Quick Takes: What I'd Do Differently If I Started

Pick a lane immediately. I spent three years as a generalist, taking every project that paid. If I’d chosen a niche from day one—even a temporary one—I’d have landed bigger clients faster. Specialization signals expertise. Generalists signal desperation.

Charge project rates, not hourly. Hourly rates cap your income at your time. I’d price the first project at what I needed it to be worth, then defend that number. You learn the speed and value of your work later. Charge accordingly.

Build your network before you need clients. I scrambled for referrals when projects dried up. Instead, I’d spend the first month connecting with three people in my industry every single week—no ask attached. Those relationships become your safety net and your pipeline.

Write down your rates and stick to them. When cash gets tight, you negotiate downward. Don’t. I’d document my pricing structure, my minimum project size, and my boundaries. Inconsistency costs you money and invites worse clients.

Tax is serious on day one. I played catch-up with the IRS. Open a separate business account, set aside 30% of every invoice immediately, and file quarterly. It’s boring and nobody talks about it, but it prevents a financial crisis in April.

Don’t undercharge to prove yourself. I took a $1,500 project to build credibility. The client didn’t respect the work more—they just expected it at that price forever. Your first project should cost what your work is actually worth. If you can’t charge market rate, you’re not ready yet.

Replace one client with two before quitting your day job. When I was starting a freelance side hustle, I kept putting all pressure on one big client. If they disappeared, I panicked. Diversification matters from day one, not year three. And before you quit your job entirely, you need enough consistent work to survive a slow month without stress.

The math is simple: you’ll make mistakes either way. But the expensive ones—undercutting yourself, building weak relationships, charging hourly, spending a year finding your niche—compound. Skip those. They cost years, not months.

If you’re just starting, understand how little you probably need to make your first $1,000. Get there. Then look at where the money actually goes. Everything else flows from there.