7 Lesson from 10 Years Freelancing
6 min readSep 4, 2022
I’ve been freelancing for 10 years. It sucks at the beginning, but really fascinating at recent years. I am a Web Developer. I started got client when I’m at 11th grader. Still remember when my mother helps me to pay my first domain and hosting. Because back then, I don’t have my own Banking Account. She said, “Is it hard do this kind of job?”. I just silence for seconds then answer shortly, “Hard. Really Hard”.
Today I started enjoy what I achieve in 10 years of freelancing. I could finish my college tuition without a debt. Married the woman I always dream for years. Having small house without paying rent monthly. All comes from my freelancing job for more than 10 years.
If I could explain in simple word to describe my 10 years freelancing, you can call it “A Journey”. I already met various client. From the college boy to big business corporate. From a neighbor to government person. There’s a similar and different side from them.
- Many Clients don’t mean More Money
As a beginner, I always thought, “If I could get more clients, it means my bank account will have much money then before”. This mindset will torture you. Back then, I always try to get more client then just focus on one big client. The result: It’s not happy ending.
There’s many messages come to my inbox and people want always connect to me to help their business. My time waste just to get more client, chit-chat with them, having a cup of coffee with them.
Doesn’t matter if your client has big or small cash. The client is client. You still feel exhausted after do all the work. So, you better choose: exhausted with full cash on your pocket or you feel tired and just have a penny to drink a can of coke?
You should be selective to accept the job. You better stay in one client that give you 10 times bucks then other. If you already got that client. Stick with them. Don’t make them disappointed. - Saying No is A Must
It’s really hard to say no in the first time. Because you won’t miss the opportunity comes to you. The reality, there’re so many opportunities outside there. If you say yes to all the opportunity you just destroy yourself.
Success freelancing it’s about taking one opportunity and miss the other nine. You don’t need to accept 10 of 10 the opportunity you could take. Just take one, focus working on it then finish it. If they’re satisfied, your client will back to you. Today’s Client is also Tomorrow’s Client. You don’t need to worried about your imagine future’s client. Just give your best effort to your ‘present’ client. - Develop yourself first
Never depend to others. You should develop yourself then think about other. Imagine you’re an investor and has big cash to invest. Would you want to invest to people like you? If ‘that’ person is lazy. Have no ambition. Close minded. Stuck at the corner. Are you really see the potential that your money will back to you or just vanish into air?
Before upgrade your PC spec, you need upgrade your brain first. Read a book, an article, a journal, or a long thread on Twitter. Upgrade your skill. Not only hard-skill but also soft-skill. Hard-skill will land you a job. While soft-skill will make you stay at that job. - Knowing Your Worth
The only person could judge you is yourself. You’re the first person to knowing what best and worst to you. You’re the person that responsible to drive your fate, not others. You better know your worth.
Knowing your worth will give you so many benefits you never imagine before. I have friends that has great design-skill. Just call him, “Bobby”. Bobby doesn’t know if he could sell to right person that appreciate his design-skill he will get downpour of many bucks. Otherwise, Bobby has low self-esteem. So, Bobby just accepts client with small budget. He just waste time with so many revisions. He doesn’t want to learn business, contract and just let it flow.
I come to Bobby then give him an advice. To raise a high-bar of his price. Not only give an advice. I try to get client then give them higher price than his rate. The client accepts it. He’s so excited and really glad with the new price with higher than before. I’m glad to help him. I hope he’ll make new standard base on this experience.
Months later, I come to Bobby again. Bobby still grumbled. Again, he complaint how he has so many revisions to do and paid with low price. I still didn’t understand why he lowering his-bar again. That’s why I got an enlightenment. I Couldn’t change someone. The only person could save Bobby is himself. - Expand your Circle
“You Are the Average of the Five People You Spend the Most Time With”. Ever heard that? Yes. That’s what Jim Rohn said. It’s referred to research proving that our lives influenced by people around you.
Same with freelancing. If you want to get bigger client. Try to get it. Where you should start? From your friend. I still remember my first website making that really pay me. I just get one buck and free lunch. I made a website for my friend. His personal website. Simple only contain one page. But started from there, my friends knowing me as a website maker.
My ‘personal branding’ become a ‘website maker’. The title still clinging to me until now. Even 10 years later. Some my old mate contacted me. They all want to make a website for them. So that’s why I started say ‘No’ to many offers.
I just got lucky that have many good friends. But if you don’t have it, it doesn’t matter. Internet fix this. There’s a lot site that offer you a job or project. They’re so many communities you could join. Expand your circle. Start from open your mind. Don’t be afraid to start conversation. You never know a project could land to you from random stranger at community you just talk briefly. - Trust is the Valid Currency in Freelance World
If there’s a currency that acknowledge from all freelancer in the world, I would say its “Trust”. Trust is the only currency you could believe. If you lost trust, it means you’ll broke. If someone trust you, never disappoint them.
You can’t give all trust as you like. Trust can’t come out from mouth. It comes from the heart. Freelancing world is really free world. You could get manipulate by swindler or fake client. They’re so many tricks and strategy to trap you. Please, be careful and start be wise. - Be Humble and Arrogance at the same time
Being humble is must. But you can’t look weak to another freelancer or client. If you start look weak, bad client will start manipulate and exploit you. Otherwise, if you’re being arrogant some client will hate you, because you’re not flexible and not friendly. You’re such strong as stone that some client who needs some flexibility start hating you.
The solution? You need both of it. Be humble for some important moment, and being arrogance and bold when you need it. You can’t please everyone. If they hate it, f*ck it. As long you don’t violate the contract or agreement, just let it go. People comes and go. So, the client is.
I really grateful to write this. I never know I already got so many experiences and lesson from my freelancing activity. Met so many people that have story to listen. Finishing the challenging job that almost made me tears in the pain. But still, I really enjoy and like all moment that happen to me. I hope you like it too. Then, the journey still continues until today.