In today’s world where everyone wants to be their own boss, freelancing has become a popular path of work as a lot of people are quitting their jobs and venturing into their passions like writing, or editing. For many people, freelancing is simply a side hustle or something they do to get that extra cash. But there’s more to freelancing and although we often question the success of this trend, freelancing may actually be the future of work. In this article, we explore what it takes to be a freelancer, the potential of freelancing and why you need to join our freelancers lounge.
What it takes to be a freelancer: We have worked with hundreds of freelancers over the years, many of whom have gone ahead to successfully create startups employing more freelancing, and we can tell you what all our successful freelancers have in common; they respect the hustle. Successful freelancers do not treat their work like any random gigs. They go out of their way to outperform client expectations. They value their clients and put emphasis on delivering exceptional results. Freelancing requires ethics. Although a few freelancers have been at it all their work life, for many, there’s a major role-switch. A switch from that 9-5 under constant supervision to ultimately working on your own, with no one to push you. It takes discipline to actually succeed as a freelancer.
Does Freelancing pay enough? Well, not quite. If you’re coming from an environment where your employer paid you a monthly salary and benefits like health insurance, retirement packages, time off, and so on, you may not find it fulfilling financially, but you can still make a living out of this industry.
- The first thing you need to do once you join the gig economy is to adapt to the ever-changing industry.
- Be responsible for yourself and keep track of your clients, the work you have done, and how much effort you have put in.
- Manage your time. Freelancing is about trading your time for money, the more time you spend working on your projects, the more money you get.
- And lastly, the gig economy is always changing,rates will go up and down, clients appear and disappear, it can be challenging to keep up with the industry trends. You need to expect change and receive it with open arms. Freelancing is not about hard work and creativity, it is about flexibility and resilience.
The global generational changes in the work environment have facilitated a conducive environment for freelancers to thrive. Over the years, we have seen freelancing grow rapidly, with many of the youth opting for gigs to earn a living. However, it is no doubt that the global pandemic has affected the state of freelancing terribly. According to a recent COVID-19 survey carried out by Bonsai, freelancers worldwide have suffered a 17% reduction in orders and sales, and a 14% reduction in the cash flow in their businesses. 81% of freelancers have witnessed a serious dip in their income during this time. This further proves that the gig economy, just like the other sectors has been hit hard by the pandemic. Very few freelancers have been able to survive the pandemic and have continued making a living out of freelancing.
We created the Freelancers Lounge to promote the interests of freelancers and unlock the future of work. The Freelancers Lounge is a platform that is set to improve skills and help freelancers as they navigate the gig economy. With a prepaid membership card, freelancers can unlock a whole lot of benefits like financial resources, access to benefits like Service accounts, National Social Security Fund, Insurance, credit for investments, and on top of it all, a platform where they can showcase skills and gain clients. The platform will also provide masterclasses, professional and personal skills development and connections to market opportunities.
During our first Freelancers lounge info session held on Friday, 7th August 2020, we officially launched the forum where freelancers will share, interact and have more conversations about the gig economy. “We want to make it fair for all the freelancers; those who are starting out with very few reviews and even those who have been in the freelancers world for a longtime”- Daniel Wasswa, one of our coordinators remarked while speaking at the info session. Freelancers are going to be able to be reviewed by customers and their fellow freelancers, and on top of that receive useful tools and templates during our masterclasses that will help them create strong freelancer portfolios.
Are you a freelancer? Planning to join the world of freelancing? Our Freelancers Lounge is for you! You can apply to join the lounge here: bit.ly/FreeLancersTIV.
