The Realities Behind the ‘Glamour’ of Freelancing

Freelancing often conjures images of freedom, flexibility, and working in your pajamas. Indeed, the allure of being your own boss and escaping the corporate grind is strong — who doesn’t love a good pajama day? But the transition from a corporate job to solopreneurship takes a little more than a wardrobe downgrade.

Here’s what to expect.

The initial leap

Maybe you’ve turned to freelancing by choice, seeking to escape the grind of corporate life. Or maybe it was a necessity because your team was downsized.

Regardless of the reason, stepping into the freelance world is a bold move. First, recognize that as a freelancer, you are not merely a gig worker — you’re a business owner. You may have heard that running a freelance business feels to going on a roller-coaster ride, filled with highs and lows. But there’s more to it  — as a freelancer, you’re not just riding the roller-coaster, you’re building and maintaining it as well.

The culture shock

If you’ve only ever worked in a corporate environment, the segue into freelancing can be a significant shock.

In a corporate setting, your primary focus was your specific role. You had a support system in place — accounting, sales and customer service departments, IT help desks, HR, and more.

As a freelancer, you’re now responsible for all of these functions, in addition to your primary role, delivering your service to clients. The first step to succeeding in this new setting is how you think about it, which takes us to …

The mindset shift

Transitioning from being an employee to a freelancer requires a significant mindset shift. You need to start thinking like a business owner. But being the boss doesn’t just mean you can now do whatever you darn please. You’re responsible for your business putting its best foot forward — which means you need a smooth, end-to-end process in place.

The unseen responsibilities

One of the most significant adjustments new freelancers must make is handling the “back end” of their business. This includes managing contracts, bookkeeping, data backup and security, and creating standard operating procedures (SOPs).

These tasks see mundane and tedious to most of us. But without them, the operation of your freelance business (a.k.a. the exhilarating roller-coaster) will flounder. Can these responsibilities feel daunting? Yes, at times. Many, many times. But with clarity and knowledge, you’ll become an expert at this, too.

Ready to build a strong foundation for your freelance business?

You’ve already got expertise in your field. Yet to thrive as a freelancer, you need more. You need to establish a solid foundation for your business. Investing time and effort into the “back end” — early on — can save you significant headaches down the line.

If you’re willing to tackle the “less glamorous” side of freelancing head on, the freedom and flexibility of this business and lifestyle can be yours. Embrace the journey with a business owner’s mindset, organized processes, and smart systems. With the right approach, freelancing can be a rewarding and fulfilling career path.

Didn’t think you’d ever be a roller coaster rider-engineer-mechanic? Me neither. And that’s why I’m here to share what you need to know. Strap in … here we go.