Which hurts more: A sucker-punch to the groin… or getting fired out of nowhere?
It all feels the same when you get fired from an internship destined to become your “dream job.” You know, breathtaking – in a bad way…
It felt like my boss snatched away my golden chance to get paid doing what I love before I even got started.
Next thing I knew, I was out of college, out of a job, and out of ideas. With nothing but my battered Suzuki Aerio, and a burning passion for writing.
After venting to a friend of mine, he suggested I should do freelance copywriting.
And boy, did he sell me the dream:
“Nobody’s breathing down your neck. There’s no ceiling on your income. And you can work wherever and whenever you want!”
Sounded good to me!
There was one major problem though…
See, when I started, I figured:
“I’ll freelance, build my portfolio, and get a better job…”
That way I could be “safe.” Because let’s be honest, there’s no way I could freelance on my own without some safety net…right?
At some point, you’ve probably thought this too.
But I was thinking about it ALL wrong.
Here’s what I discovered:
- You’ll never really be “safe” with a job (take it from me).
- There’s a “safe” but HARD way to do freelancing.
- There’s a MUCH better, easier, and more lucrative way to do freelancing…
And what “MUCH better, easier way” am I talking about?
Having a game plan.
Maybe you’re at a job right now you hate, and you feel like there’s no way out.
Maybe you just got fired like I did and are looking for a new start in the online world.
Heck, maybe you’re ALREADY freelancing, but you’re feeling like you’re drowning in a sea of other freelancers who do the same thing you do.
But guess what?
With a SOLID a game plan, you can escape ALL of this.
Before you know it, you’ll be swapping out your 9-5 income with laptop income.
Clients will be banging on your door for you and your services.
You’ll discover just how valuable you really are, by helping more people than you ever thought possible…
…and you’ll never be dependent on a J.O.B. again.
In this blog post, I’m going to show you how I eased out of the 9-5 dependency PAIN-FREE in less than 90 days.
Bonus Reading: 4 Truths About Freelancing Your Boss Doesn’t Want You To Know
The “Safe,” But Harder, Way To Freelance
I’m not gonna sit here and lie to you; freelancing is far from a cake-walk when you’re starting out.
Here’s the truth:
I had NO CLUE how to be a freelancer.
My brain bombarded me with questions like:
- How do I find clients?
- What niche would I work in?
- How do I charge people?
- How can I compete against other copywriters?
- How do I even get started?
I felt like I was catapulted into a new world with no map or compass.
It was scary.
Oh, and you can’t forget the naysayers. Your friends and family “looking out for you” with comments like:
“You’ll never make money as a freelancer…”
“You don’t have enough experience to be charging people this much…”
“Dude, why don’t you just get a real job? What you’re doing isn’t working…”
At this point, getting a real job was tempting. You don’t have to put up with all this nonsense when you fall in line like everyone else…
But if you’re anything like me, it’s hard for you to give up easy.
So I did what most freelancers do: I went to Upwork.
I started from the bottom: $15/hour – using up ALL my connections for any project that made sense.
I wrote everything from blogs and articles, to sales letters, advertorials, product descriptions, landing pages, and more.
I tried my hand in almost every niche: from fitness, to skincare, agriculture, CBD. I’ve even written for adult toys!
I was working with clients from ALL over the world, ALL around the clock (having client meetings super early in the mornings or late at night).
Now, to be honest with you, I didn’t think this was so bad at first. I was making money as a copywriter for once. And Upwork pays you on your scheduled date. And I was getting experience…
I even became a Top-Rated freelancer in less than 7 months.
Bonus Reading: If You’re On Upwork, You’re Not Really Freelancing
But I was doing it the hard way.
I was viewing Upwork as my new employer, and every project as my new job. And I was used to getting paid only $15/hour – like I would a regular job…
I was LOWBALLING myself!
And so, my clients didn’t see much value in my copywriting services, either.
Even when I tried to increase my prices, they would fight me on it…
Despite meeting every deadline…
My 100% job success…
And my waterfall of 5 star reviews…
I still got haggling and resistance whenever I wanted to increase my prices.
“$200 for a sales letter? That’s pretty steep, bro…”
And when it was all said and done, and after slashing my prices to accommodate the cheapest clients of all time…
Upwork took 20% of my earnings…
I was told this was the “safe” way of freelancing…
But it was HARD to get clients to see what you were REALLY worth.
Especially when you’re competing with countless other copywriters from all over the world.
And even though I was “freelancing,” I still wasn’t free. I was still dependent on Upwork instead of MYSELF. I was still trading time for dollars and I was still “just over broke…” – just like a regular job.
It was then that I discovered the secret to defeating my 9-5 job separation anxiety…
I needed to take my new freelancing career to the next level…
I needed a new game plan.
Bonus Reading: How (And Why) I Quit Upwork And Never Had to Worry About Finding Clients Again.
The Easier (And Much More Lucrative) Way To Freelance…
After about a year of freelancing on Upwork, I bumped into a Facebook ad from Michael B. Shreeve. The ad was promoting a free webinar, saying if I wanted to make 6 figures as a copywriter, I had to DITCH Upwork.
“Wait, what???” I thought. “There’s a better, easier way to make 6 figures as a freelancer online?”
This ad couldn’t have come at a better time. Upwork was my only source of income and I was starting to resent it. I had nothing to lose.
In this webinar, I learned there are 2 types of freelancers:
1. The Commoditized Freelancer
Upwork, (and other freelancing bidding sites) is a cesspool for copywriters and other freelancers.
It’s a lot harder to stand out amongst the millions of other freelancers. Because there are so many freelancers who offer the same services, you’ll find yourself in a never-ending competition.
And because these people will offer your services at a cheaper rate, you’ll start slashing your prices, too. Before you know it, you’re a commodity, racing to the bottom of the barrel.
This is what I (and most freelancers on Upwork) find themselves doing. And until you break away from the race to the bottom, you’ll always be treated as a commodity.
Bonus Reading: The Anti-Commodity Formula Workbook — Learn How to Start Charging Top Dollar For Your Creative Services Immediately
2. The Super-Powered Freelancer
This type of freelancer is different than all the rest. They’re not just regular freelancers offering one service… These guys have superpowers.
He’s not just a copywriter, he “helps clients in the cannabis industry simplify their brand messaging.”
She’s not just a graphic designer, she “creates stylistic images for maternity websites.”
See the difference?
They have a specialty. They have a targeted audience. A specific solution to specific problems of specific people.
But the fact that super-powered freelancers make BOAT-LOADS more money than the commodity freelancer is not even the best part…
The best part is – EVERYONE has as superpower. Even if they don’t know what it is yet.
When Mike pitched The No Pants Project, I was already signed up before the webinar ended. Here, I was going to learn what my superpower was, so I could set myself apart from the rest. It was a no-brainer. The No Pants Project was my new and much simpler game plan.
Bonus Reading: How To Know If You’re Ready To Be A Full-time Freelancer (Free Checklist)
Here are some of the benefits I’ve reaped from The No Pants Project game plan:
I Learned A Step-By-Step Process To Success
When I was at a job, I had a schedule, tasks, and was told what to do by a boss. When I was on Upwork, although I had to LOOK for clients and projects, (and though I had a lot more room for creativity), I had no REAL process to rely on…
With No Pants, you get the best of both worlds.
Mike walks you step-by-step how to build a business around your life and passions from scratch. So you never have to rely on a job or a bidding site like Upwork again. It’s easy, fun, and you learn a TON.
I Learned How To Value Myself First
The reason why I ended up resenting Upwork, and why most people HATE working a 9-5, is because your life revolves around your “job.” You gotta wake up, eat, sleep and plan according to the demands of your employer and job. As a result, you miss out on life.
Thanks to No Pants, I was able to build an entire online business around MY passion and MY life! When you put yourself first, EVERYTHING else falls into place.
I Learned How I Can Help Countless People With My Super Power
Interestingly, I could’ve applied my super power alone and would’ve made a KILLING on Upwork. Why? Because your superpower is unique. It makes you different and rare. I had NO IDEA how unique and POWERFUL a superpower was. But once Mike helped me figure it out, I was unstoppable.
I Learned I Wasn’t Alone
Freelancing can be a lonely road at times. Especially when you need help. With No Pants, you get a whole community of freelancers on the same path to greatness as you are! No matter what question or concern you have, it’s almost like people jump to your aid immediately! It’s almost impossible to lose!
I Started Making a Boat-Load More Money!
Going regular employee or freelancer to a superpowered specialist makes your value skyrocket! As a result, people started coming to ME for a specific problem they had a hard time with; problems I could easily solve through my superpower – while paying me handsomely for it!
In Conclusion…
Thanks to The No Pants Project, I’ve ditched Upwork for good. I’m on track to make six-figures as a sales alchemist who helps biz op brands simplify their messaging this year! I live the laptop lifestyle, making any beach, coffee house or even my own bed my work station. I wake up and sleep whenever I want. And most importantly…
I NEVER have to depend on a job again!
It all starts with having a solid game plan. And “solid” is an understatement when it comes to No Pants!
