10 Years of Freelancing – 10 Lessons Learned
This February 2025 marks 10 years since I took the leap into freelancing. To celebrate, I’m sharing 10 tips for anyone considering this rewarding and flexible career path.
The mind map image is a tool I use with mentees to walk through the key steps. It’s deliberately blurred as it needs talking through.
1. Save for tax – every month
Learn from my mistakes: put aside at least 30% of everything you earn to cover tax and national insurance. Payment on account confused me at first, too. If tax stresses you out, get an accountant—they’re worth every penny!
2. Set yourself up properly
You need a website and LinkedIn profile - these are the minimum essentials. Clients will check you out before hiring you, so make sure they find the right information. If you’re still listing your old job on LinkedIn or haven’t made your services clear, you’re missing a trick, and credibility.
3. Use free tools to stay organised
I rely on a few brilliant (and free) tools:
Trello – planning, tracking, and client notes
Google Drive – storing and sharing files
Grammarly – for typo-free work
Canva – for easy, professional design
Mailchimp – email marketing, but also recently loving Mailerlite
ChatGPT – for refining ideas, brainstorming (but not blindly writing things for me!)
4. Work with your natural energy levels
I’m useless on Monday mornings, so instead of forcing it, I go to the gym and do housework first. By 11am, I’m in the right headspace. I also do my best work between 4-6pm. Pay attention to when you’re most productive and build your schedule around it.
5. Find your niche
At first, I said yes to everything. Over time, I realised my strength was working with small to medium sized charities - understanding tight budgets, small teams, and short-term funding. Now, this is my USP, and I’ve never run out of work.
6. Don’t start too low with your rates
It’s harder to raise rates later than to start at a fair level. When setting your pricing, factor in:
Tax and pension
Holidays and sick pay
Tech and software subscriptions
You can always offer discounts or sliding scales, but don’t underprice yourself. It’s the quickest way to burnout and a return to employment.
7. Stay up to date
In comms and digital, things change fast. I stay relevant by:
Subscribing to industry newsletters
Attending courses and webinars
Joining Facebook groups and LinkedIn discussions
Following sector experts
This behind-the-scenes work makes me better at my job, even if clients don’t directly see it.
8. Don’t fill all five days with client work
I used to make this mistake! Leave time for admin, networking, learning, and creativity. One of the best things about freelancing is the flexibility- like swapping an afternoon for a sunny bike ride and catching up in the evening.
9. Create templates and save useful resources
Over time, I’ve built tons of templates and guides, which save me hours of work. I also bookmark great examples when I see them. Having a well-organised reference system makes you more efficient and stops you from reinventing the wheel.
10. Find your tribe
Freelancing can be lonely, so make an effort to stay connected:
Daily walks
Weekly coffee catch-ups
Hassling my retired parents for free lunch
I also started a Charity Freelancers meetup in Newcastle for co-working and joined the North East Freelancers Network. Having peers who understand your work makes all the difference.
Thinking about freelancing? Let’s chat!
This list was easy to write—there’s so much more I could say. That’s why I offer mentoring for freelancers:
If you’re starting out and want guidance, I’ll help you fast-track the process.
If you’ve been freelancing a while and want to rethink your approach, I’m here for that too.
I offer free discovery calls, so if you’re curious, drop me a message. Freelancing is one of the best career moves I ever made. I’m happy to help you do the same.