Vox Pop | How to thrive as a freelancer

The best thing about being a freelancer is…

“Freelance work is varied, as each project brings fresh challenges, drawing on different skills and experience and involves getting to know new people, situations, issues and solving problems – keeping things lively, interesting and creative.”

“Being flexible about when you work. I’m an owl not a lark, so prefer to start later in the day and work into the early evening. Family occasions and special events don’t need to be missed if you plan to have time off.”

“Some people say that freelancing can be isolating, but once you build up a team of people you work with and get to know the sector, you’ll be surrounded by like-minded people you can lean on for advice.”

“Being able to fit my family life around work and being able to shape the direction of my work. I have regular clients and I also look for new work that aligns with my interests and ethics.”

“Working with different museums and external stakeholders across different regions to synthesise projects and trans-disciplinary discourse that can change society.”

“Creative energy and opportunity. I get to work with collections and pieces that mean the world to me. I’m lucky to meet creatives, artists and professionals I admire so much. I’m fortunate to travel, go on adventures and learn as I go. It’s the greatest opportunity I’ve ever had professionally.”

The hardest thing about being a freelancer is…

“Turning work down if you know that you are fully booked and can’t do justice to a job. There’s the feeling often that you may never get offered any work again though, thankfully, that has never happened to me.”

“When you are consulting from outside an organisation, there are things you do not know and many elements you cannot control. Your work may be only one part of the bigger picture, so you often need soft skills to negotiate, suggest, explore options, gently press and, above all, to listen and understand.”

“Insecurity, financially, as no two months are the same. But also emotionally – putting yourself out there with heightened visibility.”

“You must constantly be proactive in acquiring work to maintain the cashflow of your business.”

The one thing I wish people knew about being a freelancer is…

“We need to get paid a decent daily rate, as we don’t get sick pay or holiday pay, and we often end up working a bit extra to complete work set as a project fee. There’s also the time we put in to do our admin, taxes and tenders. So don’t think we are asking for too much and compare what
we earn with a full-time job.”

“It is illegal to take longer than 30 days to pay an invoice. Local authorities are especially bad at this.”

“Your niche might take you down other avenues that you can explore. But pick what you want to specialise in and be known for and do that every day.”

“Freelancers can bring fresh perspectives, push boundaries and suggest new approaches, especially when drawing on extensive experience from across the sector – this can help drive change or, at least, show what it could look like.”

“How challenging and rewarding it can be at the same time.”

“You never switch off. You’re always checking your inbox, browsing social media and reaching out to potential clients. You often spend more time ‘putting yourself out there’ than actually working.”

“Sometimes we don’t get to see how a project ends or what happens next to our work – an update afterwards means so much when your invested in the team. We get Fomo!”