Here are a collection of lessons I’ve learned while working as freelancer and advisor for many businesses and entrepreneurs.

Seeing ideas and businesses grow is a delight.

It happens a lot when you work with a select number of brilliant entrepreneurs, and is a delight to see and experience being part of the team that made it happen. such businesses often directly provide value to their customers and improve their life or business, and grow to be established entities in their niches.

It’s all about creating value

Any form of legitimate business is based on creating value for it’s customers in the form of products or services. Sometimes you can have the privilege of being the part of this which is another great experience. Seeing how something you’ve worked on is positively influencing people is the highest form of fulfillment one can experience doing a job.

With customers, it’s cherish or perish

Business world is a ruthless jungle. However if you are able to make meaningful connections with your customers you can always be part of their world.

Ensure You’re Paid What You’re Worth

• Don’t be afraid to ask for fair compensation, it helps you narrow your efforts to the best clients.
• As a professional, have assertive character traits and a no-nonsense attitude.

Manner makes the man, Attitude the professional

• Stay transparent and open while speaking up, While being formal and honest.
• Ask for feedback. You may be the expert in a specific niche, but your work is a only a part of a greater whole.
• Sometimes you have to follow directions like a soldier.
• Be accountable.

When starting a new project, never dive in blind

• What most customers want is not what they need. It’s a sad fact of business, and you should act ethically by informing them. Help them know what they need before working on it.
• Understanding the company’s field of work and business model.
• Give advice freely, but you are not responsible for their success.
• Always clarify: Don’t base your decisions on assumptions.
• Learn exactly what you are responsible for.

Know when to say no to projects you aren’t ready for

Learn when is the Right time to learn on the job, and when you shouldn’t accept the project. Learning on the job when you are paid for the hour is not ethical and is how many reputations have been ruined.

Avoid burnout and keep work interesting

• Working with different industries keeps the work interesting. repetition makes in mundane.
• To avoid burnouts, take short breaks, go on vacations, get plenty of sleep and most importantly work on projects that interest You.
• Pomodoro technique is a great tool for avoiding long hours and keep your performance high.
• # Freedom has a cost
• Freedom has a cost, freelancing is not without its own drawbacks.
• During all of my time freelancing, I never knew what my day, week or month was going to bring.
• I was raised to keep my comments to myself, but I’ve never done a very good job at that.

Use the right tools

• All tools and techniques, including project management methodologies have their use.
• most software engineering projects just use agile, scrum or kanban methodologies, because they are considered the best. But there are times that even waterfall methodology can outperform others.

Learning and grows

• Freelancing is a great way to learn business.
• There are always new skills based on new tools, technologies or methodologies. keep learning.
• Take notes and create a knowledge-base. I personally use Obsidian.