The real deal on goal-setting and moving forward as a freelancer
Hey there, freelancer! How are things going? Now's a good time to stop in and make sure all is well.
This article is part 10 (of 10) of Lightpost, a new USA TODAY Network series sourced by experts and focused on helping you achieve your goals. You can read this article as a standalone, or check out more of our career-focused checklists and keep developing your badass skills.
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✔️ Make sure you’re happy
“I prescribe the 80/20 rule for entrepreneurship — 20% of the work you do should amount to 80% of the money you make. And 80% of the work you do should be fulfilling enough to push along the money-making work.” - Dan Fost, professional freelance writer
Take a step back. Are you enjoying the work you are doing? As you look toward the future, now’s the time to redo or revise your goals worksheet. Look toward the future and don’t be afraid to write down exactly what you want. As you’ve learned, that’s the first step to achieving it. Make sure you're building a portfolio that reflects yourself -- and pivot if you need to!
How does your workload align with the 80/20 rule? Reflect on your assignments and write down the ones you’d do again. As you track your experience, you’ll see certain trends and start taking jobs by what you know you enjoy and what makes you the most money.
✔️ Look for signs it’s time to up your rate
"Chances are, you're not charging nearly enough. That's just the way we think, for all the self doubt reasons mentioned earlier. But you're not selling a gallon of milk and it's not a perfect market. Your rate is part of what people use to determine your value. The more you charge, the better I assume you must be. So try this: Double your fees for your next three opportunities and watch what happens. Remember, if you doubled your fees and lost half your clients, you'd make just as much money (and have a lot more time left over)." - Michael Katz, digital marketer, Blue Penguin Development, Inc.
“With my first gigs, I didn’t work for nothing, but I worked for a lot less than what I charge now.” - professional wedding freelancer Jon Sham
Are clients offering more? Are you getting an immediate “yes” without negotiating with new clients? Are comparable freelancers in your network charging more? Consider upping your rate.
✔️ What’s next?
"I recommend freelancers have three-to-six months of savings and a few quality clients prior to making the leap to full-time. Keep that safety net of a traditional job until you have those things; it gives you the freedom to figure out your freelancing career before the pressure of doing it full-time hits." - Bryce Bladon, digital communications specialist and co-host of the Clients from Hell Podcast
What’s in your horizon? Only time will tell… but let us direct you to our “starting a business” section of Lightpost.
This article is part 10 (of 10) of Lightpost, a new USA TODAY Network series sourced by experts and focused on helping you achieve your goals. You can read this article as a standalone, or check out more of our career-focused checklists and keep developing your badass skills.