Freelancing Series Part 1: The First Most Important Rule.

You gotta move!

Get Moving!

Before the Beginning

Welcome to the first part of a series that, right now, I have no idea how long it will last. I plan to make it a platform to help you know some of the things that I have discovered and that I discover as I continue down this freelancing path. I also hope to throw in some life lessons here and there.

I started writing this on a Wednesday afternoon when I did not feel like writing, and no creative juices were flowing. I just decided to put my hands on the keypad and type, not knowing how it would end. However, I hope that you will have been able to pick something worthwhile from this in the end. If that is the case, kindly drop a comment.

Let’s go!

The first thing I learned about freelancing was this: Freelancing is more challenging than it looks, but doing nothing is more difficult than doing it. You see, when I started my freelancing journey about two and half years ago, I just wanted to make some extra money. So, I took crazy jobs with crazier deadlines for terrible pay- or for nothing at all. Yup, I had cases where clients disappeared without paying even after I was done with work.

Two and a half years later, and now I have had many months of income in six figures — for lesser work and more extended deadlines.

But I didn't get here without obeying the first rule that helps you accomplish anything—the rule of getting started. Now, you don’t have to start from the trenches as I did. You can begin from a far vantage position that immediately puts you ahead of all I have done. The first most important rule, however, is that you get started. Whether from the trenches or a more vantage position, getting started is always better than doing nothing at all.

Of course, this doesn’t apply to just freelancing. It can apply to your academics, your relationship with your spouse, kids, or friends. It applied to me as I began this write-up, not sure exactly how it would go, but starting anyway. If you are a person of faith or looking for faith, it can also apply to your relationship with Jesus.

Get started, get moving, and many times the path becomes clearer.

Two Steps to Help You Get Started

If you are like me, you probably hate talk that tells you what to do and doesn’t tell you how to do it. Therefore, I have added a “how-to” to help you get started, so I don't become what I hate.

Step 1: Have an aim

To get started, you need to know what you want to do. A wise character in a Marvel movie once said that you hit nothing when you have no aim. Now I must mention that having an aim doesn’t have to be some significant discovery of purpose and all. It can be as simple as deciding that “I want to start writing to earn.”

For me, my aim was clear and defined. I wanted some extra money, and I knew how to write. Therefore, writing would have to be how I would get my extra money.

Step 2: Find out what you need and go get it!

Once that has been defined, the next thing to decide is what you need and go get the things you need.

So, imagine that you have decided to start freelancing (your aim). The next thing is finding clients (assuming that you already have a skill to offer). This could be done by telling everybody what you can do. It can be by getting an Upwork account or a Fiverr account and then finding out how to get jobs on them.

This is precisely what happened to me. I began to hunt for gigs and platforms everywhere. I got my first gig from a WhatsApp page.

So, my dear friend, take those steps — decide what to do, find out what you need and go after it. You will soon find out that you have indeed started and that the next steps will begin to emerge as you take each step.

One more tiny little help for you

You remember what I said about how I started from the trenches and how that doesn’t need to be your story. Well, I found a freelancing course for Fiverr that will help you begin from a vantage position (such as starting your freelancing career earning in dollars). You can get started with that here.

NB: The course is not mine, but I found it on a reputable platform.

A Final Promise!

Don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you need help getting started on the freelancing journey or even something else entirely. I am happy to help or point you to someone that can (like I did above). You can reach out to me at Fountainmoyanoluwa@gmail.com.

Till next week!

See ya!