John White of venTAJA Marketing is a marketing communications writer for technology companies. He posts about technology writing from the perspective of the marketing manager. It’s dirty work, but somebody has to do it. Download his eBook, “10 Questions to Ask When Hiring Your Marketing Communications Writer.”

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47 Comments

Rob Place
January 2nd, 2011 at 9:14 am

John, great post. Common wisdom is when you start a freelancing business you stick to a niche no matter what. But essentially you are arguing that it makes sense to be a generalist when the going gets tough and the masses aren’t banging down your door. I think you’re right on here.
Kath Harding
January 2nd, 2011 at 9:31 am

Super post John! i agree with us freelancers needing to wear many hats. if we can offer more services as an individual we make ourselves more valuable than the agencies which have to charge more than us because of bigger overheads.
But i think the trick is making sure we don’t tread the wrong side of that fine line between jack of all trades/master of none and talented jack/master of many trades.
it’s freelancers ability to manage their time and so allow themselves time for creative thinking and the freedom to develop their ideas (a luxury those back inside don’t have) which makes freelancing so special.
Rob Larter
January 2nd, 2011 at 9:42 am

Interesting post, 2010 was a big year for me, it involved many different elements, moving from one city to another, taking on a big new client and working as part of a team with other developers, all of these things made harder by the fact I am a freelancer.

Some of the key things I have learned so far in my short time as a freelancer (started in November 2008 so only been doing it just over 2 years) are:
- Motivation
- Organisation
- Focus
- Structure

Without any one of these you will fail, it has been an upward struggle for me just dropping myself into the deep end without really having any guidance or idea of where I was going.

Without agency websites I would probably never have got any work unless I took to the streets and went door to door to businesses trying to get business, I got about 90% of my work through PeoplePerHour.com some of these then led onto long term client relationships and others withered away. I would stress that sites like these you are more than likely going to be doing initial work at a loss, i.e. You need to prove your worth to the client, once they know you are worth the money then you can charge your usual hourly / day rate. I was doing a lot of work at well below minimum wage but a lot of those turned into future work that helped pay the bills.

I now work with a great client who I originally got through PeoplePerHour.com, while a lot of clients expect you to work for nothing or to compete your bids against other countries with much lower cost of living, it certainly helped me to get my foot in the door.

One of the other key thins I would push people either struggling as a freelancer or starting out is to attend events, mix with like minded people, one such event community is http://geekup.org/ Check it out there are many different events throughout the country (in UK)

Keep in touch with people and new services and technologies on community websites such as Twitter, it is a fantastic free tool to get you known and you never know, something could come your way.

Realise when things are distracting you and know when to turn away from them, a very simple but extremely effective routine I have picked up so far is:

1) Wake up and get something to eat, do anything that requires your attention first thing in the morning.
2) Sit down go through any emails, catch up on any blogs, twitter etc that may take 10-20 minutes.
3) Devise a simple plan of what you expect to do today, I personally write it down, this then helps me to relate and look at it to ensure I am on target.
4) Get on with it
5) Take short breaks to help you refocus and have a bit of a step away from the computer, this not only allows you to help work something out that you may be stuck on but also means you get some quality eye rest!
6) Update, this might be in the form of simply writing down where you are at with a project or task or updating your client. It is important to let the client know where you are and helps improve communication and let them know you are on track (but at the same time forces you not to fool yourself and ensure everything is going well)
7) Separate house work and your business work, while you work at home this doesn’t mean that house work should be an excuse to not work, but at the same time if it needs doing allocate time to tasks away from business work) However ensure your working environment is tidy and organised.

These are just a few guides I work to, but I am by no means perfect I have many things I still plan on doing:

- Working in gym into my daily work routine
- Getting an office I can work in for 2 days a week outside of the home, this allows me to mix with people in a work environment and gets me out of the 4 walls that is my home office.

I hope this has helped someone or given you some kind of guides to help you being your own boss and working for yourself,
Vivek Parmar
January 2nd, 2011 at 10:28 am

2010 is a great year, this year i realized how important is to focus on your blog, determination and passion should be there to get maximum in freelancing business. Decided to launch few portals and new projects all are niche based in addition to this my domain selling company is on the way to get started. Hope i can get more in 2011.
thanks again
Amitash
January 2nd, 2011 at 10:56 am

In 2010, I’ve learnt to accept my mistakes and listen more patiently. More importantly, I found the true essences of life. How?? I won’t tell that here!
Melissa
January 2nd, 2011 at 12:17 pm

My biggest lesson this year was not to put all my eggs into one basket. My client of 3+ years and of 30 or so hours of work a week decided to start going in-house for design, and there went THAT cash cow. BUT, after a week of panic and crying, I turned it around into learning new technologies, getting back in touch with clients I’d left behind, and expanding my business to illustrating and now a little bit of writing. Hoping all of this will lead to a glorious 2011!
Sarah
January 2nd, 2011 at 3:21 pm

I really enjoyed reading your blog post. I’m still relatively new to freelancing (just finished year 2), and I’ve had a lot of similar thoughts, especially number 3 (why am I doing this?!) and 4 (hell no, I won’t go…back to someone else’s workplace). I had to eat into my cushion a bit this, year, and am trying to build it up again.

I’m not sure if I agree with number 1. I have had slow times this year (and way too much work times), but … I’ve landed interesting projects, and clients are really happy with my work because at this point I really understand the research.

I am considering offering more services, though, but by 1) teaming up with others and/or 2) learning skills that I would like to learn and use. I’m curious if anyone else has tried these approaches, instead.

Things that I have learned in 2010: I need to find a way to market throughout the year and stay in contact with people who contact me during times that I am too busy to take on new work. Because….a month or 2 of busy work usually equals litle work once the project ends, and then I’m running around trying to find new projects/clients during the following month or two.
John White
January 2nd, 2011 at 3:42 pm

@RobP, @Kath: I tip my hat to those who are able to cling to a niche. Not all of us have been able to do that recently, so “generalism” is indeed the order of the day.

@RobL: Thank you for sharing. That.

@Vivek: “Don’t be afraid of ker-ching, ker-ching.”

@Amitash: We’re all waiting with bated breath to know your secret. I’m sure it’s a doozy.

@Melissa: >after a week of panic and crying
If you got away with only a week of these, you’re leading a charmed life. Good luck in 2011!

@Sarah: Congratulations on making it to Year 3. Teaming up with others does help; give them 10% on work they find for you, and ask for 10% on work you find for them.
Jessica
January 2nd, 2011 at 5:39 pm

Great post! This year was slower for me too. Here’s hoping for a better 2011 in the freelance world!
Selina
January 2nd, 2011 at 6:05 pm

I really love how you explained #4. Why would you spend your time building someone else’s brand when you could be building your own? When times get tough, it’s when you need to become more innovative and fight for your place in the industry. We just decided to change our business model and launched a new website for it 3 weeks ago. Things couldn’t have gone better for us, and our schedule has never been more packed. One thing we’ve learned is to never sit still. If you’re not comfortable with the way things are going, play with different ideas. Think about what will get you noticed, what will differentiate you from the rest, and turn those thoughts into action! You never know what could come of it until you try!
TLC
January 2nd, 2011 at 6:34 pm

I’ve looked into that dark place in No. 3, and looked down, and almost went back inside. My wonderful 15-year-old son gave me the words of encouragement and support that I needed to step back and look up. After that, I was swamped for the rest of the year. I haven’t looked at the Help Wanted ads in about 5 months.

The cushion also helped pull me through when things go slow. Yes, it stinks to have to use it, especially when most of us have been trained that savings is NOT to be touched unless it’s an emergency.

I’ll do what I have to, though, to support myself and my son. Thanks for the encouragement!
John White
January 2nd, 2011 at 7:09 pm

@Jessica: Amen!

@Selina: Glad to hear the new site is paying off for you. Your 2011 is off to a good start.

@TLC: I’d really like to hear the story of your son’s encouragement. Why not submit a guest-post to Freelance Folder? We can all use the lesson.
Ujjal Mohanta
January 3rd, 2011 at 5:26 am

Visit http://www.neeifreelancer.com for free jobs.
its free to join
BebopDesigner
January 3rd, 2011 at 6:49 am

Thanks for the encouragement… Now it’s being tough for me. Hope I can make it.
angelee
January 3rd, 2011 at 8:57 am

This is very encouraging especially the ‘Don’t Look Down’ section. 2010 was the very first year I become aware of earning income behind online businesses and 2011 should be my second year of ‘sticking to a niche no matter what’…. (thanks to @Rob Place)
Nathan Maggard
January 3rd, 2011 at 9:34 am

I am SO TIRED of whiney-ass independent contractors crying about the following:
A) “I don’t get the work I want”
Answer- shut up!
2) “all I get is menial agency work”
Answer- again, SHUT UP! We sell the deals, we make the rules! Don’t Eat our dinner then complain it wasn’t hot enough. If you can’t sell, you’re dead in the water without us..I reiterate- SHUT UP!
3) clients are a pain. Wah..
Answer: really? You’re a creative and you can’t manage a client? You’re probably the first..it’s just the client, not your complete lack of people skills..keep doing what you’re doing..just kidding- real answer: SHUT UP!

Happy New Year :)
Rachel Small
January 3rd, 2011 at 11:16 am

Very inspiring post – thanks! I definitely felt the ups and downs this year, but I always had that “Freelancing Feeling” that work would eventually come my way when I really needed it – and it did. Confidence is vital.
Ujjal Mohanta
January 3rd, 2011 at 11:22 am

Help neeofreelancer by free sign up. My promise i will make it 100% free if it reaches 200000 users.
Ujjal Mohanta
January 3rd, 2011 at 11:23 am

http://www.neeofreelancer.com is totally free to join . both buyer and providers can join this website.
John White
January 3rd, 2011 at 11:32 am

@Bebop: Even Buddhas can only point the way. The rest is up to you. Good luck.

@Angelee: Congratulations. Hope that niche works for you.

@Nathan: Better switch to decaf in 2011.

@Rachel: Yes, somehow the universe bends to the determined psyche. You can’t always get what you want, but you can always get what you need.
Simon Duck
January 3rd, 2011 at 3:08 pm

I had my biggest project in 2010, so in many ways it was a great year, but in the end that project fell through and I didn’t have any of the money from it, luckily I had some to fall back on. Not getting that income really made me realise how hard it is to earn money by yourself though and I’m hoping I’ve learnt from it. Here’s to 2011!
John White
January 3rd, 2011 at 3:18 pm

@Simon: Quel drag. Hope you learned to get at least some money up front.
Simon Duck
January 3rd, 2011 at 3:25 pm

@John White: It was a bad situation, we were working for a friends husbands business, so we were kind of pushed into trusting them. Obviously that wasn’t the right thing to do, but we can’t learn without making mistakes!
Mark McClure
January 3rd, 2011 at 10:41 pm

Biggest lesson I learned in 2010 is…remember to “hire yourself”.

Bob Bly’s a great model for this approach.
Bjarte Edvardsen
January 4th, 2011 at 4:43 am

Good read!

2010 was the first year of full-time freelancing for me. Having enough self-discipline, blocking out distractions, building routines and focusing on freelancing while planning on moving to another country has been my toughest lessons. The more my self-discipline grows, the less limits seems to exist to what can be done, and that knowledge is very useful when entering a new freelancing year.
John White
January 4th, 2011 at 11:55 am

@Mark: Yes, when nobody else will hire you, hire yourself!

@Bjarte: Good point. Self-discipline is powerful stuff indeed.
Janet L. Falk
January 5th, 2011 at 8:02 am

Great post. My 2010 was 100% better than 2009 with a new client. Status for 2011 is unclear.

Link to book gives error message.
John White
January 5th, 2011 at 11:15 am

@Janet: “There’s no easy day but yesterday.” Hope 2011 goes well for you.

You’re right about the link. Remove the final / from the URL and it will work.
Nick Ceriello
January 7th, 2011 at 2:37 pm

Great post and the comments are just fantastic.

I would have to say that I am totally on board with Rachael’s comment. While nothing is going to come easy you just need to stay focused and the work will find it’s way to you. It almost always seems to happen when you need it most too. That’s just a great feeling.

Nick
John White
January 7th, 2011 at 4:23 pm

@Nick: Faith is never in short supply among freelancers.
dp
January 10th, 2011 at 11:17 am

This year I’ve learned that I need to start moving away from agency work and more towards bringing in my own clients.

So it goes…

-dp
John White
January 10th, 2011 at 1:25 pm

dp: Brand, baby, brand. Better yours than the agency’s, as you’ll see soon.
DUB turbo
January 11th, 2011 at 12:45 am

I have to say that reading a well written blog post is a rarity and a pleasure. Most blog posts I come across are so poorly written that I wince while reading. It’s nice to see there are some blogs that appreciate quality writing.

On another note I completely agree with tending to your cushion, as you put it. I think not enough freelancers, and people in general, have money stowed away for the not so great times.

Thanks for the post.

- Andrew
John White
January 11th, 2011 at 11:23 am

Andrew: Thanks for the compliment. I hope DUB Turbo is off to a good 2011.
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February 15th, 2012 at 7:18 am

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