Call Your Own Shots

Black Enterprise, Feb, 2001 by Phaedra Brotherton

"There's a big mental part that's necessary to handle when you're out on your own," says Matthews. A home-based independent professional, Matthews also relies on her board as a support system. You don't have the automatic support and social structure that a 9 to 5 provides, she says, so you have to create your own.

ALL IN YOUR BUSINESS

One of the toughest things about being a free agent is the need to continuously self-market to get assignments and to keep the income coming. Taking out classified ads, posting profiles on independent gig Websites, and getting published are all major forms of advertising your services. But many solo practitioners find that the best marketing tool is the mouth.

"You don't have to invest in lots and lots of marketing dollars. You have to deliver quality work on a consistent basis," says Matthews. When you become known for the substance of your work, Word will travel. Matthews agrees that referrals are a great source for new projects--she gets several from her advisory board.

Other low-cost marketing techniques include public speaking and volunteering. Matthews conducts workshops for a local nonprofit center. She also makes a certain number of public relations calls each month and decides which conferences to attend throughout the year.

In addition to getting referrals, Osborne believes that treating your current customers well is the key to building your reputation. "You get 80% of your business from existing clients," he hypothesizes. "If you can find a client who shares your vision, that will go a long, long way." Even so, "there are a lot of people competing for those resources," he inserts. Thus, it helps to have someone inside the company or organization with which you contract your services who believes in you and serves as your personal champion, adds Osborne.

Lonier agrees that current clients are worth keeping happy. "Getting a new customer can cost up to eight times as much as selling to an existing one," she says. "You've done the hardest work--getting the customers. Now don't let them slip away."

THE NET BENEFITS

As you can see, going solo doesn't mean saying so long to extended hours. As your own boss, you'll probably have to work even harder than you did for someone else. What makes all of the effort worth it, however, is the control you gain over your life, and a genuine sense of pride from creating work that you truly love.

Osborne derives great satisfaction from choosing whom he will work with. "Real freedom is the ability to walk away" from an assignment, he says. Mohammed loves the variety of work freelancing delivers. Matthews likes the flexibility independent consulting offers. "I try to take Friday afternoons off. I like being able to visit family, and going to the mall when no one's there," she says.

She credits her spiritual faith with helping her to keep things in perspective. Maintain a strong work ethic, she says, and you'll see the fruits of your labor. "Believe that if you're doing good work, the paycheck will come."