the freelancers guide to the galaxy

Post on 26-Dec-2014

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Tips and advice on calculating rates and organizing a freelance life.

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Freelancing

Time Balance Money

What's happening?

Cost of an employeeCalculating rates

Real-life advice (lots of it)

How much money?

How much money?

The same as an employee

Somewhat more, as I carry the biz risk

An employee's income

24000 / year

before income tax and health insurance.

An employee's income

24000 / year

24000 / 12 = 2000 / month

An employee's income

24000 / year

24000 / 12 = 2000 / month

2000 / 173 = 11,56 / hour

An employee's cost

24000 / year

24000 / 12 = 2000 / month

2000 / 173 = 11,56 / hour

Average hours per month!Good number to know!

An employee's cost

24000 / year

24000 / 12 = 2000 / month

2000 / 173 = 11,56 / hour

… is this actually true?

An employee's cost

She has holidays. 4 weeks / year!

An employee's cost

She has holidays. 4 weeks / year!

24000 / year

24000 / 11 = 2181 / month

2181 / 173 = 12,61 / hour

An employee's cost

She is sick sometimes.

An employee's cost

She is sick. 4 in 100 days.

An employee's cost

She is sick. 4 in 100 days.

2181 / (173 – 4%) = 12,61 / hour

2181 / 166 = 13,13 / hour

An employee's cost

She gets pension benefits.

500/month.

2181 + 500 / 166 = 16,15 / hour

An employee's cost

She gets pension benefits.

500/month.

2681 / 166 = 16,15 / hour

An employee's cost

She has an office. And a computer.

An employee's cost

She has an office. And a computer.

200/month.

(2681 + 200) / 166 = 17,35 / hour

An employee's cost

She has an office. And a computer.

200/month.

(2881) / 166 = 17,35 / hour

An employee's cost

She has one job.

An employee's cost

She has one job.

Her manager organizes work for her.

An employee's cost

She has one job.

Her manager organizes work for her.

Now, let's think like a freelancer.

A freelancer's rate

She has to find work to do.

No-one does it for her.

She spends one third of her time on this.

A freelancer's rate

She spends one third of her time on this.

(2881) / (111) = 25,95 / hour

A freelancer's rate

She doesn't always find work.

So sometimes she doesn't know what to do.

This happens one in ten days.

A freelancer's rate

She sits around one in ten days.

2881 / (166-55-17) = 30,64

A freelancer's rate

She has to spend time on administration.

A freelancer's rate

She has to spend time on administration.

Another half day in a week.

A freelancer's rate

She has to spend time on administration.

Another half day in a week.

2881 / (166-55-17-17) = 37,41

Your rate?

What do you need to live?

Cost for living, communication, transport, health, pension, holidays, clothes, notebook, leisure.

Whoaa. 40-80 €/hr !!!My customer doesn't understand.

My customer says others are cheaper.

My customer doesn't want to spend that much money.

My customer doesn't understand the complexity of my work.

Dealing with „Whoaa!!“Sell your work under price

Don't get the job

Build a product

Automate parts of your process

Prices

Econ 101:

„A function of supply and demand“

Supply: You.

Demand: Your customer.

Communicate well

Be polite

Don't be late

Be emphatic

Smile often

Manage Expectations

Tell the client what's in scope (and what isn't!)

If you do extra work: Talk about it!

If you work for free: Make it explicit!

Freelancing

> 50% of freelancers work 40-50 h/week

20% work > 50h/week

40% of freelancers have 10-20 days vacation a year

Typical week (40h)

20h client work

10h administration

6h Meetups, Networking, Akquisition

4h learn new things, techniques

Work vs. Life

aim for office hours

dont work in your freetime

dont work in bed

have a tablet for private browsing

Plan your day

make yourself a timetable

plan your week before the weekend

plan your day the evening before

recheck your planning after lunch

Focus

Do one thing at a time

have silent hours without calls, facebook, twitter…

Avoid ASAP – it will screw up your day

Invest time

… in your workflows

… to try new software

… script repeating tasks

Care for yourself

Eat well

Sleep enough

Do some sports

Take breaks

Take free days

Plan ahead!

plan your money – have a reserve for 3 months

plan your projects with milestones

plan realistically– clients might need more time than you think– you might need more time than you think

Specialize

Have a strong suit

Have one thing in your portfolio you know better than anyone else

Write / talk about it!

Pro Tips at the end

Develop a technique to do boring stuf

Get to know your work-style

Build a network for your work with other freelancers

Why work under price?

Because you learn.

Make it explicit.

Don't pay for work. Ever.

Enjoy LifeYou'll earn less at first.

You'll live better.

You'll work for yourself.

Enjoy life.

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