Freelancing: Can I fly?
In a way I've been freelancing for the last year and a half. I liked to think I was practicing for when I got back to the states and started working full time. There wasn't much pressure on me since the cost of living in El Salvador is almost laughable compared to American standards. Now that I've got actual serious bills to pay on a regular basis there's a little butterfly in my stomach hatching more every day.
My main problem is getting more business. I have the skills and the talent I just have to bring the marketing. Advertising on-line to do on-line advertising has more than a little competition. I have some good ideas for the real world that I think might be effective. I've also started to build a base of satisfied clients who are recommending me to people. Once I have enough people doing that I should be able to dumpster my flyers and other mundane marketing.
There's definitely an uncomfortable feeling of not knowing where your next paycheck is coming from. I know that comes with the territory and all of the freedoms that come with freelancing. I've been preparing for the actual work aspect of this for sometime, but I haven't done a whole lot of preparing for the business administrative part. I started reading a book called "Working For Yourself: Law & Taxes for Independant Contractors, Freelancers & Consultants" and it's been really informative so far. I've already gotten my business license straightened out but all of the tax stuff is a nightmare.
Like the title of this post says, I really feel like I'm testing myself here. It's like I've built this flying machine in my garage and only tested it in my garage(El Salvador). Now I've actually pushed myself off a real cliff and I'm falling. I've only really begun to peddle so who knows if this thing will actually kick in. Once I get a few more jobs and figure out my taxes I'll have caught my first updraft.
Once I finish reading this tax book I'll post a good summary for others trying to fly their own contraptions. I wasn't able to find a whole lot of in-depth information about everything I would need to do so I hope it can be useful to someone else.