Ask HN: Quitting job to go freelancing

#1

Post by nicomfe » Thu, Feb 09, 2017, 11:34 PM UTC

Fuck it , im quitting my 9 to 5 job and go freelancing. I have some savings and 2 or 3 clients , dont have children so fuck it, I wanna go surfing when the waves are good, and work when i feel like working.

Please save your negative comments about freelancing, I wont change my decition. The thing is worst thing that can happen is in 6 months Im starving and I need to find a new job. (getting interviews offer 2 or 3 times a week now, so that wont be a problem)

So asking for your experience, have you done this? ideas? thoughts? (again: only possitive experiences)

Re: Ask HN: Quitting job to go freelancing

#2

Post by mooreds » Thu, Feb 09, 2017, 11:40 PM UTC

Save as much as you can, and don't forget there are three parts to freelancing:

Getting the work

Doing the work

Getting paid for the work

You have to take care of all three tasks.

Re: Ask HN: Quitting job to go freelancing

#3

Post by kingnothing » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 12:00 AM UTC

Incorporate.

Get an accountant.

Buy health insurance.

Prepare to pay significantly more in taxes.

Re: Ask HN: Quitting job to go freelancing

#4

Post by az123zaz » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 12:02 AM UTC

Unless your current clients can continuously refer you to your next one, expect to do a lot more talking (selling and spec'ing) than at your last job (assuming you were part of an engineering team as a programmer).

Great choice -- I did this two years ago and it changed everything :)

Re: Ask HN: Quitting job to go freelancing

#5

Post by superfreek » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 12:03 AM UTC

Good Luck! My advice to you would be proof read any emails you're sending out. That stuff might not matter at a 9-5 (it should). But you won't get any work if you can't type a proper email without spelling mistakes.

Re: Ask HN: Quitting job to go freelancing

#6

Post by lowglow » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 12:05 AM UTC

Always be closing. Seriously. Everything needs to be logged and moved into your sales funnel.

Pick what matters, grow your team, trust your gut, and don't give up! :)

[side note] For some reason I read this post in Teddy KGB's (John Malkovich) voice from Rounders (1998) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0128442/.

Re: Ask HN: Quitting job to go freelancing

#7

Post by BusySkillFool » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 12:09 AM UTC

Good stuff! I always get my waves early morning on week days, no crowds - bliss. The work will come easy as long as you believe in yourself.

Re: Ask HN: Quitting job to go freelancing

#8

Post by no_protocol » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 12:09 AM UTC

> it Quiting job

Quiting -> Quitting

> change my decition.

decition -> decision

Re: Ask HN: Quitting job to go freelancing

#9

Post by solenovex » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 12:10 AM UTC

I'm in China, I also want to go freelancing. Good Luck!!!

Re: Ask HN: Quitting job to go freelancing

#10

Post by pards » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 12:12 AM UTC

kingnothing wrote: post #3

Incorporate. Get an accountant. Buy health insurance. Prepare to pay significantly more in taxes.

Familiarise yourself with the local tax regulations. You should be able to expense most things related to your work (home office, office supplies, internet etc).

Learn basic accounting, and do it yourself using an online package like WaveAccounting or Xero.

In Canada, freelancers often pay less tax than their full-time counterparts.