5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Going Freelance – My Top Tips

I work full-time as a freelance content writer and, most of the time, I love my job! I like that I have complete control over how and when I work – and I get to help lovely businesses, brands and website owners reach out to more customers.

However, it’s no secret that freelancing is full of ups and downs – that’s half the fun, right? So, what are the things I really wish I’d known before starting out? Let’s take a look.

5 things I wish I knew being becoming a freelancer

Here are 5 things I wish I knew before going freelance – including all my tips for freelancers just starting out on the journey!

1. Community is everything – freelancers, friends and family

When I first started freelancing, I isolated myself. I didn’t know how important it was to make connections with other business owners – and I suffered because of that.

I wish someone had told me the importance of building those connections sooner. I might have avoided burnout and learned a little more about the ins and outs of running a business.

Luckily, I had a great support network of friends and family when things got tough. Now, I’ve spent a lot of time cultivating professional and friendly relationships with other freelancers.

These relationships could even lead to work at some point down the line, via referrals, recommendations or outsourcing. So, don’t underestimate the power of making connections.

2. If you don’t create boundaries for yourself, no one else will

When you work for yourself, everything is on you. That means you’re the only one who controls how and when you work. You set your boundaries and it’s up to you to find new work.

Being on your own is so liberating – you call the shots. But it’s also terrifying. You have to make all the decisions. There’s no one to fall back on.

If you’re a freelancer, business owner, side hustler or creative who’s unsure how to get started, check out my brand-new ebook ‘The Art of Balance’.

It goes through how to set boundaries, avoid red flags and build a business you love, including plenty of practical advice. Learn from some of my mistakes!

3. It’s a rollercoaster – so be prepared for those ups and downs

I wish someone had told me about all the ups and downs that come with freelancing. Maybe they did. I mean, it’s a pretty obvious one.

There is the feast vs famine cycle – when you either have way too much work, or not enough. There’s the income fluctuations, there are the clients that ghost you, there are the opportunities that fall through.

Plus, there’s all the added stuff that comes with freelancing. When everything depends on you, it’s hard not to take everything personally. Even when it’s really not.

Freelancing is the best thing I’ve ever done, but it’s also hard. So for anyone just getting started – it’s okay if you don’t feel confident, happy or successful 100% of the time. No one does.

4. Sort out your cash flow

It took me ages to sort out my cash flow, but once I did it, it was actually very easy. As a freelancer, it’s all about creating stability for yourself. I recommend putting a system in place that stops you from living invoice to invoice.

My system is very basic – money goes into my savings, which I then use to pay myself a consistent salary each month. It’s not rocket science, but it means I’m not panicking when clients take a little longer to pay my invoices, or when work is quiet.

Shout out to my mum (for telling me to do this) and my boyfriend (for helping me work out the best system). It all comes back to that support network!

5. YOU are the boss, not your client

I wish someone had told me how hard it is to get out of the 9-5 mentality as a freelancer. You are the boss, which means you can choose your projects and take time off when you want.

When you start out as a freelancer, it’s very easy to think of yourself as an employee. Of course, you do work for your clients. But you also have a certain level of control.

You can “fire” clients if they’re toxic or you can look for new projects that better support your values. Becoming a freelancer is all about learning that you’re the boss. So take time to set boundaries, review red flags and create a routine that works for you!

For more freelance tips and tricks, check out my ebook ‘The Art of Balance’ – 30+ pages of tips, guides and resources to help you thrive in your business.

Are you a freelance writer, blogger or creative? What do you wish you knew about freelancing before you started? What is your favourite part about being a freelancer?

Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below 🙂

Happy reading x