For the last few months, I’ve been working on something that has been a lifelong dream of mine—publishing a book. Today I’m launching my first book Instant Freelancer: How to Build a Business of One.
Over the last few years, I’ve shifted my identity from freelancer to content creator, coach, and now author (while still freelancing full-time). Working for myself fundamentally changed my life and being able to help other people navigate that journey is an honor and privilege.
This month I’m going to share a few chapters from my book as a bonus for my substack audience. Of course, I’d also love for you to buy the book and tell anyone else you know who is ready to kick their 9-5 to the curb about it as well.
Without further ado, here’s chapter one.
Why Freelancing? Why Now?
“Independence is happiness.”
— Susan B. Anthony
I’m not here to tell you how to make a quick buck; I’m here to tell you how to build a business that facilitates a life you love and control. I’m a real-deal freelancer — I spend seventy-five percent of my time working with clients as a project management consultant. I’m not a business guru who will tell you how to build a freelance business in theory; I’m going to tell you what’s worked for me and countless other freelancers I’ve worked with, coached, and been lucky enough to call friends.
My freelance journey has been a process of trial and error, a constant assessment of what I need and how I can make it happen. I’ve learned a lot along the way, and this book represents the guide I wish I’d had when I started. It will give you the fastest, straightest, cheapest path to independent work that gives you the life you want to live.
Entrepreneurship is not a linear journey. The steps outlined in this book follow a linear process but you will ultimately need to experiment with what works best for you. You’ll likely skip steps, do things in a different order, or combine pieces from various chapters as you develop your business. There is no right way to do this, trust your instincts and do what feels right to you—take what works and leave the rest.
The Freelance Revolution
The freelance revolution is here, it is growing, and it is offering people the lifestyle, income, and work-life balance that previous generations could only dream of. Our economy has been moving toward more independent forms of work for decades. While traditional employment scenarios are coming up short on pay, benefits, flexibility, autonomy, and fulfillment, the freelance economy is becoming more and more attractive to young people entering the workforce for the first time and experienced professionals who are no longer getting what they need from their nine-to-five.
Freelancing, contract work, gig work, consulting — whatever label you want to use — is filling this gap. There are an estimated 1.1 billion freelancers worldwide[i], representing thirty-five percent of the total global workforce. In the U.S., the number of independent workers increased by thirty-four percent in 2021[ii]. You may be thinking to yourself, “So…everyone and their mom is becoming a freelancer. Why would I join a crowded market for freelance talent?” Here’s the thing, you’re not joining a crowded market, you’re positioning yourself at the forefront of a revolution in the way work is done.
In the U.S. alone it’s estimated that the majority of workers will freelance within the next five years.[iii] And data shows that as the traditional workforce becomes more remote, employers are more likely to start hiring independent workers.[iv] With the world economy moving toward a more blended workforce, freelancers are more in-demand than ever before. So, you’re not just getting the freedom to work in your sweatpants, travel whenever you want, and go to the grocery store at 11 am on a Thursday—you’re preparing yourself to be better positioned in the workforce of the future. Because here’s the truth, sixty-two percent of freelancers make the same or more than they would for a traditional employer[v], and so can you.
That’s where I come in.
Before working for myself, I felt controlled by circumstances instead of controlling them. Most of my time was controlled by how others wanted me to spend it. My money was controlled by what others thought I was worth. My work was controlled by others’ priorities and values. I felt trapped by the structures I had to operate within as an employee.
I watched people who didn’t deserve it get promoted and paid more than people who did. I watched bureaucracy rob people of their agency to decide what was right and necessary. I watched hierarchies determine what was valuable and what people and ideas were worth. I watched people who did most of the work get paid less and get less recognition than people who just thought about work in theory. And so, I leapt. I quit what, on paper, was the best job I had ever had, and I started doing contract work as a stop-gap as I figured out my next step.
I never wanted to work for myself. My parents have owned their own business my whole life, and I told myself growing up that I never wanted that. They have been very successful, but I also saw how stressful it was weathering up and down markets, being responsible for other people’s livelihoods, and working all the time to make sure everything was running smoothly.
But after a few attempts at careers, partnerships, and other ventures, I realized that, like my parents, I actually couldn’t work for someone else. Not that I couldn’t have made it work—I had plenty of opportunities to partner with great people on what would have been lucrative and interesting work. The thing I realized was in working for someone else, I would still be ceding control of my time, work, and life…I’d still be letting others make decisions about what I was worth.
I learned that operating within traditional systems of work was never going to get me what I wanted. I couldn’t play the game of incremental raises, performance reviews, office politics, pointless promotions, and warranted terminations framed as resignations. I had to step outside of that system and build a framework to rely on my value and competence. A framework that gave me the flexibility to control my time and income and take on diverse work that kept me engaged.
Did this happen overnight? Sort of. The freedom part happened right away, and then I had to figure out how to make the financial part work as well. This book represents all of the things I learned along the way so you can avoid the mistakes I made and get where I got faster. Before I get there, let’s start with some basics— what is a freelancer?
What is a Freelancer?
A freelancer is an independent worker who works on a per job, project, or task basis. Many independent workers, including freelancers, fall into the category of “solopreneur” — independent workers who do what they do primarily on their own, without employees. I find the term “solopreneur” a helpful label because sometimes freelancers don’t refer to themselves as “freelancers” — they refer to themselves as contractors, gig workers, creatives, or by what they do (e.g., graphic designer).
Solopreneurs are a massive part of the economy. The gig economy’s global worth is projected to increase from $374 billion in 2021 to $455 billion by 2023[vi]. In the U.S, eighty-one percent of small businesses have no employees[vii] — eighty-one percent of U.S small businesses are solopreneurs. This vast number of solopreneurs also means that it is a pretty broad category where everyone classifies themselves slightly differently. Knowing where you fall on the solopreneur spectrum will help you better understand and explain what you do and why you do it. These are the types of solopreneurs I encounter most frequently. As I said, this is a spectrum — these categories are not mutually exclusive, just an attempt to group similar types of solopreneurs.
The Freelancer has a specific skill set (e.g., website creation, administrative support, copywriting, project management) to market and sell to clients. They typically work on their own and have multiple clients that they work for simultaneously.
The Creative is generally a sub-category of freelancer who does “creative” work such as graphic design, videography, photography, illustration, writing, etc. For creatives, in particular, working independently is a way they can do the creative work they love AND get paid.
The Consultant generally tells other people how to do what they do better but doesn’t usually execute the actual work.
The Content Creator starts to cross over from service to product. The content creator takes what they do as an independent and monetizes it in a way that does not require direct one-to-one service (e.g., course creators, bloggers, podcasters). You can also be a “content creator” freelancer and create content for other people.
The Side Hustler is someone who does any of these things while holding down a full-time job.
The Contractor is someone who works in a specific field on a contract basis. This category represents people like contract healthcare workers and tradespeople (e.g., painters, plumbers, electricians).
The Gig Worker is an independent worker who works for a company (or companies) that has built its business model on independent workers (e.g., Uber, DoorDash, Postmates). Any (or all) of the above categories could be defined as “gig worker” — but this is generally how the term is used the most.
The Brick and Mortar has an actual storefront to sell their goods or services. This category includes (among others) solopreneurs who need to be in-person to deliver their services like massage therapists, estheticians, and personal trainers.
The Agency pulls together freelancers who do the same thing (e.g., several VAs) or complementary things (e.g., ads management, graphic design, copywriting). I still count The Agency as a solopreneur because this usually is more of a partnership model than a company with employees.
The Coach typically works one-on-one with clients to help them set and achieve goals for their business. Similar to the consultant, a coach doesn’t usually do the execution of the actual work.
Ultimately, pick whatever label (or labels) fit you best, or make up your own. Solopreneurs often find themselves in several of these categories at the same time. This book is primarily for freelancers, and that’s the term I will use throughout, but many of the strategies and advice will apply to all types of solopreneurs.
Classifying these types of independent workers as “solopreneurs” is not an attempt to lump everyone into one bucket, it is an effort to show the similarities between the various types of independents to create solidarity amongst those of us who have chosen independent work. And that’s the critical distinction — choice. A true solopreneur has chosen to work independently, not someone who was coerced (intentionally or unintentionally) into being a contractor by their employer.
Using the term “true solopreneur” is not a value judgment on the worker (working for yourself isn’t for everyone); it is a way to differentiate between people who intentionally choose independent work and those who should be classified as employees. There are significant financial, tax, and liability reasons businesses want to hire freelancers instead of employees. I’m not here to tell you how you should be classified, but I will say that I stand in solidarity with workers who are misclassified as freelancers and are demanding the worker protections they deserve. Genuine freelancers choose independent work for themselves vs. the employer making that choice.
Freelancers Union said it best, “Worker misclassification is a serious issue, and we stand in support of the hundreds of thousands of app-based workers, delivery and construction workers, and others who are being denied their basic rights by businesses that fraudulently classify them as “freelancers” to avoid having to pay taxes or provide them any benefits or protection against harassment, wage theft, or other unlawful treatment. This deceitful practice creates confusion about freelancing as a legitimate professional choice, also harming genuine freelancers in the process.”[viii]
Understanding the role of choice as an independent worker is essential for defining your position in the marketplace clearly. Now that you understand what a freelancer is, it’s time to think about why you want to work for yourself, which will be the primary driver for everything you do as a freelancer.
Not yet a hustler?
Check out my book Instant Freelancer: How to Start a Business of One for the shortest path to independent work and money in the bank. No venture capital, fancy website, or MBA needed.
Already got a hustle, but want to do it smarter?
Apply to join my Solopreneur Collaborative mastermind or consider individual coaching.
© Sarah Duran 2022
Find out more about me and my company, Fruition Initiatives, here.
Image by SIphotography from iStock
The Obvious Disclaimers…
This information is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as, and shall not be understood or construed as, professional advice. What you decide to do with this information is up to you and all repercussions are on you.
[i] “60+ Freelance Stats – Why the Gig Economy is Growing in 2022,” Website Planet.
[ii] “2021 State of Independence Report,” MBO Partners.
[iii]. “Freelancing in America 2017,” The U.S. Independent Workforce Report, Freelancers Union and Upwork.
[iv]. “Future Workforce Report 2021,” Upwork.
[v]. “Freelance Forward 2020,” Independent Workforce Report, Upwork.
[vi] Kris Broda, “Gig Economy – The Economic Backbone of the Future?,” Brodmin, June 2022.
[vii]. “What’s New with Small Business,” The U.S. Small Business Administration, September 2019.
[viii]. “The PRO Act,” Freelancers Union, March 2021.