Comments on: Freelancing 101 - The Basics http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/ Freelance Advice and Freelance Jobs - FreelanceSwitch Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:33:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Kalon http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-19680 Kalon Fri, 04 Apr 2008 01:39:37 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-19680 Good advice came from Dennison and of course the article writer. I read this after being offered a project to shoot for a local sports store's motorcycle rally...when I approached them with the bill for the prints they requested they said to me, today, "Oh, we don't pay you give them to us for free we just give you the right to take pictures of our show." Pfft. Dealing with idiots like that (who we fool ourselves into thinking could be a great gig or a great project to make bankroll off of) is something that the starting freelancers like myself have to get used to. I think this article really hit the nail on the head about getting over that fear of not having money in the bank or a cash flow. Frank Herbert's Litany of fear rings true at this point. My only additional advice would be to reinforce upon this would be to dont sweat the small stuff, there will be other projects, other clients. Sometimes life kicks a stick in your chain and you fly off but you wont die (unless you get run over by a train...heh)...my point is; dont fear. Fear saps creativity. Another tip of advice I could hand out is to have BACKUP clients or projects. Say your big client cancels, have another small project from a smaller client available that you could otherwise do in a shorter amount of time the big client would take. If the big client fails, then you can fall back on the smaller one. It sounds risky to juggle like that but it really helps to ease the cashflow fear. Good advice came from Dennison and of course the article writer. I read this after being offered a project to shoot for a local sports store’s motorcycle rally…when I approached them with the bill for the prints they requested they said to me, today, “Oh, we don’t pay you give them to us for free we just give you the right to take pictures of our show.” Pfft. Dealing with idiots like that (who we fool ourselves into thinking could be a great gig or a great project to make bankroll off of) is something that the starting freelancers like myself have to get used to. I think this article really hit the nail on the head about getting over that fear of not having money in the bank or a cash flow.

Frank Herbert’s Litany of fear rings true at this point.

My only additional advice would be to reinforce upon this would be to dont sweat the small stuff, there will be other projects, other clients. Sometimes life kicks a stick in your chain and you fly off but you wont die (unless you get run over by a train…heh)…my point is; dont fear. Fear saps creativity.

Another tip of advice I could hand out is to have BACKUP clients or projects. Say your big client cancels, have another small project from a smaller client available that you could otherwise do in a shorter amount of time the big client would take. If the big client fails, then you can fall back on the smaller one. It sounds risky to juggle like that but it really helps to ease the cashflow fear.

]]> By: Dennison Uy - Graphic Designer http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-11170 Dennison Uy - Graphic Designer Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:31:35 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-11170 Building up a portfolio can be a big problem for a lot of professionals, not just freelancers. In order to build a good portfolio, you need projects. But how do you get projects if nobody will get you because you don't have enough to show? This is where your networking skills come in. Do your parents, uncles, grandparents run a business? How about doing work for charities, school organizations, and independent bands? How about creating something and then releasing it onto the Internet for free, like a WordPress theme? Hope that gets you started. Happy freelancing! Building up a portfolio can be a big problem for a lot of professionals, not just freelancers. In order to build a good portfolio, you need projects. But how do you get projects if nobody will get you because you don’t have enough to show? This is where your networking skills come in. Do your parents, uncles, grandparents run a business? How about doing work for charities, school organizations, and independent bands? How about creating something and then releasing it onto the Internet for free, like a WordPress theme? Hope that gets you started. Happy freelancing!

]]> By: Joefrey Mahusay http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-10970 Joefrey Mahusay Thu, 08 Nov 2007 10:19:01 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-10970 I like this article so much, I've learn a lot of stuffs here. Thanks to Mathias Meyer :) I like this article so much, I’ve learn a lot of stuffs here. Thanks to Mathias Meyer :)

]]> By: joseph hollak http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-8005 joseph hollak Wed, 12 Sep 2007 20:51:57 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-8005 I liked the post, but I felt more compelled to comment on a comment: Jason says: You guys are great, but freelancing 101 should be support other freelancers. Ironic that you chose to use cheap stock photos to illustrate your article. Why not get a buddy who’s a photographer and work a tradeout. It takes work, but its better than supporting an agency that undermines our profession with prices to low to compete with… just a suggestion @ Jason: I couldn't agree more and I was thinking the exact same as I read through the post. I liked the post, but I felt more compelled to comment on a comment:

Jason says:

You guys are great, but freelancing 101 should be support other freelancers. Ironic that you chose to use cheap stock photos to illustrate your article.

Why not get a buddy who’s a photographer and work a tradeout. It takes work, but its better than supporting an agency that undermines our profession with prices to low to compete with… just a suggestion

@ Jason:

I couldn’t agree more and I was thinking the exact same as I read through the post.

]]> By: Pádraig http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-7687 Pádraig Thu, 06 Sep 2007 21:23:35 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-7687 Awesome article! Awesome article!

]]> By: Working for yourself makes you richer | Writing Cave http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-3500 Working for yourself makes you richer | Writing Cave Fri, 15 Jun 2007 11:09:30 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-3500 [...] Freelancing 101 - The Basics [...] […] Freelancing 101 - The Basics […]

]]> By: » A Little Link Love by Erik Karey: Internet Entrepreneur http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-2943 » A Little Link Love by Erik Karey: Internet Entrepreneur Tue, 05 Jun 2007 14:51:33 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-2943 [...] some recent posts throughout the internet that caught my eye and give them a little link love. Freelancing 101 - The Basics - I just recently found the Freelancing Switch blog and I’ve been really impressed by it. It has [...] […] some recent posts throughout the internet that caught my eye and give them a little link love. Freelancing 101 - The Basics - I just recently found the Freelancing Switch blog and I’ve been really impressed by it. It has […]

]]> By: Freelancing 101 - Get Started! | 101 Resources http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-2852 Freelancing 101 - Get Started! | 101 Resources Sun, 03 Jun 2007 15:40:26 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-2852 [...] wait, before you do anything, read this piece from FreelanceSwitch called “Freelancing 101 - The Basics” and save yourself some grief. At least you’ll know what to expect and what to plan [...] […] wait, before you do anything, read this piece from FreelanceSwitch called “Freelancing 101 - The Basics” and save yourself some grief. At least you’ll know what to expect and what to plan […]

]]> By: Friday's Linklove : Roberta Ferguson http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-2771 Friday's Linklove : Roberta Ferguson Fri, 01 Jun 2007 13:31:19 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-2771 [...] was checking out this article from FreelanceSwitch last night regarding making the newbie switch to freelancing. Great article and it gives great [...] […] was checking out this article from FreelanceSwitch last night regarding making the newbie switch to freelancing. Great article and it gives great […]

]]> By: Richard http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-2754 Richard Fri, 01 Jun 2007 08:23:41 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/freelancing-101-the-basics/#comment-2754 Offtopic: Hey I don't really think Mondongo Guisado'is really a human being!!!!! If it is, man... His parents are sick! :P Offtopic: Hey I don’t really think Mondongo Guisado’is really a human being!!!!! If it is, man… His parents are sick! :P

]]>