Why Freelancing is a Great Idea
Balind on 01 Aug 2008 | Tips & Advice
Personally, I’ve had my fill. I’d rather pour 100% of my energy into my day job and spend my free-time with my family or pursuing hobbies. This is easy because I have a good role at a good company - however my freelance career was integral to the path that landed me here - which is why I highly recommend freelancing to young up-and-comers.
Here’s why:
Handle Pressure
- There’s nothing like multi-tasking with your ass on the line to help you brush up on your organization and project-management skills. You’re going to learn to love the feeling of coming through in the clutch when you do it time and time again.
Primed for Management
- If you freelance long enough you’ll invariably end up hiring vendors or maybe contracting buddies to help you out. Some will hook you up, some will burn you. Being a client will give you valuable insight into how to more effectively manage your clients.
Social Skills
- You’ll get used to working with people that have ulterior motives. You’ll learn to read and respond to them without divulging your own thoughts. Communication and human-relations will quickly become the most valuable skill in your arsenal.
Get Better
- Man, I must have over 100 successfully completed projects under my belt by now. Many of which I had to learn new skills to complete. You can learn every software inside and out, it just won’t replace time spent behind the computer.
Kick Ass and Take Names
- There’s nothing quite like the feeling of being a young go-getter. Making moves and being successful at it will instill you with an un-shakeable confidence that’ll carry over into every part of your life.
Taxes
- It’s widely acknowledged that one of the keys to becoming independently wealthy is by being clever with your taxes. Incorporate and grow.
Rishi on 02 Aug 2008 at 4:36 am #
Thanks Balind, thats great information!
Balind on 02 Aug 2008 at 11:02 pm #
Thanks Rishi, Paramount Eagle Eye Experience site will be coming soon.
luke on 03 Aug 2008 at 2:15 pm #
Hey Balind,
very exciting words. I actually handed in my notice two weeks ago at my current full-time position and in two more weeks will be freelancing. I’m incredibly excited and can’t wait - there is so much that I want to do and learn and from speaking with various freelancing peers it sounds like the best way to do it.
It’s always reassuring to here positives words from people who have or are freelancing and reaping the benefits.
Look forward to seeing R.I.’s new work soon
Jayden Lawson on 03 Aug 2008 at 5:32 pm #
Great post - totally agree with all of these… especially point number 1!
brice on 04 Aug 2008 at 1:09 am #
Nice post!
I would also say that freelancing preserve environment with home working by reducing professionnals travels.
amoslanka on 04 Aug 2008 at 9:29 am #
I couldn’t agree more. I got the job I have now and am doing what I’m doing now precisely because of what I did in my earlier freelance years.
Flash Framer on 04 Aug 2008 at 7:35 pm #
I’ve been a graphic designer for years now and have thought about freelancing full time but something has always kept me from it. Freelancing seems too much like a Job. I have a Job so freelancing would be a Job with no boss. What I really interested in is passive income. I love waking up, looking at my iPhone and seeing money in my paypal account that I earned while sleeping. Yeah I had to work really hard to create a product someone would pay for.
Murten Saerbi on 05 Aug 2008 at 5:23 am #
Hey Balind,
Great advice. I especially dig the last one, it sounds like some solid advice from a crazy uncle. And we all love crazy uncles!
Keep it up man, I love reading your posts. You give great tips and good advice!
Murten
Christian Kragh on 25 Aug 2008 at 11:43 am #
Hey Balind.
I also agree with all of your points. I would also encourage people to not only be a freelancer, but a online freelancer! I don’t work on-site anywhere and don’t need to be anywhere - all my work is purely online. So in the past few months I’ve been to England, Germany, Denmark, New York, Hawaii, Oregon, and soon Australia!
And of course, I’m really enjoying it and life is wonderful, so I really suggest trying to do things online so you can explore the world. 
I also agree with Flash Framer - passive income is a great thing for freelancers - I make mine over at FlashDen. I’ve only been a Flash freelancer for 2 years, but I’ve learned and experienced so much. Hope this info has been helpful for people. 
Thanks,
Christian
Daniel on 05 Sep 2008 at 1:51 pm #
Balind,
We’ve got a lot of great insights into which programs to learn, how to keep a balance in your life, and how to be a go getter but what we really need is some insight on the learning process.
After Effects, Maya, and Flash are some pretty complex applications. Its one thing to make a beautiful peice in photoshop, but a completly different beast getting your full imagination down into a workable animated website.
What do you do when you come to road blocks? How did you push yourself after school to master After Effects and Maya?