HOW TO EVOLVE YOUR FREELANCE BUSINESS: KEY QUESTIONS TO BUILD, GROW, AND SCALE

Each freelancer’s journey is as unique as their motivation for freelancing in the first place. There is no one-size-fits all approach to building, growing, and scaling your business, no set of rules you have to follow or single road you must travel. 

In our experience, almost all freelancers find themselves in one of three stages, each one bringing with it a new set of questions to navigate. 

The Building Stage (Years 1-3)

Ask yourself these questions as you get started to really nail down your offerings:

Who am I and what do I do?

• What services do I offer?
• Who do I offer them to?
• Why would they buy from me?

Who will buy and what will they pay?

• Where will I find my clients?
• How much will they pay for my services?
• How will I be able to increase my services and pay?

How do I run my business?

• What tools do I need to operate: project management software, time tracking, invoicing?
• Who will support me and my business?
• What other skills, services do I need to run my business: CPA, Legal, Advisor?

Use our toolkit to guide you as you think through these things and make important decisions for your business. 

The Growth Stage (Years 4-7)

Ask yourself these questions once you’ve established yourself as a freelancer and secured a client roster:

• How can I keep clients in my pipeline?
• How can I leverage my existing network to find more work?
• How can I automate operations to free up some time?
• How can I adjust and grow my rates? 
• How can I create passive income?
• How am I keeping my skills fresh and where can I add services?

The Scaling Stage (Years 8+)

Ask yourself these questions as you scale your freelance business:

• How can I subcontract work or bring on team members? 
• What am I doing for long term planning: retirement, IRA, investments, insurance?
• Am I building with an end in mind? What does success look like for me?

Pro Tip: Find a Freelance Community 

Regardless of where you are on your journey today and where you hope to be tomorrow, finding a community of other freelancers is invaluable. You can ask for advice from those who have been in your shoes, find an accountability partner to help keep you on track, or connect with someone in the same stage as you are to support one another. 

If you haven’t already joined the Uncompany community, it’s easy to sign up as a Free Agent. You’ll gain access to our Discord community of fellow freelancers for networking, career development, and potential job opportunities.