I am a bit behind in my quest to make freelance income. Having been blindsided by the flu again this winter it took me a bit longer to recover the second time around. I also find myself exhausted from my current schedule.
Despite the physical exhaustion I am mentally focused and sharp. The physical exhaustion has me concerned but that’s a post for another day. I’m a bit frustrated with the delay but sometimes that just how things go and I’m just going to roll with it.
For the past month I’ve been putting together a fairly substantial list of organizations/websites/ and products to contact in the niche markets that I would like to work with. My idea is to pitch to a certain number of businesses each week in the hopes that I will begin getting projects in April. I don’t want to be overwhelmed with projects, but May is very quiet at my work so I will have a lot more energy to work on projects as they come in.
I’ve decided to aim for a certain amount of money earned via freelancing endeavors by the end of this may. That amount you’ve seen before-$5640.
My Goal to Make $5640 (by the end of May)
Some thoughts about this challenge. I just might be crazy. It’s highly probably that I won’t meet this goal. Who cares-I’m going to try anyway! *I didn’t make $5640-but I had fun trying! I will continue to set audacious goals in the future-Michelle 8/25/2015*
- I was thinking to end this challenge at the end of April but I think the May deadline is more workable with my current full-time work schedule
- Most of April will be spent contacting my niche markets. I will be working within 2 distinct niche markets.
- The month of May will be spent completing projects for the organizations (hopefully).
- Challenges are FUN! I love challenges. In fact, I love challenges so much I might write a book about it. I find that setting a challenge is the best way to get me super pumped and I approach them with steely eyed focus. Remember I haven’t shopped for clothes for a year. NOTHING. Nada. Zilch.
- $5640 is the minimum amount that I set for a month of freelancing income if I were to work for myself. With that amount earned I’ve budgeted: retirement, savings, health insurance, etc.
- This is a great way to really create some traction with my freelancing goals.
I could spend time being annoyed with myself or taking some action steps towards my goals. Instead, I got motivated!
So this is what I did this weekend:
- Set up Freelancing Website-Thanks to Alexa from Single Mom’s Income for the tutorial and advice concerning that. I probably wouldn’t have set up a website without that advice.
- Ordered Business Cards-Tried to match the cards to website. I have found myself needing to hand out cards more often than I expected.
- Ordered Postcards-I will use these cards to follow-up on pitches
- Continued adding to my pitch list-I have a certain number of pitches I would like to send out a week. But I would like to create a fairly extensive list before I start sending out pitches. My idea is to have a list that will work for me until mid-Fall.
This Week:
- Set up my invoice system via the invoicing company I’ll be working with.
- Finalizing a billing protocol for the work I will be doing.
I am looking forward to moving forward on this and feel very excited about it. I’ve worked through some issues with fear of failure. Bring it.
Do You Like to Set Audacious Goals Too?
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I love how ambitious your goal is!! And I can’t wait to see you get started. After reading your post I think I may need to increase my income goals!! I’m only making about half of that right now. I know I could do more but that also means working more.
I’ve decided to go big or go home. I figured that this is really a 2 month challenge. I’m not sure how it will go but I’ll have fun trying.
Good luck! I would say that’s a good amount for a projected monthly income. I make less than that and live in LA so you could definitely do it! I’m completely changing directions. I’ll have a password protected post tomorrow.
I tried to include everything I could in my projected budget and then I added in taxes. Ouch. I really think of this as a 2 month challenge so it’s really $2500 a month. We’ll see how that goes. I could fall flat on my face. But, I haven’t felt super excited about a challenge in awhile. And since my No Shopping Challenge is ending I need a new challenge to work on!
Wow! You have a great plan here. I need to check out that tutorial. This is exciting! I know you are going to reach your goal and beyond!!!
I am excited about this goal and am mentally focused-I’m just physically really tired. So, I’m trying to make some adjustments so that I can rock this!
Holy FRIGGIN cow. That’s a lot of money. I would love to make that sort of money. Good luck with your goal!
It’s more than what I make a month now. I had to factor in taxes and paying more into retirement, paying more on my mortgage, and saving more. We’ll see how it goes.
I have been so bad about sending out pitches, that’s gonna be a big goal of mine this spring too! I also need a business card revamp!
I ordered postcards, put the freelance website together, and purchased business cards. I’m going to keep contacting people until something happens.
Loved this post! You inspired me to step up my side hustle game!
Let’s make some $$$. I’ve got things to pay and places to go.
Awesome! I’d much rather shoot high and do better my monthly income, then shoot low and not make the amount I’d need to stay at my current income level. I think you’re going to kill it!
I’m plan to go big or go home! When you think about it it’s actually $2500 a month! We’ll see what happens. A friend of mine who is a really big freelancer is going to coach me on it this weekend.
Wow I’m so impressed with your income goal and action plan, Michelle! I can’t wait to see how it turns out for you – I hope you are fully recovered from your flu, as well!
Finally recovered from the flu, but having it twice in one season is 2 times too many. I want to push myself as I have nothing else to do with my time. LOL!
Good luck! You’ll have to do a follow-up and let us know how you did.
I will! I’ll post something the first week of June.
You are inspiring! I am getting my side hustle game up. At this point I’d be happy making 1k per month regularly. Right now it’s not close, but would be really nice as an extra!
I haven’t been trying really hard, but on the months that I side hustled I’ve made at least $500. I want to really try and this is a great time of year for me to do it because my job is slow from May-August. I’ll have a lot more energy to focus on other things.
Good luck! Hope that you’re able to meet your goal here. 🙂 That’s certainly the first step in making it happen!
Thanks for the good wishes. I can’t wait to give this a try. I get scary focused on stuff so my plan is to focus like crazy.
This is an awesome goal! Good luck!
Thanks! I hope I can do it and will try my best.