The 4 Stages of Freelancing Explained | Part 1

You’ve surely heard of the corporate ladder, but what are the career progressions for freelancers? Those of us who sell creativity in some form usually freelance part-time at the start, and those who stick with it eventually think, “Hey, why shouldn’t I be one of those people who make money while they sleep?”In this episode of Freelance Cake, Austin L. Church discusses the moonlighter and hustler phases of freelancing, shining a light on the motivations, challenges, mistakes, and questions at each stage, as well as the main breakthrough and financial goal for each.Whether you're reflecting on your current stage or aspiring to reach new heights in your freelancing career, this episode offers practical insights and guidance tailored to your unique stage.This episode is part of a two-part series, and in the next installment, we'll explore the lifestyler and diversifier stages of freelancing. Don't forget to tune in for that one as we continue peeling back the layers of the freelancing journey.Key pointsStages of freelancing (01:53)Moonlighters overview (02:49)The motivations for moonlighters (03:44)The challenges for moonlighters (04:39)The questions for moonlighters (05:50)The main breakthrough for moonlighters (06:13)Hustlers overview (08:29)The motivations for hustlers (10:34)The challenges for hustlers (11:10)The questions and breakthrough for hustlers (12:39)The main financial goal for hustlers (13:39)Notable Quotes"The main breakthrough for moonlighters is growing confidence in their ability to win projects and deliver outcomes while managing other responsibilities.""The main breakthrough for hustlers is setting smart strategic prices that reward your skill, efficiency, and expertise."ResourcesRead the full post hereBusiness Redesign Group Coaching ProgramThis episode of Freelance Cake is brought to you by CrowdHealthHealthcare in the US is complicated, confusing, and highly personal. Insurance premiums, deductibles, and copays can get really expensive, especially for freelancers and consultants who don’t have an employer paying for anything. Over the last 7 years, my family has saved $60,000+ in premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket medical expenses that we would have paid with our previous insurance policy. Healthcare crowdfunding has been a game changer for us. If you live in the U.S. and you haven’t already explored what CrowdHealth has to offer, take the time to educate yourself. And if you decide you want to give them a try, go to www.joincrowdhealth.com. You can use promo code FREELANCECAKE during sign-up to save $99 per month for 3 months.Listen, rate, and subscribe!For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!