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What would you do if you were me: keep trying to support my publisher site by freelancing or focus fully on the publisher site right now?
My plans before the virus
Before the virus hit, I planned on quitting my full time job to have much more time for my site that I monetize with ads & affiliate. Because I can't support myself fully with the site yet (it currently makes me a couple hundred euros a month), I planned on freelancing 3 days a week to make up the difference. Do online marketing for others, basically.
So, late Q4 last year I started preparing: researching the market, competitors, potential clients, making calls to people in my network, checking out freelance gig sites in my country (the Netherlands), etc. Based on this, I made several plans:
I figured preparing even more would be overkill, especially because my personal situation was looking kinda sweet: 1 year in savings, a gf who works full time as well (we live together), no debt either. So, I started.
I started, and then...
I was good to go after my cancellation period and started the next day, March 1st. Got my company registered, website up, sent out the first proposals, etc. and I'm barely 2 weeks in and a lockdown is announced in Holland. As for my plans:
I don't meet the requirements for government aid for virus-hit businesses in my country btw.
Meanwhile
Website traffic went from 2-3k to 15k, revenue from 50-ish euros to 200-300 a month. This due to hustle plus a spike in searches due to the virus.
And this is where my confusion comes from: honestly, the impact of the virus took me by surprise. Most of my initial plans seem dead in the water now and that sucks, but I still have to hold myself accountable. Focus on what I can control, but the question is: what direction?
My end game is the site, not freelancing. By doing both, it feels like I'm p*ssyfooting around. When I go all-in on the site, I have to make it in 12 months (because, savings) or it's finding temp jobs while working on it from there. I am willing to do that btw.
Other direction: start advertising my services, ranking for relevant keywords and spending savings on getting things done on the freelance side of things. The end result can still be running out of savings in the current climate, perhaps faster than with the option above. I'm willing to do whatever is needed here, too.
And then there's staying on the road already traveled: closing leads whenever possible, using Upwork too and working on the site the rest of the week.
In terms of certainty of results, what I'm doing with the site is working and I need to do more of it (fairly certain), staying on this road is probably a 50-50 and the other direction is uncertain, as in... it can actually reduce the time I have before temp jobs come into play.
This is one of those rare times where I'm having paralysis by analysis. I feel like a fool for having it, but I'm the only one in my network that's in the publisher site bizz so the people that can relate most are here on BuSo. What would you do?
My plans before the virus
Before the virus hit, I planned on quitting my full time job to have much more time for my site that I monetize with ads & affiliate. Because I can't support myself fully with the site yet (it currently makes me a couple hundred euros a month), I planned on freelancing 3 days a week to make up the difference. Do online marketing for others, basically.
So, late Q4 last year I started preparing: researching the market, competitors, potential clients, making calls to people in my network, checking out freelance gig sites in my country (the Netherlands), etc. Based on this, I made several plans:
- Start: freelance for former employer for a couple months, 1-2 days a week.
- Use my network/contacts to get gigs, 1-2 days a week.
- Be the back-up for agencies that oversold (more work than employees) + trainer for junior people & interns, 1-2 days a week.
- I used to give IM trainings at several edu companies (companies that train professionals through workshops and such) through the agency I worked at several years ago > be their freelance trainer, once a month (1-3 days at a time)
- Last resort: use Dutch freelance gig sites and, if need be, international ones (e.g. Upwork)
I figured preparing even more would be overkill, especially because my personal situation was looking kinda sweet: 1 year in savings, a gf who works full time as well (we live together), no debt either. So, I started.
I started, and then...
I was good to go after my cancellation period and started the next day, March 1st. Got my company registered, website up, sent out the first proposals, etc. and I'm barely 2 weeks in and a lockdown is announced in Holland. As for my plans:
- Former employer: investors pulled out, my proposal on hold, salaries unpaid, it's likely going belly up this month.
- My contacts went into survival mode: some lost jobs, most freelancers lost their work, and out of the few that were still doing okay came about a dozen leads. Most of those stopped returning calls, mails or put their companies on hold. Two leads left atm, 0 sales.
- Agencies in survival mode: same as above. Had to fire people, sent away freelancers, not returning calls. One lead left, wants to work "when things settle down" (whenever that is).
- Edu companies: one put everything on hold, one gone, one still going and in the maybe department. Again, one lead 0 sales.
- I responded to dozens of projects on Dutch freelance sites. Most got put on hold, some I haven't heard from, three proposals declined (that's on me) and then halfway through April... silence. One potential project a week in my area of expertise if I'm lucky. As for Upwork: haven't heard back from anyone yet.
I don't meet the requirements for government aid for virus-hit businesses in my country btw.
Meanwhile
Website traffic went from 2-3k to 15k, revenue from 50-ish euros to 200-300 a month. This due to hustle plus a spike in searches due to the virus.
And this is where my confusion comes from: honestly, the impact of the virus took me by surprise. Most of my initial plans seem dead in the water now and that sucks, but I still have to hold myself accountable. Focus on what I can control, but the question is: what direction?
My end game is the site, not freelancing. By doing both, it feels like I'm p*ssyfooting around. When I go all-in on the site, I have to make it in 12 months (because, savings) or it's finding temp jobs while working on it from there. I am willing to do that btw.
Other direction: start advertising my services, ranking for relevant keywords and spending savings on getting things done on the freelance side of things. The end result can still be running out of savings in the current climate, perhaps faster than with the option above. I'm willing to do whatever is needed here, too.
And then there's staying on the road already traveled: closing leads whenever possible, using Upwork too and working on the site the rest of the week.
In terms of certainty of results, what I'm doing with the site is working and I need to do more of it (fairly certain), staying on this road is probably a 50-50 and the other direction is uncertain, as in... it can actually reduce the time I have before temp jobs come into play.
This is one of those rare times where I'm having paralysis by analysis. I feel like a fool for having it, but I'm the only one in my network that's in the publisher site bizz so the people that can relate most are here on BuSo. What would you do?