I started learning web development at an early age, and a few years back i started freelancing using the freelancer.com platform. But it's no secret that freelancer.com has bad business values and is basically ripping off all developers, not to mention it's low prices and bad clients. So i'm wandering how can i launch a successful freelancing business while being a college student, without being tide to a platform, since i don't have any experience in doing so, and don't know where to get the clients.
Ask HN: As a young developer, how can I launch a successful freelancing career?
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Re: Ask HN: As a young developer, how can I launch a successful freelancing career?
#2I don't think any of my clients know my age, nor they care. My best clients are those that I haven't met in person, and simply happened by random chance. They like my work and like that I'm good at it, they don't ask many personal questions and I'm ok with it. Now, if you do "consulting" and you are hired to come into a team and fix stuff, that might be a different story (will a 40yo dev take advice from someone half their age? I might find it a bit hard in that scenario and age might come into play).
Edit: Getting clients is hard, but I've had luck with HN's monthly "Who's hiring" and people seeking freelancer)
Re: Ask HN: As a young developer, how can I launch a successful freelancing career?
#3I personally started low, competing on price and earning 2 dollars an hour, if that, after all fees and all hours that came into building something. This is because at a time I also had to learn a lot. However, I still did my best with each project, communicated nicely and now am working with one client only who supplies me with constant stream of work at hourly rate that none of these job sites ever offer.
The lesson is, do good job, be nice and eventually you will find your way out. As everywhere in life, best opportunities are usually not readily accessible.
Also, I don't hide my age or that I'm a student. I have a proven track record and that's all that matters.
Re: Ask HN: As a young developer, how can I launch a successful freelancing career?
#4Hey there, I have been at this consulting gig for a long time now. I have to say managing client expectations and finding good customers is a full time job.
Keeping your small team of awesome colleagues happy is equally as hard.
I think you should use young age and low cost (hopefully) to build out some awesome products to showcase your skills. Build a portfolio, become a pro at some technology stack and write a blog about it.
Once you have a following of people on your portfolio and blog, you'll have more work than you can do and you'll be turning down the lame stuff.
If you want to talk to me, look us up at www.neosavvy.com
Re: Ask HN: As a young developer, how can I launch a successful freelancing career?
#5I personally started low, competing on price and earning 2 dollars an hour, if that, after all fees and all hours that came into building something. This is because at a time I also had to learn a lot. However, I still did my best with each project, communicated nicely and now am working with one client only who supplies me with constant stream of work at hourly rate that none of these job sites ever offer. The lesso…
@Zerobrainwash - agreed a proven track record and real results will win every time.
Re: Ask HN: As a young developer, how can I launch a successful freelancing career?
#6I started when I was 17 or 18, full time, self employed for the past 18 years. I decided my 20's gaining 20 years of business/consulting experience in 10 years of effort to kick ass in my 30, 40's and 50's, when many have to give up and walk away.
First, don't be above learning or above solving problems that take a small amount of time that save someone a lot of time. I am never above fixing someone's spreadsheet or access. In fact, both of these things start conversations of trying to solve problems with software that ends up in.. you guessed it, building software.
Single most important habit: Solving problems single handedly leads to getting long term relationships because you are more of a problem solver than just a freelancer with one or two tasks. Being known as someone who can learn and solve problems quickly and well earns you the trust and being the first call for people who value it.
About skills: If you look back a year, your skills were probably not as good as this year. Remember it will look the same in a year looking back to today. In a way, you do the worst work of your life each day, and that regular, and constant improvement is the only true pursuit.
The languages, frameworks, and technologies will come and go.
Value: Know what value you are adding. Truly. Not the sense of being special from growing up. Value in my books is saving or making someone money that is measurable in a way that I can help deliver. Freelancing more than startups is about the exchange of money.
Customers/Pricing: If you ask your customers "If I can save or make you $2000/month, would you pay me $1000?". Those who say yes to this without a single idea of what to do are often value focused. A lot of places can't afford a full time person, but many, can afford a $500-1000/month relationship with a freelancer for ongoing work. As long as you can identify, compile and line up similar work, you will be able to deliver. The consultant who helped me get my start me told me when I was starting out, find 10 customers to pay you $1000 a month.. and you have a business that isn't volatile.
Learning: In the beginning there will be putting in a lot of time learning how to measure and deliver value. This will take up more of your time than just doing the work or learning some tech (which will be ongoing). I'd put about booking your available time to be about 50% in the beginning while you get the rest of your process flowing. In your case, while being a student, I did items that got me time and didn't interfere too much with my studies and left me a lot of time to play and learn.
PG has a great essay for students and startups that applies to freelancing -- just solve problems people need solved and you'll find the money making kind of businesses very quickly compared to others your age.
Just remember you're not alone, or the first to do this and you can get ahead much quicker if you stay open to not wanting to think your situation is special and you have to figure out everything on your own. I did that a bit too much and it was not as necessary.
Re: Ask HN: As a young developer, how can I launch a successful freelancing career?
#7Personally I have had significantly better results with oDesk.com instead of freelancer.com. I don't know exactly what it is, but it feels like they have better values, and thus better clients.
A key point, that was a breakthrough in my career, was when I launched my new cool and modern website explaining services and portfolio. Then I started to receive random clients interested in my values.
What I am sure is that you need to build a portfolio. If you don't like freelancer.com for that, try with little personal side projects, open source projects, or doing work for friends for free/low prices.
Re: Ask HN: As a young developer, how can I launch a successful freelancing career?
#8Pick up marketing and business skills in addition to web development skills, intern for an agency to learn how to hustle and network, intern for a product company to learn how to produce iteratively, and learn how to teach what you know even if you think everyone already knows.
Don't be afraid to specialize, over the years you'll have specialized in a number of areas as your interests and passions drift. Specializing can tell you what you do better than others.
Specializing can mean focusing on a framework but it can also mean focusing on a market. Don't always think in terms of code. For example, if you decided to focus on church sites you would be able to advertise by word of mouth (church leaders talk to other church leaders) and you would learn the needs of that industry making it easier to anticipate the needs of others in that market. Fish around, pick a few things to focus on that inspires you, and focus on that. Refine your strategy as you go.
Re: Ask HN: As a young developer, how can I launch a successful freelancing career?
#9I once took six months off to freelance early in my career, and failed spectacularly.
Four years later, I took six months off and tried the same, and was able to replicate my full-time salary without too much difficulty.
YMMV, my by experience is having a few years of solid, full-time employment experience (along with good portfolio, network, and all the other things a freelance career requires) will pay dividends in the freelance field - primarily in convincing potential clients you're skilled enough to accomplish their projects.
Re: Ask HN: As a young developer, how can I launch a successful freelancing career?
#10I once took six months off to freelance early in my career, and failed spectacularly. Four years later, I took six months off and tried the same, and was able to replicate my full-time salary without too much difficulty. YMMV, my by experience is having a few years of solid, full-time employment experience (along with good portfolio, network, and all the other things a freelance career requires) will pay dividends in…
> along with ... network
I'm curious. Are you talking networking with other developers, or within a niche (e.g. with potential clients)?