Going Freelance: My 5 Mistakes
I’ll start this off with the caveat that going freelance is probably the best decision I have made so far — both personally and professionally. I love what I do, and I love how I do it. Nothing could have forced me to grow as quickly and as universally as this experience.
However, I did make mistakes in the first 12 months of this process, and I want to share the biggest ones here in the hope of helping anyone who’s currently struggling with the adjustment, or considering taking the leap.
It isn’t a lifestyle for the faint-hearted. But if it was easy, everyone would do it.
MISTAKE ONE: I was mean to my employees (myself)
As a freelancer, you don’t stop having a boss. You just become your own. You also become everyone else in the company: the creative director, accountant, secretary, PR manager, new business acquisition lead, copywriter, designer, tech support, researcher, comms person and more.
This is a huge team to manage. With so many roles, you are bound to encounter some weaker links and conflicting personality traits… even though everyone in this scenario is you (stay with me).
While previous work experience might put you at a senior level – for example, as a freelance creative – your relatively limited experience as an accountant might position you closer towards entry-level.
THE LESSON: Be patient with your juniors. They are crucial to the success of the company.
My company's employee of the month, multiple months in a row ^
[Photo by @skorju, as part of my artist project under @beckdawsonofficial]
MISTAKE TWO: I didn’t know how to relax
This leads on from my previous point of being your own boss and employee. The joy (and for many, the point) of being freelance is that you have a lot more time-freedom. But only if you allow yourself actual time off.
Let me ask you this: would you agree to work at a company that required you to be reachable, seven days per week, at every waking hour? What is the minimum allowance of annual leave you would accept? Freelancers often work around the clock out of sheer love for their craft(s), but there is a turning point at which the number of hours worked actually becomes counterproductive.
Just as with any company you’ve ever worked at, there will be low seasons as well as high ones.
THE LESSON: If you don’t allow yourself to rest and enjoy existence when things are calmer, you won’t be able to give your best when you’re inundated with calls.
MISTAKE THREE: I obsessed over my age
Past 18, age means very little. Particularly in creative industries. You could be barely an adult and making TikToks that blow up the internet in ways a millennial social media manager could only dream of. Equally, you could be 40 plus, selling out festival stadiums like Roxanne Emery (RØRY).
THE LESSON: There is no right age to go freelance. So you can’t be too early. And you certainly can’t be too late.
You do need to be mature – when it comes to holding your own, negotiating fair rates, sticking to your word, and delivering results. Aside from this, it comes down to demand for your skills, and how you market yourself.
MISTAKE FOUR: I didn’t utilise the low-hanging fruit
I love creative marketing. I’m bloody good at it. And it pays well. I also have a CV and portfolio full of best-in-class experience with major brands. So WHY when I left my full-time creative role at a marketing agency, did I not use this skill set and my global network straight away?
It took me stepping outside of this world long enough to fully recognise conceptual creativity for the skill it is – not everyone can do it. For now, I don’t want this to be my full-time gig, but I relish every chance I get to get stuck in.
THE LESSON: There is no “easy route” to freelancing, so don’t be too proud to make your life less difficult. Use the skills you already have, call on past employers, and stay in touch with old colleagues.
MISTAKE FIVE: I forgot the point of it all
While in hindsight I probably could have done things better (e.g. thrown in some freelance marketing from day one), I am grateful to have taken the time to build a solid foundation in the world of audio: producing voiceover showreels, building a voiceover client-base, learning music production, and releasing music.
As repetitive as it is to hear: our time on this floating rock in space is a journey. Like many, I went freelance to learn more in general: about my chosen fields and about myself.
THE LESSON: If we had nothing to learn there would be no mystery to life, no exploration, and frankly, no point. Remember why you started on this path, and reflect regularly on how much you are growing.
NOW GO MAKE YOUR OWN MISTAKES
If you’re considering going freelance or already are, my top-line advice would be to make sure you have a strong support network, professional network, and sense of self-worth. Keep your hobbies going, meet with friends and family regularly, exercise, be patient, be persistent, and stay hydrated x
