Everyday I'm Hustlin'

 

Have you ever thought about creating your own job?

 

Maybe you’re a college or university student or a recent graduate, and you’re planning to find steady work in your field of study. But while your crisp new credentials may be impressive, they don’t guarantee you a job, especially with today’s economic uncertainty.

 

Or maybe you’ve found a full-time position in your field, but instead of enjoying it, you’re daydreaming about busting out of the cubicle farm and escaping the scourge of office politics.

 

Before you give up on your industry, consider flying solo. For many types of work, it’s possible to shop your skills around for short-term work as an independent service provider — a freelancer or consultant. You’d be in good company: according to Statistics Canada, there were 2.67 million self-employed workers (about 16 percent of the workforce) in this country in 2010 — 12 per cent more than a decade ago. About half were sole proprietors, unincorporated and working without paid help.

 

Being your own boss sounds awesome, right? Imagine it: more control over the work you do, greater flexibility in your schedule, and no more irritating commute to the office. And, in a way, you have more job security than you would working for someone else — no one can fire or downsize you.

 

But before you declare your independence, be warned: self-employment isn’t for everyone. Sure, you have the freedom to make all the decisions, but that comes with the hefty responsibility of, well, making all the decisions. The same flexibility that makes freelancing seem liberating can be your downfall if you’re not disciplined. And in addition to being the president, you’ll also be the bookkeeper, marketer, office manager, janitor and, from time to time, the collection agency.

 

Freelancing also means giving up three things that many aren’t willing to live without: a predictable income, health benefits, and paid vacations. Working solo also means just that — you’ll mostly be alone, with no one to help when you’re overloaded, tired, sick or itching to rehash last night’s episode of Mad Men. You can also wave goodbye to workplace perks like expense accounts, company cars, subsidized gym memberships, free coffee, employee discounts and an endless supply of sticky notes. You might work irregular hours, including evenings and weekends.

 

Instead of being assigned work, you’ll have to chase down each client and project, which can be time-consuming, frustrating and exhausting. And for those who think freelancing means they won’t have to answer to a boss, here’s the truth: every client is a new boss, with attendant demands, expectations and quirks to manage.

 

There will be leaner times, when work seems to dry up and you wonder if you made a huge mistake by forgoing a salaried job.

 

But hey, you’ve gotta dream big. Stay focused, stay organized, do excellent work, build good relationships and manage your money, and you have a good chance of thriving.

 

If the idea of self-employment inspires excitement rather than fear, read on to see how others have made it work.

 

Do a reality check

Have a frank conversation with yourself and identify weaknesses that could trip up your fledgling freelance career. Making it past the first stages of a business launch requires motivation, level-headedness, discipline, a tolerance for uncertainty, and persistence.

 

“The first year was challenging, to say the least,” says Rodney Weis, a freelance web designer and computer consultant in Calgary. “I went in with a lot of preconceived notions that it would be easy to make a website, hang out my shingle and wait for people to break down my door. Of course, the reality is that, like any business, it takes a lot of work and a lot of groundwork. You have to really educate yourself… It’s a great way to make a living as long as the person is prepared to put in the legwork and grow the business one step at a time.”

 

Adaptability is essential. When Weis began freelancing five years ago, he planned to offer a range of computer services. When web design turned out to be his most marketable skill, he took a couple of extra courses and got himself on track. He was promptly flooded with work; now, he says, “I’m as busy as I want to be.” Three-quarters of his jobs come from word of mouth.

 

Dry spells do happen; you’ll need to be prepared emotionally and financially. “It’s kind of like working without a safety net — sometimes you sink, sometimes you swim,” says Weis. “There have been times I’ve had more work than I know what to do with, and sometimes I don’t have work for a month or more.”

 

Get with the plan

Still think you can hack it as a freelancer? Good. The next step is a business plan, the foundation of your company. Before you write one, though, you need to figure out your goals.

 

At first, you might be tempted to take on anything that’s asked of you, especially if you’ve got student debt to pay off. “If you try to be everything to everybody, you’ll probably be nothing to nobody,” says Paul Lima, a Toronto-based freelance writer, copywriter and business-writing trainer who leads workshops that help freelancers identify goals and target their efforts. “Try marketing without a focus and you’ll be all over the map. You don’t see Nike trying to sell you hamburgers, or McDonald’s trying to sell you running shoes. Whether you’re a big business or small business, you have to focus, and that comes from having a business vision: determining who you are, what you do and who you should do it for.”

 

Your business vision will change as your interests evolve. When an opportunity comes up, decide if it fits your goals or is something you’d like to get into — if not, stick to your vision. If yes, build it in your business plan.

 

Depending on your type of company, your plan could be a couple of pages or a couple dozen pages. Research your industry: Who’s hiring short-term workers and how much are they paying? What services do freelancers offer and how much do they charge? What resources are available to people in your field?

 

Business plan tips and templates are available from the federal government’s Canada Business site. For more help, ask a mentor for feedback, take a class for entrepreneurs, or seek counsel from sources such as Atlantic Canada’s Entrepreneurs’ Forum, the Ontario government’s Small Business Enterprise Centres or BizLaunch.

 

Set up command central

Many freelancers work from home, and their needs are minimal: desk, computer, phone, Internet, a quiet workspace, and a few reference books.

 

If you need more space or services — or you crave human interaction — share a rented office or join an organization that lets you work on its premises. For example, members of the Centre for Social Innovation in Toronto have access to high-speed Internet, photocopy and fax machines, meeting rooms, audio-visual equipment, kitchen facilities and even mailboxes.

 

Christina Lauer, a graphic designer in Vancouver, set up a home office three years ago. “I realized I was starting to talk to strangers in the supermarket! So, yeah, I was feeling isolated,” she says, adding that people in creative fields benefit from a collaborative environment. “Now I’m sharing space in an agency. I don’t feel lonely at all.”

 

Spread the word

As a freelancer, you can’t hide behind your desk and hope that projects will find their way to your door. You need to promote yourself, network with confidence, and work well with clients.

 

Lauer has seen other designers struggle to find work because they weren’t good at dealing with clients. “They might be better off working in an agency where somebody else takes care of that part,” she says. “When you run your own business, you have to project manage and communicate with clients all the time.”

 

If interpersonal communication, marketing and networking aren’t your strong suits, take heart — they get easier with practice, and you might even discover, as Lauer did, that you enjoy it. “When I worked for an agency, I never went out and networked and met people, and I’ve met some really great people by freelancing,” she explains. “Now I feel like I’m really part of the design community in Vancouver.”

 

Cultivate contacts by telling family and friends about your business; attending conferences and trade shows; joining your industry’s professional association; keeping in touch with classmates (you never know where they’ll end up); and attending events hosted by your town’s chamber of commerce. Introduce yourself to at least five people at each event, and give them your full attention. Don’t fret if your phone isn’t ringing the next day — weeks or months may pass before a prospect needs your services.

 

Networking isn’t just about finding clients — it’s also about meeting colleagues who may be your future collaborators or referral sources. Rather than see other designers as competition, Lauer considers them a great resource; she even lists their web addresses on her own site. “I’ve worked with them before, and when I’m busy and can’t take on new clients, I’m so happy to recommend other people who I think will do a good job. For example, somebody might have really good illustrative skills, which I don’t have, and if I know this person can do a much better job… You always get back what you give.”

 

Create a website for your business. Don’t get too fancy — simple and clear is better than flashy. Look at the sites of other people in your business, and consider investing in the services of a web designer. Depending on your line of work, social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn may be helpful — just keep the personal and professional separate. (Clients don’t need to see pictures of you swilling margaritas on a beach.)

 

Business cards are convenient for passing contact info to prospects. Whip up inexpensive ones with Moo or Vistaprint and carry a couple at all times — you never know when opportunities will pop up.

 

If this sounds like a lot of work, you’re right, it is. Launching a business takes serious effort, and you might have to make dozens of elevator speeches before you land a new prospect. It won’t always be that way — if clients notice that you consistently deliver the goods and are a pleasure to deal with, you’re likely to hit the jackpot: repeat work.

 

“A lot of freelancers give up way too soon. They make a few cold calls or put their website up, and do a few things to try to promote their business, and when they don’t get clients — or not very good clients — they get frustrated,” says Steve Slaunwhite, a freelance copywriter and marketing consultant in Brampton, Ont., and co-author of The Wealthy Freelancer. “You need to take massive action and make a big noise, contact maybe hundreds of clients. It takes a lot of effort, but the reward is that you can create a really nice base of clients that could be the lifeblood of your business for years.”

 

Set your rates

Do you know what you’re going to charge? Prepare a range of figures and be ready to quote them, says Slaunwhite. “I realize that, especially in creative categories like writing and design, no two projects are exactly alike, but you can develop a fee structure based on typical projects. That will enable you to discuss pricing intelligently with a client right from the get-go, and it significantly increases your chance of landing the job if you’re able to quote a ballpark price right away.”

 

The biggest mistake freelancers make? Underpricing. “They’re afraid to quote their full value. But freelancers need to realize that they’re professionals, offering a professional service, and should be charging professional rates,” explains Slaunwhite. “If you get a client and your price is too low, you’ll never be able to raise your prices with that client, ever.”

 

Charging higher rates does mean, however, that you have to be willing to let lower-paying clients get away. “Some people out there are unwilling or unable to pay professional rates for things — they’re cheapskates or don’t have the budget,” says Slaunwhite. “Some won’t be able to afford you and that’s OK — there are plenty of other clients who can. You don’t have to accept every client’s budget.”

 

Take care of business

Once you land clients and become immersed in the work, it’s easy to forget the details of running a company — things like bookkeeping, invoicing and taxes. Stay on top of it, and if it’s too overwhelming or complicated, hire a pro to help you manage your finances.

 

There may also be more administrative work than you’re accustomed to. “I have to email a lot now,” laughs Lauer. “Although I really like dealing with clients directly, it’s very time-consuming. Some days, I have to answer 50 emails, and I wonder, ‘What did I do all day?’”

 

Get better at what you do

Sharpen your skills and stay on top of developments in your industry. That could mean everything from networking and signing up for trade journals and e-newsletters to taking courses.

 

Learning could also be informal. “Try to collaborate with people you think are better than you. That’s really important, especially if you work on your own,” says Lauer. “If you don’t get input from people who have other experiences and know more about certain things than you, you’ll stall in your development.”

 

Get a life outside of work

It can be hard to separate yourself from your company, especially if you work at home, but all work and no play is a recipe for misery and burnout. No doubt there will be unavoidable crunch times, but self-employed people need to find a balance. “This is more important than most freelancers may think,” says Slaunwhite. “It’s very easy to get consumed in your business and have it be all-consuming, and think about it all the time. Keep in mind when planning your business that you’re also planning your life.”

 

Slaunwhite recommends establishing guidelines — for example, which days of the week you’ll be available. “Clients will be as demanding as they can be, and you want to make sure you have a set of rules to build the lifestyle you want.”

 

Think you’re up the challenge? Freelancing can be a tough haul at times, but it’s also incredibly gratifying to know that everything you achieve, you’re doing by yourself.

 

Since going freelance, Lauer has been courted by agencies to work in-house, but she turned them down. “I didn’t even consider it for a second. I thought I would, if a good agency approached me, but…I just can’t imagine going back,” she says. 
“[Freelancing is] so much more rewarding, and I feel like I learn more — in the past three years, 10 times what I would’ve learned in an agency. And I find it really satisfying that all my output is all just me.”

 

** Jaclyn Law is a freelance writer and editor in Toronto. She is the president of the Toronto Chapter of the Professional Writers Association of Canada. **