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Business

When should I start freelancing?

What tracks should you finish before you start freelancing web development? I want to start doing basic freelance projects (static sites, wordpress, mainly front-end stuff) to start bringing in some income but I'm not very confident in my skills, what would you say is the minimum necessary requirements before someone takes on their first freelance projects?

If it helps I have an associates in computer science and have almost completed the Front-End Track

I think if your that far along you should start freelancing now as its the best way to learn. If you find a client that believes in you and is will to pay thats half the battle. just don't promise things you can't deliver .

1 Answer

As someone who has recently made the plunge into freelance, I would say it largely depends on how confident you feel, how much work you could potentially line up, and what your current situation is. It is wise to save up a few months worth of expenses while working freelance gigs on the side before quitting your day job. That said, I quit my day job because I was making more doing freelance than I was there and it was actually costing me money, in a sense, to work a job I didn't like for less.

I would suggest finishing your track, then doing the Starting a Business track, which is short and only has two courses, <a href="http://teamtreehouse.com/library/how-to-start-a-business">How to Start a Business</a> and <a href="">How to Market Your Business</a>. After that I'd do the <a href="http://teamtreehouse.com/library/how-to-freelance">How to Freelance</a> course, the <a href="http://teamtreehouse.com/library/how-to-run-a-web-design-business">How to Run a Web Design Business</a> course, and the <a href="http://teamtreehouse.com/library/how-to-write-a-business-plan">How to Write a Business Plan</a> course.

Good luck!

Thank you for your detailed reply!