Today my cousin posted on her Facebook profile: “Thanking the Lord for my second year in freelance editing.”

I congratulated her, and then realized that my own two-year anniversary had recently come and gone without notice.

I had been too focused on tracking my income, that I had lost sight of this milestone in my freelancing career. This is not good.

Sure, money is a big reason behind why I freelance, and I’m sure it is for you too. However, I’m also in it for other reasons, such as:

• personal and professional development
• modeling an “alternative” lifestyle for my children and those who dream of leaving their cubicles
• work-life balance

Certainly there are more “metrics” I should be looking at other than the bottom line.

Such as the fact that I’ve been freelancing for 28 months and am thriving!

Another Way to Track Your Progress

One good advice I read somewhere says something like, “To see how far you’ve gone, compare where you are today with where you were, say, a year ago. Or two years ago, five years ago… and so on.”

Unfortunately, I can’t remember where I heard this advice. (If you know, please share in the comments section below.)

Please indulge me as I share with you how I fare when doing this exercise.

Compared to two years ago, I now…

• know exactly what kind of services I want to provide and to whom
• charge at least four times what I used to, for the same or similar service
• have steady work month after month
• have a list of prospects for my freelancing services
• have a marketing plan to ensure that I get myself “out there”
• get a lot more done in one day
• feel overwhelmed a lot less often
• feel much more confident about my skills, experience, and ability to help my clients
• have information products I created and am selling, with more coming
• a number of networks to meet prospective clients and joint venture partners
• wake up raring to get to work!

More Challenges Ahead

I have to admit, though, that I still have a long way to go in terms of achieving work-life balance. It’s not that I spend a lot of time working.

On the contrary, because I have a preschooler at home with me, I have very limited time to work… which means I work every time I have the opportunity.

This means I’ve been neglecting those parts of me I wish I could nurture more, such as physical exercise, reading for pleasure, and crafting. Not to mention my children’s scrapbooks. And, uh, what’s a social life?

I hope this picture will improve when my youngest child starts Junior Kindergarten in the Fall. My biggest worry is that, I’ll get so caught up in my work that I’ll still neglect all these other things. It’s hard to achieve balance when you’re enjoying your work so much, isn’t it?

Of course, there’ll always be room for improvement in every area of our lives. If not, what would motivate us to keep growing?

How Far Have YOU Gone?

All right, enough about me. I’d really like to hear from you: How far have you come since you first started freelancing? Or if you’ve freelancing for a long time, then how do you compare right now to where you were two years ago?

Please share by posting in the comments below.

photo credit: ginnerobot

The getting of clients remains the number one challenge for freelancers today.

At least, that’s what I found when I surveyed the participants in my recent webinar with “the real” James Chartrand.

As you may already know, James knew all about the pain of struggling to get clients. In fact, that’s what drove her to take on a male persona.

Sadly, I found other cases of freelancers changing themselves for the sake of their freelancing biz.

For example, somebody told me she dyed her light blonde hair dark just to be taken more seriously.

How sad! I happen to be envious of blonde hair, and would probably bleach my hair blonde if it didn’t clash with my coloring.

People Judge: It’s A Fact

All this talk of having to change an aspect of yourself in order to get more clients worries me.

After all, I have a lot of things going AGAINST me:

• I’m female
• I’m Asian
• I have a hispanic family name
• I look young for my age
• I’m a work-at-home Mom

… and so on and so forth.

Should I create a different, more acceptable persona? One that does elicits more trust, credibility and expertise?

I won’t.

Here’s Why

1. The first reason is I’m just plain too lazy. If I changed my persona in any way, I would need to maintain it and exert so much effort just to keep my real identity from coming through.
2. My second reason is, I’m stubborn. I refuse to pander to the prejudices of those who let gender, race, hair color, age or whatever else affect their decisions.
3. And finally, I’m all about being authentic. Not to say that those who’ve changed their identities are not authentic. However, I would feel like a fake if I did.

I would feel like a traitor to “my kind” if changed my public identity in any way.

And besides, I really don’t want to work with people who would think less of me because my demographics.

WHO NEEDS THEM?

So that’s me.

Your Turn

How about you? How far would you go to get more clients? Or get paid more by your clients?

Be honest! No judgements here, just keeping it real.

photo credit: mark sebastian

Can you believe we’re into the second quarter of the year already?

How has 2010 been for you? Did you set goals? If so, what kind of progress have you been making? Are you on track?

If you aren’t, you’ve got plenty of time to get on track to make 2010 your best year yet!

This month’s challenge will help you do just that.

The Savvy Freelancer’s April 2010 challenge is: Acquire a success mindset.

What’s Mindset Anyway?

Your “mindset” is made up of your attitudes and beliefs about everything: yourself, your work, the world.

It includes:

• what value you think you deliver to your clients
• what you believe your time is worth
• whether or not you believe that you deserve to be a six-figure freelancer
• how you define success and how it is achieved

… and many, many more!

Your mindset is the sum total of the inner monologue you deliver in your mind. All the scripts you’ve written from childhood and still carry to this day.

The Inner Game Is As Important As Your External Actions

I’m no Law of Attraction believer.

I do believe that our mindset influences our external behavior — and the effects they have on others and the world.

Maybe it’s the way our mindset shines through in the way we conduct ourselves, whether we do so with confidence and assurance or obvious self-doubt.

What I have observed in my own life is that, when I acquire a bigger mindset, bigger results follow.

Here’s an example:

If you will recall, I drastically increased my prices in January this year. This brought out a wave of self-doubt and insecurities. I didn’t feel I was deserving. I felt greedy and selfish and materialistic.

That’s when I realized I would never attract clients who are willing to pay my rates as long as I thought that way.

I needed a new mindset.

Slowly, I recognized the value of my services to my clients. I realized that I had an expertise they didn’t have, that would take them many months, maybe even years, and plenty of money to acquire for themselves.

I also decided that my freelancing was a real business. It’s not a “hobby business.” So I invested in getting the professional help I needed to make sure that the financial side of my business was solid.

I had to swallow hard at the cost, but strangely enough, the money did come to cover all of it — and more.

It helps, of course, that I’ve found new clients and have supportive contacts cheering me on.

Before I knew it, my mindset had changed. My confidence has increased and maybe, that has helped me to carry myself with more authority and professionalism, thus attracting higher-paying clients.

And now, guess what, I’ve increased my rates again!

So mindset is no airy-fairy-woo-woo stuff. It’s actually very practical.

Where Do I Find This “Success” Mindset?

Unfortunately, we can’t change our mindset as easily as we change hats.

In my experience, it changes slowly.

Here are some things that will help you “grow” your mindset:

• Awareness

Be aware of the inner monologue you have in your mind. Is it filled with put downs? Fear? Doubts? Judgement? False beliefs? Awareness is the beginning of change.

And according to my living-in-the-moment mentor, Marie Forleo, once you’re aware of your inner scripts, you don’t even have to do anything to try and change them. Just acknowledge them, and then go back to living in the present.

Say to yourself, “Oh here I am putting myself down again. Ok, I’m back (to the present and the task at hand).”

• Be the Best You Can Be

Ok, I know this sounds like a cheesy self-help book. What I mean is, be the best writer, designer, programmer, VA — whatever you are — you can be!

Invest time and money to sharpen your skills. Because when you know without a doubt that you’re good at what you’re doing, you can’t keep it a secret. It shows in your eyes, your posture, your writing, your words. And then the clients come.

• Get Inspired

Things aren’t always easy, not even for the smartest, best looking, wealthiest or most famous among us. Problems and challenges come. It helps to know that we can overcome these challenges and still come out on top.

For me, what really helps is to read about other people’s success stories. It’s inspiring to know that “overnight successes” actually took 10 years to happen.

Click here to download free motivational stories. (There’s an opt-in box on this page, but you can download the motivational stories without opting in, so enjoy!)

Final Thoughts

Acquiring a success mindset is actually a big challenge, and I don’t expect you to accomplish it in a month. For starters, at least become aware of what your existing mindset is.

For additional guidance about mindset, I recommend the following:

1. Breaking the Scarcity Mindset by Dave Navarro

2. The Strangest Secret for Succeeding in a Tough Economy by Ed Gandia

3. The Ultimate Key to Making Millions by Bernadette Doyle

How has your mindset been keeping you from being successful? And how do you plan to acquire a winning mindset? Do share in the comments below.

photo credit: h.koppdelaney

PS: For mastering both the internal and external games necessary to succeed as a freelancer, I highly recommend “The Wealthy Freelancer” by Ed Gandia, Pete Savage, and Steve Slaunwhite.

If you’ve been following this blog for some time, you know that I’ve recently increased my rates. In fact, this is The Savvy Freelancer’s January 2010 challenge.

I’ve been increasing my rates every few months for the last year or so. And the results have always been positive, bringing a stream of new, higher-quality clients.

Despite knowing on a logical level that this move is good, the decision to increase my fees created a lot of anxiety in me. You see, I didn’t raise my fees by 10%, 20% or even 30%. I raised them by 84%!

Doing something bold and scary like this is one way to dig up one’s emotional baggages. Immediately, I was besieged by feelings of inadequacy (“I don’t deserve this), fear of poverty (“Nobody will ever hire me again”) and lack of trust in divine providence (“I’m on my own now).

On one hand, this is good. I’ve learned a lot about myself recently, and I’m seeking (and receiving) support from my different networks. On the other hand, it makes for stressful times.

I promised myself many years ago never to make decisions based on fear. So I didn’t allow all the negative feelings I’ve dug up to stop myself. In fact, I used them to challenge myself even more, if only to see if my fears are warranted.

And it’s paid off. Check this out:

• I pitched a guest post in a very successful, very busy blog. Scared the heck out of me, but guess what – my guest post is going to be published soon! I don’t want to jinx it by announcing it already, but I’ll definitely let you know when.
• In the last quotation I submitted, I would have been perfectly happy to do the task at my old rate (it’s for a favorite client), but instead I used my new rates as a basis. A bit of haggling ensued, but in the end, we still agreed on a fee that’s 20% higher than what I would have “settled” for.
• I’ve decided to embrace an even narrower niche in copywriting and online marketing (you can read all about it at my copywriting blog). Just when I did, I discovered individuals and networks of people who share my marketing/business principles and beliefs.

Am I still scared? You bet.

But I’m also excited. I’m finding that the more I value myself, the more others value me.

More good things are to come.

What are your thoughts? Do share in the comments below.

photo credit: Swamibu

Last week, I listed the reasons why I love freelancing. To keep things balanced, today I’m going to share what I hate about freelancing.

Hopefully, this list will help those who are still thinking about freelancing to decide whether it’s really right for them. Sometimes, freelancers are accused of romanticizing our work, as if our lifestyles were all about coffee shops and yoga pants.

It isn’t. Freelancing is darn hard. So don’t think for a minute that a freelancer’s life is perfect or devoid of problems.

Just take a look at all the stuff that makes me dislike freelancing:

1. Unpredictable Income

We’re not salaried, so we can’t predict that we’ll make $4,000 a month. This is especially true for beginning freelancers who are still building their network of clients and prospects.

Clients can cancel or suddenly stop a recurring project. On the other hand, sometimes too much work arrives and you have a windfall (as well as possibly more work than you can handle).

Even for those of us who have a pretty steady income, it’s still impossible to say exactly how much we’ll be bringing home each month.

I have a general idea of my monthly income, which is helpful for budget setting. But in reality, I can earn more or less than the average on any given month. This can be really tough if you’re counting on your freelancing income to pay the bills.

2. Big Responsibility

When you’re a freelancer or other type of self-employed entrepreneur, the buck stops with you. If anything goes wrong, you’re the one who’s ultimately responsible.

Gone are the days of hiding behind the authority of bosses when decision making time comes – or when *#$% hits the fan. I felt this acutely the first time I sent a press release about one of my niche blogs. It was strange for me to be sending off a press release without getting clearance from at least two supervisors first.

3. Dealing with Clients

In general, my clients are mostly very nice people and are a dream to work with. In fact, I am very blessed to have clients who are good people.

But not all clients are pleasant to work with. Some have questionable ethics (like my client who wanted me to write copy for a product sight unseen). Some clients pay late or not at all. Others haggle your fees to death, or demand more than what you promised (free marketing consultation, anyone?).

These instances have been rare in my experience, but when something like this does come up, I get a bad taste in my mouth.

4. No Benefits

When you’re a freelancer, the sad fact is that if you don’t work, then you don’t make money. I really miss having paid vacation days, when I can take off for a couple of weeks and still know for sure that my salary will make its way into my bank account.

This is why freelancers should have other streams of income, preferably passive income. But usually we have no time or energy left after all the client work is done.

Health insurance is another big issue for other freelancers. Because I live in Canada, my family and I receive free consultations with the doctor, immunizations and hospitalization. My hubby’s employer covers most of our costs for prescription medicines, naturopathic care, dental services and eye care.

So health insurance isn’t a big concern for me, but I feel I should mention it here because it is a big worry for other freelancers.

5. Self Promotion

One of the things I first discovered about freelancing was that I had become a salesperson – of my services. If you’re looking for employment, you pretty much only have to sell yourself while you’re applying for the job. After that, you simply have to not screw up to lose your job.

Not so with freelancing. Because the flow of projects and income is unpredictable, you need to be constantly marketing yourself, as this article in Freelance Switch advises.

Related to this is the need to ask for money, which can be uncomfortable for some. For example, every time I increase my fees, I have sleepless nights wondering how I’m going to tell my existing clients that I now require more moolah for the same work.

I went through the same conundrum when I decided to require payment first before I start a project. My current problem is figuring out how to tell clients that while I may dish free marketing advice via email now and then, I do charge an hourly consultation fee, if the marketing advice they need requires a telephone call.

Do you have any advice for me?

The Bottom Line

These are the the things about freelancing that make me sigh, worry and second-guess myself. I did my best to make the number equal to the number of benefits I listed last time.

But it isn’t the number that’s important here. In fact, the degree of negativity all these things bring me does not equal the amount of positive vibes I get from the benefits of freelancing.

I dislike these things because they’re uncomfortable. They require courage and optimism. They force me to stretch myself, acquire new skills and become an all-around better person, copywriter, marketer and entrepreneur.

So for me, the benefits of freelancing far outweigh the negatives. Is it the same for you? Do let us know, please post a comment below.

Thanks!

photo credit: blakeemrys

I engage with a lot of freelancers on Twitter and it strikes me how extreme people’s feelings are about freelancing.

Some love it. They tweet something like, “Freelancing – this is the life!” Or how much they enjoy being able to go to the gym anytime they feel like it, or work at the coffee shop instead of a boring cubicle.

On the other extreme are those who can’t wait to find a regular job so they could stop freelancing. Some never seem to find good clients. Others are getting stiffed by clients, or having a really tough time just making ends meet as a freelancer.

As a savvy freelancer, you know that both views are correct. Freelancing can be heaven or it can be hell. If you’re considering freelancing, you need to go into it with open eyes, seeing both the positive and the negative sides of freelancing.

In this post, let’s focus on the plusses of freelancing first.

The Benefits of Freelancing

1. You’re your own boss.

Sure, you work FOR clients, but ultimately you decide whom you work with, what work you will do, for how much, and when and where you will work. Your client may drop you, but you can never fire yourself. And, while you can’t fire your boss, you can fire your clients.

This benefit is particularly important for people who have difficulty handling authority figures, or people who just don’t like having to kiss up.

2. Your work day is flexible.

As long as you meet your deadlines, you can pretty much work as you please. Wear pajamas? Check. Stay up all night and wake up at noon? Check. Do an hour of cardio first before checking your email? Check. Work only 3 days a week? Check. As long as you meet your obligations to your clients, anything goes.

This is the number one reason I feel that freelancing is an ideal work arrangement for parents. You’re there for your children, while at the same time providing for them. While I was still an employee, I often felt miserable about having to sit in the office for 8 hours a day when I could often finish my work in much less time. Or having to be at work when my brain at its most productive. As a freelancer, I respect my own rhythms and work when I’m at my peak.

3. Your overhead costs are small.

Freelancing from home is cheaper than putting up another home business. It’s even cheaper than working in the corporate world. You don’t need to buy a work wardrobe, no spending on gas or commuting, no need for lunches outside the home, and fewer temptations to get that expensive cup of latte on your break.

I began my freelancing business with nothing more than a laptop (which I already owned) and a PayPal account.

4. You’re forced to keep growing.

As a freelancer, you need to keep developing your skills to keep ahead of the competition. In contrast, as an employee, it’s easy to get complacent and just do the minimum required to keep your job. You’re also more likely to rely on your employer to determine which skills you need to improve or develop, and when your training should happen. That’s not necessarily good for your professional growth.

I’m always asking myself, “What do I need to get good at in order to give more value to my clients?” I enjoy learning and studying, so I frequently ask this question.

5. You earn as much – or as little – as you please. This may not be true if you’re just starting out, but as soon as you become an established freelancer – which can take as little as a few weeks to a few months – then you pretty much control your income. You decide how much you want to earn in how many hours and then find the combination of clients and services that will help you achieve your desired income.

Recently, I decided to cut down on my working hours. I knew my income would dip a little, but the personal time I gained has been worth with. Fortunately, I’m not a bread winner, but I know that if I needed or wanted to earn more, I can. If, like me, it doesn’t take a lot of money to make you happy – but the things that bring you joy do take up time – then you’ll love freelancing, too.

Why Do You Love Freelancing?

What do you love about freelancing? Please share by posting a comment below.

In the next post, I’ll talk about what I don’t like about freelancing. If you want to be notified when that post is published, do sign up for regular updates from TheSavvyFreelancer.com by submitting your main Email address below:

photo credit: TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³

Most days, I believe freelancing is just about the best thing a parent could do. You stay home yet earn an income and continue growing professionally.

But early this week, something happened that rocked my little home-based world: a client who had earlier agreed to hire me to write a sales page, emailed me to say she decided to work with somebody else who had given her a lower quote.

Some background: she was a returning client, and I moved my schedule around to accommodate her deadline.

I felt a range of emotions:

• disappointment that I had “lost” a job…
• rage, that I had been judged on price alone, and a copywriter of “lesser” value was chosen over me…
• fear, that I would never be able to charge what I felt I was worth and still find clients…
• self-doubt, that I could ever be like those highly-paid copywriters I admire…

When a Client Ditches You

Experiences like this make freelancers think that our lot is truly tough. We rely on clients for work and income, so when they fall through, we feel like a jilted lover.

I still remember the time my first regular client – who had been giving me work weekly for months – suddenly told me she wasn’t hiring me anymore. I felt sick to my stomach. Again, I was filled with self-doubt: did I let her down? Was my work that bad? Is it the end of the world?

The Silver Lining

Needless to say, it wasn’t the end of the world. I found other clients. That client did hire me again, for even bigger jobs. And she has referred a number of other clients to me, a couple of whom became long-term clients.

These little hiccups with clients can sometimes feel bigger or more dramatic than they really are. I just have to look back to my 19 years of working in government service, children’s television and international development to find dozens of incidences when I experienced conflicts – with supervisors, co-workers, program partners and other people. There’s definitely more drama in real life than in email!

The difference is those conflicts don’t usually translate to a loss of income or potential income. Agreed, my forthrightness probably caused me a promotion, but I will never know for sure.

On the other hand, a “broken” relationship with a client has a very concrete result: no work = no income.

Times like this, it’s easy to think that freelancing sucks.

But it’s my style to always look at the bright side of things, look for the silver lining and make the most of any situation.

Look on the Bright Side

For example, shortly after reading that shocking email, I remembered several things:

• I was booked solid until December – at least.
• If a prospect can’t afford my rates, then he or she isn’t my target client (therefore, it would never work out)
• I have other clients waiting for me. In fact, they’ve paid in advance to get into my work schedule. I need to focus on THEM, not on the one who flaked out on me!

Nothing ever goes perfectly, freelancing included. When disappointments arise, we simply have to keep going and keep believing in the value we bring to our clients.

And you know what? Because that client backed out, I had some time available to entertain a new prospect – one who can afford my rates and wants to hire me for the long haul.

As one of my mentors at the UN always used to tell me: “When a door closes, another one opens.”

Do tell: what experiences have made you think that freelancing sucks – and what did you do about it? Share your thoughts by posting a comment below.

Lexi

PS: Totally unrelated, but I think you should know: Freelance Folder is celebrating its 20,000th subscriber with a 50% discount on The Unlimited Freelancer. I highly recommend The Unlimited Freelancer for those who want to take your freelancing biz to the next level. Click here to read my review, if you’re interested.

photo credit: bastique

Do you experience any of the following symptoms?

• inability to find happiness in employment
• constant dissatisfaction with your job, no matter how much money you’re earning
• susceptibility to various distractions, such as a hobby, passion – or kids and spouse
• weakness for dreams of adventure, like traveling, bungee jumping or living a bohemian lifestyle
• short attention span for structure, or at least those structures that others set up for you

If you suffer any or all of the symptoms described above, I’m afraid the prognosis is not good:

You’ve got a freelancer’s heart.

It’s an illness for which there is only one cure: to engage in what may be the scariest, most challenging journey of your life.

But it’s the only thing that will take away the constant feelings of discontent, longing and soul-lessness you’ve been getting from employment.

How do you know if you really have the heart of a freelancer?

I believe a freelancer at heart has the following qualities, more or less:

A Creative Spirit

Just being able to imagine a life outside the cubicle reveals you have a strong ability to think outside the box. No wonder, you can’t be contained by hierarchies and structures imposed on you by employment. You long to create, to leave a legacy to the world in your own terms.

Adventurous, Risk-Taker

You crave adventure, or at the very least, are willing to take risks for the chance to achieve what’s most important to you: freedom. You’re willing to give up the stability and predictability of a j-o-b if it means being able to live a life by your own design (creative, remember?).

Freedom Lover

You value your personal, creative and financial freedom more than you do security. You don’t mind the occasional (or is it constant?) uncertainty of being “on your own” because the ability to take off to new directions whenever you feel like it is much more fun and fulfilling than knowing you’re receiving X amount of dollars every week.

Independent

You take responsibility for yourself. You don’t blame others when things go wrong. You’re independent. Even though you know you need others to succeed and be happy, you acknowledge that, ultimately, you’re in charge of your personal happiness and success. You take control of your destiny.

Idealistic

You’re an optimist. When everybody else is running around yelling, “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!” you take a deep breath and seek opportunities where others see none. You believe that you have something to offer the world, something so valuable that you will never go hungry (well, at least not for long). You have a dream and you believe it will come true.

If you see these qualities in yourself, then you know why you’ve been unhappy in your job, even though you may have been making more money than you’ve ever dreamed of.

Now you know why you’ve been feeling like your soul was being sucked out of you as you sat in your cushy office.

Now you know why you were always looking for something else, something more… and it wasn’t the next step in the corporate ladder.

You’re a freelancer at heart. Go and live your dream.

PS: Do you believe there is such as a thing as a freelancing personality? If so, what qualities does a freelancing personality have? Did I miss any? Post your thoughts in the comments box below.

PPS: I’ve been living my dream for nearly 18 months now and the journey has been more awesome than I ever expected. I’d love to help you live your dream, too. Sign up for my monthly cost-free, pitch-free webinars. See you there!

photo credit: Shahram Sharif

When somebody says “freelancer”, the first thing that comes to your mind is probably a writer, novelist or journalist. True, for the longest time, the only freelancers we heard of were those who worked with the written word.

But not in the twenty first century, a time that appreciates freelancers in many different fields.

Sure, you have probably heard of freelance photographers, too. You may have even met one or two in your life, but what about freelance software designers, freelance medical billing specialists, or even freelance scientific researchers? Freelancers can come from the field of Internet technology, finance, law, business, customer services… almost any field at all.

Freelancing has become increasingly popular, not only because many have lost jobs or are unable to find work. The allure of freelancing also comes from the realization that you can make far more money working for yourself as a freelancer than you ever could solely from working under the wing of an employer. No more commuting, lunches away from home, and having to buy corporate clothes. Plus, no being at the beck and call of bosses!

In my case, not having to pay for child care and deal with the stresses of juggling employment and family were the main appeal of freelancing.

Sounds pretty good doesn’t it? You work in a field for a few years, get a lot of practical experience in your chosen area of employment and then gradually make the switch from working the nine to five to becoming your own boss as a freelancer.

So who’s a freelancer – is it you?

Image by toolmantim via Flickr