7 Years Freelancing: What I’ve Learned (So Far…)
Sunday, May 25, 2025
7 Years Freelancing: What I’ve Learned (So Far…)
Sunday, May 25, 2025
7 Years Freelancing: What I’ve Learned (So Far…)
Sunday, May 25, 2025
7 Years Freelancing: What I’ve Learned (So Far…)
Sunday, May 25, 2025
Seven years ago, I left a full-time agency job to see if I could make it on my own. I thought I’d freelance for a while – see where it would take me.And here I am, seven years later… and honestly? I didn’t expect the lessons that came with it.
Seven years ago, I left a full-time agency job to see if I could make it on my own. I thought I’d freelance for a while – see where it would take me.And here I am, seven years later… and honestly? I didn’t expect the lessons that came with it.
Here are 7 things I’ve figured out so far:
Same work, less politics
As a freelancer, I do the same work I did in-house or at agencies: collaborating with engineering teams, solving problems, but without the office politics, performance reviews, or unnecessary meetings. Just the good stuff, and I love it.Portfolios are overrated
I know freelancers who have zero online presence – no website, never post on X, LinkedIn, or anywhere else. Yet, they’re fully booked. How? Strong networking, and maybe a simple PDF they send out. It made me realize: reputation and relationships are often more powerful than a perfect portfolio.I learned to love working from home
I didn’t always enjoy it. I used to love biking to the office, grabbing coffee, chatting with colleagues. But when COVID forced everyone to work remotely, something shifted. I found that a few days in the office and a few at home was the sweet spot. At home, there’s no commute, fewer distractions, and I get much more done.Time off feels weird
Not working means not getting paid – and that messed with my head at first. What helped me was factoring time off into my yearly income target. Now I actually enjoy breaks, instead of feeling like I’m “losing” money.More money doesn’t mean more happiness
Early on, I’d say yes to everything. Working evenings and weekends to please clients and make more. It worked – but it wore me out. These days I’m more mindful of my capacity. More time off results in better work, and more time with my family or to work on my craft.Bookkeeping matters
From day one, I’ve used Moneybird to track everything. But I also work with a bookkeeper who checks the books and files my taxes. When the tax authority wanted to audit me, I just pointed them to the files. No stress.I’m (more) in control of my future
This might be the biggest one. Freelancing forced me to think like a business owner. I choose the clients I work with, the skills I want to grow, the type of projects I take on. It’s not always easy, but having that control has been incredibly empowering.
And as for what’s next? Who knows…
I might keep freelancing, start a small studio, or even go back in-house someday.
The beauty of freelancing is keeping my options open – and for now, that’s exactly where I want to be.
Here are 7 things I’ve figured out so far:
Same work, less politics
As a freelancer, I do the same work I did in-house or at agencies: collaborating with engineering teams, solving problems, but without the office politics, performance reviews, or unnecessary meetings. Just the good stuff, and I love it.Portfolios are overrated
I know freelancers who have zero online presence – no website, never post on X, LinkedIn, or anywhere else. Yet, they’re fully booked. How? Strong networking, and maybe a simple PDF they send out. It made me realize: reputation and relationships are often more powerful than a perfect portfolio.I learned to love working from home
I didn’t always enjoy it. I used to love biking to the office, grabbing coffee, chatting with colleagues. But when COVID forced everyone to work remotely, something shifted. I found that a few days in the office and a few at home was the sweet spot. At home, there’s no commute, fewer distractions, and I get much more done.Time off feels weird
Not working means not getting paid – and that messed with my head at first. What helped me was factoring time off into my yearly income target. Now I actually enjoy breaks, instead of feeling like I’m “losing” money.More money doesn’t mean more happiness
Early on, I’d say yes to everything. Working evenings and weekends to please clients and make more. It worked – but it wore me out. These days I’m more mindful of my capacity. More time off results in better work, and more time with my family or to work on my craft.Bookkeeping matters
From day one, I’ve used Moneybird to track everything. But I also work with a bookkeeper who checks the books and files my taxes. When the tax authority wanted to audit me, I just pointed them to the files. No stress.I’m (more) in control of my future
This might be the biggest one. Freelancing forced me to think like a business owner. I choose the clients I work with, the skills I want to grow, the type of projects I take on. It’s not always easy, but having that control has been incredibly empowering.
And as for what’s next? Who knows…
I might keep freelancing, start a small studio, or even go back in-house someday.
The beauty of freelancing is keeping my options open – and for now, that’s exactly where I want to be.