7 Steps to Getting Started as a Full-Time Freelancer

One of the scariest decisions you can make as a freelancer is the decision to freelance full time. Even if you’ve saved for months in preparation for going solo, the thought of not having a guaranteed income is enough to help many would-be full-timers back. And if you’ve never freelanced before, learning the ins and outs of the setting your rate and finding clients can be overwhelming.

I started freelancing full-time in April 2017, after I was let go from the marketing agency where I worked. I was far from prepared financially, and though I’d freelanced here and there in the past, I had no idea how to make it work full time. I had to figure out a lot of things on my own through a very steep learning curve and a lot of trial and error. But 6 months in, I finally feel like I have things under control.

If you’re considering becoming a freelancer — whether as a side hustle or a full-time job — here are 7 steps to get you started.

1. Conquer the imposter syndrome

This is step №1 because it’s the biggest thing I struggled with when I started freelancing. Chances are that at some point you’ve also struggled with imposter syndrome — the feeling that your accomplishments are the result of dumb luck or fraud, and not actually earned through skill or hard work — even…