She Left a $60k Job to Freelance (with a twist)..

[NakedAmbition]

I will say that I'm disappointed by this thread because it shifted from successful freelance business to sex work. Too many women end up in this industry because they're not paid well enough in others. Both men and women claim it's empowering but it's not. It's a sad state of affairs.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Lex DeVille]

I will say that I'm disappointed by this thread because it shifted from successful freelance business to sex work. Too many women end up in this industry because they're not paid well enough in others. Both men and women claim it's empowering but it's not. It's a sad state of affairs.

If you think women end up in the sex work industry as some sort of last resort because they can't make it anywhere else, you're living under a rock. Women have every advantage over men when it comes to influence and persuasion. There is no woman on this planet who couldn't secure a high-paying job if she really wanted to.

Some of my opinions about how empowering sex work is have changed since I created this thread. I believe it can be empowering and liberating; however, I also think the work can quickly cross boundaries into unhealthy places when those who are prone to addictive behavioral patterns get swept up in the limelight and move toward extremes in order to maintain the same levels of attention and sales.

Someone warned me of this at one point. I believe it was @Simon Angel but I'm not 100% sure of that.

 

[Simon Angel]

If you think women end up in the sex work industry as some sort of last resort because they can't make it anywhere else, you're living under a rock. Women have every advantage over men when it comes to influence and persuasion. There is no woman on this planet who couldn't secure a high-paying job if she really wanted to.

Some of my opinions about how empowering sex work is have changed since I created this thread. I believe it can be empowering and liberating; however, I also think the work can quickly cross boundaries into unhealthy places when those who are prone to addictive behavioral patterns get swept up in the limelight and move toward extremes in order to maintain the same levels of attention and sales.

Someone warned me of this at one point. I believe it was @Simon Angel but I'm not 100% sure of that.

All I remember is being against that but now, a year later, I don't really care. It's kind of hypocritical how I readily jack off to people doing amateur porn but was so vehemently disapproving of someone I "know" getting into that.

I'd like to also apologize to you for the things I said about your relationship. Marriage and kids are things that intimidate me and I don't know how I would react if my wife, who I wed despite my doubts, suddenly came up to me and said: "Let's have an open relationship!"

Every day is a fight against cynicism.

 

[Lex DeVille]

All I remember is being against that but now, a year later, I don't really care. It's kind of hypocritical how I readily jack off to people doing amateur porn but was so vehemently disapproving of someone I "know" getting into that.

I'd like to also apologize to you for the things I said about your relationship. Marriage and kids are things that intimidate me and I don't know how I would react if my wife, who I wed despite my doubts, suddenly came up to me and said: "Let's have an open relationship!"

Every day is a fight against cynicism.

Just a game of life. All a learning experience.

That said, my perspective on open relationships has also shifted.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Raoul Duke]

Just a game of life. All a learning experience.

That said, my perspective on open relationships has also shifted.

When can I come over?

 

[Lex DeVille]

When can I come over?

That's not the direction it shifted in.

 

[ksiendzu]

Any form of marketing or web/app development will continue to be in-demand for the foreseeable future. I don't know much about the different coding languages, but anyone who can code/create niche software, or who specializes in using niche software stands a chance to carve out a good position for themselves.

Either be the person who can build the next ActiveCampaign (SAAS), or be the person who knows how to use it a little bit better than everyone else. Both of those people are indispensable in the freelance world and can scale to the moon with many clients, or with just a few clients who pay a lot of money to solve their problem.

A couple of things to consider though:

1. Scalable skills may not necessarily be the fastest to make money with.
2. Where money comes easy, there is usually more competition.
3. It's scary going the niche route, and even though it's usually a faster path to success as a freelancer, most people won't even try it to find out if it works for them.

If I started over today, I would offer custom email funnel automation services, not copywriting or web design. Doesn't have to be through ActiveCampaign, but that's where I would specialize since I have years of experience there. All of the email marketing services have hundreds of thousands of users though, and all of those people need someone who specializes in their particular system to help them set it up, fix problems, or manage it so they don't have to.

@Lex DeVille How would you go about pricing custom email funnel automations? Hourly, retainer, project-based, rev share?

How would you determine scope of projects and deal with scope creep when things come up that you and/or client didnt see beforehand?

Would you build those automations on client ActiveCampaign account or your own?


I was doing custom websites and pricing was one of the things that I struggled with. Couldnt estimate properly how many hours project will take and almost always I was working double of what I assumed.

Also struggled with pricing smaller tasks (fixing contanct forms, exciting content on pages, etc)

Would love to know your thoughts since your threads and posts inspired me to start freelancing!

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Lex DeVille]

@Lex DeVille How would you go about pricing custom email funnel automations? Hourly, retainer, project-based, rev share?

How would you determine scope of projects and deal with scope creep when things come up that you and/or client didnt see beforehand?

Would you build those automations on client ActiveCampaign account or your own?


I was doing custom websites and pricing was one of the things that I struggled with. Couldnt estimate properly how many hours project will take and almost always I was working double of what I assumed.

Also struggled with pricing smaller tasks (fixing contanct forms, exciting content on pages, etc)

Would love to know your thoughts since your threads and posts inspired me to start freelancing!

Pricing: These days I would say retainer. There's several things I like about them. First, you can bill a high price as a retainer fee without it being for ongoing work. Second, you can define an hourly rate that the client will pay in the event the retainer doesn't cover the full scope of work. Lastly, a retainer protects you in the event the client decides to end the project early and asks for a refund. Since they are paying for the opportunity to hire you, there is nothing to refund.

Scope: If you are on retainer and the scope creeps beyond what you would offer for that price, then you simply bill your hourly rate (and make it a worthwhile rate). You can also avoid scope creep largely by being very specific about the scope of work in a Statement of Work (Scope of Work) Agreement. The more specific you are about what you will and won't do, the more protection you will have later on.

Building: I'm back and forth on this one. If you want to bill for ongoing maintenance, then build everything in your own ActiveCampaign account. Make sure you mention this in your agreements (state that the client is paying retainer for you to maintain the automations monthly and that you will maintain the automations on your account). Have a buyout fee if they want to take over the automations since you will probably lose a source of recurring revenue.

Estimation: There's no need to estimate hours. Just pick a price that seems totally worth it to you, and only target clients who would pay that price. Yesterday, I closed a deal for $4,000 on 2 pages of copywriting. I can deliver that in a day. We're talking a couple of paragraphs. The fee isn't for the copy. It's to have me write the copy. $4,000 is my current minimum price. If I were fixing small things, then the client needs to pay an ongoing monthly maintenance fee.

 

[Olov]

Strange thread. It went from a woman quitting her job, to copywriting as a side business and then selling her body on sex-sites.

I’m confused lol.

 

[Lex DeVille]

Strange thread. It went from a woman quitting her job, to copywriting as a side business and then selling her body on sex-sites.

I’m confused lol.

Then my life's mission to create chaos and drama is fulfilled!

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Prince33]

"Work hard and be successful at freelancing" - that was never the message of this thread. If that was your takeaway, then you misinterpreted the thread from the start.

If someone is disappointed because they wanted freelance hand-holding, they could try any of my numerous GOLD and Notable freelance hand-holding threads or even my YouTube freelance hand-holding channel or perhaps the free freelance discord server where I help freelancers every single day that is listed in my signature.

Some of your statements are not completely false, but there is a lot of misinformation in your post. My best guess is that it is a subliminal manifestation of insecurities/inadequacies.

• Hard work does not = success
• Some people charging low rates does not mean others can't charge high rates
• More people on OnlyFans/Upwork does not mean either is saturated
• Being female might have perks, but it doesn't make or break the business model
• Being older does not mean a model can't continue a successful career
• Doing the filthiest kink does not guarantee money
• Just because this thread's definition of freelancing expands beyond your own definition, does not mean that it is not about freelancing. The same skills that make any freelancer successful apply here as well.

I notice you said "I flipped clips in the kink scene. Lots of money to be made there" instead of saying, "I made lots of money flipping clips in the kink scene." I don't know if you'll try to walk those words back, but it won't change the reality that was already revealed.

The fact is, all business is hard. All entrepreneurs must constantly adapt and evolve their processes and approaches if they want to stay relevant and profitable. The people who will make it... will make it. Those who make excuses, won't.

Don't hate the player. Hate the game.

I'm pretty sure I'm 1/2 your age. I've no qualms about women twerking for a living. Its surely on the rise in my generation. But you making it sound like Im appalled your wife does whatever it is she does for money in the sex scene, is silly. Im a 00s kid and 10s teen. I saw stuff most millennials and Gen X saw in their 30s as a kid. Cause I was raised on the internet. 2 girls 1 cup and viral video of a guy doing CBTorture to himself was a pastime of youth in the late 00s. Idk why youre making me out like im some boomer. Id argue I know more about the sexual dark world than you. East and West(there is a difference btw).

My point was
A) This is the sex industry. No being a woman doesnt mean you make/break it but lets not kid ourselves and act like the average guy would have a easy time making money in this scene. But an average woman can. Especially when even most women are struggling now compared to the 10s. Youre a wise man Lex, and much older than me; dont need to explain how men on average wont be able to do what a woman can in the tricking/sex game. And never have.

B) (redacted)

C) No, I didnt make much money flipping clips. But it was a start. Somewhere you were once too. And considering I was in my early/mid 20s I dont consider it a bad thing for one of my first business ideas. Im a bit disappointed by your vanity and character with that one but considering you may have taken offense to what I said about your wife Ill let it pass. Id be mad too if I felt a guy insulted my woman.

D) Yeah plenty people do extreme content and get nowhere. Theres sites I can share to represent it. But I never said it did guarantee money?

E) Hustle hustle hustle, work work work, grind grind grind, only the apex alpha top percent high value men will make it to the top! If you dont wanna succeed as much as you wanna BREATHE, you wont make it!(Ray Lewis) I sound sarcastic but I actually believe that. Its why I failed multiple times and why most give up. But that's late 10s online guruism thatll go down in nostalgia come the 2030s. We learned from all the fba gurus, youtube gurus, ecommerce gurus etc etc you need a lot more than just hustle to have a successful business. And many learned the hard way, myself included. Capital, a strategy, experience, patience, and possibly even a mentor is required. I wish that wasnt just my opinion. Unless youre just a woman showing body parts to horny sexually frustrated thirsty dudes in modern western civilization where paying money for feet pics is the norm. Ha, I kid. Kinda. (we're doomed)

Anyways. Happy for your Lex. Keep hustlin, keep pimpin'. Im in your discord BTW but you guys get so deep in there my questions I feel would be scoffed at. I also havent decided what I wanna learn yet. But I appreciate all the content youve dropped on the YT channel. Ill admit it takes balls to be a good freelancer. Because you have to believe in yourself. Something I didnt know was so hard to do till my late 20s. My perspective has changed a lot in a year so my original response isnt as valid.

Also kudos to changing your direction on open relationships. I surely agree with that.

Love from Latvia,
Some random dood online

 

[Lex DeVille]

My perspective has changed a lot in a year so my original response isnt as valid.

Mine too. Mostly I just wish this thread would die, but I'll never request that because I think there are valuable lessons and perspectives that might be useful for someone someday.

 

[NervesOfSteel]

If you think women end up in the sex work industry as some sort of last resort because they can't make it anywhere else, you're living under a rock. Women have every advantage over men when it comes to influence and persuasion. There is no woman on this planet who couldn't secure a high-paying job if she really wanted to.

Some of my opinions about how empowering sex work is have changed since I created this thread. I believe it can be empowering and liberating; however, I also think the work can quickly cross boundaries into unhealthy places when those who are prone to addictive behavioral patterns get swept up in the limelight and move toward extremes in order to maintain the same levels of attention and sales.

Someone warned me of this at one point. I believe it was @Simon Angel but I'm not 100% sure of that.

I discovered this thread and I loved it.

Its not easy to be in top 1% in any field. OF has its own challenges, one of which is judgement of people.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Lex DeVille]

I discovered this thread and I loved it.

Its not easy to be in top 1% in any field. OF has its own challenges, one of which is judgement of people.

My opinions and perspectives are in a constant state of flux. Having reflected on this path and my worldviews, I still think OF is a valid business opportunity for those who don't want to follow traditional approaches.

Addictive behavioral patterns can happen to anyone, so I don't know how correct it is to describe OF as a problem for those who are prone to addictive behaviors. The challenge, in my view, is in overcoming the marketing aspect. Going more and more extreme is not a good approach to OF even if it might work in the short-term.

A better approach is to build a brand around yourself, automate marketing systems, and find an offer that can be produced ongoing that keeps people wanting more. That's not necessarily nude content as that's expected from subscribers. Something else, like bedtime whispers, or weekly personal stories from the creators life, etc.

Nude content is the hook that draws horny people in. Once the fun wears off... Then you need something else to keep them around.

- Who do they become by joining you?
- How do I solidify that identity?
- What are their opportunities to *feel* closer to you?
- What status opportunities are there?
- How can they increase in status over others?
- What rewards are there for contributing more than others?
- What else can I sell them (i.e. merch)?
- How do I systematize and automate all of that stuff?
- How do I take back more control in this process?

Those are some questions I would ask if I participated in OF again, especially, as an individual.

 

[JophMax]

My wife isn't a member on this board, so I'm posting for her.

Back in February, she started freelancing. She's never had a side hustle. Never started a business. Never freelanced. She had a $60k salary at her full-time job. In her first month freelancing, she closed around $100 and doubted it was worth her time. Toward the end of March, when the pandemic picked up, she asked her employer to let her work from home. They refused. She quit.

Now we're in November. She never went back to a job. Instead, this month she'll pull $4,500 and may break $5,000 for the first time. Over the course of one year, she's doubled her income about once every three months. Today she works from home with me full-time and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't impressed.

She has the advantage of being around someone with a business mindset who trains freelancers. But I've provided little overall support in terms of advice. She simply hasn't asked for it, except when she's really stuck. Instead, she just looks at what others are doing and figures out how to be better.

The most noticeable takeaways I've seen from her progress are:

• She went all-in even when she didn't know if it would work
• She focused on daily action
• She studied others and tested new ideas
• She got rid of stuff that didn't work fast
• She's committed to excellence in her deliverables
• She committed to doing things others won't do to land clients
• She took risks instead of cowering from them
• She stuck with it for the long-haul

This month will be the first time she's fully replaced her old income. I don't think she'll stop there. Instead, she's likely to cross six-figures in 2021, and I think she'll see a 5-figure monthly income by March. She loves what she's doing, and when she commits to something, she has a one-track mind that lets her stay focused.

Anyway, thought I'd share this win this morning. It's pretty cool that we both work on our own terms, and neither of us works anywhere near full-time. She works a couple of hours per day, and I don't consider what I do to be work. Most days we spend with our daughter. Teach her things. Go to the park or for ice cream while others are at work.

Freelancing is still viable as a way to replace income. Doesn't have to be through Upwork. You just have to commit to figuring it out and make it happen. Stop making excuses.

Thank you for this beautiful story. I applaud her courage and her will to push forward even when she didn't know If It would work.

Also, Being present in my future kids' life and see them grow is one of my main Why's to be an entrepreneur.

P.S: I'm 22 so I don't plan on having any kids as of now