Be Your Own Boss - An Introduction to freelancing
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The document is an introduction to freelancing, covering topics such as what freelancing is, its benefits, how to choose a freelance career, and finding clients. It aims to equip beginners with the necessary tools and strategies to successfully transition into freelancing. Additionally, it highlights the importance of building a financial buffer, mapping transition pathways, and utilizing various sources for gaining clients and developing portfolios.
Be Your Own Boss - An Introduction to freelancing
- 1. BE YOUR OWN BOSS. an introduction to freelancing www.freelance.org.au
- 2. THANKS TO GA FOR HOSTING! #BYOBJune16 @freelanceORGau @MelbourneGA 01
- 3. * What we’ll cover today 02 • What is freelancing? • Why freelance? • What should you freelance in? • Star5ng smart • Finding clients? • Your freelance strategy
- 4. Importantnote: THIS CLASS IS DESIGNED FOR BEGINNERS 03 andit’sthesecondtimewe’verunit!J
- 5. * Practice Principles 04 • Par5cipate in ac5vi5es -‐ they are designed to help you understand the content • Give the workshop your a@en5on for the one hour it takes place • Ask ques5ons if you have them -‐ it’s be@er to ask and be sure than to keep quiet and not understand or be able to use a point.
- 6. * Objectives 05 Head • You will leave with some understanding of the pros and cons of freelancing Heart • You will feel empowered to make a choice as to whether you wish to pursue a freelance career. Hands • You will leave the session with tools for building your own freelancing strategy as well as a clear sense of your freelancing purpose.
- 7. Cameron Rambert Founder, Freelance Australia Author, White Collar Pajamas (Spring 2016) Freelance marketer, digital strategist and copywriter for fast growing tech startups. Past clients include Twi@er, ANZ, Amnesty Interna5onal and RMIT University. Antonia is one of those freelancers that has trouble describing what she does – her porOolio of ac5vi5es includes policy development, consultancy, project management, lecturing and social media management. INSTRUCTORSA little bit about us 06 Antonia Mochan Co-Founder, Freelance Australia Innovation Projects Lead - CWL
- 8. * About Freelance Australia 07 • Membership based not-‐for-‐profit organisa9on founded in 2015 • Dedicated to achieving one thing: To create happier, be@er and more successful freelancers. • Membership is free and members get access to: • Jobs from recruiters before it hits the market • Invita5ons to freelancer-‐only networking & social events • Access to professional development workshops • One-‐on-‐one mentoring • SoZware perks and discounts … and much more!
- 9. PLEASE FILL OUT THE WORKBOOK AS YOU GO http://bit.ly/BYOBJune16
- 10. *questiontime Why are you here today? Please fill out the first section.
- 11. * What do we mean by ‘freelancing’? Characteris9cs of ‘freelancing’ 10 • Self-‐employed • Service driven business • Solopreneur (ie; a one person show)
- 12. * What do we mean by ‘freelancing’? Types of freelancers 11 • Professionals • Moonlighters • Diversified workers • Contractors • Micro-‐firms
- 13. * Why freelance? Freelancing & the Future of Work 13 • The economy needs more freelancers • Societal values towards ‘work’ are shiZing • Businesses prefer to hire freelancers • PorOolio careers will become the new normal. • Technology is bridging the flexible working gap. • The skills a freelancer learns are synonymous with those needed in the future of work (‘knowledge worker’ vs ‘crea5ve worker’)
- 14. * Why freelance? Below are just some of the most common reasons for freelancing 14 • Work remotely • Do more purposeful work • Gain professional experience • More capacity to work on other hobbies and passions • Go back to study • Control your professional des5ny • Take professional development into your own hands • Create a start-‐up • Start or spend more 5me with the family • Spend more 5me with family or kids
- 15. *Freelancingessentiallycomesdowntoonefundamentalthing….. PROFESSIONAL INDEPENDENCE “ Which is the ability to influence when you work, where you work, how you work, what you work on and with whom you work with. 15
- 16. *questiontime What type of freelancer are you currently or aspire to be in the near future?
- 17. *questiontime Why do YOU currently freelance or want to freelance?
- 18. * What should you freelance in? 17 Demand Market opportunity What the market wants Obvious, yet consistently ignored. Skills What you’re good at
- 19. * What should you freelance in? How do you know what the market needs? 18 • Leverage your own domain exper5se • Research industry reports, blogs, ar5cles etc • Talk to somebody in the industry. • Consult a recruiter • Go to ‘Future of X’ events • Put it to the test it. Pitch your services to poten5al clients and see if people actually need what you’re offering (freelance marketplaces are great for this)
- 20. * What should you freelance in? 19 Art What excites you Skills What you’re good at Your best and most lucra5ve work Demand What the market wants
- 21. 20 * Starting Smart Know the journey ahead
- 22. 21 * Starting Smart Know the journey ahead
- 23. * Starting Smart Build a buffer 22 • Depending on your tolerance for risk, it helps to create a financial buffer of anywhere between 3-‐6 months before you transi5on into a freelance career. • A buffer should cover: – Your mortgage or rent – Your monthly expenses (bills) – Incorpora5on costs – An addi5onal 10-‐20% on top of these costs – Tax liabili5es • If you can’t produce a buffer before you get started (eg; if you were fired from your last job or on welfare payments), then your goal should be to build one up once you are cash-‐flow posi5ve.
- 24. * Starting Smart Map a pathway 23 • Pathways are your roadmap from where you are now to where you want to go as a freelancer. • Eg: As a Full-‐5me employee, you can moonlight on the side un5l you have found two or three well paying clients, and only then transi5on away from full-‐5me employment. • The other alterna5ve is to start working part-‐5me and freelance part-‐5me un5l the freelancing earns enough to support you full-‐5me. • Whichever the pathway, ensure that you know what is realis5cally and specifically manageable to your situa5on.
- 25. * Starting Smart Pathway examples 24
- 26. * Starting Smart Build support networks early and join communi9es to make the transi9on easier 25 • Social & emo5onal support • Financial support (if possible) • Educa5onal support (eg: up-‐skilling) • Business support (eg: mentoring, marke5ng advice)
- 27. Better, happier, more successful freelancers
- 28. * Finding Clients Common sources of finding freelance work. 26 • Exis5ng personal networks • Industry recruiters • Networking events • Content marke5ng • Freelance Marketplaces • Referrals • Job boards • Social networks • Volunteering • Prospec5ng / Outbound • Adver5sing
- 29. * Finding Clients Common sources of finding freelance work. 27 • Exis5ng personal networks • Industry recruiters • Networking events • Content marke5ng • Freelance Marketplaces • Referrals • Job boards • Social networks • Volunteering • Prospec5ng / Outbound • Adver5sing Essen5ally, your best performing channels (oZen the ones highlighted) are a result of more efficient forms of client transparency, established trust and verifiable credibility.
- 30. * Freelance Marketplaces X Global marketplaces • Freelancer www.freelancer.com • Elance www.elance.com • Upwork www.upwork.com • People Per Hour www.peopleperhour.com Niche or Local marketplaces • Gigster www.gigster.com (Web / Applica5on developers) • Toptal www.toptal.com (Web developers / programmers) • Cloudpeeps www.cloudpeeps.com (Marke5ng professionals) • Expert360 www.expert360.com (Local gigs) • Sidekicker www.sidekicker.com.au (Local gigs) • Fiverr.com www.fiverr.com
- 31. * Portfolios 28 As a freelancer, your 9me and tes9monials are the currencies you play with. A collec5on of tes5monials with associated samples of work make up your por`olio. Your capacity to earn and find future work depends on the quality of your porOolio.
- 32. * Where to display a portfolio 29 • Social networks (LinkedIn is a key one) • Personal website • about.me • Squarespace • Community/Industry credible websites • GitHub (developers) • Content.ly (content producers) • Behance / Dribble (designers) • DeviantArt (ar5sts/designers) • Print (where relevant)
- 33. *questiontime Fill out the rest of your workbook!
- 34. * Your Freelance Strategy Answer these ques9ons: 30 • What transi5on pathway should you take? • Which people or communi5es can you turn to guide and support your freelance career transi5on? (financial, emo5onal, prac5cal) • Where are you now and what type of freelancer do you want to be in twelve months 5me? – Professional, Moonlighter, Contractor, Micro-‐firm, Diversified etc • What are your top three reasons to freelance? Write them down. • How big of a cash-‐flow buffer do you think you will need to get started? One month? Six months?
- 35. * Your Freelance Strategy Answer these ques9ons: 31 • What skills or areas of exper5se do you have that are either currently in demand or you can test the demand for? • Which of these skills or areas of exper5se which most excites you? • What opportuni5es exist to build on these skills (ie; what new skills can you learn or new industries you can move into to guide you to becoming more valuable to the marketplace?
- 36. * Your Freelance Strategy Answer these ques9ons: 32 • What are your best three examples of work you could use to start building out your porOolio? • What three places can you set up or promote your porOolio? • What three new freelance job sources could you start reaching out to TODAY to see if there are freelance opportuni5es available?
- 37. QUESTIONS? feel to use this time to complete your workbook
- 38. AS A THANKYOU FOR PARTICIPATING: 2 MONTHS FREE ACCESS TO ROUNDED (RRP $40)! for today’s workshop participants who complete the workbook and accompanying survey.
- 39. 5 RANDOMLY DRAWN PARTICIPANTS OF TODAY’S WORKSHOP* WILL RECEIVE: A FULL YEAR’S SUBSCRIPTION TO ROUNDED (RRP $240)! * workshop participants who complete the workbook and accompanying survey.
- 40. Thanks for coming! Be Your Own Boss: An Introduction to freelancing Twitter: @freelanceORGau Facebook: freelanceAU Instagram: freelanceau
- 41. WANT TO RE-USE THIS CONTENT? PLEASE CREDIT THEAUTHORS J X [email protected]
- 42. Better, happier, more successful freelancers Findusat www.freelance.org.au