Stories and reflections that might help you if you're considering going on this journey too.
The truth is, during my journey as a freelance designer, I faced multiple challenges: scheduling, image management, business management, partnerships with other designers, planning social media content, prospecting, and many other activities.
Today, I want to share some stories and hopefully I can help you on your personal journey. :)
Unfortunately, not every project is perfect, and that's the case everywhere. As a freelancer, understanding that the final design decision won't always be yours is essential to avoid problems with your partners or even personal dissatisfaction with the final project result.
There are many types of projects that we designers can take on, whether it's for the money or because you believe it aligns with your values. Regardless of the type of project, knowing the person who has the power of decision-making can make life much easier for those moving the pixels in Figma.
The client may not always know the best decision to make, but they will never decide to do something that destroys their business. Empathy is the answer to millions. Explore that and then share with me the many other opportunities that will come your way.
Running a business alone depends on skills that go far beyond "layout". Making the decision to pursue a freelance career is accepting the fact that you will become your own manager, thus taking on the risks and being the only one benefiting from the right decisions.
Every entrepreneur needs to be attuned to market movements if they want to stay alive in it.
I'm thinking here... Maybe the next step for every freelancer is to start their own agency, I don't know. The fact is, as you grow, you need to make decisions, accept or decline new projects, and start hiring or negotiating a new deadline to fit into your production pipeline, which is limited because we only have 24 hours and you're a single person.
One of the best paths to get clients is to bet on those who already know you or have some sort of relationship with you. The best freelancer won't always be the best designer. The best one is the one who is present at the right time and who knows how to execute.
I've closed good deals with friends as well as made new ones after working together. But I've also lost some because of business. The truth is, every work relationship is based on trust, meaning, I pay you a fee to execute something, and I know that the return will be a ready and functional project.
A good piece of advice would be: listen more, talk less. Be a present professional and be interested in what you do.
I hope you understood my joke (lol). As a freelancer, I have already mentioned the importance of having some level of knowledge, even basic, in management because this has a huge impact on your success as a professional.
To know what you should learn, just look at your inefficiencies. For example, to know how much would be a good salary for you to avoid difficulties in a month, just know how much is your expense + % for the company + risk fat %. Obviously, this is not a standard, but it already helps those who are at zero point.
Example:My monthly cost = R$ 2000Company cost = R$ 200Risk fat % = 20%Formula = ((2000 + 200) * 0.2) + (2000 + 200)
Therefore, your budget for a project should consider something (preferably) above R$ 2640.
This calculation may seem scary for some people because of the size of the formula, but I guarantee you that there are worse things.
Your business depends 100% on you, your salary, and even the freedom that many find in this type of work. Therefore, do not neglect to learn the basics of management.
Remembering why you decided to pursue this type of career is a good path to follow when going through tough days. Personally, I always want to have more time with my wife and more days off to travel.
Perhaps the greatest benefit of being a freelancer is not the available time or the possibility of working on extremely different projects, but having the power to decide what to do every morning.
I have always been a person who works too much, not that it is something beautiful, but carrying a routine of hard work with the possibility of taking a break when there is any level of interest makes me think that this is the best job in the world.
As a freelancer, it's easy to fall into the mindset that you already know enough as a professional and don't need to update or learn new things. The truth is, to whom much is given, much is expected. The world of technology evolves very quickly, often faster than our ability to learn something new.
I've always liked to set aside around 5% of my earnings for knowledge, whether it's reading a book, consuming a podcast, taking a course, or even attending events.
As a designer especially, every freelancer needs to maintain a good appearance wherever they appear. I use LinkedIn, Instagram, Dribbble, and have my own website. Keeping these channels updated and presented in a well-cared-for manner is part of my daily routine because they are channels for acquiring clients, and I can get a lot of projects through these means.
Imagine that an acquisition channel may be your only bait to capture a potential client, so neglecting this possibility can have a very negative impact on your business's revenue.
I'm not talking about being some kind of influencer, but having care and a special attention for the way you present yourself and sell yourself is your non-negotiable responsibility.
These days will come, rest assured. I went through a period where there were no clients and the ones in progress decided to terminate the contract, it was a moment of despair, sadness, but what helped me was having someone to talk to.
Bad days will always come, for anyone. The question is, what do you do when these moments arrive?
There are various ways to prepare, you can build a fund and save money to protect yourself or even have a psychologist nearby. The truth is, when the bad days come, be prepared not to be surprised.
But, if you're still caught off guard, call a friend and talk. Sometimes putting into words what we're going through helps organize our thoughts and we can make a better decision.
If in point 8 I learned to breathe, point 9 is about enjoying life. After all, why do we work?
As a freelancer, it's very likely that your main motivation for living this way is because of "free time", which isn't always so free and isn't always so plentiful. However, when there are gaps between one job and another, it's very important to do something you enjoy (that isn't work), whether it's walking in the park or even taking a trip with someone you love.
I've learned that the most important thing will never be the end destination, but rather enjoying the journey, and I've been taking this to heart throughout my professional career. And today, I can say that I have achieved success.
Well, at least for me, that's what success means.
I hope I've helped you with some reflections and lessons I've been collecting over time.
