The First Year of My Small Freelancing Business: Mistakes, Corrections, and the Path Forward!

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The First Year of My Small Freelancing Business: Mistakes, Corrections, and the Path Forward!

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As my friend Martin Lindeskog from www.bizsugar.com  pointed out so eloquently the other day, it is important to recognize professional anniversaries, to look back, introspect and assess where you are, what you have learned and where you are going. It’s about positivity, adversity, leaping hurdles and finding the way. What do you expect…the guy’s a philosopher! www.martin.lindeskog.name/. His wonderful blog: www.egoist.blogspot.com .

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So, whether you yourself are a freelancer, small, independent businessperson, or are contemplating venturing into these "territorial waters," I present to you my first-year lessons. They are based, somewhat surprisingly, on regret (strange, I consider myself to be a happy and optimistic person), corrections (perhaps most important) and leaps forward (the end-product). Perhaps you have faced some of these issues, perhaps if you are thinking of taking the path of the freelancer you will. Perhaps my trial-and-errors can help you to avoid similar dilemmas?

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I Used to Regret…that I quit a job outright to become a freelancer. A more gradual move into it would have been an easier transition. Counting on it as your only source of income initially is a huge gamble! But now I have made the transition, I am my own boss, I’m making progress and despite the fact that my bank account is approximately $999,000 short of my first million, I am happier than I could ever have imagined!

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I Used to Regret…that in the beginning I didn’t realize fully that being a freelancer requires a great deal of initiative. No more traditional workplace boss handing you your next assignment. You are now on your own to sink or swim. I have since come to realize that finding that next job and extricating oneself from downtime requires taking the initiative!

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I Used to Regret…that in the beginning I thought a small business could exist in a vacuum. No social media at first, no marketing, no real advertising, no "getting connected." Since then I have found out that "no man is an island," nor is any business an island. This is the 21st-century, word-of-mouth referrals, networking and the sharing of ideas, tips, advice and knowledge now take place online for the most part. 

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I Used to Regret…that in the beginning I waited (mostly in vain) for customers to find me when I should have been taking the initiative to find them. The business-world is a huge place…the chances of them just showing up at your doorstep are small. I started looking and found them!

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I Used to Regret…that I stubbornly refused (against my wonderful wife’s advice) to find forums, online sites and other venues for professional socialization opportunities to network and forge business ties. I have since, much to my satisfaction, given in! Networking is not an option any longer, it is a necessity!

 

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I Used to Regret…that I waited so long to begin blogging for business. In retrospect, it was the biggest mistake of them all. Biz-blogging is, I have no doubt, the single best, most cost-effective means (absolutely free!) to demonstrate your skills, acumen, talents and abilities to the public and business community. I now blog regularly and can happily say that upwards of 80% of my new clients now find me and contact me for business as a direct result of my blog! A blog attracts customers like a magnet. I have stopped counting how many times readers have sent me emails saying: "Nice blog…by the way, are you available for a project?"

 

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I thank modern-day philosopher and businessman Martin Lindeskog for giving me the inspiration to take a look back, assess the present and plan the road forward. It is about seeing negatives turn into positives, regrets turn into achievement and watching how when being stuck in neutral it can only take a few corrections to get the "vehicle" into forward gear. Sometimes it takes the mind of a philosopher to help us see the path!

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Image Credit: Brian G. Rossington, all-free-download.com 

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Hello. My name is Yonatan Maisel. I am a professional writer, published author and business-blogger.

I will not be available for the next month or two. I will, however, faithfully continue with my business-blog postings. Hope you enjoy them and, as always, thanks for visiting!

If you are seeking a skilled writer for your writing needs, might I suggest that you visit Job Shuk’s homepage and click on "Writing and Translation." Among the professionals whose profiles you will see, I’m certain you will find the perfect person to fulfill your needs!

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