This happened. I quit my job.
If you’re a regular visitor on this (and because I use Google Analytics, I know some of you are!), you might have noticed I haven’t posted anything for like three months. But I have an excuse. I’ve been insanely busy.
Well, I’ve been busy for years. But this time around, it was kind of my own fault. Back in September 2017, I actually quit my job as Head of Data Intelligence in iProspect. There was nothing wrong with my job. Or my colleagues. I just had another plan: To start my own business.
Why I went freelance
Although I’ve spent the past three years deep in the field of web analytics, my background is actually broader than that. Before I joined iProspect, I had been working more with ecommerce in general. That is, site optimization and online marketing.
I’ve really enjoyed working intensively with web analytics, but I have also kind of missed working with the broader aspects of ecommerce. And since I can’t see myself working for a “client side” company right now, and since I’ve dreamt of working on my own, it seemed like a good time to go 100% freelance.
To be honest, I never made a business plan or even a strategy. I reduced my hours at my old job, so I could make a soft exit, hand over my clients and such - and at the same time start having meetings.
Two months in
January 2nd was my first full day as a freelancer. And I’ve actually been busy ever since. Back in December, I signed a client together with two friends of mine. And we spent five weeks developing a whole website for a Danish charity (Hjerterytterne, which went live on February 1st). I actually did all of the backend work.
In the meantime, I also had time to take meetings - meeting request that basically came to me after I did a LinkedIn update about my new situation. The result is that I’m now completely booked until June for two clients (some pretty big Danish companies). I do have room for smaller projects, but I think I’ll prefer to spend some quality time with my daughter.
Basically, I’m working pretty full time now while making a living off of it. But most importantly, I’m having a lot of fun meeting new people, new clients and working with more than only web analytics.
The freedom
So far, I’ve noticed two major differences between being self-employed and working 9 to 5 in a big agency. I feel much more free and in control of my own time. While I’m busy, it really feels like I have more time now - perhaps because I work for me.
Also, I find much more joy in the work for my clients. Although some of the work is pretty much the same as I did before, I think I take much more pride in it now. Maybe because it’s my own reputation on the line now. But who knows.
Anyway, this is the best decision I’ve made in a long time!