5 Things To Know Before Freelancing
A year ago, I took a chance on myself and quit my full-time job as a Creative Lead at a fashion company to become a freelance Graphic Designer. I’ve always dreamed of owning my own business, and I fully trusted myself to get me there. Although I’m no expert, I’ve picked up a few lessons in the past year of things I wish I knew before I started working for myself.
Get clear on your ideal situation.
This is a step I missed when I first started and I ended up saying yes to projects and clients that weren’t fully aligned with my interests and strengths. Before you start anything, make guidelines for yourself and your business. What type of work do you want to do? Who are your ideal clients? How do you want your work schedule to look like?
You don’t have to have every single detail figured out but having an idea of the direction you want to move towards can help you be more strategic, target the right clients, and save you from resenting your work or freelancing down the line.
2. Figure out your brand.
This lesson is so simple yet often taken for granted. When you think about businesses, you remember the brand and the ideas associated with them. You freelancing is exactly the same!
You are a business and in order to be memorable, you need to figure out your own brand. Dive deep into the reasons you do what you do and define how you want to be known. After figuring out your story, a solid Brand Identity can help communicate your values so you can target the right clients and market your services effectively.
3. Get comfortable with uncertainty.
I’ve always been a planner. I like knowing where I stand and what my next steps are. When I first started freelancing, the uncertainty of what my next month (or sometimes even week) can look like felt overwhelming. There’ll always be out-of-the-blue opportunities, low seasons, and the general “I-don’t-know-what-I’m-doing” feeling.
I’ve learned to deal with the uncertainty by focusing on what I can control. For example, during low seasons I focus on marketing my services and networking instead of the idea that not a lot of project inquiries are coming in. Right now, I’m also working on setting up my own systems and structures to set myself up for success.
4. You’re not alone.
Freelancing can get quite lonely sometimes, especially as a graphic designer working from home. There are times when I feel so alone thinking I’m my only teammate. When I’m lonely, I feel unmotivated and disconnected from the reasons why I started to work for myself. I also get into a rut and don’t seek out new experiences, connections, and inspiration.
When freelancing starts to feel lonely, seek out connections with other freelancers, creatives, and your loved-ones. Push yourself to network and build a meaningful life outside work, whatever that means to you. To help with this personally, I recently joined Monday Girl, a career platform for women to meet thousands of other industry professionals, find mentors, and get career support. Remember, you’re not alone!
5. You are your biggest advocate.
I sometimes miss the structure of a full-time job in terms of day-to-day tasks or career trajectories in general. When you’re working for yourself, you don’t have a manager or senior who’s advocating for you so you need to be your biggest advocate. Push yourself to learn, grow, and strengthen your skills. Trust in yourself and your capabilities. Freelancing isn’t easy but you can do it.
Becoming a freelancer has been one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life, but it’s also definitely one of the most rewarding! If you have any questions about this post or freelancing in general, DM me on Instagram. I also send out emails every month with tips and tools for freelancers and lifestyle business owners so be sure to sign up here.
All the best,
