Ask HN: Has anyone bootstrapped a business using services like Upworks?
I would like to go into consulting in a specific niche, but lack clients (currently working as software developer in a company).
There are related job offers at services like Upworks, where I could think make ~5000$/month (of course only if i get the jobs) which would be a lot of money in my current situation. However I read many horror-stories about Upworks, Toptal, Freelancer.com and related services, so I am hesitating.
Obviously I want to expand my field to direct customer interaction in the future, but short time it might be a decent idea?
Thank you for your insights and sry for my bad English, HN.
Published in 2018, this chronicle by @elephant0xffff details the mechanics of building a profitable, self-funded business without venture backing.
The community focused on B2B customer acquisition channels, cold email vs SEO distribution, and balancing full-time employment with side-project development.
I don’t know where you are but typically you’re better of contracting.
The typical situation is that employers need techies LOCALLY and can’t find them in the sort of numbers they’d ideally want which drives rates up: +1 techie.
Issue with freelancing sites is that it flips the demand/supply around. The supply is global and outstrips demand (ie people actually compete for contracts): rates are driven down, +1 employer
IMO:
1. Try and contract locally if the pay is best there. Further you’ll be creating contacts to get you into new gigs.
2. If that’s not available look for remote positions direct with employers. If you’re v good you might get one.
3. If you can’t do that consider a freelancing site but really all it’ll be good for is portfolio . You’ll probably find the “next step” remains just as far away if you already have s portfolio.
I've also heard of good and bad stories about Upwork. I think it all depends on how you handle it yourself.
One of my good friends started his copywriting career on Upwork. First projects he did were extremely cheap, just getting some experience. However, he made sure he does the absolute best he can, with every project. So clients were happy and recommended him to other clients. My friend would be doubling his hourly rate pretty frequenly, and eventually stopped using Upwork altogether, because clients would contact him directly, by reference from his previous clients.
On the other hand, I know a person who's been copywriting on Upwork for seven years, and still has an hourly rate of 10 USD / hour, which is just ridiculous.
I'm not a developer. I'm a writer.
I started to write a long-ish answer here, then decided to make it a blog post:
http://digitalmicroenterprise.blogspot.com/2018/05/starting-with-service-as-way-to-learn.html
Best.
I've hired a lot via UpWork and consider it the lesser of evils among these platforms. It is still all kinds of evil, though. I've heard it's at least as bad for the contractors.