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Promise Amajuoyi
- 1 Min Read
5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting Freelancing
Freelancing sounded like the dream: no boss, flexible hours, and getting paid to work from anywhere.
But when I actually jumped in… reality hit different.
If I could go back and talk to my beginner self, these are the 5 things I wish someone told me.
1. Your First Clients Won’t Be on Fancy Platforms
I wasted weeks trying to get gigs on Fiverr and Upwork with no results.
What actually worked?
Telling people I knew—friends, family, WhatsApp groups, and small businesses near me.
Lesson: Start with your network before fighting algorithms.
2. You Don’t Need to Know Everything—Just One Thing Well
I thought I needed to be a pro designer, copywriter, marketer, and editor all at once.
Nope.
One skill, one service, one offer is enough to get paid.
People pay for results, not resumes.
3. Charging Too Low Will Burn You Out
At first, I thought I had to offer the cheapest rates to get clients.
That worked—until I had 3 clients, no sleep, and barely $30 to show for it.
Lesson: Cheap attracts stressful clients.
Price fairly and grow your skills to match.
4. Clients Don’t Care About Fancy Portfolios—They Care About Trust
I spent too long building a “perfect” portfolio.
Guess what? Most of my first clients never asked for it. They just wanted to know:
Can you do the job?
Can I trust you to finish on time?
A few good samples + clear communication = more powerful than any portfolio site.
5. The Real Money Is in Repeat Clients
I thought freelancing meant chasing new clients every week.
But my income became stable when I learned to:
Offer packages
Upsell future work
Build relationships
One happy client can pay you 5 times. Keep them happy.
Final Thoughts
Freelancing is not always easy—but it’s worth it.
I made mistakes, felt lost, and even wanted to quit.
But if I had known these 5 things earlier, I would've grown faster, earned more, and stressed way less.
If you’re just starting, save this post—and learn from my journey.
Your Turn:
What’s one thing you wish you knew before starting your hustle, skill, or job?
Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear your story
