Comments on: One Year Strong

By: Kenny Meyers

Kenny Meyers — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:36:48 +0000

Few people deserve it quite as much as you do. Keep on rockin’.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:49:45 +0000

@Geof: I definitely wouldn’t want claim to have mastered anything just yet I had just found a project type / workload that I could handle and found steady work for it… Now I’m taking on larger projects and I have to re-learn just about everything.

I hear you about getting spread too thin — that seems to be the challenge of freelance, to take on just a bit more than you can, to keep things going but not so much you burn out. It can be really hard to stay creative and focused as the workload grows. I too, find that I’m drawn to the business, selling, and PM aspects more and more.

It’s a very manic occupation — lots of ups and downs. I just hope the more I keep focusing on keeping my creative impulses reasonably nurtured, the better my workweek will be.

Great comment.

By: Matt Robin

Matt Robin — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:26:28 +0000

Congratulations Matt! Here’s to many more good years ahead of you!

By: Geof Harries

Geof Harries — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:38:33 +0000

I’ll tell you, in the second year, it really doesn’t change that much (hello, predictability) but I went through a nasty burnout period, about two months in length. I still got work done, but it was a real struggle. Going to MIX09 helped me a bit, but even after that fantastic experience, I was still feeling stretched too thin and worn out on everything; I actually was enjoying meetings more than anything else. Weirdo. Thankfully, I’m no longer in that place, but it was a rough road for a while.

I’ve heard a lot of owners reach that point after a few years – you just get tired of doing it all yourself and start seeking the next challenge; expansion, growth, etc. I haven’t exactly mastered what you speak of above (far from it) but after a while, the rush wears off and you want something new and potentially more difficult to tackle. Awfully sadistic, but that’s how our industry seems to roll.

By: Jason Weaver

Jason Weaver — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:46:33 +0000

Great post Matthew. It has been a strange journey for me as well. I had clients wanting elaborate flash sites for their wealth management business. Trying to explain that flash is not so great to your client, completely ruining their “vision”, is like taking an ice cream cone from a 3 year old. Mostly, I have too many other responsibilities right now but want to learn as much as I can as to become a great freelancer in the future. I agree that you have to really love freelancing to keep motivated.

Congratulations on one year and thanks for the motivation!