So, you’ve decided to go out on your own and become a freelancer. Congratulations on making this step in your career! While it’s definitely challenging to make the leap, you’ll soon discover that being your own boss is incredibly rewarding.
You’ll be able to choose exactly what you want to do in your freelance career and who you want to work with. You’ll have more freedom over your time and your income. You’ll also be able to decide what kind of work environment you want.
One of the great things about freelancing is that there are endless resources available for freelancers both before they launch their careers and once they’re working full-time. However, not all of them are geared towards the needs of freelancers. Some can make our lives easier, while others can help us grow our business.
Here is a list of some of the most useful resources for freelancers across the web:
- Educational Podcasts
Educational podcasts are a valuable resource for freelancers. Whether you’re looking for an inspirational speaker or a class to help you improve your craft, podcasts are great for learning about new skills and gaining valuable insights from established professionals.
Even the most experienced freelancers know that the space is constantly evolving and expanding, so you’re never done learning.
Educational podcasts are a great way to get information in a way that you can easily access and consume. You can learn about new topics without having to sit down and read an entire book on them. Plus, you can listen to them when you’re doing other things like cooking, driving, or cleaning.
A good example of a post that freelancers can find pretty useful is the Hectic Podcast™ with Darryl Kelly.
The Hectic Podcast™ with Darryl Kelly
This is a podcast that aims to bring business management tips and strategies to up-and-coming freelancers and small business owners. Each episode will feature a topic aimed at helping business owners manage their businesses more effectively.
The Hectic Podcast™ with Darryl Kelly is a practical, easy-to-implement guide to freelancing that simplifies the challenges of starting your own business. Darryl has created an online platform for helping young professionals get ahead in every area of life—from financial planning to marketing and prioritizing family life to keeping your team happy and growing. And, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, send Darryl Kelly an email and he will personally make sure that it is covered.
- Website Builders
Website builders are excellent tools for freelancers. They facilitate the creation of a website without having to build one from scratch or hire someone else to do it.
Many website builders offer great templates that make putting together a site incredibly easy. This is especially important if you’re not a web designer yourself and don’t have the technical skills to customize your templates.
Some website builders even allow freelancers to create an online portfolio, displaying their work and services as well as providing a description of what they have to offer.
- Freelance Job Boards
Freelance job boards are websites where people post jobs they need to be completed. These jobs can be anything from writing and translating, to web development and design, to customer service and data entry work. The possibilities are limitless.
The benefit of using a freelance job board is that you can find clients from across the world who are willing to pay for your services. However, this convenience comes at a cost.
The competition for jobs on these sites is fierce and often goes to those with the lowest bids. Though this may work for some freelancers who can offer top-notch services at low prices, it doesn’t work well for everyone else.
Consequently, if you’re able to find clients through these sites – great! You’ll need to be prepared to start at lower rates than normal while you build your portfolio; however, once you have a few clients under your belt you’ll be able to start charging more for your services and move onto other opportunities.
The Final Word
If you’re willing to put in a little extra work, freelancing is one of the best ways to make money — especially if you don’t want to deal with management. Being your own boss allows you to call the shots and take advantage of new opportunities as they arise, but it also means handling all the tasks that come with running a business.
Fortunately, as you can see from this article, there are many tools out there that can help freelancers manage their work and stay productive.
