5 lessons from my 21 year old self...
❤️ She may have been cringe on Facebook, but she was onto something.
When I started my freelance journey 10+ years ago, I didn’t consider it a “career” move. To be honest, I just liked the idea that I could offer my skills for money.
My skill sets fell into the “creative” bucket—graphic design, writing blog posts, and coming up with ideas (which I later learned was a real service—“strategy”). I was still learning and was pretty mid at all of these things, but I was willing to try and learn by doing.
If someone needed help with anything in these categories, I always said yes or offered myself as a resource. I didn’t care much about the type of client; I was more focused on winning work and doing a good job on the project. I had no standardized pricing or set services. I would just connect with clients, figure out their problem, and solve it. My “can-do” attitude and follow-through kept my clients coming back and referring me to their friends, and I got better and better at my skills over time.
For almost 5 years, this mindset made me money on the side ($500-$1000/month), on top of college classes and then a full-time job. It was only when I had a salaried job at a startup that I realized I could do the work of five people, couldn’t fit into any conventional role, and could probably make more money on my own.
Frustrated with this reality, it occurred to me that I could quit and freelance full-time, and my experience proved to me that I already had the skills and discipline to support myself. Plus, I hated being micromanaged, told how to do things (obviously, I had a better way), and shoved into a box with a title. So the idea that I could be my own boss and have infinite freedom was a huge sigh of relief. So I quit—and I went from making $60k on salary to $125k my first year as a freelancer.
Even though I may cringe to look back at Facebook posts from 21-year-old Grace, there is a lot we can learn from her now that will make you a more competent and successful freelancer or business owner… These lessons will apply to you no matter what industry you’re in!
❋ 5 lessons from my 21-year-old self:
You don’t have to be an expert to get started. You have to get started to become an expert.
Skills that seem easy to you aren’t easy for everyone, and people will pay to outsource them (how about they pay you!?)
Don’t let your ego get in the way of getting clients. Be a “yes” person and take on different kinds of work/clients to hone your skills and learn to support yourself financially.
Be the person who is willing to problem-solve.
Start freelancing on the side and prove to yourself that you can do it! Then take the leap to full-time when you have the self-trust to know you can support yourself.
★ Thanks for reading :) I’m here to help you on your self-employed journey. To start making money, grab my e-course How to Go Freelance or book a 1:1 Office Hours session where we can dig into your dreams and goals. Follow me on TikTok, Instagram, and shop my WFH Essentials here.
i co-sign all of these lessons from 21 year old grace!
freelance freelilgrace facts 🫶🏻