In this video I talk about the truth about Freelance Web Design and why its not a long-term sustainable business, but a supplement to something more stable. In addition I share my thoughts on what you should really focus on instead.
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I think you hit onto something I am experiencing right now. Working in my current job (as an employee) I have met some very sharp and talented designers, developers, testers, and systems engineers. I now have personal contacts at vendors and suppliers because of my job. I recently have been approached in my freelance work to develop an app. I am using (leveraging) my contacts from my job experience and contacts from my freelance efforts to form a team that is developing this app. With all that brain power we determined that this can be a useful and marketable app and possibly a SaaS. This is how startups (and many very successful startups) get started; this is how many online games (and some very successful online games) get started. Freelance is (and should be treated as) only a part of a bigger plan or goal. For me it is a stepping-stone, a piece of a bigger process, a supplemental income, a way to expose my skills, a doorway to opportunities. It is NOT an accident that freelancing gave me the opportunity to create a marketable product and possibly a sustainable business. The job gave me the tools (experience & contacts) to take advantage of the opportunities from freelancing.
Freelancing can lead to a great job. A job can lead to great freelancing opportunities. Both should be used to build experience, portfolio, and contacts. All should be used to achieve goals.
Another great video, Mike. Really appreciate you.
@Juan – Couldn’t have said it any better. 100% dead on. You get it. Its exactly how startups and companies get started. I believe Paypal was started by a couple employees from Intuit (if I’m not mistaken). The things and resources you can learn while working a 9-5 is invaluable. And many great SaaS apps comes from ex-employees knowing how Prod Development works, how customer acquisition & retention works, etc. That’s what its all about. And yes, if a Small Biz wants to pay you $1000 on a little side freelance project that you can work on on the weekend, definitely we should take that and not pass that up. That’s what its all about. ;)
@Mika – Right on as well. So glad people are hearing what I’m saying. Freelance is the gravy to a much bigger turkey that’s out there. Many opportunities are available for those who have the skill of UI/UX Design. Its amazing. Gary Vaynerchuk once said that the most important person in building a successful product/startup is a “Good UX Person”. He’s right.
Great video Mike, absolutely agree with your idea about how freelancing should be a SIDE DISH to the main thing, like the extra gravy. I (along with so many other people) was hypnotized into believing that freelancing could give you financial freedom but we were all wrong. Like you said, a better way would be to (1) practice UI/UX design every single day, get better everyday, mimic your favourite designs and get up to their level by practising, growing, learning. (2) After mastering your UI/UX skills, get a UI/UX job for a company that you would like to help. At this point you’ll be so good at what you do that people and company’s will pay you lots of money to do it for them, as no one would be able to design the way you do.
Thanks Mike!
I agree 100%. Some people think a project here and there compares to a full time job. No honey :) When I first started freelance I thought it was great and I still do but its HARD WORK.
I have my normal web job 9-5..then to come home and work on project can drain you. That’s after you pick kids up from school..take them to their extra activities…come home..cook..spend time with family..get kids to bed. now its 10pm…your tired..but you gotta get this “mom and pop” site up..or this flyer done. Then go to sleep at a some what decent hour so you can function on your real money maker…the 9-5.
Again I say…I love freelance but I would not rely on it. Because i get in the moods where i don’t want to do freelance..I don’t want a new project..or deal with a “iffy” person who drags a project out. Like the others said…use the full time job as stepping stones and networking.
My full time jobs have paid for classes, conferences and tutorial subscriptions that are expensive. I take that knowledge and use it on freelance projects…and keep adding to my resume.
@Faith – So true, only peeps with kids would know what you’re talking about there. Also, yes, dealing with low-budget, indecisive folks is for the birds. Take the experience at work, take advantage of the resources and take on freelance projects as they come.
@Fabio – Yes, times are different now in terms of the freelance market. Work is still there but its just supplemental type money. And working for yourself can/should still be a dream. It can be through other means, blog that you can monetize and generate passive income, a product that you sell, training, a youtube channel, etc. Other opportunities will always be there and that dream should never die. Just don’t kill yourself struggling with freelance but use it as it comes. Focus on more worthwhile passive income business opportunities. That’s my message. ;)
You are absolutely right, Mike. It took me a while to come to terms with the reality that freelance wasn’t going to be what I thought it was. I had dreams of being my own boss and not having to work a 9 to 5. But, with technology advancing in web design (Do-it-Yourself Wix, Weebly, CMS like WordPress, Elance, etc), the full-time freelance option really became unrealistic. Clients look to cheaper ways to get web design work done. Now, there is no choice but to use freelance as extra income.
Mike Happy 40th birthday in arrears. I truly wish you the very best in the NOW and FUTURE. I’m really so happy for you for coming this far. I celebrated mine late February. Cool to be 40 huh? The very best again.
Could you elaborate on the sustainable jobs your referring to. I know you said apps but what are some other examples. Training videos or something thing like that?
@Michael – There are endless examples of businesses that one can get into, but the few I mentioned were creating a SaaS type business (application) or creating an online business (blog that’s content driven), something you an monetize via ads or affiliate marketing. These are just examples. My point is utilize your UI/UX Design skills and apply those to more long-term scalable passive income type businesses.
Hey Mike/Everyone,
for once I’ll have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. I know and have read stories about many successful freelance web designers/developers that worked in agencies and corporations and left because the 9-5 life isn’t for everyone. The thing people fail to realize is that freelancing isn’t about taking in a bunch of projects here and there and praying you can have another client next month to get the bills paid. It’s about dominating a niche market whether it be local or global and establishing yourself and your brand as the “go-to” person/group for that market, like the restaurant market for example. It’s also then about keeping clients on retainer once you’ve established a relationship, whether that be from doing SEO for them or maintenance, or hosting, etc. It’s also about going for clients just like the agencies do. It seems a lot of people get real freelancing mixed up with casual freelancing and decide you can’t make enough to live comfortably when indeed you can. While I do agree that you can’t just casually freelance and make a great living, I know for a fact you can freelance “the right way” and make a great living doing so. I also encourage you guys to look up Brent Weaver, or Paul Jarvis. I could give a long list of many more as well. Thanks for another great video Mike, just sharing my opinion. :)
@Clovis – I hear you but guys like Brent Weaver and Paul Jarvis are doing exactly what I’m talking about. They’ve built or are building online businesses through personal branding (education, training, speaking, blogging, etc.). The irony is that they’re not just doing freelance full-time anymore. That’s my point exactly. Its not sustainable. They’ve gone into other avenues of income generation. Think about every top design blog on the market. It was started by a designer. A designer realizing that there are better ways to earn money while utilizing their design talents. They’ve all grown into online businesses because they realize you can’t earn that much via freelance. Yes, freelance can be grown into a long-term sustainable business but that’s considered building an design agency (big clients, bigger budgets, longer retention, etc.). Most designers that do freelance (95% of us) think of freelance as working with mom-n-pop shops, doing small jobs here and there. I just see it too often from designers having a 6 to 8 year career in freelance but still haven’t gone anywhere. The proof is there from even the people you’re mentioning. They’re making my point.
Great vid…well said.
That makes a lot of sense Mike. Thanks for the reply/feedback. Looking forward to more videos!
P.S. Would be really nice if we could get an email when replied to, I almost missed this great response because of it lol
Hi Mike
I perfectly agree with your comments. Anyhow, question is; How can a 45 year old land a sustainable UI/UX 9-5 job when employers are looking for younger web designers and developers in their 20’s?
Kind regards.
Mike,
what you are saying here is dead on. Though I should note that there are a lot of web designers on the net with the ‘side project’ of trying to help other designers become freelancers. Bit of a pyramid scheme?
It’s nice to hear someone speak honestly about freelancing. Most clients who have big budgets go with agencies. The ones who don’t simply can’t pay enough for any freelancer to earn more than working for a great company. You are right about the 50k per year max on freelancing.. and that’s working more than 40 hours a week. Trust me, this is the reality.
I have a question for you- what if you have a side project that looks really promising, but you still currently need a job? Do you let your potential employers know about it? Because in truth you would quit your job as soon as your side project took off..
Thanks for your video!
@Ann – Yes, almost ALL of those designers that are teaching other to become “freelancers” are not doing freelance themselves. All for the reasons I discussed. In regards to that side project and your job, I would not say anything more than you have to. Just keep things to yourself unless someone asked about it. Its always best to just keep things separate and not give anyone indication of what you’re doing on the side. For example, I have a TON of stuff I do on the side. I don’t hide it, but I don’t advertise it also to my company. If they ask, I tell them happily what I’m doing, but if they don’t ask, I don’t tell. ;) …its better that way.
Hi Mike I agree with you. You are saying passive income strem business model – example information product. Saas, Membership website as like you did for teaching, or building apps or product or something as like internet marketer are doing.
@Chandan – Yes, exactly. As designers, we can leverage our skills but apply them to building passive income businesses that has more potential than just killing ourselves with freelance jobs that pays pennies.