Week 2

Even though it’s only week two of this journey, it’s been a busy and surprisingly successful week.

But then again, it’s proof that hard work and determination pays off.

I started this week working through my to do list and immersing myself in learning about how to be a successful freelancer and build my personal brand. I started with creating my website. The goals for my site are to share about myself, showcase my work, and bring people along on my journey to my new career.

In case you’ve never done it before, building a website is not easy. Even following the ‘made for beginners’ guide from WordPress, I struggled to get the template, pages, tags, widgets, layout, and images that I wanted where I wanted them and how I wanted them to look. This site will be a continual work in progress. But the excitement currently coursing through me is propelling me forward. Normally I’d be so nervous of others reading and seeing my work I wouldn’t even make my page public. I’m going to ride the wave of motivation while I can.

The importance of getting my site and blog up and running was even greater when I was sent, and accepted, my first freelance contract. $30 an hour, 10 hours a week, writing articles primarily about auto, home and life insurance for a credit and personal finance blog. While I’d submitted a handful of proposals this week, I wasn’t expecting a contract so soon. Honestly, I was nervous to click accept. What if I got screwed? Was I missing something legally important? Am I ready for this?

Not having answers to any of those questions, I still accepted. I took the leap. I’m making it happen. I know I do have some legal and financial protection through Upwork, so I’m hoping the further down the road I get the more at ease I feel. But I think this is what it’s all about – taking risks, feeling uncomfortable, and trudging through the mud to success. So next steps this week are to work with my new client to talk through specifics in terms of types of articles, word count, deadlines, submission and review process, style, etc. I’ll do additional research on the client, and begin my first assignment!

In addition to figuring out what it means to freelance, including developing a contract template, gathering work samples, researching LLCs, and finding a good timekeeping/scheduler solution, I’ve bene reading two books for additional support: 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris and KNOWN (the handbook for building and unleashing your personal brand in the digital age) by Mark Schaefer.

Getting started as a freelancer takes time, effort, and commitment. Building your personal brand and committing to it is critical. And while I consider myself knowledgeable on how to have a good social and online presence, I’m not afraid to admit I’m not as familiar with what it takes to be a contracting success.

As I work through these books, I’ll share with you key learnings and takeaways.

One piece of advice I have for others just starting out: find support. Whether it’s family, friends, significant others, or your dog, you can’t do this alone. You need someone standing in your corner cheering for you. Because there will be times you feel like giving up. There are a million excuses – you don’t have time, you’re not yet finding the success you were hoping for, it’s hard. Yes, it’s hard. And yes, it takes time. But if you really want to be your own boss, work on your own time form anywhere in the world, and find personal success, you’ll find a way to get it done.