

Ask HN: Freelancers what are the top 3 problems preventing your business growth? - timjahn

As a freelancer, what are the top 3 problems preventing you from growing your business? What obstacles are in your way?
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i0nutzb
I only have one problem: comfort.

Once you start to earn a certain amount of money, you are comfortable enough
to not push further so hard. I mean, sure, an extra 50k/year would be nice,
but not really necessary, considering that for extra money I should search for
new clients and/or take more projects, sleep less and so on.

The alternative would be to hire some help, but then you are not a freelancer
anymore.

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lsiunsuex
1 - finding new work when I'm available for it - when it rains, it pours.
Sometimes I have to much work, sometimes nothing for weeks.

2 - Inconsistent pay times. I freelance primarily for a company. Sometimes I
get half down, sometimes payment is late. This is probably me being lazy, but
I'm expected to get the work done by a certain day; I in turn, expect to get
paid by a certain day.

3 - Lack of benefits. I haven't pulled the trigger on freelancing full time
because I don't buy into the health care for everyone thing in the USA yet and
having a day job that pays me on time and provides me full medical / dental /
vision is nice to have. Plus; my wife works nights so may as well earn some
extra cash and not watch tv / play video games all night.

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mxstbr
Getting clients, getting clients, getting clients. I just started out, and
with 0 work to show, nobodies going to hire you.

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mhoad
Agreed. Even as someone who has a ton of experience I struggle with this more
than I care to admit.

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orky56
Having the stability to chase higher quality clients without sacrificing the
steady ones I have.

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gee_totes
1) Getting quality clients 2) Not having demo videos of the web apps I've
built 3) Not having enough business intel to build a solid deal pipeline

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v_ignatyev
I have only one problem: freelance is not a business.

