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Freelancing with no skills ?

EliE77

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I have read on the forum that you can learn webdesign pretty fast, is it true ?

If it is, what other skills can you learn quickly ?

My goal is to go freelance and make enough money to quit my 8-5, and focus on building an E-commerce store.

Thank you, you awesome people :thumbsup:

PS: Is Amazon FBA the best way to get started on E-commerce ?
 
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Andy Black

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I have read on the forum that you can learn webdesign pretty fast, is it true ?

If it is, what other skills can you learn quickly ?

My goal is to go freelance and make enough money to quit my 8-5, and focus on building an E-commerce store.

Thank you, you awesome people :thumbsup:

PS: Is Amazon FBA the best way to get started on E-commerce ?
Check out:

You don't need to be an expert:
 

Andy Black

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PS: Is Amazon FBA the best way to get started on E-commerce ?
I've no idea as I don't do eCommerce. I do get paid to provide a service to eCommerce business owners though, so I'm earning while I'm learning.

Question for you:
(Product-Founder fit) What can YOU do to help someone and get paid this week?
 

Madame Peccato

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I have read on the forum that you can learn webdesign pretty fast, is it true ?

If it is, what other skills can you learn quickly ?

My goal is to go freelance and make enough money to quit my 8-5, and focus on building an E-commerce store.

Thank you, you awesome people :thumbsup:

I've done it with 0 skills and 0 school degrees. I don't earn great money (yet) and there has been a lot of figuring stuff out by myself plus the help of some threads on this forum like the ones linked by Andy.

I know English well and I'm Italian, so I started out as a translator. Amidst my translation works I've had some people ask me if I was up to write new content, and I accepted.

They were happy with it and I've been slowly abandoning the translation route, as I wasn't enjoying it much and I don't have much faith in the field, but I'd say you can still make it big if you have a better mindset.

Yes, you can learn web design relatively quickly enough to get profitable. What helped me the most with the fear of not being good enough was framing the problem this way: you aren't trying to make a website for a huge media company like Disney (at least, for now), just to help out your city's plumbers or electricians or brick & mortar stores or landscaping business.

Other fields that don't require formal training and that can be learned while you get paid for them are copywriting and digital marketing.
 
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alexkuzmov

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I have read on the forum that you can learn webdesign pretty fast, is it true ?
Yes and no.
As with anything else, you can get started pretty fast, sure.
To get good enough at it to get paid, you`ll have to put in the hours.
How quickly you`ll progress largely depends on your current skills and knowledge.
There is art to making a web design so dont think its like learning to ride a bike.

If it is, what other skills can you learn quickly ?
What other skills do people need you to learn?

My goal is to go freelance and make enough money to quit my 8-5, and focus on building an E-commerce store.
I recommend you read: The ONE Thing
Its available on audible as well.

Is Amazon FBA the best way to get started on E-commerce ?
Proboboly not.
I`m no expert here, but I rather not hand over control of my inventory to 3rd parties if I`m going to be running a online store.
 

Odysseus M Jones

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You could also subscribe to Adobe CC, make logos, produce flyers, brochures, marketing materials etc. It's not rocket science to learn, more like glorified word processing.

You can target local businesses as well as the freelancer sites while you're honing your skills.
It synergizes with web design too.

It's like any low barrier business, you're working for peanuts against a large talent pool on those sites.

But if you're resourceful you can create perceived value by targeting the right businesses.

I am going to start an E-commerce.
I have no idea what I am doing, I know close to nothing about this business, all I know is I will make it happen.
I've been dreaming about financial freedom for too long, wasted too much time, now it's time for me to take action.
No turning back, no plan B, I am going ALL IN.

Since the birth of this forum you must have seen a lot of posts of this kind, people that were fired up after reading the book. Talking big game and then a year later you no longer hear from them.
I won't be those guys, I will succeed and when I do I will give back to this forum tenfold.
:thumbsup:
 

Andy Black

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  1. Signup to Wix.
  2. Create a simple website for yourself.
  3. Ask people you know if they know anyone who needs a simple website created. *

* Read this carefully. You're not asking people if THEY need a simple website.
 
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Andy Black

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Thank you Andy
There’s been a few similar threads to yours recently with lots of good replies. I can’t remember their name or find them.
 

EliE77

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I've done it with 0 skills and 0 school degrees. I don't earn great money (yet) and there has been a lot of figuring stuff out by myself plus the help of some threads on this forum like the ones linked by Andy.

I know English well and I'm Italian, so I started out as a translator. Amidst my translation works I've had some people ask me if I was up to write new content, and I accepted.

They were happy with it and I've been slowly abandoning the translation route, as I wasn't enjoying it much and I don't have much faith in the field, but I'd say you can still make it big if you have a better mindset.

Yes, you can learn web design relatively quickly enough to get profitable. What helped me the most with the fear of not being good enough was framing the problem this way: you aren't trying to make a website for a huge media company like Disney (at least, for now), just to help out your city's plumbers or electricians or brick & mortar stores or landscaping business.

Other fields that don't require formal training and that can be learned while you get paid for them are copywriting and digital marketing.

Did you stop translating because it wasn't profitable enough ?
How writing content is going for you ? Did you have any previous experience in it ?

Great English btw ;) :thumbsup:
 
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EliE77

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Yes and no.
As with anything else, you can get started pretty fast, sure.
To get good enough at it to get paid, you`ll have to put in the hours.
How quickly you`ll progress largely depends on your current skills and knowledge.
There is art to making a web design so dont think its like learning to ride a bike.


What other skills do people need you to learn?


I recommend you read: The ONE Thing
Its available on audible as well.


Proboboly not.
I'm no expert here, but I rather not hand over control of my inventory to 3rd parties if I`m going to be running a online store.

My skills and knowledge are pretty limited right now, I have a lot to learn.
How many hours do you think I have to put in to get good enough ?

Thx for your help, I added the book to my " To read list " :smile2::thumbsup:
 

EliE77

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There’s been a few similar threads to yours recently with lots of good replies. I can’t remember their name or find them.

No worries Andy you've done enough with your first post ;)
 

alexkuzmov

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How many hours do you think I have to put in to get good enough ?
Thats way too subjective.
What are your current skills?
Do you work a job
Are you working on a business?
 
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EliE77

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You could also subscribe to Adobe CC, make logos, produce flyers, brochures, marketing materials etc. It's not rocket science to learn, more like glorified word processing.

You can target local businesses as well as the freelancer sites while you're honing your skills.
It synergizes with web design too.

It's like any low barrier business, you're working for peanuts against a large talent pool on those sites.

But if you're resourceful you can create perceived value by targeting the right businesses.




:thumbsup:

Thankss I'll look it up.

If those peanuts allow me to quit my job, I'm in !
 

EliE77

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Thats way too subjective.
What are your current skills?
Do you work a job
Are you working on a business?
Got you.
No skills as of now that I can monetize online, that's why I am looking to learn some so I can make money out of nothing.
Not working on any business yet
 

Andy Black

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No worries Andy you've done enough with your first post ;)
What I mean is: if you find those threads you’ll find more good advice on them applicable to your situation, and with answer to questions you’re now asking.

You have time to exchange for money. People can and will hire people to do things just because they don’t have the time.
 
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Odysseus M Jones

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Thankss I'll look it up.

If those peanuts allow me to quit my job, I'm in !
That's just the freelancer sites.
Approach the right unsexy companies & you can virtually name your price.

For example, a butcher I use does a brisk trade, retail, wholesale, for collection & delivery.

Their online shop sucks, it doesn't list half the things they sell & my collection order is taken by phone, I have to give my personal details every time, order exactly the same thing, they write it by hand on paper & stick it to the order.

Not only that, I buy fresh chicken carcass for my dogs from them.
It's half what the raw dog food suppliers charge & it's much better quality.
Raw dog food is a huge market & it's largely online delivered by courier.

I know they sell a lot of product, my orders are written in the back of supplier invoices LOL.

Imagine how they could scale with the right proposal: web design, e-commerce, SEO, FB & Google ads, sales funnels etc.

There's loads of local companies around if you're observant.

I live in the country, the town sucks, all the usual small retail businesses, no budget, small value transactions, but there's quarries, farms, machinery, garments.

Omg now I think about it, I'm living in a goldmine.

Food for thought...
 

Andy Black

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That's just the freelancer sites.
Approach the right unsexy companies & you can virtually name your price.

For example, a butcher I use does a brisk trade, retail, wholesale, for collection & delivery.

Their online shop sucks, it doesn't list half the things they sell & my collection order is taken by phone, I have to give my personal details every time, order exactly the same thing, they write it by hand on paper & stick it to the order.

Not only that, I buy fresh chicken carcass for my dogs from them.
It's half what the raw dog food suppliers charge & it's much better quality.
Raw dog food is a huge market & it's largely online delivered by courier.

I know they sell a lot of product, my orders are written in the back of supplier invoices LOL.

Imagine how they could scale with the right proposal: web design, e-commerce, SEO, FB & Google ads, sales funnels etc.

There's loads of local companies around if you're observant.

I live in the country, the town sucks, all the usual small retail businesses, no budget, small value transactions, but there's quarries, farms, machinery, garments.

Omg now I think about it, I'm living in a goldmine.

Food for thought...
I wonder if more businesses want to get online with this coronacrisis and lockdown?
 

Odysseus M Jones

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I wonder if more businesses want to get online with this coronacrisis and lockdown?
There must be & even those that don't think they need to would do if they were shown the untapped potential their company has for growth without significant cost or effort.

Sometimes it just needs fresh eyes & imagination.
 
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EliE77

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That's just the freelancer sites.
Approach the right unsexy companies & you can virtually name your price.

For example, a butcher I use does a brisk trade, retail, wholesale, for collection & delivery.

Their online shop sucks, it doesn't list half the things they sell & my collection order is taken by phone, I have to give my personal details every time, order exactly the same thing, they write it by hand on paper & stick it to the order.

Not only that, I buy fresh chicken carcass for my dogs from them.
It's half what the raw dog food suppliers charge & it's much better quality.
Raw dog food is a huge market & it's largely online delivered by courier.

I know they sell a lot of product, my orders are written in the back of supplier invoices LOL.

Imagine how they could scale with the right proposal: web design, e-commerce, SEO, FB & Google ads, sales funnels etc.

There's loads of local companies around if you're observant.

I live in the country, the town sucks, all the usual small retail businesses, no budget, small value transactions, but there's quarries, farms, machinery, garments.

Omg now I think about it, I'm living in a goldmine.

Food for thought...
Yeahh you're right, and now that I think about it I know a lot of company that don't even have a website.

Ahah I am living in a goldmine too, I need to go buy me a shovel.

Are you a Freelancer yourself ??
 

Menery

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I've no idea as I don't do eCommerce. I do get paid to provide a service to eCommerce business owners though, so I'm earning while I'm learning.

Question for you:
(Product-Founder fit) What can YOU do to help someone and get paid this week?

what services do you provide andy?
 

Menery

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I have read on the forum that you can learn webdesign pretty fast, is it true ?

If it is, what other skills can you learn quickly ?

My goal is to go freelance and make enough money to quit my 8-5, and focus on building an E-commerce store.

Thank you, you awesome people :thumbsup:

PS: Is Amazon FBA the best way to get started on E-commerce ?

calling yourself a web designer is easy. Building websites that produce real results for a business is hard and requires work. Just get started tho as andy already said.
 
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Andy Black

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Odysseus M Jones

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Are you a Freelancer yourself ??
A long time ago I worked through agencies in education, training & fashion but only because it was practical for that kind of work.

I'm not a big fan of depending on others for my livelihood. I didn't even know what Upwork was until I joined this forum.

Yeahh you're right, and now that I think about it I know a lot of company that don't even have a website.

Ahah I am living in a goldmine too, I need to go buy me a shovel.
Go for it. Use your imagination & show them how you can grow their business.
You'll need to know what they do & how they do it before you can help them.
Visit them as a prospective customer, ask questions, get their brochure.
Check newspapers for articles, even old ones.

If you're really going to help a business you have to know them well enough to put yourself in their position & find solutions to their problems, or better yet identify solutions to problems they didn't even know they had.

Or put another way, find ways to grow their business that they haven't thought of.

But they have to be concrete plans you can demonstrate by knowing their business & the potential they have, not just "you don't have a website, I can design one."

You may have to make their website & host it on your own domain to show them. I'd do that if I did web design.

The benefits are twofold, develop your skills & a visual of your concept.
 

Madame Peccato

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Did you stop translating because it wasn't profitable enough ?
How writing content is going for you ? Did you have any previous experience in it ?

Great English btw ;) :thumbsup:

Yes, it wasn't profitable for me, but I had a couple of really nice clients, so if I tried harder I could have probably done well for myself. It'd have helped if I could join a freelancer list of a translation agency, but these all want degrees and qualifications, so I couldn't.

Content writing is going well for me. I did not have any previous experience in it, nor I ever cared about writing in school. I read a copywriting book (Ca$hvertising) and I was good to go. It taught me everything I know about how to write content.
 
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EliE77

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Now it’s important to learn the basics of web design. Take a few PSD files, pay attention to them and try to do something similar. And if you work hard, in the end you will have enough skills to work remotely.
Thank you :thumbsup:
 

EliE77

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Yes, it wasn't profitable for me, but I had a couple of really nice clients, so if I tried harder I could have probably done well for myself. It'd have helped if I could join a freelancer list of a translation agency, but these all want degrees and qualifications, so I couldn't.

Content writing is going well for me. I did not have any previous experience in it, nor I ever cared about writing in school. I read a copywriting book (Ca$hvertising) and I was good to go. It taught me everything I know about how to write content.
Good for you !
Well, this book must be really good then LOL

Could you tell me when did you start learning English if you don't mind me asking ?
Are you as fluent as a native speaker ?
 

Stargazer

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What do you currently do?

Reason I ask is that you say you have no skills. Yet someone is paying you tens of thousands for this skill you don't think you have.

Dan
 
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Madame Peccato

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Could you tell me when did you start learning English if you don't mind me asking ?
Are you as fluent as a native speaker ?

I started in school when I was 9 years old, but truth be told, I learned it mostly by speaking English regularly on the Internet, as school was a terrible environment for learning it.

I cannot speak English as well as I write it. I can talk about complex topics (provided I have knowledge about them), but my pronunciation is mediocre, and sometimes you can feel I am not a natural by the way I construct phrases. I'm Italian so that creeps into my spoken English sometimes ;)
 

EliE77

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What do you currently do?

Reason I ask is that you say you have no skills. Yet someone is paying you tens of thousands for this skill you don't think you have.

Dan
Hey Dan,
I'm a plumber and that's the only skill I have for now. Now I know that I could make something out of it, but it won't be fastlane. Plus I really don't want to keep working in this industry. Looking for a way out.
 

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