FBC – 401 – The truth about Freelancing

The truth about Freelancing.

Are you considering going into freelancing in order to escape your “corporate job”?

Freelancing seems like a dream come true and like the ultimate freedom model…

But is it really?

Is there more to freelancing than what people told you about?

We re going to answer all these questions and more in today's episode

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I wanted to talk to you about freelancing and developers and all that kind of stuff.

It is something that people underestimate and they think it’s super easy to go and find a contractor. So a developer or a designer or something like this is a freelancer. And a lot of people think that going in to freelancing is going to be super easy, right.

Oh man. It's going to be easy. I can work when I want and all that kind of stuff. So I want to be able to discuss this with you. So we'll look at both angles.

So the angle of someone who wants to go into freelancing, because I think that might be a lot more of you guys listening to this. Maybe you want to go into freelancing more than hiring freelancers for now, because you might be starting out. You're not at the stage where you're hiring people.

So freelancing is hard. It's a lot harder than people think it is because what happens is that whatever it is that you're actually doing. So let's say you're a designer, you’re a videographer, you're a copywriter or something.

So this is your craft, this is your skill, this is what you want to do. And when you're going in to freelancing, you're going to put your profile somewhere and then you start getting some contracts and that's it. Then you go to Bali and then you enjoy. Please understand that if that's the idea, it is miles and miles away from this.

Freelancing sucks. Instead of doing the video or something, you will actually spend most of your time trying to sell and trying to find those contracts. And very often, you know people who are actually good at their craft. They're really not good at generating those leads and closing the deal and stuff. And you might realize that for that deal, there might be like a hundred people pitching for the same job.

It's not just you and these contracts that will arrive sporadically. So you have a contract, you don't know when the next one is going to come, it might come in a year or something and you still have to eat. You still have to do stuff. I know a lot of freelancers who are pretty broke, not because they don't know their craft, it’s just that they have to juggle all that stuff.

The truth about Freelancing

But of course some people are doing great at freelancing. Right.  So I think if you have a really rare skill, or if you know how to sell yourself, if you know how to differentiate yourself from the rest of the crowd, of course, you're going to be successful in there. OK, but this is what it takes. You need to be a good salesperson and you need to stand out from the crowd.

So me, for example, one thing that I am trying to do is I'm trying to give opportunities to people who don't have many hours racked up on “upwork” because the fact that they don't have many hours doesn't mean that they don't know their job. It just means that they haven't had any jobs on the platform. So I I'd like to give people a chance and try to get them to have some contracts. Right.

So there are more efficient ways of going at it. So I like affiliate marketing a lot better.

Right. So if you are trying to go into freelancing, I don't want to discourage you. I just want you to understand that the journey is going to be a lot bumpier than you think it is.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the truth about freelancing that most people miss?

The truth about freelancing is that it is a service business with the freedom dial turned up and the safety dial turned down. You replace one boss with many clients, you handle every operational task yourself, and your income depends entirely on the next contract you close.

Is freelancing the same as running a business?

Freelancing is a starter version of running a business. The freelancer trades hours for fees, while the business owner builds systems, hires help, and earns even when not working. Most freelancers become true business owners only once they productize or hire delivery support.

How much can a freelancer realistically earn?

Realistic freelance earnings span a wide range. Beginners often charge twenty to fifty dollars per hour, established specialists clear one hundred to two hundred and fifty dollars per hour, and productized freelancers can match a six figure salary by focusing on outcomes instead of time.

Should I start freelancing as a side hustle or full time?

Start freelancing as a side hustle until monthly revenue covers your essential expenses for three consecutive months. That cushion proves the offer works and removes the panic pricing that traps full time beginners into accepting cheap low margin client work.

About the Author

Martin Ebongue is the founder of martinebongue.com, an online business and lifestyle design blog focused on helping aspiring entrepreneurs build location-independent businesses. Since 2014, he has been creating and scaling online ventures across multiple niches, from digital products and affiliate marketing to SaaS and content platforms, while traveling the world. He shares the real-world strategies, tools, and systems that work, with a particular focus on AI-powered automation for solopreneurs. Follow him on YouTube, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

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