Courtesy of Nancy von Brunt
Nancy Van Brunt.
- Nancy Van Brunt leads Upwork's talent success team. Prior to Upwork, Nancy held corporate strategy, business development, and management consulting roles at eBay, Sesame Workshop, and Oliver Wyman, respectively.
- For freelancers getting started, she sees five common mistakes. Many start out undercharging, or trying to be generalists.
- They don't know to approach their work like a business, and don't view new projects as long-term opportunities. And they don't keep growing their skills.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
If one of your New Year's resolutions was to leave the corporate world to enjoy the flexibility and earnings potential of freelancing, you're not alone. The "Freelancing in America: 2019" (FIA) study co-commissioned by Upwork and Freelancers Union found that, for the first time, half of the freelancer respondents said they view this way of working as a long-term career choice. The share of those who freelance full time increased from 17% in 2014 to 28% in 2019.
As the head of freelancer and agency success for Upwork, I see new independent professionals struggling with mistakes that limit their potential for finding satisfying, well-paying work. The good news is that you don't have to fall prey to these missteps. Here's how to start your freelance career on the right track.