Freelance?

I’m beginning to really dream about making a go at freelancing as a career. Initially, I thought of it as something to bide my time until I found another full-time job, but I’ve realized I don’t want a job – I want a life that can be lived where I want and when I want.

I understand freelancing is still hard work – that’s a given, but I’m beginning to believe it’s doable.

For example, it’s now been about a month since I started as a contract resume writer, and while I haven’t earned a whole heaping amount (about $800 my first month), I can already see decent earning potential for getting started.

The real freelancing I’d like to do would actually center more around social media / digital marketing and content marketing for small to mid-size businesses. Since my professional experience has included a fair amount of social media marketing to increase brand awareness, engagement, and organically boost traffic to their website, I’d really like to transition that into my own business.

I think the biggest issue is that I have too many interests and too many side projects.

1. I also run Resin Melody, a poorly kept blog devoted to Asian Ball Jointed Dolls. I would love to develop that more to become a full-on resource for the BJD community, but I keep getting distracted.
    
   1a. In addition to the blog, Resin Melody is also my BJD fashion brand where I make a sell clothes, wigs, and accessories for BJDs. Currently I do this on Etsy, but I’m also in the process of building my own ecommerce shop using WordPress and Woocommerce.

   1b. I also paint the dolls. And while it’s something I enjoy doing, it’s probably something I should put on the back burner until I figure out how far I want to take everything.

2. Tim and I have started and continue to work on Paper Pickle Soap Co., a soap/bath & body product company focusing on natural products using only essential oils.We currently sell at our weekly farmer’s market, but it’s totally something we could build into a viable business if we had the time and inclination to do so. At this point, we don’t know how far we want to take it simply because we don’t know exactly where we will be living… so probably not a good idea to continue to develop it, but it may be a decent side gig for the rest of this summer into fall/Christmas holiday season.
3. This blog. We (I) just started really utilizing it this year. I’d love for Tim to start writing as well so he could get back into the swing of things, but I can’t force it…. neither for him nor myself.
4. Freelance designing is something I’ve always wanted to do more of, but have only been able to do based on very few word of mouth clients. Unfortunately, I had to turn away 1 client who couldn’t accept “no, not right now” for an answer, so most of my freelance work is pretty minimal. I’d like to get that boosted up… which I guess is what this post is about, huh?

Sometimes I feel that if I were able to focus on just 1 of these items I would be a successful entrepreneur and small business owner.

I guess it’s time to do some thinking and plan marketing activities for the projects I decide on, and start making a schedule to ensure everything can be accomplished!