Many students attend university intending to start their careers, but it is quite possible to start that journey while you’re still taking classes with freelancing.
Brock LINC, an organization that supports research commercialization, entrepreneurship and industry partnerships at Brock University, held a workshop on Oct. 23 titled How to Become a Freelancer. The workshop saw self-employment expert Tamara Jensen, Principal of Tamara Jensen Strategy, discussing the ins and outs of freelancing, wherein you get to be your own boss and run your own business.
Jensen began her freelance journey by opening a food truck, a process that included doing her own marketing and branding. When others saw her work, they asked for her help, and she was eventually able to launch her own business from it. Since then, she’s worked at an in-house marketing agency, opened her own restaurant, taught many classes on the subject and continued to develop her freelance business.
She started the presentation by describing that any number of skills could be applied to a freelancing business, including writing, video editing, graphic design, photography and more. Skills that may come easy to you could be commodities that others will pay you for. Furthermore, freelancing allows you to generate income while working flexible hours, doing something you love and working with either a specific or diverse array of clients. “The sky is the limit,” said Jensen.
This process can start during your time at Brock, made easier by the Brock Student Freelance Directory, a free service that allows students to market themselves to other students looking for help with small projects.
Getting involved with directories like this can be crucial for networking and developing a professional portfolio early in your career.
There are two main types of freelance work you can do, Jensen explained: project-based, where you work with a specific client for a specific assignment; and retainer-based, where you work a set number of hours a month for a company but could be doing any number of assignments.
Both styles have their positives and negatives; for example, retainer-based work may provide a steadier income, but that income may not be as high as you can charge for project-based work. Retainer-based work may give you stronger connections and industry skills, but without the defined scope of project-based work, your assignments can quickly spiral out of control as companies ask for a bit of help here and there. Moreover, while project-based work may provide you with more opportunities, it can be hectic to secure jobs, and time management is incredibly important if you take too much on. Retainer-based work can allow you to catch your breath, so to speak.
Jensen went on to discuss the topic most entrepreneurs are most interested in: payment. How do you charge people, and what kind of rate do you set for yourself?
She said that finding your rate can take time and it should change throughout your career, but researching market rates is a great way to start. Knowing what you’re worth is incredibly important: you should consider your skills, experience, the time and energy you’ll spend, as well as additional costs like travel, necessary software and more, but your financial needs and goals are just as paramount.
Doing work at a discounted rate or pro bono can be effective in expanding your business when you’re starting out, said Jensen, but it should never become a constant, even when you’re working with friends and family. At the end of the day, communication with your customers is the most important principle to maintain.
Jensen also discussed some specific details about running your own business, like the importance of registering yourself with Service Ontario — even if the name of your business is just your name — and keeping track of your expenses for when tax season rolls around. Professional invoices also streamline the process of billing your customers by acting as a “mini contract” to set up the terms of your agreement.
Online directories like the one at Brock, Fiverr or Freelance.com can also help you build a stronger presence, but Jensen said local business will likely always be your best bet because it’s “better to work in the world you know.”
Jensen said communication with clients is one of the most important aspects of growing your business. Setting expectations and boundaries, then respecting those boundaries and continuing to have healthy, transparent conversations with your clients will increase the likelihood of them hiring you again, referring you to someone else or writing a testimonial for you.
Furthermore, increasing your rates is important as you gain more experience in your field and continue to recognize your rising worth as a business commodity. Charging more for your work as that work becomes of a higher calibre is not only reasonable but necessary for your growth so long as you make sure to maintain that communication with your clients.
Jensen gave two more seemingly simple but critical bits of advice for anyone seriously interested in making freelancing a main source of income: practice saying no, so you don’t overwork yourself to the point of burnout; and always keep learning.
You’ll figure out what parts of the business you most enjoy and which you always put off, and this is where the brilliant part of freelancing comes into effect, said Jensen. For those parts you don’t enjoy, you can hire other freelancers to create an interconnected network of business and focus on doing what you love most.
All this may seem like formless, unreachable future plans, but Brock students can start freelancing today. The Brock Student Freelance Directory is a possible way to get your name out there, but Brock LINC holds other workshops and networking events to hone your entrepreneurial skills, which you can find on their ExperienceBU page.
You might just be creating the business that defines your career.