Has it been about work, travel and freedom? One word out of all three is correct. The other not so while another you’re doing ALL the time.
In a few more days I reach my first anniversary out of salaried employment and I’ve been thinking and reflecting on all the lessons learned in my life as a freelancer. There have been many ups and downs. The biggest learning for me was the acceptance of saying good bye to a steady fortnightly income as well as the associated feelings of “not pulling my own weight” when it came to contributing to the household budget. The upside have been the opportunity to work with different clients from all sorts of industries (corporates, medium size and small business) as well as one of the best personal development and transformative journeys in my life.
When I first started out in this journey a year ago, in hindsight I had really started preparing for freelancing years before then. I had deliberately made the choice not to seek out permanent work many years back and instead pick up short term back-to-back contracts as the nature of these jobs appealed to me. Get in, get the job done, leave. No need to be embedded into the organisational culture, no internal politicking, no restructures and some control over your own career. However over times, these contracts were also starting to sit uncomfortably with me as I felt I wasn’t in a position to help or support the organisation I was working for. As a contractor, you just did what was expected of you. In a way, I felt disconnected from the strategic vision and the “workforce community” and dare I say it, a bit of an imposter. Not a real member of the team but just there to deliver a work outcome for a price. Of course, this was my own perception (actually the organisations made me feel entirely welcome and a member of their team).
So the move to freelancing wasn’t big for me when the time came as I had already set it in motion. I had my office set up, business banking account; my website, a rough outline of my products and services I was to deliver, my network and some templates to automate and streamline the business operation (namely, a Business Proposal Template; a signature block; an Invoice template; Pre-Proposal Questionnaire Checklist and a PowerPoint presentation about Activate Learning Solutions – which coincidentally, I’ve never had to use).
Thinking back to the last year, here are my key reflections around freelancing.
(1) Your Networks are Critical – Nurture Them
One of the critical elements for me having work was having a strong network of family, friends, colleagues, ex-colleagues and people who I have known in my local community for many years. My own social media networks were instrumental as they provided me with the support and the even some leads to find new work. Similarly, the meet up group I set up a couple of years ago for social networking and learning called Third Place turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Originally, I called it ‘Third Place” because our first place is our home, our second our work and our third a place a community of people who share a passion or an interest and get together to learn more about it. My Third Place meet ups happened to be a welcome outing after spending days inside the house. If I happened to travel into the city, I would invite others to join me for breakfast, coffee or a meal – or just co-work together and it provided me with some social stimulation.
(2) Learn The Value of Your Time to the Dollar
This is a real eye opener. I had calculated my daily and hourly rates using a formula and I was quite happy with the rate. However, when I sat down and logged my time in how long it took to create a product (say a workshop) against how much a client was paying for it, I quickly realised that I was going backwards. I had to come up with ways to streamline the service and make it repeatable so that it didn’t impact me financially. Also, in the early days, I quickly realised that some people want to meet for coffee and then show you their work and ask for advice. By doing this, I not only had wasted my time travelling into the city but I had given away many ideas, suggestions and contacts. These meetings left me irritated with myself because I had to start thinking about the value of my time.
(3) Embrace the Low Times
I’d be lying if I said that there weren’t times when I had my doubts. The quiet times when I thought, “This is it. No work is coming in!” and I started to think about picking up some casual employment at the supermarket stacking shelves or becoming an Uber driver. (Trust me, the idea of going back to being employed within a traditional hierarchical corporate organisation is NOT on my radar). I did an audit around the house and considered if things did got tough, what could I sell? What rooms and equipment could I rent out? Momentarily I had visions of creating a co-working space out of my garage. Of course, in the grand scheme of things I was being melodramatic and it lasted all about a few minutes before the phone rang, or email pinged and there was a new job waiting for me.
(4) Understand that You’re Working Harder and Longer than You Have Before
Amusingly I thought that I was going to work three days per week and have the rest of the time to knit, potter about the house and garden and sit at cafes wearing a puffy jacket while sipping my cafe latte. Wrong. (Besides all my friends are at work so you have to be comfortable with your own company).
Life of a freelancer who is in their first year is more about trying to set up the systems, products and services that they can sell or find new clients. I shudder to think how many hours I have spent in front of a screen – large or small – let’s not go there. Suffice to say that you’ll feel like you’re always “on” but at the same time, you wouldn’t have it any other way. Does that make sense?
(5) Seek out Support from People Outside Your Network for Objective Views
I’m all for networks and using them to provide advice and guidance when needed but one thing I have followed through this year was seeking objective views OUTSIDE of my usual networks especially when it came to areas that weren’t my strengths. People in your network provide great advice with all good intentions but sometimes you just need someone to ‘spell it out as it is’ and where the niceties and politeness don’t get in the way. Someone who can just tell you the facts in an objective and impersonal manner so that you can make your own judgement and then be responsible for the decisions you make. This year, it was seeking out a business coach who could mentor me and put me through my paces when it came to setting my own freelance business up and seeking legal advice from a lawyer. In both cases I could have used people I knew in my network and who knew me personally but I decided against it for the reason stated.
(6) Who You Are Online is Who You Are In Person
One day my husband saw that I had sent a tweet from my Activate Learn Twitter account about knitting and he asked, “is this the perception you would like your clients to have of you?”
It was a good question and one in which I have been thinking and deliberating all year especially when there are so many different things I like to explore and try out (my recent examples are my vlogs on my YouTube channel). Although these aren’t part of my services, in fact, I’m learning out loud and putting it ‘out there’ what I’m learning, doing or working on.
The question is, “is this hurting my reputation or enhancing it?” Am I giving away too much of myself through the various social media channels and I come across as too quirky or a bit of an idiot? Another thing is that I’ve also started accepting friend invites from my Twitter networks on Facebook and I love the interaction. They’re also getting to see another side of me and me of them. I don’t see it as a bad thing at all but it’s made me realise that who you are in person should reflect who you are online – this is my authentic and true self.
(7) People Will Have Their Own Opinions for Your Work
I’ve read some articles about how some freelancers have experienced negative reactions from friends and family about their choice to go their own way and not work for someone else. If you look again at these articles, you’d find that they’re written by some young 20-somethings. It’s understandable that the younger generation may feel pressure when they decide not to follow the trend. However, as a 40+ woman, I have not had this questioned at all. In fact, it’s been the opposite. Some even mentioned to me why it took me this long! Many people lamented to me that they wished they could do the same but they had locked themselves into a lifestyle and with mortgages and school fees to pay, they would rather work somewhere they hated than risk finding new work or following their passion.
(8) Don’t Forget to Smell the Roses
Well this is impossible for me (especially yesterday as I had pruned all the rose bushes). I think this is one of the biggest lessons for me this year as I simply didn’t do it enough. There were days where I was extremely productive and other days where I simply couldn’t focus on the one thing and I pushed myself to sit there in front of the screen for hours to create some half-arsed work which ended up being deleted (I’m now using a Mac computer, so the correct term is “trashed”. See? I’m learning this new fang dangled Mac terminology). When you feel like that, it’s okay to just get up and go for a walk or take the day off. Yes, you’ll feel guilty but at least you’re in control of your time alone and you can work anywhere anytime to catch up.
So that’s it. They are my key reflections from the last year. I’d be interested in learning about yours! Please share…
Image Attribution:
Victor Tondee https://www.flickr.com/photos/115887883@N05/14752992054
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Hi Helen, always love reading your posts – I have missed a few this year. Really love how honest and candid you are in sharing your experiences and views, it’s really helpful as it provides some great insight into the whole, real experience of life as a freelancer, as well as some excellent tips and advice. A lot of the sentiments you have expressed are similar to those of people I know who have gone freelance too (the initial panic when there seems to be no work…but something coming in – just when you need it; the ‘never going back to work for someone else’ attitude, despite the ups and downs). I can relate to the experiences you describe of working within an organisation vs contracting – and there is a lot about freelancing that appeals (certainly the bit about avoiding internal politicking, restructures, and seeming lack of control that comes with working within an organisation!). But, as you describe, it is something of a mindset change – and something you need to mentally prepare yourself for. Not sure if I’m quite there yet, but if and when I get there, I”ll certainly be coming back to this post – and your others – to work out where to start!
Thanks again for the comment Tanya. Yes, it is a mindset you’re exactly right. I think I got caught up in the excitement of it but in all honesty, it was something that I always wanted to try just to see if I can survive out there in the big bad world. We talked a lot with my husband about this and decided to give it 18 months. I have 6 months to go and now have to sort out my goals for these. So far, I have achieved my goals for the first year. Maybe I should give myself another year to see how it goes. You know what the biggest issue is? The thought of “what will I be doing in 3 – 5 – 10 years?” Will it be the same? Will it look different? Where will I be? I think I’m too comfortable setting short term goals and tasks and really haven’t planned for anything more longer term. When you’re freelancing, you quickly realise that you have all this T-I-M-E that extends out as opposed to say when you’re employed, you look at the term of your contract or the job in defined ‘packets’ of time. 6 months, 2 years, 3 years. Freelancing – there’s no separation. Don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing because it can lead to procrastination…
Will 18 months be enough to truly evaluate what this life is like? I guess you will find out….you might find you have committed to this way of work (life) and can’t go back! One of the things I get from what you are saying (as well as what other freelancers I know have said about the experience) is that part and parcel of doing this is the element of uncertainty inherent in it – there is no agreed ‘term’ or fixed price that you know you’ll be getting regardless of circumstances; there’s no security net to fall back on. You are subject to the opportunities that come your way, and those that you help create. I can see how this would make medium or long term planning and goal setting a challenge – so to an extent, maybe it’s not *just* procrastination…?
I guess part of this mindset change is embracing the uncertainty and going with the flow. If you can make it work financially, emotionally & practically, go for it.
You ask a good question and my response is, 18 months may be too short. I can’t believe how quickly the year has flown by but one thing I do know is that I don’t miss working in a corporate organisation – that is, within the environment of KPIs, performance management, job expectations, the internal politicking and the egos. What I do miss is the interactivity with others and the team based work – and the excitement of getting a new project and working with a team to create something new from it. Maybe I will need to investigate something that allows me to have that environment but still maintain the freedom and control? Some people are quite lucky to have this in their normal day-to-day job and I think this is fabulous. If your employer allows you the flexibility and the trust then what more can you ask for? They get a good deal out of your happiness too.
The ability to post publicly your reflections is admirable. Of course, it leads to more feedback, bringing even more water to 5) and 7). It’s really how we deal with them that defines our entrepreneurial style.
I don’t define myself a freelancer but as a solo entrepreneur. I totally agree with 1 to 4, 7 and 8 but less with 5 and 6. Sharing personal details is fine, being authentic, rather transparent is great but there is a cognitive load of knowing too much about people. IRL it would be like turning everyone into family friends, inviting them home or attending family events. That’s the reason I gave up using Facebook, keep some distance and stay more work focused. It gives me more time to smell roses (cutting grass this morning).
I should write a similar post on those last 2 years instead of adding typos to this great blog 🙂
Thanks Bruno, as always your comments are appreciated. Yes, please do write your own experiences. Maybe I should call myself a solo entrepreneur too? I always feel that the words stick in my throat when someone asks me, “So what do you do?” Usually I just say, “I help people work smarter and learn quicker through social media” then I quickly shrug my shoulders and add, “I’m a freelancer”. Maybe I should just stop saying that last bit….
haha yes…tricky situation! I remember Harold Jarche talking (at that Third Place meetup!) about when he first went freelance years and years ago – and the main thing he was doing was blogging (well before it became a ‘thing’) – and he used to tell people he was a ‘blogger’. They had no idea what he was on about! Not quite sure if this story helps you or not but I was amused to be reminded of it : )
Agree, it’s difficult to explain what you do so I just say how I help people…
Yep, this the elevator pitch. It must be enhanced as long as one is not comfortable with it and people from all venues (bakery store attendant, banker, customers) can’t get it or be sufficiently convinced. Takes its root in the mission statement, itself from the pain point being solved.
I’ve always been my own boss. I’ve always been with this lack of certitudes on the future, inability to plan for sure, the feeling of being anxious or guilty of not doing enough. it’s just normal. Maybe that’s what is called self-determination, freedom. It’s like learning to appreciate the sour taste or spicy food. Once you get it you love it and you can’t do without.