- What This Article Covers
- 1. Brush up on your finance
- 2. Understand the scope of your venture
- 3. Create a list of goals
- 4. Don’t chase the same audience as everyone else
- 5. Research the competition
- 6. Know your demographic
- 7. Maintain a strong social media presence
- 8. Network aggressively
- 9. Know your stuff
- 10. Be your own taskmaster
- 11. Consider a variety of media
- 12. Enjoy yourself
- Next Steps
- Final Words
We may receive compensation when you click on product links from our partners. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.
Last Updated on March 3, 2025
The number of freelancers worldwide has grown significantly since 2018. As of 2025, there are an estimated 1.57 billion freelancers worldwide, representing about 47% of the global workforce. This number is expected to grow, driven by technological advancements and changing work preferences.
The United States remains home to the largest number of freelancers in the world, with approximately 73.3 million as of 2025. This figure is projected to increase to 90.1 million by 2028, highlighting the country’s rapid expansion of the
The growth of the freelance market is being driven by several factors, including the rise of
Indeed, launching a freelancing business is a challenging endeavor. However, the journey’s complexity makes its rewards even more gratifying. The initial steps require careful planning and preparation before venturing into the business landscape. It’s not as straightforward as choosing a service and curating a client list—although that is an integral component. The freelancing journey can sometimes seem strenuous, but the satisfaction you’ll experience when your work steadily comes in will affirm that it’s been worthwhile. Here are 12 steps to kickstart your freelancing business.
Ready to take control of your career? Learn how to launch and grow your freelance business with key steps to find clients, set your rates, and build long-term success. Start your journey today #FreelancerClick To TweetWhat This Article Covers
- The Rise of Freelancing: Explore the rapid growth of the
freelance workforce and the factors driving this shift, includingremote work and online platforms. - Essential Steps to Start Freelancing: Learn the critical steps to launching a
freelance business, from financial planning to setting clear career goals. - Finding Your Niche and Audience: Understand how to identify a profitable niche, research your competition, and connect with the right audience to stand out.
- Building an Online Presence: Discover why social media and networking are essential for freelancers and how to create a strong personal brand.
- Managing
Productivity and Workflow: Get tips on staying organized, usingproductivity tools, and maintaining discipline when working independently. - Long-Term
Freelance Success: Learn how to adapt to industry changes, diversify income streams, and maintain passion for freelancing over time.
Freelance to Freedom is the book on how individuals can reconstruct their life to create financial and time freedom.
1. Brush up on your finance
When you’re a freelancer, nobody will manage your paychecks for you. You’ll need to ensure you’re on top of your invoices – when they’re due, how you’ll get paid, etc. This is one of the most important aspects of the job. If you’re looking for a solid invoice tool to help you, try PayPal’s “Manage my Invoices” – it’ll give you a great headstart. Professional-quality invoices get you paid quicker and are easy to track and send reminders.
2. Understand the scope of your venture
What do you want to do with your freelancing business? Are you going to use this as your main source of income, or is this something you’re doing to drum up business on the side or chase a major life goal? Whatever the answer, it pays to have a solid and well-crafted business plan, even if you’re a freelancer. You’ll need it in the future.
You design. We’ll handle the rest.
Do what you love, and get paid for it on 99designs. Find awesome clients and become a part of our global community of talented designers—all in a safe, secure workspace.
3. Create a list of goals
Your journey won’t progress significantly if your ambitions aren’t concretely defined. It’s crucial to jot down precisely what you aim to accomplish at each phase of your business journey. Begin with smaller tasks – secure a web domain, settle on your business name, and consider your operation’s scale, among other things. Once these are addressed, you can start focusing on larger objectives.
4. Don’t chase the same audience as everyone else
If the allure of success witnessed in others entices you to start a business, consider exercising caution. Identifying a profitable niche market rather than merely following the herd is far more advantageous. This approach reduces competition and ensures you distinguish yourself in your chosen field.
If you are a freelancer wishing for better success, this book will help you get to the next level where you get paid top dollar and have the freedom to choose clients and projects.
5. Research the competition
Whatever you decide to do with your
6. Know your demographic
Knowing your market isn’t quite the same thing as knowing your demographic. You need to research who will consume your product or content, whatever it is. That will enable you to craft content that your audience will like better. Language, tone, and marketing are all massively affected by your demographic.
Bouncer will help you:
- Improve the quality of your data
- Increase Email Marketing ROI
- Protect your sign-up forms
- Protect your sender’s Reputation
7. Maintain a strong social media presence
Whether you’re a social media addict or a chronic avoider of the ‘gram, the fact is that if you’re not on social media as a business these days, then you may as well not exist. Maintaining a strong social media presence is key to growing your client base, promoting your content, and managing a good relationship with your chosen demographic.
“The best part about being a freelancer is that you can typically set your own hours as well as pick and choose who want to work for. The bad news is that until you build your business up, you are likely to have times where you don’t have any work.” – How to Build Your Career Working Freelance Jobs
8. Network aggressively
One of the best ways you can publicize your budding
There are many excellent networking books available that can help job seekers learn the skills they need to build meaningful relationships and advance their careers
9. Know your stuff
In an increasingly competitive era, if you don’t know your stuff, you’ll be destroyed by your competition. Whatever your business is – writing, crafts, plumbing, or anything – you must know what you’re talking about. Word of mouth is essential for growing your business, and you won’t grow good word of mouth if your work is shoddy or shows a lack of understanding of your craft.
10. Be your own taskmaster
When you jump from a conventional desk job to a freelance gig, the freedom can be a little daunting. You need to be your own taskmaster. Don’t be afraid to scour the internet for good
Motion increases productivity by 137%. With automation and AI that intelligently plan your day, schedule meetings, and build the perfect to-do list.
11. Consider a variety of media
If you’re a writer, that doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself to just writing your own content. You could guest blog on other people’s sites, for example, or seek out podcasts that interview writers and see if they’d be interested in interviewing you. Nothing stops you from multimedia and creating a video series for YouTube or your own podcast, either.
12. Enjoy yourself
If you don’t love the freelance life, it won’t love you back. Freelancing should feel great, even when the bad times come; you won’t always love your work, but you should always feel like it’s a better alternative to desk work. If you don’t, it might be time to hang up the work-from-home keyboard and return to office life because true freelancers love what they do.
Next Steps
- Define Your
Freelance Niche: Identify a specific area of expertise where you can stand out, attract clients, and build a sustainablefreelance business. - Create a Professional Portfolio: Develop a portfolio showcasing your best work to demonstrate your
skills and credibility to potential clients. - Set Up Your Online Presence: Build a personal website, optimize your
LinkedIn profile , and stay active on relevant social media platforms to connect with clients and growyour network . - Develop a Pricing Strategy: Research market rates for your services set competitive yet sustainable pricing, and establish clear payment terms to ensure financial stability.
- Start Networking and Pitching: Reach out to potential clients, join freelancing platforms, and leverage
your network to secure your first or nextfreelance project.
Final Words
Freelancing offers flexibility, independence, and the potential for financial success, but it requires strategic planning and persistence. You can create a thriving
The Freelancer’s Bible will help those new to freelancing learn the ropes, and will help those who’ve been freelancing for a while grow and expand.
Joey Trebif is the pen name of Mark Fiebert, a former finance executive who hired and managed dozens of professionals during his 30-plus-year career. He now shares expert job search, resume, and career advice on CareerAlley.com.
