"...it seems inefficient: most of the time is spent on hunting down a manageable project and discussing the problem with the bidder, who usually don't even unde

"...it seems inefficient: most of the time is spent on hunting down a manageable project and discussing the problem with the bidder, who usually don't even understand the problem!" That is how freelance usually works unfortunately. Building a successful freelance business really depends more on how well you can build and maintain relationships with clients than on how talented a programmer you are. You have to learn to educate the client and communicate well. If I were you, I would try and find a simple project that will allow you to ease your way into the business side of things. Maybe talk with your parents' friends who run small businesses to see if they would like a website? Managing and educating clients was one thing I wish I would have understood better when I was a senior in high school. I thought I could just get an assignment and code away and get it back to them when I was done, and some of the clients were fine with that because they didn't know any better either. Also try to be humble. I was cocky then mainly because I was making more money than all my friends. It's hard to learn in that mindset, and business/communication skills can really only be learned with experience.