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Web Career 0.8 (a beginners guide to freelancing, part 1)

I’m writing this while I’m in the middle of a mad dash to get everything ready for the re-launch of my business endeavor Victory Creative. Victory Creative is a web consultancy based in Raleigh, North Carolina where we special in Web and UX Design/Development, Information Architecture and Project Management.

So, I wanted to share with you my experiences in preparing for launching a web design business. I’m doing this for two reasons: first is to share what I know in the hope that you might grab a nugget or two of learning and secondly (more selfishly on my part), if I share my adventure, it will motivate me even more to do everything by the numbers. If I’m going to give you, dear reader, valuable information for your adventures into freelance, I’m going to damn well be sure about the information and not lead you (and myself) astray.

Deciding to go freelance

So, in the midst of everything, I had to ask myself some hard questions. I mean, the really though questions you ask when you’re about to really shake up your existence:

• Am I crazy??!?
• Do I have the qualifications to freelance for a living?
• Do I have the level of commitment to do this?
• What will make me different from the rest of the pack?
• Do I have the where-with-all to start a business?

I know dozens of people who get the itch now and again. They get fed up with the daily grind and become attracted to the “greener” pasture that is self-employment. Many of them will try it out (hey, I’ve done this already at least once) only to find out that they enjoyed the process about as much as novacaine-less dental surgery. That was enough to get many of them back into the rat race and look at those entrepreneurial souls out there with the same kind of look you give to your addled old aunt who doesn’t quite remember who you are, but still pinches your cheek with a plier-like grip.

So, am I crazy? Well yeah, that’s besides the point. The question is, am I crazy enough to do this? And that would be yes also. Why? Well Sally, let me tell you. I have a plan and a passion for what I do. I really enjoy this web design stuff and I’m really go at it. I eat and sleep web design. I even arrange my fruit loops into interesting layouts and show them to my friends saying “Now that’s gonna be a cool looking website!”

Now, about my qualifications. Do I know what I need to know to do the work? Yes, and no. Here’s what I mean: Do I know how to design some wicked pretty sites? Yes. Can I write code that will make all who’s-who of web design jealous at my mad skillz? Heck yeah! Do I know how to write a GUI interface to a mass spectrometer in TI Basic? No. I don’t. Nor do I ever want to. If I have a client who really really wants me to add a TI Basic interface to his mass spectrometer and they’re a good client. Then by golly I’m going to ask my friends who know TI Basic to help me out. I don’t have any problems asking for help now and then.

Rule 1 of Freelancing: Don’t be afraid to ask help from people you trust and pay them for it.

Now you must be asking, that’s fine, but are you committed to seeing this through? This was the toughest question to ask. I mean, it’s good in theory to say I’m now a freelancer, but then you have to say a freelancer all the time. Unless you are getting business on the side to suppliment your income as Head Barista at the local caffeine palace, you need to come to grips with the fact that you’re about to start a business and you’re livelihood will depend on how committed you are to freelancing. There’s no half way here.

Rule 2 of Freelancing: Remember you are a freelancer 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.

Ok, good. I’ve got skills, I’ve got committment, I’ve got a case of Excedrine and my very own kitten-hanging-in-a-tree poster on the wall. So, what’s going to make me special enough to have client prospects enter the squared circle in a no-holds-barred Battle Royale in the hopes of having me as their designer? Now there’s a good question. The ultimate answer to that question is simple: my reputation. Now of course, when you’re just starting out, there’s not much in the reputation piggy bank to start with, but there are ways to build your reputation. Most important of which is to do the job, get happy clients and share what you know with everyone you can. Become part of your community, whichever that is. Be an active member of that community. Networking is gold!

Rule 3 of Freelancing: Start building a positive reputation now!

Rule 4 of Freelancing: Don’t be afraid to share what you know. Be part of the community!

Finally, do I have the where-with-all to make the move to self-employment? The question is: Can you financially handle the move to running a business and do you have the discipline to run a business? I mean, freelancing isn’t 100% doing web design and waiting for the money to start overflowing your bank vault. There’s a mundane side to freelance. Expect to have a third of your time (or more) just doing the day to day activities any business owner performs. You still have to manage your bookkeeping, answer emails, write proposals, meet with prospects and pay the bills. So, do I have the where-with-all to do everything involved in running a business? Yes. I do.

Rule 5 for Freelancing: Being a freelancer means you are running a business and you are doing everything that entails.

So, think about it. Do you want to freelance? Can you postively answer these questions and be confident in your decision? Then welcome to the wonderful world of freelancing! We have cookies!