freelance > company
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- _salisae_0
what is a freelance company? how do i do that?
- sounds like a one person company.akrokdesign
- i see what you did there.Point5
- MrDaro0
dude, share the wealth.
- hektor9110
freelance is the way to go my friend..... you will grow creatively and the pasion for what you do will eventually bring you the wealth...
personal experience..
- Point50
I'm in this position as well right now, but I just feel like I have so much at risk; basically my kids. If I was just supporting me+wifey and splitting the bills with my her I could almost care less about job security because I really don't need much money to live. But having kids, well that's a fuckin dynamic like none other. I fell like I'm risking their well being everytime I think about going to full time freelance. But I hate where I work. I really do. I'm learning nothing, going nowhere, there's only two of us designers there and I feel like a fucking production monkey because the person that owns the company is a really a P.R. manager, but she thinks that she's the end all be all Art Director and really she has no fucking clue what a grid, symmetry, typography and decent photography are about.
- Dancer0
I have been considering it for a while. The main issues I have are as follows:
1) A partner – I do not want the responsibility of having to pay a wage every month so a partbner with equal responsibility is what I would look for. I am yet to find the right person who can bring in the work as well as my clients2) Fees – With setting up a company and the income having to pay more than one person inevitably costs go up. This means you would have to raise your fees and sometimes this will alienate your long term clients, which for me is the stable bread and butter work.
I say go for it but you will have to be really shrewd with your cash flow.
Gd lk
!!
- ivgin0
Freelance IS NOT starting your company. It's working solo. The other thing is called entrepreneurship (thanks Captain Spellchecker!).
So if at certain moment you feel like you can't take it anymore, you can just use your-favorite-job-site.com and get back in the 9am - 5pm matrix :)
It's a win-win situation, if you're a good professional.
- mrbee28280
Jumping back into the 9-5 is only as easy as where you live though. For me it's not so much an option. There isn't sit to jump to in Virginia Beach. So if you like in Cali or NYC you can try, fail and get another job. Not so much is less populated creative areas. My biggest issue is recruiting... there's no one around here that knows Flash. Remote.... well I just don't feel comfortable at this stage to use a freelancer that isn't around the corner. It's a big risk and leap of faith. Anyone want to move to Virginia and slow the pace and do their own thing with us? :)
- janne760
there's one big ad/design agency here, i know the owners well, but i don't really enjoy their output + i am no fan of being employed.
- janne760
Interesting discussion though, keep it going..
- rafalski0
What are the costs of being self employed or running a partnership in Netherlands? Some EU countries have a policy designed to bully small startups with extortionist "social taxes", ie. Spain, Poland. Meanwhile other countries make it easy for startups tax-wise, ie. Ireland & UK.
What does Holland look like in this regard? Do you have to pay taxes while you're starting up and have no income yet?
- neue75_bold0
knowing you as well/little as I do, I think I'd recommend you keep freelancing but just manage yourself better, don't over-promise and don't take on everything that comes your way. Try to find a couple other freelancers you know and trust to help when you find yourself double-booked...
You're just too tall to work in an agency or studio...
;)- does he see above sea level?rafalski
- +90%
I agree with neue._salisae_ - We wear short-shorts...neue75_bold
- here. you'll need to borrow my naire.
*covers eyes_salisae_ - *covers body in nairnneue75_bold
- yoda hath spoken. my thought as well, today then..heh...janne76
- ivgin0
I live in a Eastern European capital city – 2.5 million (and rising) people living here, the economy is running on steroids, so there's way too much design/advertising work lying around.
If you want a successful start as a freelancer, you should be prepared – you need 2-3 regular clients to cover your most important expenses. You also need to establish a legal entity (to issue invoices, etc.) and get a good accountant. The rest is easy – get a portfolio site running, print 200 chic business cards and start using your skills to get new projects.
Depending your talent tree you'll need some help – a developer, a prepress expert, a manager... But you can work with them on project base, they'll be happier this way ;)
I'd love to hear more stories about this :)
- janne760
thx people! i'll just need to weed out the good from the bad and stay freelance...
keep this thread bumped!
(good comment, ivgin, good luck to you!)