

Ask HN: How do I get started working for myself? - ask_throwaway

Hi,<p>After working at an agency for years, I&#x27;m starting to feel the burnout. I have a couple of side projects that are starting to be profitable, but still not enough that I could quit my day job. I also have a lot of requests for freelance gigs that I just don&#x27;t have the time to do because it would interfere with my full time job and family time. Between side projects and freelance work, I feel that I should be able to keep up the same income level.<p>I have been thinking about this for a long time, I just can&#x27;t get myself to make the decision and get started with this. I love working on my side projects and that&#x27;s something that really keeps me going.<p>I am looking for any books, blog posts or alike with people who have been in a similar situation as me. &quot;How do I get started?&quot;<p>Thanks!
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marketingadvice
Follow the initial framework of 4 Hour Work Week if you really can't take the
jump otherwise. Basically imagine the worst case after planning and then work
backwards from there. Solve or think about how bad each aspect of your worst
case would be .

Chances are it's really not that bad, so jump in!

The alternative could be something like I do. I work full time and work on
side projects after work. I have a VA that does the heavy lifting for me so
when I get home after work I can make efficient use of my 2 hours/night.

I did this due to visa sponsoring I have to do in the coming year, after the
visa has cleared I plan on getting out of the employee scene.

I used my consistent salary to cover extra VA costs to build lists of people I
can target to become clients, so many, many phone calls and emails will ensue
after making the leap.

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iamben
I did it with less than 4 months savings. Had a pretty good credit card though
;-)

Seriously, just jump when you're ready. It helps if you have at least one
client or job lined up (helps placate the anxiety) and you're getting out to
meetups or places you can meet potential clients / source work.

I'm not sure of your industry, but for me the months following Christmas are
always a little lean - busy before and it picks up about March. Just bear that
in mind.

Good luck!

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saluki
Consulting/Freelancing full time is hard . . . you're finding work, doing the
work, invoicing, etc . . .

It is fun some of the time, meeting new people, new projects but revenue is
always up and down.

I would check out podcasts, books and articles by . . .

Brennan Dunn (Double your freelance rate) Patio11 Rob Walling
(Startupsfortherestofus.com)

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jthttk
I've been following a guy that shares his income and outgo about marketing
online. He's created some things and seems to be doing well for himself now.
Check him out at [http://mikefrommaine.com/](http://mikefrommaine.com/)

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slajax
Just do it. Whats the worst that can happen? You'll have to get another job?
Trust me, you will regret not doing it more then you will regret trying and
failing.

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mapster
burnout you say? take a vacation. Burnout will be 10x faster when you not only
need to do 8hr work but also marketing, client development, accounting, etc.
etc. Side projects are the spice of life for tinkerers, but don't make the
mistake of the 'grass is greener on the other side'.

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ask_throwaway
This really got me thinking... Burnout might not be the right term to use in
this case. My biggest issue right now is that I feel like I'm not learning
enough and I'm not using my full potential. My biggest skills and interests
are building native iOS and Android apps as well as hardware hacking. At my
9-5 I do neither of these, I get to do semi-big custom web apps but much of it
usually ends up being wrapped in WordPress. Sigh.

~~~
mapster
You sounds very skilled and possibly feeling under-utilized. Have you given
freelancing for projects of the sort that interest you?

~~~
ask_throwaway
I have tried. But I'm now married and have beautiful daughter. So I don't
really have time to freelance outside work hours any more.

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mapster
I understand. I also have children. I run my own web dev firm and put in
~10hrs a day, so consider the many blessings of job that ends at 5pm :)

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somona
How did you get started with web dev firm? How much experience did you have
before making the jump? Just curious. My big plan for the future is to run a
web dev firm and build products on the side like 37signals.

~~~
mapster
I learned as I went. I actually do more than web dev: maps, web maps, data
analysis, GIS, so the projects from month to month can be diverse and
interesting. I always bite off more than I can chew and it works, otherwise
you stagnate. In the early years I tried adwords and other forms of passive
advertising to some success. What really works is making connections. I think
people make a big thing out of word of mouth, but this is not a business plan,
so don't count on that. Instead you do great work, have a solid/simple web
portfolio of what you do/work examples/contact and be seen/heard as much as
possible. Eventually you will come across a project or problem that you can
provide a consistent solution/tool for. I think that is a great benefit of
consulting - exposure to the world of real-world needs, not imaginary. Last
point - don't sell yourself short; don't undercharge for your service. Have a
good excuse/reason as to why you charge what you do: great work, great
support, no tricks or gimmicks, etc. Your dream is a good one. I wish you well
in 2015!

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paulhauggis
How much money do you have in savings? I had about 8 months of savings before
I quit.

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ask_throwaway
I have roughly 4 months of savings right now, if worst comes to worst.
Obviously there more the better, but I am not sure if I'm going to be able to
last another 4 months here :)

