I enjoyed this Freelancer’s Guide to the Galaxy, courtesy of FreshBooks online invoicing. It covers a lot of territory and points out some of the banes and blessings of freelancing.
I sold my interior landscaping company in July 1996 and have been freelancing ever since. It took several years to build my business, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
I love working from home and being able to set my own schedule. Clients know not to call me early in the morning–a later start to the day is one of the most important perks of freelancing for me. Other people like to start early and get finished early. The important thing is to actually work during whatever hours you designate for work and to ensure that you are available to clients sometime during their business hours.
And you need a designated workspace, even if you don’t always work there. You should always be able to find your work supplies, files, and information in a standard location.
Prospecting for clients and jobs can be a challenge, but if you do good work, you will start getting referrals. Although clients occasionally find me on the Internet, most of my business comes through other clients or people who are familiar with my work.
I hope you enjoy your freelancing career half as much as I love mine!