I once started a company about 20 years ago, a startup together with a fellow developer who used to be a carpenter before. We used to focus on interactive web applications using Flash, before changing to e-commerce and search engine optimization. We had a lot of fun and learned a lot, but we could have done better economically. Lessons learned: if you want turn your hobby into a profession, don't forget about money! Team up with a salesperson or get professional economic advice. Also find out about your skills and what makes you happy at work!
After leaving my own company, I became an employee for about the next 10 years. First I was happy not to worry about money, paperwork, and difficult decisions anymore. Later, I started to miss my freedom, especially the freedom to say no, the freedom to chose my customers. Globalization, pandemic, and economic crisis brought a lot of change to our industry, and so did the imminent climate change - at least for me personally. I was one of several people who quit their job (others got laid off) to find alternative vocations offering more purpose and impact.
Currently I don't own a company, but as a freelancer, I grow my network to be able to offer customers full service without relying on conventional freelance project for traditional agencies.
I'm open minded about my professional future, so I might join a collective of other web developers and designers who share ecological and ethical values if they are also fun to work with and share a lot of my implicit values about design and technology.
Really inspirational. Thinking about freelancing for a while now but well.. here I am still employed. Especially the part with sharing ecological and ethical values I like.
I once started a company about 20 years ago, a startup together with a fellow developer who used to be a carpenter before. We used to focus on interactive web applications using Flash, before changing to e-commerce and search engine optimization. We had a lot of fun and learned a lot, but we could have done better economically. Lessons learned: if you want turn your hobby into a profession, don't forget about money! Team up with a salesperson or get professional economic advice. Also find out about your skills and what makes you happy at work!
After leaving my own company, I became an employee for about the next 10 years. First I was happy not to worry about money, paperwork, and difficult decisions anymore. Later, I started to miss my freedom, especially the freedom to say no, the freedom to chose my customers. Globalization, pandemic, and economic crisis brought a lot of change to our industry, and so did the imminent climate change - at least for me personally. I was one of several people who quit their job (others got laid off) to find alternative vocations offering more purpose and impact.
Currently I don't own a company, but as a freelancer, I grow my network to be able to offer customers full service without relying on conventional freelance project for traditional agencies.
I'm open minded about my professional future, so I might join a collective of other web developers and designers who share ecological and ethical values if they are also fun to work with and share a lot of my implicit values about design and technology.
Yeah you are right, this here is a golden advise. Believe me, I learned it hard way, you can still save your time
Really inspirational. Thinking about freelancing for a while now but well.. here I am still employed. Especially the part with sharing ecological and ethical values I like.
Man, employment can be so comfortable till you forget your passion and purpose.
Thats a great inspirational story @ingosteinke , Thanks for sharing :)