I’m from the Philippines, where the norm is to secure a regular office job to earn a living; freelancing isn’t commonly discussed. Heck, even my parents don’t fully understand what I do. *even until now*

In the beginning, I was worried about starting online work because I believed it required being exceptionally smart or skilled with computers. And there are many freelancers, both from the Philippines and abroad, who might have more experience than I do.

Long story, short, despite all my doubts, I took that first step, and it has transformed my life.

As you explore this blog, you will discover my journey to freelance success. Read on, and you may find practical and invaluable tips that can help you too!

My Baby Steps…

While working full-time at a mall in Cebu, I also took on a part-time job as a property manager and Facebook admin for an Airbnb unit in my hometown. Despite the Airbnb owners being based in the US, I was able to handle the business operations remotely from Cebu. This experience made me realize the potential of working remotely. At this time, I motivated myself to learn Canva for designing Facebook posts, generated reports using Google Workspace, and sharpened my soft skills such as communication, coordination, and time management while working for my client.

I didn’t know that I was already freelancing part-time by doing it.

• Hidden tip: Practice. Sharpen the knife before you cut a tree.

The beginning…

My boyfriend came from France to visit me in the Philippines. He started freelancing just few months before. Then we decided to travel, so, I quit my job and after waiting for two weeks, we began our journey. It looks easy, right? Well, it isn’t! 😒

I wasn’t taking any classes or getting any professional coaching, so I was a bit lost. Lol. It was quite frustrating for me but my bf was there to personally coach me about freelancing stuff.

• Hidden tip: Find a French boyfriend. ✌🏼Just kidding, find someone or surround yourself with people you can talk about freelancing.

After a bit of research, I found out about freelance jobs and the role of a Virtual Assistant. It was new to me and it seemed like a good fit for someone starting out so I decided I will be a Virtual Assistant!

Then, I found out about Social Media Management. I’m always on social platforms and really like using them, so I thought, why not consider it for my career, right?

But here’s the thing – I’m kind of torn. On one hand, I’m really drawn to Social Media Management, but on the other, being a Virtual Assistant seems more convenient. So, I decided to do both and it’s okay!

• Hidden tip: Be decisive. While many advise selecting a specific niche, it’s okay if you’re uncertain about what that should be.
• The best approach is to experiment and explore various options. This way, you’ll gain firsthand experience and discover what truly resonates with you.

The downfall at the beginning…

I have decided my niche and now I am ready to land on my first client.

There were interviews where I felt confident, but, clients ghosted me, and my emails went unanswered, got banned on Upwork (a key freelance site). And a moment I will always remember was preparing for an unscheduled 2am interview call, which didn’t go as planned – I wasn’t able to speak to the client and didn’t secure the job. These experiences shook my confidence and made me doubt my skills, but they were also valuable learning opportunities.

After several interviews, I took a step back to reflect on what might be going wrong. This made me realize that: my focus to secure a job had overshadowed the need to sufficiently develop my skills. This insight was crucial in understanding the gap between my efforts and the outcomes I was experiencing.

• Hidden tip: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results” – Albert Einstein.
• Yes, sir! Taking a moment to step back and carefully analyze the situation is key. It will help identify any issues and determine the necessary steps to move forward effectively.

I would say this part helped me a lot…

Realizing where I could improve, I set up a portfolio and created an Instagram account – well, if I am a Social Media Manager, I should have my own page too, right?.

During interviews, I paid close attention to the questions: what tools did they mention that I wasn’t familiar with? What tasks were important to them? Then, I dove into these tools – ClickUp, Meta Business Suite, CapCut, Slack, Later.com, and more. I made free accounts and started learning. The goal? To confidently say in my next interview, “Yes, I’ve used that tool and am actively learning more.” It’s straightforward but makes a big difference.☺️

• Hidden tip: The more you learn, the more you earn…

The light at the end of the tunnel…

After 2 months of search, I finally landed my first client, who discovered me through a post on my social media page. From there, the clients kept coming.

But the story changes once you start working with clients. It’s challenging to maintain relationships, but as you gain confidence and skills, things do improve.

Now, I’ve hit a personal record in earnings, something I couldn’t have achieved in a regular office job in the Philippines, unless I was at the top rank after years.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still learning and enhancing my skills. My current goal is to keep up the momentum and inspire others by showing that they, too, are capable of achieving this success.

I didn’t have advanced skills, just courage and motivation.😉 If you like my blog, please follow me on my Instagram page, @creatives.amarie.