Freelancing has been an exciting six-year ride for me, filled with victories, mistakes, and countless lessons. But if I had a toy gun to my head and asked whether I would love to go back and start again, knowing what I know now, Yes, I will go back, but there are things I would do differently. 

A few days ago, while scrolling through the internet, a statistic caught my attention: “All freelance writers earning over 100,000 dollars have been freelancing for at least two years, and 65% have been writing for over six years”. At that point, it occurred to me that it’s been almost six years since I started this freelancing journey. There are a lot of wins and, you guessed right, there are also losses. After reflecting on everything so far, here are ten key things I would do differently if I were to start again. These changes aren’t just from hindsight (laughs out loud ); they come from real-life mistakes, advice from mentors, and even tough client experiences. So, let me walk you through them.

1. Niche Down from Day One

Niche Down

Imagery by Cacaroot on adobe stocks  

When I first started, I tried to be a freelancer for everyone and everything from writing to content, designing, and managing social media, you name it. I experienced a backlog of pieces of information that made me feel I wasn’t digging enough as an expert in a field. The result? I spread myself too thin and never really stood out. It wasn’t until I read The Power of Focus by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Les Hewitt that I realised how much more profitable it is to specialise. 

If I could do it again, I’d focus on one area of expertise from day one. It not only helps you build credibility but also makes clients more willing to pay premium rates for your specialised skills.

2. Create a Portfolio Before Sending Pitches to Clients

One time, I was really eager to land an online client, so I sent my first pitch to a potential client without having any actual work to show them. As expected, it didn’t go well. They completely ignored me, and that’s when I realised my mistake. A friend in the industry advised me to work on mock projects, even if I didn’t have any paid work yet. This piece of advice completely changed my approach. 

If I could start over, I would focus on creating sample projects before approaching clients and finding helpful resources. As I always say, “YouTube is your best friend.” You can hear stories, lessons, and mistakes from someone who has been in your shoes, and it will help get the pitch successfully approved. This simple step can truly make or break your chances of landing that first gig.

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