Maybe you’ve heard the word “freelancer” and you’re not 100% sure that that means? A freelancer is someone who works for different companies at different times, rather than being permanently employed by one company.

Here are 5 awesome reasons to be a freelancer, and why I took the leap to become a freelance graphic designer.

1. You Have the Freedom To Work & Live Anywhere 🌏

If you want to travel the world and make money at the same time then the freelance lifestyle is for you! As a freelancer, I currently only say yes to remote jobs. A “remote job” means that you only need your laptop to do work, so you don’t need to work at a physical location. When you become more comfortable doing remote work at home, you can then take your work world-wide! When I decided to experience that digital nomad life, I travelled to Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand and worked from AirBnBs, cafes, airports, trains, and co-working spaces. It was a total DREAM COME TRUE!

2. You Control How Much Money You Make 💵

You have the freedom to choose your own hourly rates and when to raise your prices. You can choose how much a project costs and how many projects you want to take on. I absolutely hated working beyond my 9-5 hours, since I knew I’d get zero compensation for the work I completed. Once I went freelance I made significantly more than my last salary job and I worked WAY less.

3. You Choose Your Work 💫

Working at one company, doing the same things over and over again, can become really boring and mundane, especially if you’re a creative person who wants to feel excited and inspired to work. As a designer, I wanted to pick and choose my projects, work with amazing people, and actually say the words, “I love my job”. Plus, with every new project I learned SO MUCH! I’m constantly crafting my design, business and communication skills and gaining lots of new knowledge.

4. You Choose The Timeline 👏

As a freelancer you can set the timeline for a project or contract. You can take on a 2 week project or a 6 month contract. I love a clear timeline. I prefer to take on projects that are 5 days, 2 weeks or 1.5 months. Anything longer than that and I start to lose inspiration and motivation. I love the feeling of starting a new project, but I also love the feeling of completing it!

5. You Are Starting Your Own Business 😎

When you go freelance, you're starting a business essentially, which means you become a sole proprietor / self-employed. The major difference between a salary job and being self-employed is that you have to manage your finances a lot differently. For me, it was a bit overwhelming at first, but then I was so inspired to organize my business expenses, hire an accountant, find leads, and understand the ins and outs of managing a small business.

Going freelance was the best career move I've made, and I haven't looked back. If you want to stay tuned about more information about becoming a digital nomad, how to start your own business and how to make significantly more than your 9-5 salary, then please subscribe to my email list and stay tuned for exciting freebies and blog posts coming your way!

xo
Emma