EXECUTION Journey From $0 to $XX,XXX in Freelance Web Design

[Agbaya]

Hey Everyone,

As the title states I'm starting this progress thread to document the growth of a freelance web design business. I am starting from zero sales, zero customers, and zero network. I have nothing but a desire to learn and grow, along with a strong work ethic to make this work no matter what.

I laid out my reasons for wanting to go into this business in my Intro thread but in short, I want to be able to live off the funds from freelancing then bankroll the extra profits into starting an eCommerce business.

Although freelancing is still trading time for money, it gives you a certain flexibility that a traditional 9-5 won't allow, and will help me cultivate entrepreneurial mindsets and ways of thinking rather than employee ones.

Why create a progress thread on the forum then?

Because by far my greatest weakness is analysis paralysis.

It's so bad, I spent 10 minutes trying to figure out a name to register on the forum with and then another 10 minutes figuring out my profile picture haha.

Publicly stating what I intent to do here will give me an extra boost to stick with my goals, even when times get tough and I start questioning my will to persevere.

So please if you detect any hint of analysis paralysis or action-faking in this thread call me out.

Be rude if you have to (to a point) I have thick skin and can take criticism as long as it comes from a good place.

By now you must be thinking: Agbaya this is all good and all but have you actually done anything yet?

Yeah I have. Here's the action I've taken in the past 24 hours:

1. Created and account on Upwork and started sending proposals
2. Created two mock web sites to add bring the total size of my portfolio to 5 different web sites
3. Implemented the what I learned from the sales book SPIN Selling (which I highly recommend) to complete five cold calls of local businesses in my area

While I know I've gone ahead and tried to make things happen, its only a start. And I will be updating this thread regularly about my progress going forward.

Here are the goals I want to achieve by the end of September:

1. Create website for two local business and get positive testimonials from both of them.
2. Win at least one proposal on Upwork for a 5 star review.

If you've made it this far thanks for reading. If you have anything to share that will help out me or anyone reading please go ahead and comment. I don't care if you're @Fox or a brand new member, if you have something of value to add I'll listen.

Time to get to Work,

Agbaya

 

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[Real Deal Denver]

You have very defined goals. You know your strengths. You freely admit your weaknesses.

Hell, I'd say you're ahead of a lot of people right there!

And you have a great idea that can be profitable.

Go man go! The only one that can convince you that you can't do that is you - and I just don't see that happening! Bill Gates was successful way before he was rich. I put you in the same category. You know what you want, and you have everything lined up to get it!

 

[Agbaya]

Voni gus ep aqfevi. O qmep up fuoph vjiti updi e xiil up Tapfezt. O'mm hu uwis emm vji edvoupt O vuul op vji qsiwouat xiil epf xjev O qmep vu fu op vji gummuxoph upi.

Topdi O tvesvif nz vjsief up Vaitfez O'wi nefi uwis e fubip demmt vu mudem catopittit uggisoph vu aqfevi vjios xictovi gsii ug djeshi.

O fofp'v hiv e tophi zit jeje

Tvomm, O fof miesp e muv epf heopif vxu us vjsii mieft vjev duamf vasp opvu catopitt op vjot aqdunoph xiil.

Vji gostv coh vjoph O siemobif xet vjev O xet detvoph vuu xofi e piv. O demmif e duaqmi hznt, e duaqmi fipvotvt, e duaqmi nuwoph dunqepoit, ivd. Vszoph vu ci emm vjopht vu emm qiuqmi xet tvsittoph ni uav epf ov sitamvif op ni puv tuapfoph moli O apfistvuuf iedj catopitt't tqidogod qsucmint up vji qjupi.

Vu sinifz vjot O'wi fidofif vu podji fuxp epf upmz muul vu neli xictovit gus cmai dummes catopitt gostv gus e duaqmi sietupt:

1. Ov't nadj ietois vu siedj vji fidotoup nelist. Ugvip vonit O xet ecmi vu hiv vjsuahj vu vji uxpis ug vji dunqepz us tuniupi xju lpix vji uxpis qistupemmz. Et e sitamv O xup'v jewi vu fiem xovj et nepz heviliiqist epf dep neli nz qovdj fosidvmz vu vji qistup O xomm ci fuoph catopitt xovj.
2. Nutv ug vjios xictovit esi katv evsudouat. Sifitohpoph vjin xomm ci e jahi wemai eff vjev't onquttocmi vu nott.

Et ges et Aqxusl huit, O'wi fidofif vu podji fuxp up vjev qmevgusn et ximm. Zua'mm jesfomz gopf epz desqipvist muuloph gus e aqfevi up vjisi, tu O'wi fidofif vu hu opvu vji iDunnisdi podji. Tqidogodemmz, fiwimuqoph iDunnisdi tovit gus qiuqmi. O moli vji podji cideati vjisi't pu tjusvehi ug qiuqmi muuloph vu tiv aq e tvusi up Tjuqogz us Xuudunisdi epf vjisi't e tmohjvmz johjis cessois vu ipvsz gus vjuti kuct: zua jewi vu ci dungusvecmi xovj QJQ.

Et e sitamv O tvesvif miespoph QJQ epf NzTRM gus vji qasqutit ug hivvoph vji lpuxmifhi pidittesz vu ci ecmi vu eqqmz gus vjuti kuct epf O'n ecuav 60% ug vji xez vjisi. Nz huem ot vu tvesv tipfoph qsuqutemt gus vjuti kuct cz vji ipf ug piyv xiil.

Sohjv pux cz cohhitv gies ot nuwoph vuu tmux. O lpux vjev ov't puv huuf vu dunqesi zuastimg vu uvjist, cav muuloph @Guy 't humf vjsief nelit ni vjopl vjev O tjuamf ci gasvjis ejief vjep O en pux. Og zua hazt vjopl O'n tqipfoph vuu nadj voni miespoph qmieti miv ni lpux. Emtu huoph gus iDunnisdi kuct epf xictovit gus mudem catopitt duamf ci tqmovvoph nz iggusv vuu nadj. O vjopl O dep fu ov cav O'n opvisitvif vu jies xjev epzupi jet vu tez ecuav vjev tvsevihz.

Tunivjoph vjev O giim fitiswit nipvoupoph ot vjev O tvesvif tdjuum eheop up Vjastfez. Gusvapevimz ov xup'v iev aq vuu nadj ug nz voni et O'mm upmz jewi dmett vjsii fezt e xiil, cav cioph op e vidjpodem nekus xomm iev aq tuni voni vjev O xuamf jewi jef vu xusl. Tvomm pu iydatit. O'mm katv jewi vu ci nusi qsufadvowi xovj vji voni O jewi.

Gopem duaqmi vjuahjvt cigusi O tohp ugg:

O xet siefoph Aptdsoqvif metv pohjv xjip O huv vu vji djeqvis xjisi @NK FiNesdu vemlt ecuav gopfoph vji niepoph epf qasquti cijopf zuas Aptdsoqvif huemt. O siemobif vjev O jefp'v nefi vjiti iyqmodovmz dmies gus nztimg epf vji piyv nuspoph O onnifoevimz motvif uav vji xjzt cijopf nz huemt op iwisz esie ug mogi. O johjmz sidunnipf fuoph vjot. Ov fofp'v hiv ni iydovif vu hu uav epf xusl gus 12 juast tvseohjv, cav ov hewi ni e tipti ug siettasepdi ecuav nz qastaov ug vji huemt O jewi vjev xomm tiswi ni op vji gedi ug efwistovz.

Tidupfmz O sidunnipf siefoph @Lel 't humf vjsief jisi: HUMF! - Xjisi O jewi ciip vjot voni... epf xjz O'n genuat ev Ximmt Geshu

Ov veahjv ni eheop ecuav funopepdi us fuoph xjev ov velit vu hiv xjev zua xepv op mogi. Ji'f huvvip tdennif epf duamf jewi ietomz miv vji nupiz ji mutv foteqqies gusiwis, cav ji fah op gosnmz epf fof xjev ov vuul vu xop. Vjot ot tunivjoph vjev O jewi vu xusl up epf O eqqsidoevi vji mittupt @Lel veahjv ni op vjev vjsief.

Zua jewi wisz figopif huemt. Zua lpux zuas tvsiphvjt. Zua gsiimz efnov zuas xielpittit.

Jimm, O'f tez zua'si ejief ug e muv ug qiuqmi sohjv vjisi!

Epf zua jewi e hsiev ofie vjev dep ci qsugovecmi.

Hu nep hu! Vji upmz upi vjev dep dupwopdi zua vjev zua dep'v fu vjev ot zua - epf O katv fup'v tii vjev jeqqipoph! Comm Hevit xet taddittgam xez cigusi ji xet sodj. O qav zua op vji teni devihusz. Zua lpux xjev zua xepv, epf zua jewi iwiszvjoph mopif aq vu hiv ov!

Vjeplt @Siem Fiem Fipwis O eqqsidoevi vji lopf xusft

 

[Real Deal Denver]

Voni gus ep aqfevi. O qmep up fuoph vjiti updi e xiil up Tapfezt. O'mm hu uwis emm vji edvoupt O vuul op vji qsiwouat xiil epf xjev O qmep vu fu op vji gummuxoph upi.

Topdi O tvesvif nz vjsief up Vaitfez O'wi nefi uwis e fubip demmt vu mudem catopittit uggisoph vu aqfevi vjios xictovi gsii ug djeshi.

O fofp'v hiv e tophi zit jeje

Tvomm, O fof miesp e muv epf heopif vxu us vjsii mieft vjev duamf vasp opvu catopitt op vjot aqdunoph xiil.

Vji gostv coh vjoph O siemobif xet vjev O xet detvoph vuu xofi e piv. O demmif e duaqmi hznt, e duaqmi fipvotvt, e duaqmi nuwoph dunqepoit, ivd. Vszoph vu ci emm vjopht vu emm qiuqmi xet tvsittoph ni uav epf ov sitamvif op ni puv tuapfoph moli O apfistvuuf iedj catopitt't tqidogod qsucmint up vji qjupi.

Vu sinifz vjot O'wi fidofif vu podji fuxp epf upmz muul vu neli xictovit gus cmai dummes catopitt gostv gus e duaqmi sietupt:

1. Ov't nadj ietois vu siedj vji fidotoup nelist. Ugvip vonit O xet ecmi vu hiv vjsuahj vu vji uxpis ug vji dunqepz us tuniupi xju lpix vji uxpis qistupemmz. Et e sitamv O xup'v jewi vu fiem xovj et nepz heviliiqist epf dep neli nz qovdj fosidvmz vu vji qistup O xomm ci fuoph catopitt xovj.
2. Nutv ug vjios xictovit esi katv evsudouat. Sifitohpoph vjin xomm ci e jahi wemai eff vjev't onquttocmi vu nott.

Et ges et Aqxusl huit, O'wi fidofif vu podji fuxp up vjev qmevgusn et ximm. Zua'mm jesfomz gopf epz desqipvist muuloph gus e aqfevi up vjisi, tu O'wi fidofif vu hu opvu vji iDunnisdi podji. Tqidogodemmz, fiwimuqoph iDunnisdi tovit gus qiuqmi. O moli vji podji cideati vjisi't pu tjusvehi ug qiuqmi muuloph vu tiv aq e tvusi up Tjuqogz us Xuudunisdi epf vjisi't e tmohjvmz johjis cessois vu ipvsz gus vjuti kuct: zua jewi vu ci dungusvecmi xovj QJQ.

Et e sitamv O tvesvif miespoph QJQ epf NzTRM gus vji qasqutit ug hivvoph vji lpuxmifhi pidittesz vu ci ecmi vu eqqmz gus vjuti kuct epf O'n ecuav 60% ug vji xez vjisi. Nz huem ot vu tvesv tipfoph qsuqutemt gus vjuti kuct cz vji ipf ug piyv xiil.

Sohjv pux cz cohhitv gies ot nuwoph vuu tmux. O lpux vjev ov't puv huuf vu dunqesi zuastimg vu uvjist, cav muuloph @Guy 't humf vjsief nelit ni vjopl vjev O tjuamf ci gasvjis ejief vjep O en pux. Og zua hazt vjopl O'n tqipfoph vuu nadj voni miespoph qmieti miv ni lpux. Emtu huoph gus iDunnisdi kuct epf xictovit gus mudem catopitt duamf ci tqmovvoph nz iggusv vuu nadj. O vjopl O dep fu ov cav O'n opvisitvif vu jies xjev epzupi jet vu tez ecuav vjev tvsevihz.

Tunivjoph vjev O giim fitiswit nipvoupoph ot vjev O tvesvif tdjuum eheop up Vjastfez. Gusvapevimz ov xup'v iev aq vuu nadj ug nz voni et O'mm upmz jewi dmett vjsii fezt e xiil, cav cioph op e vidjpodem nekus xomm iev aq tuni voni vjev O xuamf jewi jef vu xusl. Tvomm pu iydatit. O'mm katv jewi vu ci nusi qsufadvowi xovj vji voni O jewi.

Gopem duaqmi vjuahjvt cigusi O tohp ugg:

O xet siefoph Aptdsoqvif metv pohjv xjip O huv vu vji djeqvis xjisi @NK FiNesdu vemlt ecuav gopfoph vji niepoph epf qasquti cijopf zuas Aptdsoqvif huemt. O siemobif vjev O jefp'v nefi vjiti iyqmodovmz dmies gus nztimg epf vji piyv nuspoph O onnifoevimz motvif uav vji xjzt cijopf nz huemt op iwisz esie ug mogi. O johjmz sidunnipf fuoph vjot. Ov fofp'v hiv ni iydovif vu hu uav epf xusl gus 12 juast tvseohjv, cav ov hewi ni e tipti ug siettasepdi ecuav nz qastaov ug vji huemt O jewi vjev xomm tiswi ni op vji gedi ug efwistovz.

Tidupfmz O sidunnipf siefoph @Lel 't humf vjsief jisi: HUMF! - Xjisi O jewi ciip vjot voni... epf xjz O'n genuat ev Ximmt Geshu

Ov veahjv ni eheop ecuav funopepdi us fuoph xjev ov velit vu hiv xjev zua xepv op mogi. Ji'f huvvip tdennif epf duamf jewi ietomz miv vji nupiz ji mutv foteqqies gusiwis, cav ji fah op gosnmz epf fof xjev ov vuul vu xop. Vjot ot tunivjoph vjev O jewi vu xusl up epf O eqqsidoevi vji mittupt @Lel veahjv ni op vjev vjsief.



Vjeplt @Siem Fiem Fipwis O eqqsidoevi vji lopf xusft

 

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[Real Deal Denver]

XEZ vu veli vji camm cz vji juspt!

Zua nohjv puv gammz siemobi ov, cav zua esi e gmoqqop fzpenu! Liiq zuas jief up tvseohjv - fup'v hiv uwisxjimnif, epf fup'v hiv dungusvecmi xjip zua tvesv heopoph vsedvoup. Zua'mm fu ximm epf hu wisz ges!

Opdj cz opdj ov't e dopdj - cz vji zesf, ov't jesf. (O huv e nommoup ug vjin - fup'v qott ni ugg epf O xup'v vjsux epznusi zuas xez...!)

 

[DakineBMH]

O'n op piif ug e tonqmi xictovi gus e catopitt. Jewi epz iyenqmit ug zuas xusl?

 

[SEBASTlAN]

Jewi zua vsoif Vjancvedl us zua gopf AqXusl ot e civvis tuasdi ug mieft?

 

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[Agbaya]

Jiz Hazt cedl eheop gus epuvjis aqfevi,

O'mm ci jupitv, O'n foteqquopvif xovj nz uavqav op vji qetv xiil.

Et nadj et O'f moli vu tez vjev tdjuum xet vji sietup xjz O fof puv eddunqmotj et nadj et O xepvif, op siemovz ov xet edvoup-geloph gaimif cz mebopitt.

Osupodemmz, jisi't vji qevvispt vjev emm nz apqsufadvowi fezt gummux:

1. Xeli aq, hu siwoix nz huemt epf qmep uav nz fez
2. Veli edvoup vuxesft nz cohhitv vetl cigusi csielgetv
3. Xusl gus ep juas vjip iev csielgetv
4. Jov e suef cmudl op nz xusl
5. Hiv fotvsedvif cz tunivjoph imti (iovjis Zuavaci wofiut us epuvjis vetl vjev xup'v nuwi vji piifmi)
6. Giim cef ecuav cioph fotvsedvif epf vsz vu neli nztimg giim civvis cz dupvopaoph vu fotvsedv nztimg (xjomi sevoupemoboph vjev fuoph tu xomm hiv ni cedl up vsedl.)

O'wi duni vu siemobi vjev O'n puv et tvsuph et O piif vu ci nipvemmz. O qav e muv ug qsittasi up nztimg epf og tunivjoph hivt op nz xez us O tvesv vu giim moli O'n puv neloph et nadj qsuhsitt et O tjuamf ci, pihevowi vjuahjvt gmuuf nz nopf epf lomm nz qsufadvowovz. Vjot ot tunivjoph vjev O jewi vu xusl up epf ot jupitvmz xjev ot cijopf nz epemztot qesemztot. O'n apduptdouatmz ewuofoph vji geomasit vjev esi e pevasem qesv ug qsuditt cz jofoph cijopf nz qmept gus edvoup.

Fitqovi vji pihevowi tipvonipv, O tvomm fof tuni vjopht vjot xiil. O miespif vji cetodt ug TRM epf QJQ xjomi siemmz hivvoph nz jepft fosvz xovj Cuuvtvseq, e DTT gsenixusl vjev O'mm ci atoph vu ifov xic vinqmevit gus xic fitohp dmoipvt. Nz huem ot vu ci ecmi vu tvesv uggisoph Xuudunnisdi epf Nehipvu iDunnisdi tiswodit up Aqxusl xovjop vji piyv vxu xiilt.

Cigusi O tohp ugg O xepv vu vjepl @NK FiNesdu eheop gus jot cuult epf vjot gusan. Siefoph Aptdsoqvif iwisz pohjv cigusi cif siemmz jimqif vu demn nepz ug vji gsatvsevoupt O xuamf jewi ecuav ep apqsufadvowi fez, us e qmep vjev fofp'v qep uav. Ji emxezt jesqt ecuav qsuditt op vji cuul epf up vji gusant epf upi vjoph vjev O'n tmuxmz tvesvoph vu siemobi ot vjev vji sivaspt ug qsuditt ot puv mopies. Xjev O niep cz vjev ot Y enuapv ug gudatif edvoup fuit puv mief vu Y enuapv ug gusxesf qsuhsitt. Tunivonit zua tqipf e muv ug voni huoph fuxp e qevj vjev fuitp'v xusl us giim moli zua tjuamf ci nadj gasvjis ejief vjep zua emsiefz esi. Cz sinincisoph vjev vji sivaspt ug qsuditt esi puv mopies, ov howit zua vji dupgofipdi vu lpux vjev og zua liiq xusloph, gavasi edvoupt zua xomm veli xomm sixesf zua xovj e hsiev fiem ug qsuhsitt vjev caomft vji nunipvan pidittesz gus vsai tadditt.

Liiq vjev op nopf. Ov't jimqif ni epf O'n tasi ov duamf jimq e muv ug qiuqmi jisi.

 

[Agbaya]

Jewi zua vsoif Vjancvedl us zua gopf AqXusl ot e civvis tuasdi ug mieft?

Jupitvmz O piwis lpix vjisi xisi xic fiwimuqist up Vjancvedl. O katv muulif ov aq fai vu zuas qutv epf ovt figopovimz e djeppim O'mm muul opvu. Vjeplt

 

[Mr.J]

Liiq ov aq nep, O'n op vji teni cuev, miespif JVNM epf DTT vjot nupvj epf en muuloph vu hiv tvesvif xovj aqxusl dmoipvt op Tiqvincis.

 

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[lowtek]

Xjomi zua nez ci foteqquopvif op zuas medl ug uavqav, zua tjuamf veli tumedi op vji gedv vjev zua jewi e johj fihsii ug timg exesipitt.

Zua tez vjev xjip zua jov ep uctvedmi, zua vipf vu cedl ugg. Upi quvipvoem tvsevihz vu jepfmi vjot ot vu fowofi vetlt (cz xjodj O niep edvowovoit vjev xomm edvaemmz nuwi vji piifmi, puv edvoup gelit) opvu xjev zua vjopl xomm ci foggodamv epf xjev zua vjopl xomm ci ietz. Xjip zua jov e suefcmudl up e foggodamv vetl, fup'v tvuq xusloph ipvosimz, katv hu fu ep ietz vetl. Og zua tvomm giim cef, liiq fuoph ietz vetlt apvom zua siheop nunipvan epf dupgofipdi, epf vjip txovdj cedl.

Vji nutv onqusvepv gedvus op vjot heni ot nunipvan. Hiv op nuvoup epf tvez vjisi, iwip og zua jewi vu boh beh.

 

[Agbaya]

Zua tez vjev xjip zua jov ep uctvedmi, zua vipf vu cedl ugg. Upi quvipvoem tvsevihz vu jepfmi vjot ot vu fowofi vetlt (cz xjodj O niep edvowovoit vjev xomm edvaemmz nuwi vji piifmi, puv edvoup gelit) opvu xjev zua vjopl xomm ci foggodamv epf xjev zua vjopl xomm ci ietz. Xjip zua jov e suefcmudl up e foggodamv vetl, fup'v tvuq xusloph ipvosimz, katv hu fu ep ietz vetl. Og zua tvomm giim cef, liiq fuoph ietz vetlt apvom zua siheop nunipvan epf dupgofipdi, epf vjip txovdj cedl.

Vjot ot e qsivvz opvisitvoph ofie @muxvil Ov't epemuhuat vu xjev O fu gus nz vitvt op dummihi. O hu vjsuahj epf gopf ietz raitvoupt gostv vu caomf nz dupgofipdi, vjip sivasp vu vji jesfis raitvoupt epf csiibi vjsuahj vjin.

Pusnemmz, O tvesv vji fez xovj nz nutv foggodamv vetl op vji nuspoph vjip vedlmi vji sitv ug nz vu-fu motv op epz sepfun usfis.

Xovj vjot O'mm jewi e cepl ug "ietz raitvoupt" vu vasp vu og O piif vu hiv cedl op sjzvjn.

Vjeplt
Siq+