With significant increase in freelance hiring and the growing appeal of remote jobs, statistics show that more women are moving away from traditional jobs. Chipo Faith launched her career as a freelancer and has never looked back. She talks to AMAKA about growing her brand and the importance of going the extra mile when freelancing.

 Faith, 29, is a seasoned freelancer with six years of experience, predominantly in the writing and digital marketing space. Originally from Zimbabwe, she is currently based in Cyprus, and works as a content manager for a financial publication and as a content marketer for a software service company. She is also a personal branding, writing and upskilling coach. Faith believes that our growth as individuals lies in helping one another, and makes it a point to share lessons from her freelance journey with her social media community.

AMAKA: When did you start freelancing and what was the first year experience like for you?

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The freelancing space is incredibly competitive, how did you manage to score good gigs and stay above it?

I learnt that in order to effectively show my value I had to apply for gigs that I knew I would excel at. The ‘just go for it,’ mantra can work against you very quickly especially if your skills do not add value or solve the problem at hand. There are so many platforms that exist today, making it easier to find opportunities within your niche. 

It's important to have an up-to-date portfolio that shows your best work. This is the seeding process and it will always determine what you will get at the end of the day. 

Always go the extra mile and do your due diligence—research the brand. Every applicant can do the job but separate yourself by showing that you are solution oriented and proactive.

What did you learn about pitching as it is an important part of freelancing?

1) Just be yourself, people often overdo the formal talk and it does not feel authentic. 

2) Personalise every pitch, by this I mean tie your skills to the solutions you bring to the table. If the job description/requirements list consists of things you do not have, this is your saving grace. If you make a good argument, you will get the gig. 

3) Do not overpromise, it is easy to say things such as ‘I’m willing to learn your language,’ in the name of impressing the client and that could backfire. What happens if they take it seriously? 

Which digital platforms did you use to build your online profile and brand?

Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp. The strategy that I used then and still use is pretty simple; I talk about the things that I’m doing and what I have learnt. I also run #ChipoFinds on my Twitter account where I share freelancing opportunities with my followers, so follow me! The goal is for people to remember your name when your field comes up in conversation. So make an impact by being about what you do. 

How do you manage your time and make sure to deliver quality work? 

Writing down my tasks helps me paint a clearer picture of what needs to be done and the amount of time it will take me. Freelancing will teach you that being disciplined with your time will take you a long way.

What advice would you give people when it comes to pricing their services?

As an entry level freelancer, you will have to price low but do it with a reason and a timeline. For instance you could aim to have six projects in your portfolio in three months. Once you hit your goal, move on to the next chapter of your career, do not stall because you might get stuck. 

Determining your pricing after that stage requires you to do your research. Find out how much people in the same field are getting paid, factor in your expenses and your time. Do not make the mistake of pricing for survival because that mindset will play a big role in the types of clients you accept and attract. An additional tip would be to charge 20 percent more than your actual fee, it leaves enough wiggle room for negotiation with your client.

What are the three biggest challenges you have faced as a freelancer, how did you navigate and resolve each one, and what did you learn from them?

1) Time management; procrastination is a demon you want to cast out the minute you step into freelancing because poor time management means delivering poor work too. 

2) Finance management; I never used to trace my finances or budget for anything. I soon learnt that finances play a big role when it comes to your mental health, so having them in check will be very helpful to you.

3) Communication; I used to struggle with communicating with my clients but the key is to always keep them in the loop.

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You started your career as a freelancer, do you have any advice for someone who wants to leave the safety of a 9-to-5, to go freelancing? 

1) Save! Do not dive in without a safety net. Have enough money to cover your living expenses for at least 3 months. 

2) Freelancing vs remote work, which one do you really want? People think they are the same thing but they are not. Remote work is full-time employment that allows you to work outside the traditional office whilst freelancing is self-employment.

3) Figure out your niche and start looking into how you can break into it. Go as far as pitching for opportunities so that you can build a portfolio before leaving your day job.

4) Upskill, find online courses, podcasts and YouTube tutorials to help you learn more. 

5) Work on your digital profile and presence by being consistent with how you show up across social media platforms, talk about your niche, get into conversations and you might even pick up some clients. 

As a freelancer, what tools do you swear by?

1) Payoneer, I have been using this service to collect my payments for years now.

2) Wave app is my go to invoicing tool, absolutely great.

4) Spotify keeps me alive!