Kelly Vaughn - Start Freelancing Today

Copyright 2020 Kelly Vaughn

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author, except by reviewers, who may quote brief passages in a review.

ISBN 978-0-578-70477-7 (PDF Edition)

Editing by Rhian Beutler

Book design by Rob Shipway

Visit www.startfreelancing.today

Starting my own freelance business is something Ive always wanted to do but frankly, the thought terrified me; where does one even begin with freelancing? How do you find your first client? How much should you charge? These questions overwhelmed me but I didnt know where to turn for the answer. Start Freelancing Today is the book Ive been waiting for.

Within the first several pages, I knew that Start Freelancing Today would change the freelancing industry. The book breaks down the overwhelming task of starting your own business into easily manageable steps. It answers questions I didnt even know I had such as should I name my company after myself? and what happens if my client doesnt pay?

Kellys colloquial tone throughout the book makes you feel as though youre having coffee with a long-time friend, and while starting a business sounds stressful, she makes the process extremely approachable. I always knew that Start Freelancing Today would be an important book for the freelancing community, but I was blown away at how thorough the book is.

In this book, youll learn how to take the leap into a freelance career, how to set work/life boundaries, and how to scale your list of clients. Youll learn about partnering with other freelancers to expand your service offering, how to subcontract work, and how to deal with stress and burnout.

Start Freelancing Today is not just a book for those looking to break into the world of freelancing; its also a book for experienced freelancers stuck in a rut or looking to expand their business. Whether youre looking for tips on how to prioritize client projects or information and tooling on how to build your client proposals, Start Freelancing Today is for you.

I am incredibly proud of Kelly for publishing such an incredible book, and I have no doubt that Start Freelancing Today will help many aspiring and seasoned freelancers looking to build their business.

I hope you all love Start Freelancing Today as much as I have.

Emma Bostian

De-Coding The Technical Interview Process

My freelancing journey started before I even knew what freelancing was. I was 14 years old, a budding web designer and developer, eager to find additional opportunities to apply my newly formed skills. As luck would have it, my dad had a friend who owned a hunting supply store without a web presence. After a few months, the website launched, and I received my first payment as a freelancer:

A t-shirt.

No, seriously. I was paid a t-shirt! Like I said, I didnt know what I was doing. While that project wasnt going to pay any bills (thankfully, most 14-year-olds dont have bills to pay), it was the start of what led me to where I am now. Today Im running an agency with a 12-person team. Ive been featured in Business Insider, Mailchimp, and on the Shopify blog numerous times. I want to teach you everything I know so you can start freelancing and be paid more than a t-shirt for your hard work.

Freelancing is the act of working for several different companies at varying times as opposed to working for one single company. Even if the bulk of your work comes from just one company, youre still an independent contractor and not on that companys payroll. Ultimately, youre your own boss. You decide on the work, the clients, your working hours, and the pay.

Freelancing opportunities are available across several industries, including but not limited to:

As you can see, there are many opportunities to freelance, regardless of your field.

Your reason to begin freelancing is entirely up to you. Maybe you want to add a new revenue stream to help pay off debt or have some extra spending money. Perhaps you want to one day work for yourself on your own time and your own terms.

By the time you finish this book, youll have the tools you need to begin and grow your career as a freelancer. Youll know how to form your business, find your first freelance client, and navigate the project from contract to completion. Youll know where to go next when you want to scale your freelance business. Most importantly, youll have a plan of action to navigate the hurdles you will likely encounter along the way.

Being my own boss isnt always easy, but its the most rewarding decision Ive made. I want you to feel empowered to start your own business. Whether your goal is to earn extra income on the side, begin working for yourself full-time, or just learn a little more about the world of freelancing, I know you will find value in this book.

Disclaimer

Before we dig in, its important to note that I live in the United States, and my experience as a freelancer is closely tied to US regulations and culture. In the coming chapters, Ill be discussing the process of forming your business, creating a contract for your clients, and determining your hourly rate. While the general idea of these items will apply globally, business culture varies significantly, as does the way business is conducted.

The first thing youll need to do to get started freelancing is to decide on a name. You have two options: you can use your own name, or you can come up with a unique company name. Lets dig into the pros and cons of each option.

As a solo freelancer, youre marketing yourself. Using your name for your business means your business is directly tied to your own identity. Whether you just use your first and last name (Kelly Vaughn) or include a word at the end (Kelly Vaughn Creative), your company clearly belongs to you.

Using your name allows you to showcase your personality through the work you do. After all, companies will be hiring you personally to do the work. Youre creating a direct personal relationship with the company. Its becoming increasingly popular for customers to choose companies to buy from based on shared values selectively. Showcasing your personality and personal story will help build a deeper connection between you and the client.

If your name is less common, you can reap the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) benefits that come from using your own name. For example, there arent many Kelly Vaughns with a web presence an actress, a country artist, and oddly enough, a local dentist. (I almost chose her as my dentist purely because we have the same name.) Needless to say, I wasnt facing much competition in terms of appearing on the first page of Google. If your name is John Smith, Im afraid you wont see any SEO benefit of using your own name as your freelancing brand.

Using your own name will make you seem more accessible, especially to small businesses. Theres often this preconceived notion that a freelancer has lower rates than a company with a unique name. It makes sense your overhead is significantly lower when its just you working, so you dont need to charge as much to break even on deals. If your aim is to work with smaller businesses, using your own name will make you appear friendlier and more approachable.