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The fact that you read HN probably means you're more capable than most freelancers out there. We, as people, tend to overestimate the abilities of others and un

by mixmax 16y ago

The fact that you read HN probably means you're more capable than most freelancers out there. We, as people, tend to overestimate the abilities of others and underestimate our own, it's just the way the brain works. I once did a job where me and a friend had to design a new intranet and website for a client. I claimed that I was quite an expert on usability and intranet design despite the fact that I had never done either before. Basically I winged it. The intranet raised the companys productivity by 60% and the redesigned site ended up in a Jakob Nielsen report on well-done redesigns. The moral? You're much more capable than you think.

jeromec 16y ago
I claimed that I was quite an expert on usability and intranet design despite the fact that I had never done either before. Basically I winged it. I believe billionaire Mark Cuban said he did this with one of his first companies (MicroSolutions I think). He said people would ask if they did this or that, and he just said yes to everything, even if he had to stay up reading books all night. Edit: I was trying to remember what his company did. I believe they were one of the first to start networking Macs together. Anyway, I found this quote from his blog which may also be relevant: AT MicroSolutions [reading] gave me a huge advantage. A guy with little computer background could compete with far more experienced guys just because I put in the time to learn all I could. I learned from magazines and books, but I also learned from watching what some of the up and coming technology companies of the day were doing. Its funny how the companies that I thought were brilliant then, are still racking it up today.
- wallflower 16y ago
  Josh James did the same thing. He would go to a client site and read and read on a particular subject. And when they said 'oh that's a stupid idea' - he'd be like 'well, Coke doesn't think so'. If you have 60 minutes, this talk is inspiring. http://byuebusiness.blogspot.com/2009/12/josh-james-december-8-2009.html http://byuebusiness.blogspot.com/2009/12/josh-james-december... http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1164483 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1164483
deleted 16y ago
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raphaelb 16y ago
You are absolutely more capable than you think. I started freelancing with a decently sized startup based on the recommendation of a good friend who was an all out super star. I was looking for freelancing work and failing miserably at it. Someone at this startup asked my friend if they knew anyone for "some short term CSS projects". He sent them to me. I hadn't done CSS in over 2 years (and only then I barely knew enough to do squat) My friend reassured me that I could do it. He also encouragingly said "don't screw this up". I started the same day of the recommendation. The "short term projects" they originally wanted turned into 2.5 years and over 125k in income for me - about 15 hours / week. I've now gone on to get strong recommendations from every person of the team I started working with at the startup, as well as a new contract with some of them after they'd moved on to a new place. Something I believe strongly that helped me was I was totally obsessed with turning things around as fast as humanly possible. I responded to emails, calls, etc within an hour and would often complete a project in not much more time.

by mixmax 16y ago

jeromec 16y ago

I claimed that I was quite an expert on usability and intranet design despite the fact that I had never done either before. Basically I winged it. I believe billionaire Mark Cuban said he did this with one of his first companies (MicroSolutions I think). He said people would ask if they did this or that, and he just said yes to everything, even if he had to stay up reading books all night. Edit: I was trying to remember what his company did. I believe they were one of the first to start networking Macs together. Anyway, I found this quote from his blog which may also be relevant: AT MicroSolutions [reading] gave me a huge advantage. A guy with little computer background could compete with far more experienced guys just because I put in the time to learn all I could. I learned from magazines and books, but I also learned from watching what some of the up and coming technology companies of the day were doing. Its funny how the companies that I thought were brilliant then, are still racking it up today.

wallflower 16y ago
Josh James did the same thing. He would go to a client site and read and read on a particular subject. And when they said 'oh that's a stupid idea' - he'd be like 'well, Coke doesn't think so'. If you have 60 minutes, this talk is inspiring. http://byuebusiness.blogspot.com/2009/12/josh-james-december-8-2009.html http://byuebusiness.blogspot.com/2009/12/josh-james-december... http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1164483 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1164483

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]

raphaelb 16y ago

You are absolutely more capable than you think. I started freelancing with a decently sized startup based on the recommendation of a good friend who was an all out super star. I was looking for freelancing work and failing miserably at it. Someone at this startup asked my friend if they knew anyone for "some short term CSS projects". He sent them to me. I hadn't done CSS in over 2 years (and only then I barely knew enough to do squat) My friend reassured me that I could do it. He also encouragingly said "don't screw this up". I started the same day of the recommendation. The "short term projects" they originally wanted turned into 2.5 years and over 125k in income for me - about 15 hours / week. I've now gone on to get strong recommendations from every person of the team I started working with at the startup, as well as a new contract with some of them after they'd moved on to a new place. Something I believe strongly that helped me was I was totally obsessed with turning things around as fast as humanly possible. I responded to emails, calls, etc within an hour and would often complete a project in not much more time.