I've been freelancing for years now—Fiverr, Upwork, LinkedIn, and direct clients. I've completed over 50 projects, from simple landing pages to complex ERP systems. Here's what I learned that nobody told me when I started.
The First 6 Months Were Brutal
I started freelancing thinking my skills would speak for themselves. They didn't. I had zero reviews, zero credibility, and was competing against thousands of other developers.
My first month? Zero orders. Second month? One project for $50—a React landing page that took me 15 hours. That's less than $4/hour. I almost quit.
But I didn't. And looking back, those early projects taught me more about client work than any tutorial ever could.
What Actually Gets You Clients
Your Profile Matters More Than You Think
When I rewrote my profile from "Full Stack Developer with 5 years experience" to "I build React and Next.js apps that load fast and convert visitors into customers," my conversion rate doubled.
Clients don't care about your years of experience. They care about what you can do for them. Be specific:
Bad: "I'm a web developer skilled in React, Node.js, MongoDB..."
Good: "I build web applications for startups and businesses. My apps are fast, mobile-friendly, and built with clean code that's easy to maintain. Recent projects include an ERP system handling 50+ daily users and an e-commerce platform processing $10k+ monthly transactions."
Portfolio Projects > Certifications
I see developers listing 10 certifications and zero portfolio projects. That's backwards.
Build real things. Even if they're personal projects, they show you can actually ship. My portfolio includes:
- An ERP system I built for a client
- A personal project that solved a problem I had
- Contributions to client businesses
Each project has a story—what the client needed, how I solved it, what the results were.
Pricing: The Hardest Part
I underpriced myself for the first year. $50 for a landing page, $200 for a full website. I was racing to the bottom.
Here's what I learned: low prices attract bad clients. When I raised my rates, I got better clients who valued my work and respected my time.
My pricing evolution:
- Year 1: $15-25/hour (desperate for any work)
- Year 2: $40-50/hour (building reputation)
- Now: $60-80/hour (established, quality clients)
Higher prices filter out clients who'll nickel-and-dime you. They also attract clients who understand software development isn't cheap because it's valuable.
The Mistakes I Made
Saying Yes to Everything
Early on, I took every project. WordPress sites, PHP scripts, things I didn't know. I thought it would help me grow.
It didn't. I delivered mediocre work because I was learning on the client's dime. They weren't happy, I wasn't happy, and my reviews suffered.
Now I only take projects in my wheelhouse: React, Next.js, React Native, Node.js. I say no to everything else. My reviews are better, my work is better, and I'm happier.
Not Setting Boundaries
"Can you just add one more feature?"
"Can we hop on a quick call?" (that turns into 2 hours)
"I know we agreed on X, but can we also do Y?"
Scope creep killed my profitability on early projects. A $500 project turned into $500 worth of work plus $300 of free additions.
What I do now:
Project Scope (agreed in writing):
- Landing page with 5 sections
- Contact form with email notifications
- Mobile responsive design
- 2 rounds of revisions
Not included:
- Additional pages
- Backend functionality
- Ongoing maintenance
Changes outside scope: $50/hourClear boundaries protect both you and the client.
Underestimating Time
Every project takes longer than you think. That "simple" form has validation, error handling, email integration, spam protection. That "quick" landing page needs responsive design, performance optimization, SEO.
My rule: Estimate the time, then multiply by 1.5. If I think something takes 10 hours, I quote for 15. I'm almost always right.
What Makes Clients Come Back
Communication > Technical Skills
I've lost clients to worse developers because they communicated better. Clients don't want to wonder what's happening with their project.
My communication system:
- Acknowledge messages within 4 hours
- Daily updates on active projects
- Clear timeline with milestones
- No surprises—if something's delayed, I tell them immediately
This alone has gotten me more repeat clients than any technical skill.
Deliver What You Promised
Sounds obvious, but many freelancers over-promise and under-deliver. I do the opposite.
If I say the project will be done Friday, it's done Thursday. If I promise 5 pages, I deliver 5 well-built pages, not 5 rushed pages.
Under-promise, over-deliver. Always.
Make Their Life Easy
Clients hire freelancers because they don't want to deal with the technical stuff. Make it easy for them:
- Explain things in plain English, not tech jargon
- Provide clear instructions for how to use what you built
- Handle the deployment, not just the code
- Be available for questions after delivery
The easier you are to work with, the more likely they'll come back.
The Business Side
Track Everything
I track:
- Hours spent on each project
- Revenue per client
- Conversion rate (proposals to accepted)
- Average project size
This data helps me make better decisions. I learned that smaller projects ($100-300) have lower profit margins because of the overhead. Larger projects ($1000+) are more profitable per hour.
Build Recurring Revenue
One-off projects are exhausting. You're constantly hunting for new clients.
I started offering maintenance packages: $100-300/month for ongoing updates, bug fixes, and small changes. It's predictable income, and clients love not having to find a new developer every time they need something.
Reviews Are Currency
Every good review makes the next project easier to get. I treat every project like my reputation depends on it—because it does.
After every project, I ask for feedback. If there's an issue, I fix it before asking for a review. One bad review can undo ten good ones.
What I'd Tell My Beginner Self
1. Don't compete on price. Compete on quality and communication.
2. Specialize. Being known for one thing is better than being okay at everything.
3. Set boundaries early. It's harder to set them later.
4. Track your time. You're probably working for less than you think.
5. Build relationships. Repeat clients are the foundation of a freelance business.
The Reality
Freelancing isn't passive income. It's a business that requires constant work—finding clients, managing projects, handling admin, improving skills.
But the freedom is worth it. I choose my projects, my hours, my clients. When I want to take a week off, I can. When I want to work on something interesting, I can.
It took years to get here, but I wouldn't trade it.
