Starting your own business can seem like a daunting endeavour. There is so much to do, learn, implement, etc and perfectionism usually gets to the best of us. But it doesn\u2019t have to be that way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I see people all.the.time. trying to overcomplicate things. But here\u2019s the reality:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Making money is just about discovering what you can do, what people will pay you for, and a way to get in front of those people.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Because it\u2019s the fastest way to start your own business, step into entrepreneurship and give you the taste of freedom of time and financial security you get from being your own boss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The reality is, there is no such thing as job security<\/a>. I even shared two stories on Facebook<\/a> that should scare the bejeezus outta you if you think you\u2019re secure in your current job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Freelancing helped me not settle for \u201cgood enough\u201d<\/a> in my life and helped me overall be a better person like I shared about here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It helped me travel the world and be a digital nomad<\/a> with only some simple preparation to be location independent<\/a> (Europe, US and now Thailand!). Here\u2019s how I was able to live in France as a freelancer<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The beauty of freelancing is you can just start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It doesn\u2019t matter if you have a 40k degree. Although freelancing and business owning and entrepreneurship can become one and the same, the real key to freelancing is you don\u2019t need much to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You need skills (ie. knowledge on how to do something). And you\u2019re in business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m making it sound easy, right? Yep. Because it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m so excited you\u2019re here. It means you are ready for something better.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Something better than working for someone else. And freelancing can get you there.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You may feel like society or the people around you will think you\u2019re crazy, but like these people shared, there is power in starting something stupid<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019re taking the first step by going through this guide and joining us here at Freelance to Freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So let\u2019s do this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Determine what skills you have and what you like to do.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n First and foremost, the #1 mistake people make when trying to start their first business is trying to come up with some crazy, new, unique idea. This usually leads to a never-ending cycle of brainstorming and no action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My best advice to you at this very beginning stage of starting a freelance business is KEEP IT SIMPLE. It\u2019s the easiest way to get started freelancing and get momentum<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make a big ol\u2019 list of ideas using the following prompts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Think through your past jobs, big and small, and list out all the tasks you took care of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think through all the software and tools you know how to use (everything from Facebook to Word to Gmail)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think about what you like to do for fun. What do you spend your off-time doing for fun? Social media maybe? Cooking? Making videos in iMovie?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think about the related fields to things you like to do. Social Media, Graphic Design, Video Editing, Admin Assistant, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now come up with a list of services related the things you listed in answering those questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So you\u2019ve got your list. Now you\u2019ve got to choose what interests you the most to get started freelancing with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember \u2013 this can change. Whatever service you come up with this time, will likely not be what you are offering a year from now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The key is to go from want-repreneur to entrepreneur as quickly as possible. If you feel more like a want-preneur, check out these 9 important lessons I learned in my year of being a want-repreneur<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You want to start freelancing\u2026 it\u2019s time to just start and that means choosing what you\u2019re going to offer first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So with your list decide on what you want to start with the following in mind:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Which service lights you up?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Which gets you excited to start getting paid to do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Which one do you already have most of the skills to perform or can have the skills after a few weeks of extra online learning?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use this simple process to validate your freelance idea<\/a>. They key is to figure out whether people are making money from what you\u2019d like to do and if there are people out there with a problem your service can help solve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Find people in your immediate network or in places you hang out that might need your services. This is as simple as posting on social, emailing or asking in a Facebook group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some things to consider when putting together your beta offer<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWHY AM I SUCH A CHEERLEADER FOR FREELANCING?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It doesn\u2019t matter if you already have a job.
You don\u2019t need an LLC.
You don\u2019t need a business plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You need to find people that need those skills.
You need to tell people about those skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Something better than not controlling when you work.
Something better than your shitty paycheck that never seems to increase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n1. DECIDE WHAT TO OFFER<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. VALIDATE YOUR IDEA<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. GET A FEW BETA CLIENTS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n