My Future in Freelance: What I'll Do Differently in 2018

It’s 2018 and the New Year brings an abundance of opportunities for those seeking to hit the reset button on life. This year I’ve challenged myself to dream bigger than ever have. I want to take more risks. I want to try new things. I want to be the master of my own fate. Now that I’m 25 years old, time has become more valuable to me and I feel obligated to maximize every ounce of it.

On these terms, I expect this year to be fruitful for my freelance career. 2017 was a litmus test, a trial of my commitment and learning the new landscape. I was new to the city and hungry to prove that I was more than another friendly face in the crowd, but someone who could contribute to the city’s vibrant culture, even if in a small way.

On the other hand, I freelance with deep conviction. Over the last few years, Millennials have been branded as entitled and lazy. Some believe the concept of hard work is foreign to our generation while others have dismissed us as helpless infants that lack the will to survive. In some ways, I chose to become a freelancer for that very reason: it is the ultimate rebuke of passivity and victimization. If you don’t work, then you don’t eat - It’s that simple. Above all, it is a bold statement of independence, discipline and creativity that opens the door to a more fulfilling life.

​But it won’t be easy, not by a long shot.

So, in the spirit of fresh starts, here are five goals I have as a freelancer in 2018.

Strategic Vision: A Ladder to Success
When I first began freelancing, I had no idea where it would lead. All I knew is that the cost of living in Charlotte, North Carolina was high and I needed a side hustle to supplement what seemed like a vanishing income. Put simply, it was either hustle or fall behind.

However, I knew hustle could only get me so far. I lacked any serious game plan for the future. My vision was blurry, and therefore, I was content with whatever hand the universe dealt me. Today, that is not the case. My roadmap, albeit not perfect, is clear and purposeful; I know who I want to work with, what I want to do and why I’m doing it.

In short, I think the Dali Lama hit the nail on the head when he said, “In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision.” I can’t explain it in words, but I’m driven by something deeper, almost spiritual in nature, that assures my future in this business will be nothing short of prosperous in 2018.

Passion for Projects: A New Business Currency
More often than not, my clients tend to be small business owners or nonprofits with limited budgets, but great stories to tell. These clients often get overlooked because they can’t afford to rub shoulders with some of the larger agencies in the city, which is upsetting to say the least. Nevertheless, I see this as an opportunity to fill a huge void and provide a different kind of service.

Fortunately, money isn’t everything to a freelancer. Every now and again, we exchange time for a chance to work on a passion project. Passion projects are usually a worthy cause or partnership with a well-respected organization that we stand behind. The reward might be gaining experience in a specific industry, a seat at the shareholder’s table or learning a new skill.  In return, the chosen organization gets a valued service that isn’t otherwise available to them. It’s a win-win!

I’ve written a list of organizations I hope to work with this year. With a bit of luck and hard work, I’ll get a chance to do some meaningful projects in 2018.

Write Already: Blogging the Memory
Writing is my first love. Yet, I rarely spend time publishing content that reflects my own personal views and opinions. Part of the problem stems from uncertainty about what to write and the other half nagging perfectionism, both of which have sent years of creative ideas down the drain. Furthermore, my writing is too self-centered. Until this point, I’ve only written about things that interest me. I’ve been trapped in a comfort zone, afraid to venture beyond what I know. While this is satisfying to my ego, it adds little value to the lives of my clients and their business.

In 2018, the goal is to blog more for my online community. Primarily, I will accomplish this through publishing content more consistently throughout the year. Content quality is my highest priority, but I want to increase the frequency at which I publish content to win the long race. To that end, I’ve set my mind to follow a system that allows me to publish blog posts in regular intervals and track results each quarter.

Moreover, I plan to churn out a mixture of long-form and short-form posts to keep things fresh. Since I have a background in academic research, my writing tends to favor depth and analysis. However, the idea is to present information in a variety of ways to keep my readers engaged. After all, blogging is a game of adaptation; the more I learn my reader’s preferences, the better the content will be.

At any rate, I’m going to blog because it’s what I know best. I’ve always enjoyed writing purely out of pleasure. Now, I can do it to help others overcome whatever challenges they have in their business or lives.

The Freelance Fumble: Networking in a Contact Sport
At times, freelancing can be a lonely endeavor. Countless hours are devoted to working on projects, leaving very little time to socialize. And yet, the freelancer’s success depends on finding clients that need his services. While it would be great to have my pipeline fill itself with inbound leads, the reality is that freelancing is a contact sport where personal relationships in the real world still matter.

Due to its incredible growth and attractive business opportunities, Charlotte is the perfect place to make new contacts. During my first few months in the city, I signed up to attend free local events that caught my interest. While I met loads of nice people in the process, I failed to make one single relationship. After careful self-evaluation, I concluded that this happened because I lacked the intention, or any real desire for that matter, to promote the services I offered. From sloppy sales pitches to leaving my business cards at home, I was grossly underprepared to sell my value to prospects.
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But I’ve seen the error of my ways. Going forward, I intend to network with more purpose in 2018. Instead of going on a whim, I will attend events based on criteria such as industry relevance or group interest to increase my chances of meeting the right prospects face-to-face. That way, I can build long-term relationships with people whose lives my services impact.

Video Marketing: Storytelling with Perspective
One of the hottest content marketing trends right now is point-of-view storytelling. Nowadays, online users use an array of sophisticated tools and techniques to tell stories that reveal the most intimate parts of their lives whilst promoting a professional brand.

I can think of two names that embody this trend: Gary Vaynerchuck and Grant Cardone. On the one hand, Vaynerchuck is a hardcore content marketer and motivational speaker who is brutally honest about what it takes to survive in the business world. On the other hand, Cardone is a savvy sales trainer and millionaire playboy that relishes the good life. Despite vastly different personalities, these two have successfully leveraged the power of perspective to sell their stories to audiences.

After repeated visits to their channels, I thought to myself “Why can’t I do this?”. Sure, I may not have millions of dollars, but I have a story. The goal in 2018 isn’t to self-promote. Instead, I would like to share video content that not only reflects the quality of my professional brand, but the depth of my character and the values that I live by. I think people will appreciate the sincerity of my opinions and the uniqueness of the ideas I present.
 
Obviously, the road ahead will be a long one. But as the old Chinese proverb profoundly states: “the journey of thousand leagues begins with a single step.” Indeed, this will be the first positive step in a new direction. Not only am I optimistic that my freelance business will prosper, but that I will grow as a person and contribute something meaningful in 2018.

​Are you looking for a freelance PR & Marketing consultant in Charlotte? Look no further than https://www.christopherj150.com/