Just got my first freelancing gig!

[NickDecent]

Just did it! I got paid $30 for what amounted to 7 hours of work, but I'm hoping I'll get a 5-star review. I gave it everything I got.

It feels good though. Seriously, if you're chipping at it now, you WILL get a gig.

 

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[KSR]

I want to believe this is sarcasm. But I just don't know.

It's a start - but aim higher my dude. Think dollars not pennies.

 

[Lex DeVille]

I want to believe this is sarcasm. But I just don't know.

It's a start - but aim higher my dude. Think dollars not pennies.

A guy celebrates a win that you have no idea how big it is for him and your first thought is to try and take something away from that.

Thanks for your quality contribution today.

 

[JWelch]

Just did it! I got paid $30 for what amounted to 7 hours of work, but I'm hoping I'll get a 5-star review. I gave it everything I got.

It feels good though. Seriously, if you're chipping at it now, you WILL get a gig.

Way to go man!
That's a big deal. Like the saying goes "The journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step."
Most people don't even take the first step, and it's the hardest one, but you did and you gave your customer the white glove treatment too.
You got the ball rolling now keep it going!

 

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[KSR]

A guy celebrates a win that you have no idea how big it is for him and your first response is to try and take something away from that.

Thanks for your qualify contribution today.

Yeah look, that's my bad. I mistakenly posted from my perspective, my personal experience - I got one job on Freelancer and got $25 CAD, it took me like 8-10 hours and I came out of it thinking it was a horrible experience and well and truly not worth the time/money.

 

[Young-Gun]

Just did it! I got paid $30 for what amounted to 7 hours of work, but I'm hoping I'll get a 5-star review. I gave it everything I got.

It feels good though. Seriously, if you're chipping at it now, you WILL get a gig.

Way to go!! It sounds like you know where you want to GET to, and you've started the journey. Super-proud of you, and I'm sure a lot of other people on this forum are, as well.
Great job taking action and seeing results. Keep it up

 

[NickDecent]

Thanks everyone! Totally digging the community here. Looking forward to moving on to bigger and better things (like many of you fellas mentioned).

Going to send more proposals tomorrow.

 

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[Andy Black]

Just did it! I got paid $30 for what amounted to 7 hours of work, but I'm hoping I'll get a 5-star review. I gave it everything I got.

It feels good though. Seriously, if you're chipping at it now, you WILL get a gig.

Well done, on getting the gig, and celebrating it.

Woohoo! One in a row!

 

[PatricF]

Just did it! I got paid $30 for what amounted to 7 hours of work, but I'm hoping I'll get a 5-star review. I gave it everything I got.

It feels good though. Seriously, if you're chipping at it now, you WILL get a gig.

Cool man, keep hammering and you will get where you want to be for sure.

Sent from my SM-G3812B using Tapatalk

 

[GoodluckChuck]

It's like when someone hangs their first dollar on the wall... But you got $30!

 

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[KSR]

@NickDecent I'm sorry for my first post. I didn't mean for it to be harsh -- but I can see exactly where you are coming from now.

It reminds me of myself back in 2014 when I was doing Internet Marketing -- I spent maybe $300 on sites, software and what have you, after 2-3 months I made my first income online! Guess how much it was... literally $.20 and yet, I was over the moon. It's more than just the money -- it's the accomplishment and the journey.

Once again, I apologise -- I'd edit the comment but it could be a lesson to those to put everything into perspective before saying stupid shit.

 

[BlindSide]

Just did it! I got paid $30 for what amounted to 7 hours of work, but I'm hoping I'll get a 5-star review. I gave it everything I got.

It feels good though. Seriously, if you're chipping at it now, you WILL get a gig.

I'm almost 100% sure this is about Upwork, so nice work!

If you ever need any advice with anything on there, let me know! In the mean time, keep aiming higher

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Just did it! I got paid $30 for what amounted to 7 hours of work, but I'm hoping I'll get a 5-star review. I gave it everything I got.

It feels good though.

Congrats.

Anyone who is focused on the dollar amount and the rate on your time isn't thinking long-game. This is a great win for the the long-game.

Being able to provide for yourself, scoring wins, and learning the processes of becoming self-sufficient has no price!

 

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[DarrenW]

Thanks everyone! Totally digging the community here. Looking forward to moving on to bigger and better things (like many of you fellas mentioned).

Going to send more proposals tomorrow.

Well done!

I just got my first gig about two weeks ago. And now I'm already doing $150 jobs. (Thank you @SinisterLex)

That first gig is life-changing. Congrats man!

 

[Guest304]

I see no Atta Boys. So I shall award you one atta boy.

Atta Boy.

Now keep the ball rolling. That's how it starts.

 

[JAJT]

Anyone who is focused on the dollar amount and the rate on your time isn't thinking long-game. This is a great win for the the long-game.

Absolutely this.

I have to be pretty vague here but I currently know an individual who started freelancing, worked for a client at a very disproportionate pay to time ratio, continued to work (for free, or nearly) for a good period of time while laying the foundation for what will be the future of that client's business, correcting major flaws with other areas of the business along the way, and was ultimately offered formal long-distance employment in a very high position making 6-figure income for part time hours. This has also lead to direct access to private investment in the multi million dollar range for this person's own private venture.

If this person had looked purely at the dollar amount of that first gig it would have been an "easy pass".

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

I have to be pretty vague here but I currently know an individual who started freelancing, worked for a client at a very disproportionate pay to time ratio, continued to work (for free, or nearly) for a good period of time while laying the foundation for what will be the future of that client's business, correcting major flaws with other areas of the business along the way, and was ultimately offered formal long-distance employment in a very high position making 6-figure income for part time hours. This has also lead to direct access to private investment in the multi million dollar range for this person's own private venture.

Yikes. Featured yikes!

 

[URBUGGED]

Is everyone on here working on similar projects, or are in the same line of work?


Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

 

[JAJT]

Is everyone on here working on similar projects, or are in the same line of work?

Web Development and Copywriting are the two that get a lot of talk on here.

Obviously there are folks doing other forms of freelancing but these are the two "hot" ones being talked about on the forum right now.

 

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[Guest304]

Not at all. I'm in the outdoor lighting industry. There are just a lot of creative and driven people here. Most people know a lot about a lot I've found

 

[Mr.Chaos]

Congrats, I started off the same way, almost 6-months later and we're looking really really good! Keep it up!

 

[Nicoknowsbest]

Absolutely this.

I have to be pretty vague here but I currently know an individual who started freelancing, worked for a client at a very disproportionate pay to time ratio, continued to work (for free, or nearly) for a good period of time while laying the foundation for what will be the future of that client's business, correcting major flaws with other areas of the business along the way, and was ultimately offered formal long-distance employment in a very high position making 6-figure income for part time hours. This has also lead to direct access to private investment in the multi million dollar range for this person's own private venture.

If this person had looked purely at the dollar amount of that first gig it would have been an "easy pass".

I agree 100%.

Let me share a story that happened over the last month, to open up a question I don't have an answer to myself:

I am somewhere between freelancer and agency at the moment. I started out in September last year and was able to land my biggest client at the end of march. Mid 4-figure deal, so around 5.5x what I used to make as an employee before that if you compare the hours put in. I was ecstatic. I am a big believer in "giving first". I always give, I give for free and I don't expect anything in return. That's part of the fastlane mindset.

The CEO of the company I closed the deal with pulls me to the side after the first meeting and said he was really impressed by me. "Please send me your offer, we'll do it with you..."

I prepare the offer, put my numbers down, send it and 10 minutes later get a call. It's the CEO. "Awesome, I won't haggle on price with you. I just have two problems. A, we need to start now. B, I agree to the 50% upfront payment, but we haven't been paid by our client yet. Could we make a gentlemen's agreement? You start and I promise you, the first to be paid as soon as the money comes in is you? I cannot tell you when, maybe next week, maybe in 10 days."

Okay, why not. Hey, I am a giver, right?

So I go ahead and give it all I've got. The company mentions on every occasion that there is so much future potential and they are absolutely in love with my work. I am super happy, checking my account every 3 days... Nothing. All fine, two weeks pass, the projects starts to look like something. Suddenly, everybody is in a hurry. The outsourcing partners refuse to start working until I am done. So I stay up until 3 am, sometimes working 7-8 hours straight, without really taking a break. One Friday, I sat at my desk until 9.30 pm to deliver.

Most of all, I start neglecting other clients.

It's all good I tell myself...

Fast forward to today. We are 5 weeks into the project, I invested 65 hours and haven't seen a dime. I already got two emails today telling me how important it is to finish everything this week...

I got frustrated and asked somebody I deeply respect for advice.

They told me to "down my tools immediately", which I did.

I sent a note to the CEO that my clients, who already paid, are my priority until he pays me.

I am still waiting for his reply.

Sooo...

Where does fastlane mindset end and where does selling yourself short start?

 

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[JAJT]

Where does fastlane mindset end and where does selling yourself short start?

This is a judgement call, really.

At the end of the day, potential doesn't pay the bills. At the same time, potential has potential!

I sent a note to the CEO that my clients, who already paid, are my priority until he pays me.

Personally I would not have done this. I think it's impersonal and shoots yourself a bit in the foot.

What I would do right now is call that CEO. If you don't have his number, send him a message saying "Sorry if my last message sounded harsh, I absolutely didn't mean it to, do you have a number I can call? I want to get your project finished and would like to discuss options".

Get on the phone and have FRANK discussion about this.

Restate the facts:

- Payment is weeks past due
- You're 65 hours into a project that you haven't seen a dime for
- They love your work
- You want to complete it and help them out

What you need to do is ask this CEO to look at it from your perspective - you've given up other, paying clients to get this project done because you bought into the value of it and you think it's exciting. You want to keep going but the bills need to get paid and the longer you aren't getting paid the less faith you have in trusting that it will come eventually. Tell them your bills don't really care how much you believe in the free work you've been doing.

Ask when payment is coming. Ask what it's waiting on. Ask to get on the phone with whoever is making that decision and have a 3-way discussion about expectations and options. Ask if the CEO can pull the funds from someplace else to get you your 50%. Ask what can be done today to get you working again in a way that will pay your bills.

Bottom line: you need enough information as to why you haven't gotten paid to see if it passes the "sniff test" (or gut check, if you prefer). If you feel like they are screwing you - stop. If you feel it's genuinely a bad situation but you believe payment is coming - well you need to decide to keep going or stop anyway or maybe some in-between option where you work but withhold deliverables until payment is processed so they can't actually use what you produce but you can ensure them you are still producing. Or whatever - you have to decide the risk/reward for this opportunity based on your phone calls and the information you get.

Sadly you'll have to make a judgement call.

 

[Sully1994]

Just did it! I got paid $30 for what amounted to 7 hours of work, but I'm hoping I'll get a 5-star review. I gave it everything I got.

It feels good though. Seriously, if you're chipping at it now, you WILL get a gig.

Dude congrats! I started out doing the same thing. I wrote articles for this guy about the most laughably random topics...Facebook live murders, scammy Instagram view delivery services, a musicians distribution rights under copyright.... all for $8 an article. And you bet your a$$ each of those took me multiple hours to complete. It F*cking sucked. However not long after, I was discovered by a start up agency in New York who hired me. They contacted me because they enjoyed my blog on advertising, but guess which articles I showed them to seal the deal? Everything I showed them was shit I either wrote for free, or at Nike sweat shop prices. Now I make $20 an hour, which is still not good money by any means, but I absolutely love what I write about- and get to do it in my freakin' pajamas!

Keep pressing on. Btw I might got a possible client for you- topic is digital marketing. Pays $20 an hour. If you're interested feel free to message me.

 

[Nicoknowsbest]

@JAJT, thank you so much for your answer and typing all that out - much appreciated!

Heads up: the situation is solved.

Details:

This is a judgement call, really.

At the end of the day, potential doesn't pay the bills. At the same time, potential has potential!

Difficult, yet very thrilling situation to be in.

This is one of the scenarios you'll learn a lot from.

Being able to make more right than wrong judgement calls will make the difference.

Personally I would not have done this. I think it's impersonal and shoots yourself a bit in the foot.

I totally agree with you under normal circumstances.

In this specific scenario though, I have to admit that there is a bit more to the story that had built up over weeks and which I didn't share in my previous comments.

There were a couple of small details which I didn't really like. Small things that add up though.

Ask when payment is coming. Ask what it's waiting on. Ask to get on the phone with whoever is making that decision and have a 3-way discussion about expectations and options. Ask if the CEO can pull the funds from someplace else to get you your 50%. Ask what can be done today to get you working again in a way that will pay your bills.

His excuse was that they haven't been paid by their client and are still waiting themselves.

Well, if he wants to pass on cash-flow problems to me, then he shouldn't have hired me in the first place, I believe?


I put honesty above everything. I am not a game player - if something is wrong, I state it.

I think the combination of this value, my personality and some cultural influences made me write the email like I did. I always show manners and I am friendly, but some things need to be understood very clearly and without doubt.

I also thought I had to win back some power in this situation. At the end of the day, we are two businesses trying to get ahead - he is not doing me a favor by hiring me and he shouldn't make me feel this way.


Long story short - he replied and promised me the funds this week, with a small sideswipe that they themselves haven't been paid yet. Well...

@JAJT - again, thank you for your answer, I fully agree with everything said.

@NickDecent - sorry about the thread hijack!

 

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[Andy Black]

@JAJT, thank you so much for your answer and typing all that out - much appreciated!

Heads up: the situation is solved.

Details:



Difficult, yet very thrilling situation to be in.

This is one of the scenarios you'll learn a lot from.

Being able to make more right than wrong judgement calls will make the difference.




I totally agree with you under normal circumstances.

In this specific scenario though, I have to admit that there is a bit more to the story that had built up over weeks and which I didn't share in my previous comments.

There were a couple of small details which I didn't really like. Small things that add up though.




His excuse was that they haven't been paid by their client and are still waiting themselves.

Well, if he wants to pass on cash-flow problems to me, then he shouldn't have hired me in the first place, I believe?


I put honesty above everything. I am not a game player - if something is wrong, I state it.

I think the combination of this value, my personality and some cultural influences made me write the email like I did. I always show manners and I am friendly, but some things need to be understood very clearly and without doubt.

I also thought I had to win back some power in this situation. At the end of the day, we are two businesses trying to get ahead - he is not doing me a favor by hiring me and he shouldn't make me feel this way.


Long story short - he replied and promised me the funds this week, with a small sideswipe that they themselves haven't been paid yet. Well...

@JAJT - again, thank you for your answer, I fully agree with everything said.

@NickDecent - sorry about the thread hijack!

"Money can't be in two places at once."

Until it's in your account, it's in his account.

 

[JAJT]

Glad you got it resolved! Or at least... in the process of being resolved.

 

[KSR]

@JAJT, thank you so much for your answer and typing all that out - much appreciated!

Heads up: the situation is solved.

Details:



Difficult, yet very thrilling situation to be in.

This is one of the scenarios you'll learn a lot from.

Being able to make more right than wrong judgement calls will make the difference.




I totally agree with you under normal circumstances.

In this specific scenario though, I have to admit that there is a bit more to the story that had built up over weeks and which I didn't share in my previous comments.

There were a couple of small details which I didn't really like. Small things that add up though.




His excuse was that they haven't been paid by their client and are still waiting themselves.

Well, if he wants to pass on cash-flow problems to me, then he shouldn't have hired me in the first place, I believe?


I put honesty above everything. I am not a game player - if something is wrong, I state it.

I think the combination of this value, my personality and some cultural influences made me write the email like I did. I always show manners and I am friendly, but some things need to be understood very clearly and without doubt.

I also thought I had to win back some power in this situation. At the end of the day, we are two businesses trying to get ahead - he is not doing me a favor by hiring me and he shouldn't make me feel this way.


Long story short - he replied and promised me the funds this week, with a small sideswipe that they themselves haven't been paid yet. Well...

@JAJT - again, thank you for your answer, I fully agree with everything said.

@NickDecent - sorry about the thread hijack!

That would be undeniably frustrating. I've been in that situation, but at least yours is replying -- so that's a good sign! I had an employer that owed me 40 hours work, didn't see it for 2-3 months before I had to get the organisation that he was running involved. That was sorted within days.

The last thing this CEO wants is a reputation of not paying his bills. No one will want to do work with them.

 

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[Nicoknowsbest]

Glad you got it resolved! Or at least... in the process of being resolved.

Thanks @JAJT!

Yep, subtle difference.

Saying and doing, sometimes worlds apart - curious how long it will take for the money to arrive.

The last thing this CEO wants is a reputation of not paying his bills. No one will want to do work with them.

100% agreed.

As long as he sees you as a peer, he'll care.

If he sees you as a "hired gun", he won't care, because hired guns complain all the time.

The positive thing about putting in 65 hours before seeing money is that he now knows exactly what he'll miss if this goes south.

 

[KSR]

Thanks @JAJT!

Yep, subtle difference.

Saying and doing, sometimes worlds apart - curious how long it will take for the money to arrive.




100% agreed.

As long as he sees you as a peer, he'll care.

If he sees you as a "hired gun", he won't care, because hired guns complain all the time.

The positive thing about putting in 65 hours before seeing money is that he now knows exactly what he'll miss if this goes south.

Exactly. You definitely don't want to screw over the dude who has access to your website, especially since they're in such a hurry!