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It really depends on what types of clients and gigs you want to take on, and what sort of ambitions you have for yourself as a one-man shop. Do you want to rema
by jonnathanson 13y ago
It really depends on what types of clients and gigs you want to take on, and what sort of ambitions you have for yourself as a one-man shop. Do you want to remain a one-man shop? If so, biting off more than you chew can be hazardous to your health (literally). You don't want to land the Pepsi account if you're not ready to handle Pepsi volume.
By presenting yourself as an agency, you might signal a higher degree of professionalism and (theoretical) resources. You're more likely to get into serious contention for those Pepsi contracts. At the same time, you might be signaling yourself as being too big or too expensive for the thousands of smaller, more easily attainable, ad hoc gigs that really do want an individual freelancer.
And BTW - you really don't want large-scale engagements, the kind that routinely go to actual agencies, if you're not running an agency. Those gigs are designed for agencies with staffs and resources to deploy. There will be more volume than you can handle as an individual contributor -- including all the work involved in client management, reporting, schmoozing at the corporate HQ, etc.
- dangero 13y agoGood points. I would enjoy reading about companies that went from single contributor to agency smoothly.
- a-priori 13y agoI think partnering with a handful of other ex-freelancers would be a better route to creating an agency than building one single-handed. That's how a consulting firm I used to work for got started, as a partnership of 5 (I think) developers. About 15 years later, they're now ~200 people strong.
- robertnealan 13y agoAll great points. Personally, I am looking to grow my business to be more than just me and it was one of my main motives to start presenting myself as a business, it just happened to carry with it the beneficial side effect of being seen in a more professional light (most if not all my clients are aware I'm still the only full time employee). Regarding taking on too large of a project should you wish to remain a one-man shop - all I can say is that the projects you turn down are equally as important as those you accept. You have to know both your abilities and the limits of what you can do as one person. Also, I'm more of a Coke person.
- jonnathanson 13y agoI'm more of a Coke person myself. Funnily enough, my comment originally referenced Coke. Then I realized I'd overused Coke as an example of "Generic Big Company/Brand/Advertiser" too many times in my commenting history for personal comfort. So I consciously switched to Pepsi this time around. :)
- mncolinlee 13y agoI believe it's key to point out that you can always turn down jobs without offending anyone. I've always used my "Colin The Shots LLC" for freelancing. If I want to get contracts from budding startups, I go to startup events and introduce myself. I don't need to change my company name to reflect a lower degree of professionalism.