The Pros & Cons Of Freelancing
Working from home or anywhere you want to as a freelancer can be a dream come true. However, it is not for everybody.
After working as a freelancer for over five years and helping hundreds of other women do the same I have come to see the pros and cons of the freelance or digital nomad journey.
Before you quit your 9to5 and move to Bali like I did read this post and tune in with yourself. Are you the type? You can always test for yourself by taking on one or two clients on the side and see if you like it.
You can also watch my YouTube video if you prefer!
Freedom - Pro
What is your biggest value in life? Is it spending time with your family? Having the ability to travel whenever you want to or simply just choosing when you want to work. Some people love working early in the morning's others in the evening and there are those who want to choose every day from scratch when and where they want to work from.
When working as a freelancer you are the boss and can decide where you want to work from aka your couch, pool, or whatever you like. It also allows you to work whenever you want. Fancy going for an afternoon hike or beach walk while or shopping while the stores are empty? You get to choose.
Time Management - Con
With having your time freedom also comes responsibility. Now that you are in charge you also have to create your own schedule. Working from anywhere and at any time still includes doing your work for clients. If you don’t have a clear work schedule for yourself, you can quickly get distracted by Netflix or having coffee dates with friends. Or the exact opposite might happen and you work too much. There is always something you can do when you have your own business. Which means time management is key!
No one tells you what you should do and when you should do it. A client who works with a freelancer expects the person he or she hires aka YOU to know what to do. That’s the benefit for them. So if you prefer to just sit down in front of a computer and having someone guide you, working as a freelancer might not be the right path for you!
Hustle - Con
You have decided to give this whole freelance thing a change. You’ve created your social media handles and you might have even set-up a website but what you really need is clients! While websites like Upwork can connect you with clients the earning potential is usually really low and the platform saturated. Which means it’s time to put yourself out there and find some clients. There are many different ways to find clients. You can find them on Linkedin, in Facebook groups, or on Instagram. Whatever avenue you choose involves work and getting a few “no-thank-yous”.
Unlimited Earning Potential - Pro
Once you have your first clients and know what the best strategy is to find your dream clients the earning potential is almost unlimited. Of course, you don’t want to work day and night but that’s the beauty of being your own boss - you can hire help yourself. When you work in an office your salary is fixed. Whether you scroll on Facebook all day or actually do your work you know at the end of the month the same amount is coming into your account. You might get a pay rise but let’s be honest it will most likely not be life-changing. As a freelancer, you can not only onboard as many clients as you want and eventually turn into a little agency you can also raise your prices whenever you want.
Especially during challenging times, it is amazing to know that you are resourceful and can generate or uplevel your income whenever you want. The online business space is not going anywhere and if we’ve learned anything during 2020 is that the online world is going to expand even more!
Inconsistent Work or Income - Con
If your time-management did not include constant lead generating or all your clients are suddenly not able to pay you anymore you might end up one day without any clients left. To prevent this you want to make sure that you have some security measurements in place:
Always have clients pay upfront
Always include a few hours per week to find new clients even when you are fully booked
Always keep track of your finances
A few years ago it was said that having a 9to5 guarantees you a secure and steady income and that working freelance is “risky” but we all know that 2020 showed us differently. There is no guaranteed security and if you have measurements in place and are also willing to pivot during challenging times working freelance you will always find a client.
Having several bosses - Debunked
Some people find that having different clients results in having several different bosses. You are not leaving your 9to5 just so that now several people dictate your time. If you don’t like working with a client you can at any time quit the contract and on top of that, you get to write the contract!
Choose Your Own Clients - Pro
When working freelance you can not only choose the work aka service you want to offer you can also choose who you want to work with. Have your own contract and always go on a discovery call with a potential client. You want to get a good feeling on whether you want to work with that person and if it feels aligned. A discovery call is not a job interview. You also get to vet the client and decide for yourself if you want to on-board that person. Remember the options are unlimited!
Unlimited Possibilities - Pro
Talking about unlimited options. You might start as a freelance social media manager and after a while, you realize that you would rather offer your services as an online life coach or a branding strategist. Whatever your passion is, you are in charge of your own life and you can at any time decide what you want to offer. While only a few years ago the options to just do a career change were limited, the online working space allows you to turn your passion into a business.
Not sure where to get started?
Join my FREE Masterclass where I walk you through the exact steps you need to take in order to get started as freelance social media manger.
In my 8-week Social Media Manager course you learn how to get started as a freelancer AND how to find your first client. You will also learn everything there is to know about Social Media aka Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!