The Problems of Going it Alone as a Freelancer
The idea of stepping out there and going it alone as a freelancer can certainly be scary. It’s a brave step to take, but it can also be a wise one because the rewards are often huge too. If you’re thinking of taking the freelance route in your career, here are some of the most daunting parts of doing so you should be aware of.
Finding Those First Few Clients
When you’re just starting out, your first challenge is to get enough clients. It’s tricky to start with because you have no track record to point to and people can have trouble trusting your credentials. But once you’ve proven yourself, finding more clients will become progressively easier for you, so don’t worry about it too much.
No One Having Your Back at Work
As a freelancer, you’re pretty much all alone and there’s not much you can do about that. You can’t turn to your manager when you have a problem and you don’t have colleagues who’ve got your back and can help you out when you need assistance. It would be nice if that were the case, but you’ll just have to get used to being independent if you want to succeed as a freelancer. Plus, there are plenty of online groups, like The No-Fluff Freelance Writing Facebook Group, that can help with advice.
Investing in Your Solo Business
When you’re a freelancer, you’re essentially running your own solo business. This means that you have to invest in yourself and what you’re offering to clients if you want to grow over time. Of course, spending on things like this can be daunting if you haven’t done it before. In some instances if you want to start something like a freelance private medical practice or a dental facility, you have to spend big to even get started. Look into medical and dental practice sales and understand the costs. Freelance writing, on the other hand, has a very low overhead, so it's not quite as worrisome as other freelance businesses.
Financial Management
Financial management is really important to any freelancer because if you’re not correctly managing your money, you could find yourself really struggling. Remember, you won’t have a regular income, so you’ll have peaks and troughs in your income. You need to balance these out throughout the year so that you are never left with financial problems to contend with.
Motivating Yourself Each Day
One of the things that’s most challenging of all is motivating yourself each day for the task ahead. You need to find ways to push yourself and succeed even when you feel that pressure on you. If you just switch off and let yourself waste time and procrastinate, you’ll never go far as a freelancer. So find ways to keep yourself motivated because no one can do it for you.
As you can see, becoming a freelancer isn’t easy. However, that’s not to say it can’t go right for you with the correct approach. Many people experience great success after leaving their regular jobs and going freelance; there’s no reason why you can’t too. So get out there and make it happen if that’s what you want.
