Perhaps freelancing is the most quick way turning your own creative abilities into money. To start such a business, 15 minutes may be enough (registration on free-lance.ru, for example). You just have to announce that you are a freelancer, and now your skills in writing programs, texts, creating unique designs and many other things work for you. But in any case, freelancing has its limits. At some point you will find yourself overwhelmed with work. That’s why sometimes it’s worth thinking about something more.

Where is the line between freelancing and owning your own business?

If you work as a freelancer, this automatically implies that you are the sole owner of the business, which you do not have employees, sell only own services and you are responsible for all actions only to yourself. Difficulties begin the moment you start to run out of hours in the day to complete orders. And so you are looking for help: you subcontract the work or hire someone. And now it’s like you’re not a freelancer at all. And your managerial skills begin to play much more important role than your creativity. In general, this is not so bad. What difference does it make - there is more money, right?

In any case, the moment of reassessment of values ​​comes when you realize: you have bitten off more than you can eat, and work has turned from a creative activity into a routine hell, in which every day there is an overdue deadline.

What to do?

Of course, freelancing is the easiest way to earn a living with your creative abilities. But he's not the only one. You can sell something that takes much less time and effort - your own organizational skills, which will help take your talent to the next level.

The perfect business model never comes together overnight. It is possible that, after experimenting, you will even return to freelancing, and the phrase “your own business” will appear in your nightmares. However, there is just one question, the answer to which will help you get started. successful business much faster than empirical experiments. Try to understand what part of your freelance work brings you the most satisfaction. Think about how you could focus on this particular part, getting rid of those moments that you like less (or even make you procrastinate, taking up time and not bringing any pleasure).

You never know what you can do till you try.

Naturally, no change occurs painlessly. Firstly, you will need to run around with paperwork to register your enterprise (most likely an individual entrepreneur, although, who knows, perhaps your undertaking fits better into the LLC format). Secondly, registering hired employees is a separate headache. Thirdly, formalizing agreements with clients will begin to require more time and formalities than simple verbal agreement (which is often enough to start a project while you are a freelancer).

However, you should not stop for fear of increased liability - after all, subcontracting carries exactly the same risks, and often you are not formally protected in any way. You get the opportunity to have more orders, and most importantly: to do on your own only that part of the creative work that you personally like best.

I think that those who are reading this article have been freelancing for several days now. And here’s the question: is it true, what do you do – do you work, or do you have your own business?

I couldn’t answer this question for quite a long time, and as soon as I received a clear answer, I immediately moved to the next level and finally began to make good money from freelancing. Let's figure it out together.

Is freelancing a job or a business?

First of all, it is important to understand that freelancing, and distant work- these are different things. Those. If you are officially employed by a company, receive a monthly salary, and at the same time simply work at home according to a schedule convenient for you, then you are not a freelancer. You are just a remote worker. And this is work - yes! The same as in the office, only the office is your home.

Secondly, if you work with only one customer on his project, receive a monthly remuneration from him for your work, and at the same time do not look for new orders and clients, then you are also not a freelancer. You are also a remote worker.

A freelancer is a businessman, an entrepreneur who provides clients with any services. In fact, a manicurist who works at home is also a freelancer. Those. This is a free worker, a private specialist who works with different clients and provides them with his services.

And do you know what prevents many freelancers from making good money? Precisely because they are not ready to do business! They just want to work 2-3 hours a day and get rewarded for it. If this sounds like you, then immediately get a remote job with a company.

If you are ready to play like an adult, then welcome to the freelance business! Here you are your own boss, your own sales manager, your own assistant, and your own specialist. You find clients on your own (although it’s better if they find you themselves), sell them your services yourself, conclude deals (even if often without any paperwork), receive payment and complete the order on time.

What is the biggest challenge? No, it’s not that you may need to register an individual entrepreneur, it’s not that it’s difficult to look for clients at first, it’s not that sometimes you can simply get scammed. It's hard to take full responsibility on yourself!

Remember that if you decide to go freelance as an adult, then you became a businessman. And here no one except you will move and bring you orders and a lot of money on a platter.

The main conclusion is that freelancing is a business, and you need to treat yourself like a businessman and work with clients in the best traditions of client-oriented business. This a starting point to your success in freelancing!

Recently, adding the 11th commandment of a freelancer to the article “11 commandments of a freelancer (already)”, I said that freelancing is a business. After some time, I returned to this statement again and thought that it was somewhat groundless, and that many would be right in arguing the opposite. This idea became the source of writing this article.

What is freelancing and what is business.

So let's start from the beginning:

Freelancing(English) freelance- free spear) - remote work. IN modern world this word is used to denote a relatively recently emerged form of labor organization, in which the employer and the performer can be located as far away from each other as desired. Project management is carried out using electronic means of communication or by telephone. (Wikipedia)

Entrepreneurship, business- independent activity carried out at one’s own risk, aimed at systematically obtaining profit from the use of property, sale of goods, performance of work or provision of services by persons registered in this capacity in the manner prescribed by law. Efficiency entrepreneurial activity can be assessed not only by the amount of profit received, but also by changes in the value of the business ( market value enterprises). (Wikipedia)

At first, if we look at both definitions, they will seem different to us and the answer to the question of whether freelancing is a business will naturally turn out to be negative.

Let's put everything on the shelves...

Let's look at the definition of business and apply it to freelancing point by point:

So:

1. Does the freelancer carry out activities independently and at his own risk? I will answer yes, and I think you will agree with me.
2. Is the activity of a freelancer aimed at systematically making a profit? No, we work simply because we work: (just kidding). Of course, the activities of a freelancer are aimed at systematically generating profit.
3. Does the freelancer use property, sell goods and provide services? I think that questions regarding services and the use of certain property are unnecessary. What about the goods? A commodity is a product of labor produced for exchange and capable of satisfying human needs (Wikipedia). Well, who will say that a website, website layout, printing layout, text are not a product?
4. “Registered in this capacity in the manner prescribed by law” - the definition of “free” does not necessarily mean free from taxes and the law. Although, in my personal opinion, a person himself has the right to decide whether to enter into mutual settlements with the state. Moreover, if the state in this case does not owe him anything.
   But no one is stopping a freelancer from obtaining the status of a private entrepreneur and being “registered in this capacity in the manner prescribed by law”...
5. Well, as for the cost of business efficiency, it can be assessed by profit. What about the cost of a freelancer’s business? Why not. Again, a freelancer invests certain funds in his activities: purchasing equipment and programs, paying for communication services and other things, maintaining his website. Both hours of labor and real monetary units are invested in all this. And ultimately, good freelancer become “branded”. His name becomes a real bearer material value, and his fame in relevant circles and his customer base, in themselves represent direct material value.

It would seem that if you take the definitions apart and apply it to freelancing, it turns out that freelancing is still a business. But it would be unfair not to hear in this article the opinion of, in my opinion, a fairly authoritative person, which I found in the blog “Get to work! I have a blog…” in the article What is the difference between running your own business and freelancing?

Antonyms or synonyms?

“The very concept of “business” implies that the owner can pick up and leave for some time, and the business will work and bring in money, following a once developed strategy, business logic, by executing established business processes. This is impossible with freelancing; in order to receive money, a freelancer must work... work hard and efficiently.
Your freelancing does not turn into a business from the moment you start accepting money by bank transfer. It is not difficult to accept money by bank transfer - the company has registered with limited liability, private enterprise or private entrepreneur and go ahead.
The correct signs of a business, as I imagine it, are the fact of ordering a large number of services from other businesses, for example, printing advertising materials, noticeable expenses for communications and transport, for processing correspondence, the presence of clients with high turnover, the fact of officially hiring non-remote staff for full-time a working day with a division of responsibilities, for example, salesperson, accountant, technical specialist, the presence of a hierarchy among the hired personnel.”

These statements in the context of the article caused a lot of comments. I don’t presume to say that they are not true, but I can say that they can also be applied to freelancing. After all, it’s no secret that among freelancers there are many people who do not produce anything themselves, but in fact, are project managers. At the same time, using outsourcing, they form their own portfolio, create virtual studios and do business. And let the one who says that this is not a business or freelancing throw a stone at me.

It’s another matter when we talk about the fact that freelancing is not only “remote work”, but a philosophy and a state of mind, but stop... Philosophy does not operate at all material objects, just as the state of the soul is not a material substance. And therefore, if we are talking about money, profit, then let’s remain materialists.

And as for me, from the point of view of material definitions, freelancing and business are guided by the same principles. And although they are not absolutely identical, they are very similar. Of course, you may disagree with me - and you will be right. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this in the comments.

Text: Anastasia Maksimova

As children we dreamed of becoming astronauts, doctors and firefighters, but none of us thought we would have to work in an office. No one excitedly talked about how they would arrive at work at nine in the morning and leave at seven. For a child, there is nothing worse than boredom, but adults increasingly want independence and freedom. Despite all the risks, many leave the office and go free swimming. We’ll tell you how to wisely switch to freelancing and what pitfalls and pitfalls you should think about so that later you don’t have to eat Doshirak and borrow money from friends and relatives until payday.

Think again

Wake up at noon, drink coffee on the ocean, swim a little, go to yoga, and in the evening, when the heat subsides, you can get to work... A tempting picture? Still would! But real freelancing doesn’t always look like this. There are many advantages to working only for yourself. For example, you don’t have a boss, you manage your time independently, do what you love, are not tied to a specific place and can work from anywhere in the world. But there are also disadvantages. It is worth thinking carefully about whether you are ready for all the difficulties that you will encounter. Firstly, no one will pay you sick leave, vacation pay or maternity leave. How much money you earn is how much money you will have. Secondly, instead of bosses, there will now be customers, and, quite possibly, their character is no better than that of your last boss. Thirdly, you will have to look for clients on your own, and this is not always easy.

Fourthly, now there is no one to replace you. Previously, if you were sick, other employees would take over your responsibilities. But if you're a freelancer, no one cares about your well-being. Either you deliver the work on time, even a minute before you go on the operating table, or you lose the customer. Fifthly, you need to find answers to many questions in advance legal issues. For example, whether or not to register an individual entrepreneur, how to pay taxes, what to do with pension contributions. You will need to thoroughly understand all this or take advice from professionals. Previously, the accounting department and HR department in your office took care of these mundane things, but now you will have to do everything yourself.

Do not hurry

If you have weighed all the pros and cons and decided that there are still more of the former, act calmly and with a cool mind. When the decision has already been made, most of all you want to grab your work papers and tear them into confetti, and then dance with maracas on your boss’s desk. Let him know what treasure he has lost!

Maybe one day you will, but not right now. Instead, start developing an action plan. A common mistake that future freelancers make is to burn all their bridges at once. You shouldn’t abandon a project you’ve already started or quit your job suddenly. Switching to freelancing is like playing sports: if a twenty-minute walk from the metro to work is too much work for you, you shouldn’t hope that in a week you will be able to run a marathon. Before quitting your office job, it makes sense to build a client base and achieve a stable financial regime. Expect that on average it can take from a couple of months to a year to switch to a comfortable operating mode, depending on your starting conditions.

Assess your talents

Most likely, if you decide to go freelance, you at least know approximately what you will do: write articles, teach dance, bake cakes or take photographs. A core skill is always good, but don't forget about Plan B. More precisely, do not discount your other talents. For example, it’s wonderful if, in addition to your main activity, you also know how to knit toys. Maybe this is what will help you during the “dead season” that happens to every freelancer. We are accustomed to underestimating our abilities, but no one can say for sure what kind of talent you have that will attract a generous customer.

Once you've written down all your abilities, pick two or three and start writing your resume. Freelancers' resumes are different from full-time workers' resumes. The main difference is that you need to show samples of your work: photographs, sketches or excerpts of texts. The surest way to make good text- find a resume really good specialist and do something similar according to the sample. Seriously, there is no need to reinvent the wheel if someone has already done it before you. It’s also a good idea to include a portfolio of personal achievements and any letters of recommendation you can get.

Seek help from friends

It often happens that friends become the first customers. Has your friend long dreamed of learning how to make flower arrangements like you do? Organize a floral master class! Is your manicurist looking for a social media manager and admires how witty you blog? So, maybe offer her help?

You can honestly write to your friends that you want to earn extra money and will be happy to take small orders. Tell us what you can do, post photos or videos, give examples of texts - show that you are not just ready to take on a new order, but, above all, that you love what you do. People trust people more who are excited about their work.

Study the forums carefully

An obligatory stage of going freelance is a thorough acquaintance with the field where you are going to enter. Firstly, by visiting specialized forums, you will find out what problems your colleagues face and how they solve them. Secondly, get to know pricing policy in your profession - this is important. Once you know the average prices on the market, avoid dumping. Remember, you have to live on this money, now it is your permanent source of income. In addition, by lowering the price, you will definitely cause the disapproval of your colleagues. And even if it doesn’t matter right now, it can play a cruel joke on you in the future - all people need help. Thirdly, there are forums (for example, translation forums), the presence of which is mandatory for any specialist. Often, clients, in order to learn more about a candidate, check his profile on such resources.

Look for new clients

You yourself will feel when the time has come to step out of the shadows and go into Big world look for customers. The first thing you need to do is register on all imaginable and inconceivable sites. Upload your new resume to the most popular job search resources by checking the box where it says “ project activities", and keep an eye on new vacancies all the time. You can subscribe to well-known HR bloggers: they also often look for candidates through social networks.

If you work with texts, find agencies that are interested in fresh freelance blood. Send your resume even if they don't need remote workers right now. In addition to these two options, there is a third - marketplaces, that is, platforms where customers and performers work without an intermediary, paying only a small commission on the transaction. Such marketplaces exist for translators, assistants for solving everyday problems, copywriters, photographers and many others. Marketplaces are convenient because performers leave reviews about clients and you can immediately identify unscrupulous customers. The same principle works in reverse side- so you should approach the task responsibly.

Always stay connected

There should be a lot of you: on Facebook, Instagram, VKontakte, Skype, Telegram - everywhere! If your customers use tin foil hats to convey messages, run to your nearest hardware store for some tin foil. Response speed is a very important indicator in freelance work. If a client needs a completed order urgently, he will not wait for you to respond, even if you are a brilliant professional. Not all customers will call you: with the advent of instant messengers, calling by phone is often perceived as a measure of last resort.

You should be in touch not only before ordering, but also during the process. Of course, when every hour you are taunted with questions: “How soon?”, “Is there much left?”, it’s unpleasant. But if you can reduce the customer’s stress level, he will carry you in his arms. In addition to social networks, get acquainted with different ways payments and create electronic wallets.

According to surveys conducted on the Internet, more than half of users world wide web, would like to be the owner of a virtual business.


If so many people want to start an online business, then why are only a few starting to invest in the development of their careers?

It is not difficult to explain this, because not everyone is able to take the first step, in the absence necessary knowledge. Some people who want to become entrepreneurs on the Internet simply do not know where to start and what to use.

One of the possibilities for organizing business activities on the Internet is the use of freelance exchanges. It’s not difficult to organize a freelance business, but producing work or performing services for which you will receive money may not be easy to implement.

Freelancing is remote work that you can start at any time and it doesn’t require any financial costs. Freelancers perform various activities, from filling forums with topics to developing software scripts.

How to organize a freelance business?

Depending on the complexity of the work, the volume naturally increases. wages, therefore, having a high level of knowledge in a certain area, you can allocate a solid profit.

For example, many freelancers develop graphic elements for websites - creating buttons, website headers, logos, icons, and much more.

Thanks to freelance exchanges, you can easily find orders, and they will be accompanied by a set fee. It is worth noting that using exchanges, you will not only get access to thousands of orders, but also a high level of transaction security.

Unfortunately, scammers have long begun to use the services of freelancers and act as unscrupulous clients, therefore, the security of transactions carried out is important point for remote workers.

Every freelancer who provides certain services has a chance to develop and build their career.

For example, by doing copywriting, you can create your own company or, having achieved popularity, accept many applications that will be processed by a whole team.

Assembling your team is not difficult, because throughout the development of your career, you will definitely contact other copywriters.

If you are not satisfied with this option for business development, then you can spend all the money you earn on the Internet on implementing your business in any other area.

Freelance mediation business

Constantly fulfilling orders and working with clients is hard, you need to develop from this to more serious activity. If you are well versed in one of the areas of freelancing, it will not be difficult for you to establish contacts with professionals and transfer your orders to them.

When you achieve popularity your own base appears regular customers and with active work it continues to develop. You will not physically have time to do everything that is asked of you, and if someone works for an amount slightly less than what is offered to you, you can take the percentage for yourself.

Absolutely all experienced freelancers use this, and if the contractor does something wrong, a professional can easily correct the shortcomings. In any case, it’s easier than developing something from scratch.

Gradually, you can turn intermediation into a full-fledged business and generally make a profit passively. Of course, you will have more responsibilities and will have to monitor the quality of the work performed so that customers are satisfied. On the other hand, you will no longer do everything yourself.

Which exchanges should you use?

Many sites have been created for searching and performing remote work. Competition for them is growing exponentially every year. This is not surprising, but it forces us to use alternative ways of communicating with freelancers and clients.

If we consider only large exchanges, then it is worth highlighting among them. There are fewer beginners here, since you have to pay to use the project. The cost depends on which sections you want to access, you can check it at.

There is no point in buying access to all sections in a row, so it won’t be that expensive. The first reason to use the service is great amount orders that remain unanswered for a long time:

You may even be able to negotiate higher fees with clients than they quote in their proposals. You don’t even have to take 1-2 applications into account, because the customer will definitely agree to cooperate with the one who has good rating, there is a portfolio and a lot of positive reviews.

For an intermediary, this exchange is beneficial not only because of the large number of free orders. There are many freelancers registered here with whom you can establish useful connections. They have added a portfolio, a full list of services, prices and other important information:

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