Are Freelancers Recession-Proof? Turn Uncertainty Into Favor

As we stare down the barrel of another recession, I am incredibly grateful that I work for myself.

When you work for other people, you put your life in their hands. When you lose your job, you lose your only source of income, your benefits, and your livelihood. Freelancers are naturally more resilient than the average 9–5 employee because we’ve built flexible, decentralized business models that mean we never rely on income from just one source; we have decreased our dependence on the opinions and control of others.

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What Is A Freelancer? Here’s What It Takes To Be One

Unless you have been living under a rock, you have more than likely heard about the rise of independent workers, contractors, and new ways of doing business. But can you answer the question, “what is a freelancer?”

More and more workers are opting to freelance than ever before–according to Upwork, two million people joined the freelance movement in 2021 alone. The COVID-19 pandemic only accelerated a trend that had been rising since the beginning of home internet access.

Some people have worked this way for decades, but others are left scratching their heads. What is a freelancer, and why have they become so important to the economy?

Perhaps you are looking at options for hiring freelancers, or perhaps you are interested in becoming one yourself. Either way, let’s start by putting a solid definition behind the question that so many are beginning to ask: What is a freelancer?

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How to Look After Your Health as a Female Freelancer

Being a freelancer is one of the most liberating things you can do. You can work wherever you want, whenever you want, and with whomever you want.

But, some hidden challenges to being self-employed don’t come up when you have a permanent job with an employer. One such challenge is managing your health as a female freelancer.

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How To Get More Clients As A Freelancer

With 59 million freelancers in 2020 in the US and experts claiming that by 2027, the majority of the workforce in the US will be freelancers, we know freelancing is getting increasingly popular each year.

Nowadays, independent workers have a plethora of helpful tools to increase productivity: planning apps, communication tools, paperwork and contracting managers, social media planners, etc. Thus, freelancers are recovering control over their time, schedules, and finances while making more money than ever.

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Budgeting Hacks for Freelancers

Freelancers wear many hats — budgeting and tracking expenses is one of their countless roles. Financial planning is complicated as is, and as a freelancer, budgeting business and personal expenses can cause the lines to blur between the two.

Sudden expenses appear for everyone, and things can get out of control fast, especially if you don’t have a steady paycheck from payroll to rely on. Don’t worry — let’s help you figure out your finances and regain control. In this article, you will read the budgeting tips that will help you save more money and become more financially independent. Let’s see what you can do.

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6 Tips To Keep Clients Coming Back As A Freelancer

Acquiring new clients is far more tedious (and consequently costlier) than “activating” current clients. Ever wonder how to get clients to keep coming back? A 2014 study by Harvard Business School suggests that increasing retention by 5% can boost a business’s profits by 95% — and it holds true for one-person businesses too.

More than 30 million individuals are projected to be a part of the gig economy, suggesting major competition and emphasizing the need for repeat business. By 2026, the worldwide market for freelancing services is predicted to expand at a CAGR of 15%. Having a repeat business would help you ensure continued success and growth as a freelancer.

Wondering how to keep clients coming back is an important question. Let us first explore what a repeat business means for a freelancer.

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14 Side Business Ideas to Help Supplement Your Income

Do you have side business ideas running through your mind? You’re not alone. Side businesses have gained a lot of popularity since the financial crisis of 2007.

Here in the US, many millennials found themselves underemployed or out of work entirely, so they looked for ways to make ends meet outside of their day jobs. One recent survey claims that 93% of Americans have some kind of side hustle, and the value of the gig economy is projected to top $450 billion next year.

So how can you get in on that, right?

Coming up with side business ideas is simpler than you may think. It starts with thinking about the skills you have that someone else might need. There is a huge range of marketable goods and services that can help you earn money outside of your regular income.

To get you started, we’ve created a list of side business ideas that will help you think about what type of expertise you already have, and how to turn that into a successful revenue stream.

14 Side business ideas to help you get started

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7 Ways Monotasking Can Make Freelancing Easier

Multitasking is something that every freelancer knows all about.

After all, when you’re a solo entrepreneur, the buck stops with you.

You’re responsible for everything from marketing to liaising with clients, completing projects to spec, and ensuring that you get paid on time.

As the expression goes, you wear lots of hats – and often, you have to wear more than one hat at the same time.

Being adept at multitasking is a skill, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a good one. What if we told you that mastering the art of monotasking was essential, too?

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How to Price Yourself as a Contract Developer

When moving from full-time work to freelance, knowing how to price yourself as a contract developer can be a challenge. We’ve got the data to help you do it right.

We’re often asked by developers for advice on pricing themselves, whether it’s an hourly rate, a monthly retainer, or an annual salary. The answer, like most things in software, is usually, “it depends.”

Depends on what, though?

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Top Upwork Jobs For Beginners With No Experience

Finding work can be arduous, especially when you are a beginner. The challenge of finding a job as a freelancer without experience may seem impossible.

However, the process has become much easier with many new freelancing platforms like Upwork that offer work for marketers, designers, writers, and more.

However, when someone starts fresh on these websites, one of the most common questions is, which jobs are easily scored? The answer to this is straight and simple, search for jobs that require zero to very little experience and those that will put you above the competition.

Also, to land jobs with no experience, you’ll need to create a solid upwork profile, create a portfolio, set your hourly rate, work on your pitch, etc.

To learn more about the jobs you can land on Upwork as a beginner and some tips to kick-start your career, keep reading.

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