Searches for “how to become a freelancer” hit an all-time high in December as professionals rushed to explore independent work. I understand this desire firsthand, having started as a solo freelancer and scaling to found my own agency.
While barriers to entry have decreased since I started, the operational realities of freelancing are often underestimated. I have four key preparations for new freelancers:
- Treat your skills like a startup: You are actually starting a small business, which means you have new responsibilities beyond just “doing the job,” such as managing finance, invoicing, and sales.
- Never neglect marketing: Freelancers often fall into the trap of pausing their sales efforts while working on a project, leaving a stressful income gap when the contract ends.
- Time management is key to “time freedom”: You must plan your week, month, and even year in advance to decide how much time you spend on work versus family, otherwise you will swing to unhealthy extremes.
- Find your flow by switching places: Productivity often stalls when isolated at home; switching between co-working spaces and coffee shops can help you finish in four hours what usually takes eight.
Let’s do a deep dive.
Running a freelance business
Treat your skills like a startup operation
Starting a freelance career is actually starting a small business. Instead of just worrying about the daily tasks as one would in the corporate world, a freelancer must handle new responsibilities like managing finance, invoicing, marketing, and sales. Even though you don’t need to do it at the scale of a large business owner, you still need to make sure you are getting paid and building a pipeline for new projects.
Never neglect marketing
One of the biggest early mistakes I made was neglecting marketing while I was busy working on projects. Freelancers often fall into the trap of focusing solely on current client work, thinking it will last forever. You get caught up in doing the job and doing your best, and then at some point, it is over. This creates a stressful gap when income stops. By taking sales and marketing seriously, freelancers can build a secure pipeline and choose who they work with.
Time management is key
While time freedom is a major benefit, without management, it becomes a liability. You have to plan weeks, months, or even a year in advance to allocate specific time for work, family, and friends. It is easy to go to extremes—either working nonstop because you have clients or neglecting your personal life entirely.
Find your freelancer flow
Working from home can be isolating. I was most productive when I switched environments. I would book co-working spaces for a few days, then move to local coffee shops. Try to find the specific time and place where your productivity peaks. The benefit of freelancing is finding the time to focus fully and finishing work in four hours instead of eight.
Why is freelancing exploding now?
The main reason people turn to freelancing is definitely AI, and it works both ways. On one hand, there have been massive layoffs around the world. People were forced to search for new opportunities, and when none were available on the market, they decided to explore freelancing and start their own ventures.
On the other hand, AI is advancing so quickly that people now feel like they hold the power. Those who couldn’t build websites or write well can now do so with AI’s help. That will empower them to start working independently, applying the skills they learned in their careers to find their own clients and be their own boss.
Jovan Babovic is a design leader and agency co-founder with over 15 years of experience helping tech companies turn complex products into clear, high-performing websites. As Co-Founder and Chief Design Officer of Tenscope, he focuses on building cutting-edge marketing websites and structuring information architecture for large, content-heavy platforms that need to drive real business outcomes.
Jovan is known for a strong eye for design paired with a practical, systems-first approach to execution. He brings clarity to messy site ecosystems, aligning messaging, navigation, and page structure with how buyers actually evaluate and convert, then ensuring the end result ships with the right level of polish.
