Creating a good portfolio takes time and effort. And today, I’m going to ask you to create one in only 5 minutes – yes, it’s possible 🤫
Depending on the service you offer, having a portfolio is crucial. And you probably know, a 5-minute portfolio isn’t going to replace a proper one.
But having a 5-minute portfolio is better than having none. And what I noticed from many people who want to go freelance is either:
1️⃣ They have the skills but no time to create a portfolio
or
2️⃣ They have signed NDAs and can’t showcase the work they’ve done
or
3️⃣ They have private projects but no “real” projects so they don’t know what to put in their portfolio.
Today, I’ll give you a simple solution for each of those cases.
Create a mini-case study
A portfolio is – along with your CV – the most important part to convince potential clients to work with you.
Follow the steps below 👇
How to create a quick portfolio
Alright, as you know, good things take time. But we all have to start somewhere. And one thing I noticed is that people don’t do things unless it’s easy. So I’m trying to make this task as easy as possible for you.
So the outcome of this is to have at least one mini-case study on your Linkedin profile. You can see how I’ve done mine here:
Screenshot of Elisabeth Mayr’s Linkedin profile, the featured work section
How to create a mini-case study
Step 1 – Brainstorm
Take a piece of paper and write down all the projects you’ve worked on in this last year. It doesn’t matter if it’s a “real” project or old or if it’s still in progress.
The projects I have on Linkedin are almost 3 years old 😅 and I still get messages from recruiters.
Step 2 – Find a visual
Look at the projects you wrote down. Do you have a screenshot for any of those? If you’re a UX Designer, this can be some wireframes you’ve sketched on paper, some flows you created in Miro or even final UI in Figma.
If you’re a developer, is there a snippet of code you can screenshot? Or a screenshot of the live website?
If you’re a translator, use the logo of the brand you’ve worked for.
👉 You only need one image
Step 3 – Describe the project
Include these things in your description:
Quick intro about the brand/client/project
What was the problem?
How did you fix it?
Why was this the right solution?
If you struggle, use ChatGPT to help you write a 100 word paragraph. Make this task easy. You can use the Hemingway app to simplify it if you’re not happy with the robotic sound of ChatGPT.
Step 4 – Put things together
Now go to your Linkedin profile and add a featured article. Upload the image you picked in step 2 and paste the copy you’ve done in step 3.
Step 5 – Publish it 🚀
Make sure you’re not infringing any copyright if it’s a “student” project. Make sure you got permission from your client/employer to post this.
Congratulations 🥳
You just created a mini case study! Yes, it’s not a full portfolio and yes, it can be better. But it’s done. And done is better than perfect!
It’s enough to let potential clients know of your skills. And a brief introduction to your work can be just what they need to press that ‘Message’ button on Linkedin and contact you to discuss a future project.
Why does it matter?
If you don’t have a big network or a direct contact to your ideal client, you need to show them proof why you are the right person to hire to solve their problem.
A portfolio shows proof that you’re capable of what you’re doing. But a portfolio is one of the most daunting tasks. I strongly suggest that you continue working on your portfolio. But having a mini-case study on your Linkedin will also show you which one attracts the most clients. So play around with it and keep improving 💪
Good things need time
Having one image and some text on your Linkedin is the first step. Continue improving your portfolio from here. You can have a pdf portfolio, or a quick portfolio that sits online.
👩🏻💻 Free Guide
The exercise described in this blog article is one of the steps of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them through freelancing.
The platform that got me most of my gigs is 🥁 drumroll…Linkedin 👈 feel free to check out my profile and follow me.
It doesn’t have to be perfect
My Linkedin profile is far from perfect. It’s got an outdated image, I’ve not added any client projects in 2 years and some job experiences aren’t relevant for what I’m looking for. So don’t use my profile as a ‘best case’ example because there’s tons to improve. BUT it proofs that you don’t need a perfect profile to get clients.
I can’t guarantee that you show up on Linkedin’s search result. But one thing I can help you with is to increase the conversion of those who do land on your profile to consider working with you.
How to improve your Linkedin profile
There’s many ways you can improve your Linkedin page. Disclaimer: I’m not a Linkedin expert, but I’ve attended some webinars and coaching calls with Linkedin experts who hosted them. This is some advice I took from them:
Add your freelance services
Add a clear description
Update your banner image
Simple improvements for your Linkedin profile
Again, don’t try to make it perfect. But if you do one of the following tasks, that should help convince more potential clients to turn into actual clients.
Add your services
Linkedin allows you to add your services. You can even add pricing if you want to. If you don’t know yet how to price yourself, we’ll cover that in this blog post.
There are several services you can choose from on Linkedin. Make it clear to potential clients that you do have the skills and offer the services they’re after.
Add a description
When someone sees your profile, you need to make clear what you offer, who you’re doing it for and how you do it. You might have seen this example sentence before. Feel free to be more creative, but if you don’t have a description (or a very bland one like mine) try something like this:
{Your job title} | I help {target audience} get {result} by {your services}
👉 For example:
Freelance UX Designer | I help start ups get more sales by designing delightful user experiences.
Freelance Translator | I help marketing agencies reach a broader audience by translating their social media content into German
Add a banner
An image says more than 1000s words. So use the space to make it clear to your audience what it is you offer or what you want them to do.
In the examples below, you see clear call to actions: “Check the link under my banner” or “Ring my bell”
Creating an image can be tricky if you’re not a designer. Keep in mind the space that is used for the profile image and how it might display on a mobile device.
You can also use the space to make it clear what you’re doing. On my profile, you see some UI work I’ve done, so people know instantly I offer UI as well, not just UX. That project is 4+ years old, and I’ve used Pablo Stanley’s Humaaans illustrations which improve the UI massively. Looking at it now, I should probably update it with some of my more recent UX work where I didn’t use open source graphics 😅
Anyway, use that space to get a clearer message to potential clients about what you’re doing.
Why does it matter?
Linkedin is one of the biggest platforms when it comes to job search. And not just for permanent jobs but also for freelance gigs.
Many recruiters spent most of their time on Linkedin. So make sure you don’t miss the opportunity to convert those profile visitors into freelance clients.
If you liked those Linkedin profile examples, just click on the image to get to their profiles to do more research. Also, you can listen to Angelica’s podcast episode on the Freelance Blueprint here. And Kati Harris offers a free training for Linkedin on her profile.
Done is better than perfect
Don’t worry about having the perfect Linkedin profile. Just do something small. Improve your summary. Add some skills to your profile. Connect with people you know or follow industry leaders in your niche.
You can edit anything on your profile so if it’s not great, you can always come back and change it later.
👩🏻💻 Free Guide
The exercise described in this blog article is one step of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them through freelancing.
How many times did you receive an automated email after you applied for a job? And how many times did you feel like you met all the criteria in the job spec but then still didn’t get that interview? Here’s why 👇
If you’ve followed me for a while, you might have heard me talk about ATS. If you don’t know what ATS are, it’s the reason why you get rejected for a job interview, even though you fit all the criteria.
ATS stands for ‘Applicant Tracking system’ and companies use this type of software to filter through the tons of CVs they receive. They’re scanning your CV for specific keywords to see how well it matches the job. You can check out this instagram post for more details.
So today, we’re looking into getting your CV ATS-ready, so it doesn’t get filtered out but instead, highlights your CV as worth looking into for recruiters and potential clients and puts it on top of the pile 💪
Now all you need to do is use one of the free ATS tools listed below and follow their suggestions to improve your CV. You don’t have to run your CV through each of those, just pick whichever you like.
Run your CV through ATS checkers
Yes, they all function slightly differently. I’ve put my same CV through different trackers and got different results. But all of those trackers helped to make improvements.
Jobscan – Check against specific job specifications
The Ladders – Send you tips on improvement via email
Skillsyncer – Check against specific job descriptions
Here’s some of the results I got with the different ATS checkers 👇
Why does it matter?
It can be very frustrating when you apply for freelance gigs and you don’t get invited to an interview or even a phone call. Getting your CV ready to be scanned through ATS increases your chances of getting your CV seen by an actual human and therefore increases your chances of getting an interview, which increases your chances of getting a freelance gig 🚀
Good CVs need time
There’s always another way to improve your CV, so don’t worry if you don’t achieve a 100% score on any of those ATS trackers. My CV has gotten me plenty of jobs and some ATS showed a 90+% fit while others measured just over 40%. Take it as guidance.
👩🏻💻 Free Guide
The exercise described in this blog article is one step of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them through freelancing.
No matter if you apply for freelance gigs or permanent jobs: your CV will be important to land a gig (outside of your network and previous client testimonials)
Hopefully, you already have a CV. Maybe it’s not the most up to date. Maybe it’s not very nicely designed. But you will have one where you added some work experience, skills and ideally a short summary.
If you haven’t, don’t fret.
We’re the lucky one’s living in a time where there’s ChatGPT and free software. So let’s work on a CV.
How to create a CV from scratch
When trying to find a way to do a CV in 5 minutes for my advent calendar challenge last year, I came across Zety. No, this isn’t sponsored, it’s just a tool i came across that impressed me on how quickly it is to create a decent looking CV. But for transparency: after i found it I did check for an affiliate link 🤫
Of course, a tool that saves you hours on trying to make your CV pixel perfect isn’t free. But I was surprised how cheap it is. You can get access to the full tool to create unlimited CVs and cover letters for 14 days for USD 2.70 🤯 – make sure to cancel after those 14 days if you don’t want a surprise subscription
☝️Hard truth
If you’re not willing to spend the money you’d spend on a take away coffee for a tool that will safe you hours of your own time, you probably don’t have the right mindset to become a freelancer.
BUT if you already have a CV you’re happy with, just use the time to improve it by 10%. Check for spelling mistakes. Is there some information you can cut out or add that’s more beneficial for freelancing?
How to get Brownie points
Make sure your CV makes it clear that you’re a freelancer. And if you have your business structure defined, make sure that’s visible too. You can see on my CV below that I list my Ltd, which will help recruiters know that I’m ready and set up for future gigs.
If you don’t know what a business structure is, check out this article.
This one is quite obvious: If you don’t have an existing client base, people want to know why you’re able to do what you claim to offer for them. Why should they hire you? What’s the proof that you can get the job done? Well, your CV is one way to give them proof and reassurance. The other one is your portfolio, which we’ll get to in this blog article (yes, there’s also an easy way to create a portfolio – and that one is for free 🤫 )
Good things need time
Of course, spending 5 minutes on a CV will not guarantee you work. But it’s better than having no CV. So if you already have a CV, set aside some time to improve it.
Your CV should make it clear wether you’re a freelancer or are looking for a permanent job. If you are a freelancer: What company structure do you work under?
Testimonials: Add a testimonial from a previous client. This will add additional proof
Work history: Show the type of work you’ve done already
Summary: What makes you stand out from all the other people who are applying for the same job?
👩🏻💻 Free Guide
The exercise described in this blog article is one of the steps of my free guide for future freelancers.
Who are you going to help with your freelance services? The more specific you are, the easier it will be to find those people who will hire you.
Think of a person, not a demographic
If you’re a UX Designer, you probably heard of personas. If you don’t know what a persona is, it’s basically a summary of a crowd or your target audience in shape of one person.
Why does it matter?
It’s much easier to target a person than to target a crowd. When I’m writing these emails, I’m thinking of the person who is reading this, not the demographic behind it. This makes it much easier for me to talk to you and I hope you feel like I’m talking to you directly, and not to a crowd of the however-many people who are reading my blog.
The clearer you are with your persona – aka who you’re going to help – the easier it will be for you to find them.
How to define your client
Where do they work? What does their day to day look like? What platforms do they use? What are their pain points?
But also, what values do they have? If for example, you want to work with start ups, do you want to work with someone who will ask you to work on weekends? Or do you value work-life balance? Do you want to work for a start up that makes a positive impact or just wants to increase their earnings?
Here’s what i’ve put together for my ideal client persona
This persona is based on one of my previous clients. I really enjoyed working with her and hope to work with more clients like her in the future. Mainly because she’d CC me into emails where she’d message the finance team to pay my invoices on time so they don’t risk losing me as a freelancer 🥹 That’s the type of clients I love working with 🙌
✍️ Your turn
Now it’s time to define your ideal client. You don’t have to design your persona in a digital way, just using pen and paper and drawing a stick man does the job as well 💪
But if you want to, I’ve used this template to create Julia’s persona above in only 5 minutes.
When you’re done, put your ideal client persona somewhere visible. Print it out and pin it to your desk. Or put it as a desktop background 😅 Just make sure you keep reminding yourself of who you’re helping. It’ll be much easier to target them and finding that ideal client.
👩🏻💻 Free Guide
The exercise described in this blog article is one of the step of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them through freelancing.
As a freelancer, it’s important to define what service you offer. Are you a copywriter? Are you a UX Designer? A Web Developer? Or are you a jack of all trades and offer a full package, like a fully developed website with the copy and graphics provided by you?
The clearer you are with the services you offer, the easier it will be for your client to figure out if you’re the right freelancer for them.
Note: The great thing about freelancing is that you’re in control of your tasks. Don’t just pick a service or offer because there’s demand. But ask yourself if you enjoy doing those tasks. Can you see yourself writing copy or developing websites for the next few years?
You can always change your mind, but you might lose out on the reputation you build for yourself, so the longer you stick with a craft the better.
But most importantly: Try to find something that you genuinely enjoy. In the end, it’s your business. And the reason we go freelance is so we can do things our way 😉
What problem are you solving for your client?
Think of the pain points your future clients have. Why do they need to hire someone to do this? Be clear on what you offer, but also what you don’t offer.
Examples
If you’re a UX Designer, you might offer wireframes, user research, audits of existing software but you might decide that you don’t want to create prototypes.
If you’re a Copywriter, you might offer copy for websites and emails, but you might not want to write copy for billboards.
Why does it matter?
You need to be clear on what you offer so you can easily explain it to someone. It also helps to niche down on something. It’s called “T-shaped skills” and can look like this:
Have you heard of Ikigai?
Maybe you’ve come across some of the posts about ikigai. It’s a Japanese concept that translates into “the reason to live”.
Even though there are many people saying that the way it’s being used now for business isn’t what it was intended for, it’s still a good framework. It’s to help you discover what truly matters to you. It combines 4 areas:
What you love
What you’re good at
What the world needs
What you can get paid for
You can find more about this on google. But ideally, your service will tick all the boxes. But don’t worry if not, even if you tick 2-3 of those, you’re winning.
Conclusion
Be clear on what you want to offer. Make it easy for your clients to decide if you’re the right freelancer for them.
First impressions are important. Sometimes you meet potential clients in real life, sometimes they find you on Linkedin or your personal website. And other times you meet them because someone refers you (this is the best way to meet potential clients).
But when someone refers you, they usually see your email address before they see your portfolio. So it’s important that it looks professional.
Let’s play a game
If you don’t think an email can make much of an impression, let’s do a quick test: Which email looks more professional to you?
agencyname@gmail.com or contact@agencyname.com
We all have a gmail account, we all know that gmail is free. Seeing an agency using a gmail address make them come across as cheap. If they don’t even invest in a proper email address, are they going to invest into their clients?
Alright, next test: Would you pay a receipt if it came from this email?
receipts.amazon@gmail.com
You might think it’s a spam email. What if you got the exact same email with the same content but from receipts@amazon.com? You’re more likely going to trust it, right?
You only get one first impression
First impressions count. So pick an email address that sounds professional. Setting up a proper email address makes your business more tangible as well.
How do I get a professional email address?
Getting a professional email address is normally quite cheap. Some providers even offer it for free if you buy a domain or hosting. For now, you can start with just an email. If you’re planning to have a full-fletched website, buying a package which includes a domain name AND email might be the best option.
The eMail provider I’m using
I’m using ionos for hosting my email address and personal website. So far, I’ve not had any issues. The customer service is also great (used them a few times when I couldn’t figure something out on my website, eg. how to set up my 404 error page)
If you’re looking for a reliable provider, you can sign up with ionos here.
Disclaimer: I’m not getting paid to promote them, I’ve just done some research on finding the best provider when I started freelancing 4 years ago and they were the cheapest option. I’ve been happy with the service ever since. But it’s been a few years since I’ve done my research, so there might be better options out there. For transparency: it’s an affiliate link 🤫
Benefits to a professional email
With a professional email address, you don’t just come across as a proper freelancer, you will also have a separate inbox. This will help you separate your work and life admin and allow you to manage your tasks better.
Which email did you choose?
If you’re torn between different email options (eg. info@designagency.com vs hi@yourname.com), I recommend using your name.
This way, even if you change your mind about the services you offer or if you outgrow your company, you don’t lose your personal brand.
This can be tricky if your name is John Smith, because chances are your name is taken. But it’s possible. My name in Austria is more or less like John Smith in the UK 🙈. I even went to school with another Elisabeth Mayr 😅 which must have been a pain for the teachers. But I still managed to get a domain with my name 💪
👩🏻💻 Free Guide
Want to learn more on how to become a lucrative freelancer? Get your free guide.
This article will show you 5 platforms where it takes less than 5 minutes to have an online portfolio in decent quality.*
*Excluding the time to write the case studies. If you manage to do that in 5 minutes, please tell me your secret.
One of the most important things as a freelancer is to find clients. And how do you best find a client? With a good portfolio.
Many designers spend a lot of time on their portfolio. Which is good, but sometimes it’s the perfectionism that kills the time, rather than actually improving the portfolio. And many designers end up never publishing their case studies because it doesn’t feel good enough.
Skip this section if you’re a beginner
If you’re reading this article, I assume you’re at the beginning of your design journey, simply because portfolios are something people work on to get a job. So here’s a list of common mistakes I noticed from reviewing a bunch of junior websites and how to fix them.
Tell people what you do
When you work on your portfolio, make sure people know what you offer. Is it clear for them as soon as they visit your website what you do? One mistake I see on many junior portfolios is that their hero title says something like “Hi, I’m Jane” but it doesn’t tell me: Are you a UX designer, product designer, UI designer, graphic designer? What do you do and who is your audience?
Starting with “Hi, I’m {name}” isn’t necessarily wrong. But adding a simple sentence can make a big difference. Try adding something like “{Job title} who helps {your target audience} create {solution to their problem}”. This could be something like “Hi, I’m Jane, a brand designer who helps business owners turn their first-time buyers into brand advocates.”
Tell people what each section is about
As I continue scrolling through a junior’s homepage, the 2nd module often shows a list of their case studies. It’s a common pattern, it’s what recruiters would expect. But often, there are just images, no information and no title.
Add a simple title like “My work” or “Most recent case studies”. Or play with the copy and based on your tonality, you can be a little more creative. How about “A list of my recent work to try and convince you to hire me”.
For each of those links, give people an overview of what that case study is about before they click on it. Is it a website, a mobile app? If you show case an app, let them know if you worked on the UX or the UI, did you do the user research, how did you contribute to the project? Let your users know.
To get booked as a freelancer it’s very important for people to learn instantly what service you offer and at what quality. The goal of your portfolio is to convince them that you can solve their design problems.
Tell people who you are
Your website is a way to show your personality. Many junior portfolios play it safe by having a very straight forward approach with their copy. There is nothing wrong with that. But it’s a missed opportunity.
You can let your personality shine through with the tonality of your website. People will consider hiring you for the problems you fix, but they’ll be convinced to hire you if they think you’d be a great cultural fit and easy to work with.
Alright, enough intro.
5 platforms to publish a portfolio in 5 minutes
Notion
Best portfolio page if you need something quick
Notion is google sheets on steroids. They have a template for almost anything, also a portfolio template. Just populate it with your work. It’s easy to navigate and will take you no time to have your portfolio up and running.
LinkedIn
Best portfolio page for being discovered easily by potential clients
When you think of a portfolio page, LinkedIn might not be the first that comes to mind. But in my opinion, this one is mandatory. I got so many of my clients through LinkedIn. When I started freelancing, I used their job filter to find contract work only. Now that I’ve been freelancing for a while, I get messages from companies and recruiters directly through my website, which makes my life so much easier.
LinkedIn is not a portfolio page per se, but you can use their blog feature to write up your case study. You can pin those to your profile so they show up on top and are easily found but potential clients. Those articles will also pop up on your network’s feed and might be just the reminder they need to hire you again.
Dribbble
Best portfolio page to showcase your UI design
If you specialise in UI design, this platform is for you. Dribbble is very visual and also a good source for UI inspiration. You can simply add a few screenshots of your work, add a little bit of blurb and just send potential customers a link to your Dribbble profile.
You also won’t need to add too much information below your images. Mention what your contribution to the project was and make sure there’s an option for potential clients to contact you.
UXfolio
Great page for junior UX designers
As the name suggests, this is a great tool for UX designers specifically. It’s free to use and you can start with one of their templates.
Downside: Many junior designers use this platform. So it’s possible that you’re being perceived as a junior rather than a more experience designer and that others are using the same template.
YunoJuno
Best portfolio if you’re ready to get started instantly
Alright, this one might not be quite as quick. The sign up process might take a while if you’re not already having a limited company or aren’t registered as a sole trader. You could also sign up with an Umbrella company.
The benefit of signing up with YunoJuno is similar to Linkedin, in the sense that you have a lot of clients on that platform, so it’s great for discoverability.
Sneaky affiliate link: I got a referral code, so if you find this article useful, just send me a message and I’ll send you the info for the referral.
Clients can reach out to you when you mark yourself as available. So even though this one is more effort at the beginning, it’ll be good for the long run.
☝️ One more thing
Make sure you add an ‘about me‘ part to your portfolio. People hire people, not just skills. Recruiters want to see if you’re a good fit for the existing team, so the more personalised you can make it, the better. Show people how great it is to work with you.
Someone recently reached out and told me about a freelance project they got. The role itself sounded great. But there was something that made her feel unsure about taking on that client.
When you freelance for a while, you learn that some clients are better to work with than others. It’s not so much about the project itself but the people you work with. If you work within a great team, the outcome will be something you’re proud of.
I told her, that over time, you get a good gut feeling who to work with and who to avoid. Even during the interview stage. But until you gain that knowledge, here are certain red flags that might indicate that it’s a bad client.
Spot a bad client during the interview stage
Ideally, you’ll spot a bad client before you start working with them. This will safe you a lot of time and grey hair.
🚩 When they interrupt you during the calls
This one is a very quick way to spot a bad client. If they ask you a question and semi answer it for you. Or if they interrupt you mid-sentence because they think they know what you’re about to say.
Try to avoid working with those clients. They don’t hire you for your expertise, but they hire you because they think you’ll do what they ask you to. They don’t think they hire someone who knows their stuff better than themselves. They hire someone so they just execute the details. This type of client is often a micro manager. Which brings me to the next point.
🚩 “This is what I want”
I worked on projects before where the client has prepared some user flows or wireframes. There’s no issue with that at all, they want to put their ideas down to not lose track and will ask you to flesh them out and improve them. BUT if they just hand you something and say “Just make this look pretty” and don’t want your input on improving anything, that’s the type of client to avoid. They don’t value your expertise, they just want to work with a machine who executes their tasks.
🚩 Badmouthing previous designers
During the interview, ask how many people are working on the project. Will you be the sole designer or part of a team? If you’re replacing a designer, ask why the previous designer is leaving.
If they talk badly about a current or previous designer, it’s usually a sign that they don’t respect designers and therefor won’t respect you and your expertise. It could be that they don’t get along with that particular person, but even if that was the case, it’s irresponsible to show that to a new designer during the interview stage.
Anyone can promote themselves as a freelancer and copy+paste work created by AI or from platforms like Dribbble. So I can imagine that some clients get scammed. This is quite rare though.
🚩 It’s all about the money
It’s a red flag when they ask about your fee before they ask about anything else. Or when they ask for discounts or even free services. The money question should come towards the end.
For me, this can also be a design task. Especially if it’s a task which is about a real problem they have and not just a generic task. Which leads me to the next point.
🚩 They ask for a design task
When it comes to UX Design, they often give you a task to prepare for the interview. I understand where they’re coming from and why they do it. But I don’t see why this is such a common thing for designers and developers, but not for other jobs.
You wouldn’t ask a doctor to operate before you hire them. Their certifications and work experience will give you that proof. Same thing with a mechanic: Have you ever taken your car to someone, asked them to fix something for free because if they do that, you will come to them to fix the real problem about your car? Exactly!
Especially when you 1. freelance 2. have a portfolio with real work 3. client referrals
When it comes to freelancing, notice periods are usually quite short anyway. I understand that clients want to hire the best person possible, but please don’t do design tasks. Offer them to talk them through a project instead that is similar or relevant to their task.
Red flags for clients you’re already working with
How many times have you been in a situation where you felt like you wanted to finish your freelance gig early? Was it, because there was another change of brief? Or because the client suddenly wants you to work on something else, something urgent, that was needed yesterday but only got to you 5 seconds ago?
So here are a few red flags when you’re already working with the client and how to deal with those.
🚩 Constant change of scope
Constant change of deliverables can be very frustrating. When you deliver something that won’t get implemented because the client isn’t aware of their root problem, but also wouldn’t let you do the research to dig into it, it won’t be fun to work with them.
Of course, at start ups or companies that are in the early stages and are working on POCs (Proof of concepts) or on quick solutions to get funding, this can be common. So be aware of what you’re getting into when you work with start ups. There are also small companies that have defined their core product, so change of scope isn’t that common.
It can be very frustrating to work on something and then learn that it won’t get developed because of a change of direction. If that’s something you can deal with, fine. If it’s something that annoys you, let the client know that they need to define the scope better. Or suggest to them to start with research instead of going directly into the next design phase.
🚩 “I know it when I see it”
Run!! Just run! You’ll end up tweaking and tweaking, start doubting your skills and loose motivation and the love for design. Those clients don’t know what they want or need. They don’t know the core problem and therefor will never know, no matter what they see.
🚩 No boundaries
In days of remote work and where everyone works in different time zones, it happens every now and then that you receive an email or slack message late at night. If they expect you to reply instantly though, that’s a red flag. We exist outside our work life and if a client doesn’t understand that, it’ll be tricky to work with them.
Don’t get discouraged. There are good clients out there. And also, not all clients with red flags are bad clients. It’s a warning, but not a guarantee. So go with your own judgement.
I hope these tips will help you avoid working with a bad client in the future.
Finances are a very boring topic and most of the time people tend to avoid working on their finances because of that. Money also has a bad reputation: Those that have too much are “bad people” and those that don’t have enough are the “lazy” ones.
But once you get to grips with your finances, you will gain so much more freedom. Getting started is very overwhelming. But it’s not as difficult as people think. Once you’ve put some systems in place, you can just sit back and let money do its thing and grow on its own.
Sorting out your finances will lead to financial freedom, better decisions and your future self being very grateful.
Disclaimer
I’m not a financial advisor, I’m just speaking from my own experience based on what I’ve learned in the last 4+ years as a freelance UX Designer. Use the information below to learn about money and how you can make the most of your finances from a business perspective. Nobody will be as eager to make you more money than yourself, so having a good foundation of financial knowledge will help you achieve your goals faster.
Alright, so let’s start with the basics:
Separate your private money from your company’s money
Don’t think of the money you earn as a freelancer as “your money”. It’s your company’s money. You can pay yourself a salary and dividends from it. But keep that money in separate accounts.
I’m using Starling for my business. The account was set up within minutes and I’ve not had any issues with Starling since the last 4 years I’ve had an account with them.
Another reason why it’s good to keep those accounts separate is because you’ll think differently of how you spend it. If you consider investing in an online course or tickets to a networking event, paying for it from your private money might feel a lot. But using your company’s money for it (which then leads to tax deduction 💪 ) will make it easier for you to invest in what’s needed for your business.
💩 Start to build a financial buffer - aka a ‘shit happens’ fund
If we’ve learned one thing in the last few years, it’s that things can change out of nowhere. It’s good to have a safety net - ideally tied together with a mix of easily accessible cash and some money that you can only access in a certain amount of time in the future.
☔ How much money should I put into my rainy days bucket?
I recommend to have a minimum of 3 months of what you’d spend on a normal basis in instantly accessible savings. 3 months is usually a good buffer until you find your next gig.
☝️ But keep in mind, if you’re like me and you send your invoices at the end of the month with 30 day payment terms, it means that you will likely see your money 2 months after you’ve worked for it. So keep an eye on your cashflow 👀
Ideally, just for extra peace of mind, have 6 months worth of savings. What I do is I have 3 months worth of costs that I know I have to pay (things like food, accommodation, insurances, software subscriptions I need for the business) in a bank account in a separate savings bucket.
On top of that, I have a “95 Day Notice” account. This means, to access the money, I have to give 3 months notice before I get it back to my account. Might sound odd to some, but this account pays me interest 🤑 and it makes me think twice before I withdraw anything. So far, I haven’t had to draw anything from it yet 🤞
🤑 How do I start a financial buffer?
The easy answer: You put the money into an easy-access account and don’t touch it!
The tough answer: You need to get that money first. Do you already have some savings that you can put into a bucket separate from your main bank account? Monzo (this is an affiliate link, click to get £5 once you join – UK only) and Starling do that quite well. You can also round up your spending to go into your rainy days bucket.
Pro tip: Open a separate bank account that you transfer the money into and don’t take that bank card with you. This way you will only touch that money when you really need it. Make sure that money sits in an easy-access account.
What is an easy-access account?
As the name suggests, it’s an account where you can easily access your money. For example the cash you have sitting in your main bank account.
How to manage irregular income
One of the things I hear a lot about why people are scared of going freelance is the irregular income. And every time I wonder: Why are you worried about irregularity when even your lowest income months will likely bring you more money than your last permanent job?
Why are you worried about irregularity when even your lowest income months will likely bring you more money than your last permanent job?
I’ve tripled my income since going freelance. And I’ve just had a catch up with my accountant today and just found that in the last financial year of my limited company, I’ve had a 6-figure revenue 🤯
For transparency: revenue is not the same as profit! I’ve also hired a sub-contractor which was contributing to the higher revenue, but she got a big chunk of that too, which lead to more expenses. But that’s a different story for another article.
👵🏻 Let’s talk about the future
Nobody likes to talk about pensions, especially because we’re unlikely going to see much of it once we’re old. But it’s important to have some savings for retirement.
Most freelancers I talk to don’t pay into a pension.
If science and the knowledge in health care continues to grow, I bet we’re going to turn about 90+ years old if we’re not unfortunate enough to be hit by a bus before then. So let’s make sure we spend the winter time of our lives with a comfortable financial buffer.
Problem is, most freelancers I talk to don’t worry about their pension. They’re so concentrated on the here and now, on finding the next client and getting the work done, that they don’t look into longer term finances.
Make sure you have something in place for retirement
I’m having a personal pension with Moneybox, one I pay into from my Ltd via Penfold (a pension specifically designed for freelancers). And another one with PensionBee (Because I wasn’t able to pay into either of the pensions I already had from the umbrella company).
This is not the ideal way to do it. Consider accumulating all your pensions into one pot. But having several pots is better than not having any.
Let’s talk about budgeting
Oh my God, I said the B-word 🫢
Before you get going with investing into a pension or outsource to sub-contractors, you have to look at the money currently coming in and what you can do with it. This whole section is a numbers game and could be a bit boring, so if you’re not interested in budgeting, scroll down until after the 3 dots.
If you want to budget, then these ratios might help you
There is the 20–30–50 rule you can use for your personal finances, which are:
50% of your income to be spent for your essentials (rent, food etc.)
30%for your nice to haves (new clothes, eating out)
20% for your savings
This budgeting rule works well for employees. But since going freelance, I learned that there’s more areas to consider.
Now that I’m paying myself dividends through my limited company, I also have to pay personal income tax. My income is also much higher than when I was an employee - and I managed to maintain my lifestyle, which means I’m earning more but I’m not spending more 👉 Which means I have more money that I can put into my savings. So personally, I’m dividing my income like this:
30% for essentials
30% for savings
20% for nice to haves
20% for personal tax
It might sound a lot to put 20% aside just for tax. But I’d rather have too much on the side than not enough.
Because of one inside IR35 gig, I got a big tax rebate last year. So I didn’t have to spend the 20% I’ve put aside for tax initially. So that money went straight to my ISA and LISA (highly recommend opening both, you can do this very easily with the Moneybox app if you’re UK based).
But normally, you have to pay part of this year’s tax upfront for the following tax year, which I didn’t have to do last year due to the tax rebate. So now I have to pay this year’s taxes PLUS the 50% for the next tax year PLUS the year after. So make sure you have some money aside for the taxman.
If it turns out that you don’t have to pay as much tax as expected, you can always put that money into your savings. Which is always a pleasant surprise.
But you just said to split personal and company money?
That’s correct. I have a different budgeting rule for the money that comes in for my company. Once the money comes in, I split it into following buckets:
30% for expenses (software, hardware, coffees, wifi, accommodation)
20% for company tax
20% to reinvest in my business (coaching, courses)
16% for VAT
14% for cash flow (to make sure I can pay the sub-contractor in case my client doesn’t pay on time)
You don’t have to stick to the ratios I’ve picked for myself. I assume that if you’re reading this, you’re less than 2 years into your freelance business. So unless you’ve had a really great first year, chances are you won’t have to pay VAT just yet. So your split would look differently.
At the beginning of your freelance career, I recommend to put most of your income aside to build a financial buffer. Once you’ve got that, invest more into developing your skillset. And I’m not just talking about the skillset for the freelance service you offer (in my case UX Design) but also in marketing, SEO, copywriting, public speaking.. anything that will help you communicate with clients and put your work out there.
The course won’t be a typical video course that you watch in your own time. Instead, it’ll be quick 30min zoom calls (because I know we can’t get enough of those) with a small group of other freelancers who are also at the beginning of their freelance journey.
🗓 Each week, we’ll cover one of the finance topics (see below) where I’ll give you an overview of 10–15 minutes and we’ll end the session with a Q&A where you can ask your personal finance questions.
The sessions will be recorded in case you can’t make it to the live class. But that also means you won’t be able to get your personal questions answered.
This group will help you create a network with other freelancers at a similar stage, join a community and support one another.
Why are you doing this?
I realised that what I’ve learned about finances is quite useful for friends and people I’ve met at the beginning of their career. And I love seeing people thrive. But also, I want to stop trading my time for money and work on passive income. So this will - in the long run - turn into a video course people will be able to watch in their own time.
Topics we cover in the Freelance Finance Course
• Money mindset • Saving for your business • Taxes (UK focus) • Business structures (Ltd, sole trader & umbrella) • Defining and negotiating your rates • Pensions • Earning interest • and more
Is this course for me?
The course is focussed on how to manage your finances as a freelancer in the UK. You’ll still learn useful information even if you’re not based in the UK. It’s mainly the tax section that has a UK focus.
Anything else?
Again, I’m not a financial advisor. So I recommend that once you have a good understanding of what you need and what’s possible, to book a session with a financial advisor.
The first session is oftem free. You can then see if you want to continue taking more sessions from there. I’ve had 2–3 of those calls and at the end, all the advisors said i’m already set up with what they’d normally put in place for people, which is:
• Pension plan • Insurances for when you get ill/sudden death/income protection • Savings plan
