Freelancers and self-employed people of peyups, how did you get started?

Life After UP
1

Thinking of leaving my job next year and I’m considering going the consultancy/self-employed route. Technically, I already am but almost all of my time goes UP (which wants to treat me as an employee when it comes to working hours and control but doesn’t want to provide benefits :man_facepalming:). Becoming a full-time freelancer sounds like too much trouble though and the I’m not sure I have the hustle needed to make it :laugh: Would love to hear your stories and to know if you think it was worth it. Heh. Why did you decide to do it and how did you get started? :smiley:

3 Likes
2

Huwag ka muna mag resign sa day job mo. Save up and raket raket muna or side hustle ika nga.

Ang mahirap sa freelancer is balancing doing the work and looking for work. Pag sobra busy ka, di ka makahanap ng new clients, pag may time ka naman maghanap ng clients wala ka namang perang pumapasok.

First try to provide service na you can charge a lot, something you’re good at and enjoy doing. After that niche down and productize your service. Mahirap rin kasi sa cliente pabagobago gusto, minsan lugi ka na sa revisions or addons.

If you can productize your service for a certain niche, mas ok para malinaw sa client magkano at ano ang deliverables and mas madali ma-market. Mas madali rin marefer ka ng ibang tao kasi ikaw na si “insert service” guy. :aprub:

11 Likes
3

Kinabahan yatang bigla si iskobot
:rofl:

3 Likes
4

Got it. Actually have some rakets lined up pero na-COVID :man_facepalming: Government project kasi siya at may freeze sila ngayon dahil sa COVID. Just realized na medyo hassle din kawork ang government since mabagal sila magbayad. Haha.

Oh, always been curious about this. Where do you base your initial pricing? :laugh:

Re: productization, parang maganda nga din if you can offer a subscription service though medyo konti examples sa Philippines na ganito. Sa software at data science sa PH, parang more or consultancy firms/custom development nakikita ko.

Thanks for the insights! Need to take more rakets :laughing: Hopefully hindi pa kami madefund next year para may chance to build that cushion pa. :smiley:

Oh, matagal na akong kinakabahan :joy:

3 Likes
5

Super true. And pabago-bago din sila ng timeline kaya it’s hard to accept succeeding jobs kung hindi malinaw kung kailan matatapos (o mag-umpisa!) yung nauna :erm:

3 Likes