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Self-employed on and off as a graphic and web design consultant since 2005 or so, with some time in offices, making websites with static generators, PHP/WordPre

Self-employed on and off as a graphic and web design consultant since 2005 or so, with some time in offices, making websites with static generators, PHP/WordPress, and Python/Django, and print work with pencil, ink, paper, and graphics apps. Tips: 1. Live simply and reduce expenses. Avoid debt if you can. Rice and beans recipe: https://hypertexthero.com/eat-play-read/ https://hypertexthero.com/eat-play-read/ 2. Try to be nice to other nice people and stay in touch with past co-workers, especially the nicest ones. They make the best bosses or clients later. Don’t burn bridges unless there is no other option. 3. Always be working on a project for yourself that you enjoy and can learn new skills from. If the project could be useful for others, clean it up a bit and share it. 4. Use a paper weekly planner and write down things to do and cross them out when they’re done. Write ideas and things to look up here. Have a drawer or cardboard box in which you throw pieces of paper with ideas written on them. Open the drawer and pick a random piece of paper when feeling stuck. 5. Look in the mirror now and again and ask yourself if you are happy with the upcoming day. If there are too many days in a row when you’re not, time to change, move, etc. More: https://hypertexthero.com/reignite-passion/ https://hypertexthero.com/reignite-passion/

kmarc 3y ago
> Live simply and reduce expenses. Besides the obvious message here (less spending, more money to save), the simple life is that gives you less headache and burden of administration, which is a huge pro when it comes to "being on your own" (eg managing yourself as a business). In general, minimalistic lifestyle xnot owning stuff (especially expensive stuff like a car, home, etc) gives so much freedom...
neilv 3y ago
The first tip about being self-employed is funny and telling: > 1. Live simply and reduce expenses. Avoid debt if you can. Rice and beans recipe: Some people can make really good money self-employed, but for the rest of us (including myself), salaried employment would've been much easier. Also, a period of lower income will keep paying negative dividends afterwards, because it's expensive to be poor. There might also be long-term impact of stress, if the lower income and uncertainty of being self-employed had more net bad stress than the corporate job would've. (Though corporate BS as an employee can be the worst stress, worse than not knowing whether you can keep your self-employed business afloat.)
- bruce511 3y ago
  Being self employed is not for the faint-hearted. You get to work long hours, for irregular pay, for lots of different bosses (I mean customers), and as a bonus (if you succeed) you get to deal with difficult staff. And those are the good bits... On the other hand you are more in control. You decide what to work on, and when. You decide how many zoom meetings to have (well, sort of.) You won't be laid off (although you might not get paid.) There's no office politics, and no boss to get jn your way. Sure it can end up being financially rewarding, but a good job, with good investing, likely comes out ahead.
spookybones 3y ago
Are you still finding clients for static websites and Wordpress? I got out of that game six years ago and am considering getting back in as a side-hustle. It seems though that most of that freelance work has dried up.
- hypertexthero 3y ago
  Mainly previous clients I’d worked with before, with occasional new ones. Meeting in person and getting along with your client is important. https://www.miltonglaser.com/files/Essays-10things-8400.pdf https://www.miltonglaser.com/files/Essays-10things-8400.pdf

kmarc 3y ago

> Live simply and reduce expenses. Besides the obvious message here (less spending, more money to save), the simple life is that gives you less headache and burden of administration, which is a huge pro when it comes to "being on your own" (eg managing yourself as a business). In general, minimalistic lifestyle xnot owning stuff (especially expensive stuff like a car, home, etc) gives so much freedom...

neilv 3y ago

The first tip about being self-employed is funny and telling: > 1. Live simply and reduce expenses. Avoid debt if you can. Rice and beans recipe: Some people can make really good money self-employed, but for the rest of us (including myself), salaried employment would've been much easier. Also, a period of lower income will keep paying negative dividends afterwards, because it's expensive to be poor. There might also be long-term impact of stress, if the lower income and uncertainty of being self-employed had more net bad stress than the corporate job would've. (Though corporate BS as an employee can be the worst stress, worse than not knowing whether you can keep your self-employed business afloat.)

bruce511 3y ago
Being self employed is not for the faint-hearted. You get to work long hours, for irregular pay, for lots of different bosses (I mean customers), and as a bonus (if you succeed) you get to deal with difficult staff. And those are the good bits... On the other hand you are more in control. You decide what to work on, and when. You decide how many zoom meetings to have (well, sort of.) You won't be laid off (although you might not get paid.) There's no office politics, and no boss to get jn your way. Sure it can end up being financially rewarding, but a good job, with good investing, likely comes out ahead.

spookybones 3y ago

Are you still finding clients for static websites and Wordpress? I got out of that game six years ago and am considering getting back in as a side-hustle. It seems though that most of that freelance work has dried up.

hypertexthero 3y ago
Mainly previous clients I’d worked with before, with occasional new ones. Meeting in person and getting along with your client is important. https://www.miltonglaser.com/files/Essays-10things-8400.pdf https://www.miltonglaser.com/files/Essays-10things-8400.pdf