‘15 Tips for Freelancers Starting Their Own Business’ – You sure?

2nd February 2009 Business, Design & Development, Freelancing, Industry

I recently read a post on Carsonafied’s web development blog ThinkVitamin outlining 15 Tips for Freelancers Starting Their Own Business, in short it basically lists the must-have skills for freelance designers who are a looking to make the transition from just ‘paying the bills’ to running their own small design business.

Although the points are valid at a basic level I didn’t really agree with them in the context they were written, but like most posts of this kind its purely down to professional opinion. In most cases a list like this could stretch to 100+ must-haves for starting a business (or getting into freelancing, gaining more clients or writing a killer CV) and at the end of the day its more an argument about the order of importance pointers than the content its self. However as some one who has been a freelance web designed for the best part of 6 years I’d actually be surprised if any freelancer got past the first 12 months let alone as far as being able to set up a small firm without these basic skills already well and truly locked down.

Now I’m not knocking Ed’s post (after all he’s probably got a lot more experience in this than I have) but after I’d finished the post I read the comments and realised that a few firm owners actually agreed with what he said, which got me thinking, surely the general consensus amongst the design industry isn’t that these are skills you should be working up to when starting your own small design firm?

Skills such as replying to emails promptly, developing a sales technique, knowing your work load limits and taking notes (you’re kidding right?) should be freelancing 101 along with owning a computer and remembering to do your tax returns, not factors you should be worrying about when you’re putting the final touches to your business plan or signing on the dotted line at the bank.

In reply to a comment I left, Ed said

I really appreciate your input and you’re correct, these are pretty standard suggestions, but you would be suprised about how many freelancers/small businesses I’ve met that get these very wrong!

Shocking really. If a web developer with as many years experience as Ed Raynham still meets freelancers who are flying head on into starting a business without these basic points then the future of business in the UK is heading for problems, especially considering these 15 pointers could be applied to almost any industry in existence.

It’s worrying given the current economy and the influx of people going into business for themselves due to unemployment, without business skills how can these new companies be expected to survive? Fill their pockets with funding and there’ll be good times for the first 6 months, but being in business is a steep learning curve and a ‘better late than never’ attitude just won’t pay the bills.