My Journey as a Freelance Web Designer - Short Story
Hello! My name is Suman, and I’m a freelance web designer, digital marketer, and professional blogger. You can find my work at sumankumarphuyal.com.
Let me tell you my story. It all began in 2012 when I was working as a primary school teacher. One day, I was listening to the radio, and I heard someone talking about the possibility of earning money online. This got me really curious, and I decided to learn more about online earning opportunities.
After doing some research, I came across a company that offered Forex and binary options trading. I was eager to make quick money, so I invested in their platform. But soon, I realized that this was just a “get rich quick” scheme. It didn’t work for me, and I lost some of my hard-earned money because I didn’t have the right knowledge or strategy.
Even though I lost money, I didn’t give up. I kept searching for other ways to earn money online. That’s when I discovered freelancing. This idea fascinated me. I looked at the profiles of top freelancers, and their portfolios, reviews, and ratings inspired me. I learned that freelancing was a real career choice, but it wasn’t easy, and there were no shortcuts to success. It required hard work and dedication.
So, I decided to keep going. I researched freelance platforms like Elance and Odesk, which were very popular at that time (now they have merged into Upwork). But the beginning wasn’t easy. I struggled to find my first job because I didn’t have experience, a portfolio, or reviews. I still remember those sleepless nights, waking up at 2 am or 3 am, wondering if I was doing the right thing.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. I still didn’t have any clients. But I refused to give up. I made a bold decision to quit my job as a teacher and fully dedicate myself to freelancing. I worked hard to improve my profile, learned website design skills, and spent many hours researching online.
Finally, My hard work paid off.
This image takes me back to 2013, the moment I secured my first freelance project worth $50. The excitement was unparalleled, marking the start of an incredible journey. That small project became the foundation of my freelancing career, teaching me resilience and inspiring me to pursue bigger opportunities with determination.
Finally, my hard work paid off. I got my first job on Elance. I earned $50, and I was thrilled! My first client, Steve from the USA, gave me a project to design a simple website. I worked hard on it, making sure it was perfect. When I finished, Steve was very happy with my work. He gave me a 5-star rating and wrote a wonderful testimonial. That positive feedback helped me attract more clients in the future.
As I completed more projects, my profile became stronger, and more clients reached out to me. I kept learning new things, earning certifications, and gaining experience. Over time, my career as a freelancer grew.
Now, after 10 years of hard work, I’ve completed over 270 website projects and received more than 80 positive reviews. I’ve worked with clients from 18 different countries, and each project has helped me learn and grow.
A New Chapter: Helping Others
This photo is from 2020 during the coronavirus lockdown. It was a time when I was very busy working from home with many clients, managing multiple projects every day. While staying at home and focusing on my work, I realized how important it is to share knowledge with others. That’s when I decided to start writing valuable articles on my blog. My goal was to help other freelance web designers by sharing tips, experiences, and advice. I wanted to inspire and support beginners in their freelancing journey, just like others helped me when I started my career as a freelancer.
Now, I want to give back. After working with hundreds of clients and learning so much, I’m excited to share my experiences, product recommendations, reviews, and web-related resources on this blog. When I started my freelancing journey, I received a lot of help and advice from other bloggers, and that’s why I believe it’s important to share what I know. Helping others on their journey is one of the best ways to grow.
I hope you enjoy reading my blog. If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to reach out to me at contact@sumankumarphuyal.com. Your feedback means a lot to me, and I’m always happy to hear from you.
Thank you for being part of my journey! 🙂
This is my short story of becoming a freelance web designer. If you’re starting your own journey, remember that it won’t always be easy, but with persistence and dedication, you can achieve great things. I believe in you!
Guide: How to Start Your Freelance Web Design Career - Follow Me 🙂
Freelancing offers an incredible opportunity to work from anywhere and be your own boss, but it’s not always easy in the beginning. As a freelance web designer, I’ve learned many lessons over the years, and today, I want to share my story. I hope it will inspire new and aspiring web designers who want to follow the same path.
This article will take you through my experience and provide helpful tips for building a successful freelance career.
1. Starting as a Freelance Web Designer
When I first started freelancing, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. I remember feeling overwhelmed by the idea of competing with experienced web designers. But, like many others, I had to start somewhere. My first few weeks were filled with submitting proposals to potential clients. Some clients responded, while many did not. But I didn’t give up. Every “no” taught me something new.
I began by offering simple web design services for small businesses and individuals. At first, my rates were low because I was just learning how to communicate with clients and deliver work that met their expectations. But as I gained more experience, I started building my portfolio.
2. Creating a Strong Freelance Profile
One of the most important steps in becoming a successful freelancer is to have a solid profile. I created an account on freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr. In my profile, I highlighted my skills as a web designer and shared examples of my work. Even if I had only completed a few projects, I showcased my best work.
Over time, I refined my profile by adding details about the services I offered and my expertise in Wix web design. I made sure my profile was professional, friendly, and easy to read.
3. Building My Portfolio
A strong portfolio is crucial for attracting clients. As a freelance web designer, I needed to show clients what I could do. I started by offering discounted services to friends, family, and local businesses in exchange for the opportunity to create websites for them. These initial projects helped me build a portfolio of work that I could show to potential clients.
Having a personal website also helped. I built a simple portfolio website where I could showcase my best web design work. This gave clients a place to see my services and contact me directly. It also helped establish credibility and professionalism.
4. The Power of Proposals: How I Landed My First Client
The first job I got was through a proposal I submitted on a freelancing platform. I remember spending hours writing a clear and polite proposal that explained why I was the right fit for the job. The client responded, and we started discussing the project.
When you write proposals, remember a few key things:
- Be clear and concise. Clients don’t want to read long proposals full of irrelevant information.
- Highlight your skills and experience. Focus on the skills that are most relevant to the job.
- Be professional and polite. Clients want to work with someone who is respectful and easy to communicate with.
My first client wasn’t completely satisfied with the work, but I didn’t let that discourage me. Instead, I used the feedback to improve my skills. Over time, my proposals became more refined, and I was able to land more jobs.
5. Certifications and Continuous Learning
Freelancing can be competitive, and I realized that certifications could make me stand out from the crowd. I decided to earn certifications that would make my profile look more professional and demonstrate my expertise.
I took free courses from platforms like Google Digital Garage, Skillshop by Google, and Microsoft Learning. These certifications helped me learn more about digital marketing, Google Ads, and other tools that web designers often use. Having these certifications not only boosted my confidence but also helped attract more clients.
6. Building Relationships with Clients
One thing I’ve learned as a freelancer is that relationships with clients are key to success. I always try to communicate clearly with my clients, ask questions if I’m unsure about something, and deliver work that meets their expectations.
Happy clients often return with more projects, and they’re also more likely to recommend you to others. Building strong relationships has helped me grow my freelance business and keep a steady stream of work coming in.
7. Scaling My Freelance Business
After a few years of freelancing, I realized I could scale my business by attracting more clients. I started using different strategies to increase my visibility and get more leads:
1. Creating a Landing Page
I built a simple landing page to collect leads from potential clients. On this page, I shared my services, showcased my portfolio, and included a contact form for clients to get in touch. I then used Google Ads and Facebook Ads to drive traffic to the landing page. This helped me get leads and clients who were interested in my web design services.
2. Social Media Groups
I joined several Facebook groups related to business and web design. In these groups, I shared helpful tips, responded to questions, and showcased my work. Over time, this built my reputation, and I started receiving inquiries from people who wanted to work with me.
3. Pro Listings
I also joined Wix Marketplace, where I could list myself as a Wix Pro Designer. This allowed clients to find me through Wix’s platform. Being listed as a Pro Designer helped me gain credibility and brought in more work.
8. Tools That Helped Me Succeed
As a freelance web designer, using the right tools is essential for getting the job done efficiently. Here are some tools I rely on:
- Wix: For designing websites and creating mockups for clients.
- Grammarly: To ensure my proposals and communications are error-free.
- Google Docs: To create documents and share files with clients.
- Zoom: For virtual meetings with clients.
- Jotform: Create online forms and surveys.
- Hostinger: Web hosting platform.
- Quetext Plagiarism Checker: Detects copied content.
- Brevo: Email marketing and automation platform.
- SEMrush: SEO and digital marketing tool.
- WordPress: Platform for creating and managing websites.
- Yoast: SEO plugin for WordPress.
- FlexClip: Online video maker and editor.
- Titan Email: Professional business email service.
- Namecheap: Domain registration and hosting service.
These tools have made my work easier, helped me stay organized, and allowed me to deliver high-quality results to my clients.
9. Overcoming Challenges as a Freelancer
Freelancing comes with its own set of challenges. One of the biggest struggles I faced was getting my first client. It can be tough when you’re just starting and have no reviews or feedback from previous clients. But persistence is key.
Another challenge is client communication. Understanding what a client wants and delivering it exactly as they expect can be difficult at times. But by asking the right questions, being patient, and refining my communication skills, I’ve learned to meet clients’ expectations.
10. Conclusion: A Path to Success
Freelancing as a web designer has been an incredible journey, full of ups and downs. It took time to build a solid reputation and gain the trust of clients. But with persistence, learning, and continuous improvement, I’ve been able to create a successful freelance business.
If you’re just starting out as a web designer or are considering freelancing, remember that success doesn’t happen overnight. Take the time to build your skills, create a strong portfolio, and maintain professional relationships with clients. Keep learning, stay focused, and always strive to improve your work.
With dedication and hard work, you too can succeed as a freelance web designer and turn your passion into a rewarding career.
Why Freelancing is Amazing: Benefits of Freelancing
When I started freelancing, I didn’t realize how much it would change my life. The freedom, growth, and opportunities I experienced made me fall in love with this career. Let me share the top five benefits of freelancing through a personal lens, showing why it’s such an incredible choice.
1. Freedom to Work Anytime, Anywhere
When I started freelancing, I didn’t realize how much it would change my life. The freedom, growth, and opportunities I experienced made me fall in love with this career. Let me share the top five benefits of freelancing through a personal lens, showing why it’s such an incredible choice.
One of my favorite memories as a freelance web designer is being able to spend time with my friends. Freelancing gives me the freedom to work on my own schedule, so I can balance work and life. It’s a sweet reminder of why I chose this career!
One of my sweetest memories is a trip to Darjeeling with my beautiful wife. As a freelance web designer, I can carry my office with me—a laptop and internet are all I need. This freedom lets me work from anywhere, even while enjoying beautiful places. It’s one of the best parts of freelancing!
2. Being Your Own Boss
In freelancing, you decide which projects to take and which to decline. I loved having control over my work and no one telling me what to do. This independence helped me grow and take charge of my career decisions.
3. Endless Learning Opportunities
Every project brought something new to learn. I worked with clients from different industries and countries, which helped me develop new skills and gain knowledge I never imagined. Freelancing is like a school that never stops teaching!
4. Diverse Work Experience
Freelancing isn’t boring! I got to work on exciting projects, from designing websites for small businesses to creating marketing plans for startups. Every project was different, keeping my work interesting and creative.
5. Earning Potential
Unlike a fixed salary, freelancing gave me the chance to earn more as I improved my skills. The harder I worked and the better I became, the higher I could charge for my services. Over time, I turned freelancing into a full-time, rewarding career.
” Let me tell you something: nothing comes overnight. Success takes time and effort. Focus on the skills you have and provide great service to your clients. Times have changed, and work now needs to be flexible and remote. This allows you to live happily, follow your own schedule, and do what you love. But remember, you must keep working and improving! – Suman “
I hope my story helps inspire you to take the first steps on your freelancing journey. Keep pushing forward, and remember that every small step will lead you closer to your goals. Good luck!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
General Freelancing Questions
- How did you transition from teaching to freelancing as a web designer?
I began by researching online earning opportunities and explored freelancing platforms like Elance and Odesk (now Upwork). After acquiring skills and working hard, I transitioned fully into freelancing. - What challenges did you face when starting as a freelance web designer?
The main challenges were finding clients, building a portfolio, and gaining trust without reviews. - What platforms do you recommend for new freelancers?
I recommend Upwork, Fiverr, and platforms like Wix Arena for showcasing your skills and attracting clients. - What certifications can help web designers stand out in freelancing?
Certifications in Google Ads, digital marketing, and platforms like Wix or WordPress are beneficial. Free resources like Google Digital Garage are excellent for starting.
Web Design Services
- What kind of websites do you specialize in designing?
I specialize in creating professional websites for small businesses, startups, and individuals using platforms like Wix and WordPress. - How can clients get in touch with you for website design services?
You can reach me at contact@sumankumarphuyal.com or fill out the website quote form on my site.
Tips for Aspiring Freelancers
- What is the most important factor in becoming a successful freelancer?
Persistence, a strong portfolio, and excellent client communication are key to building trust and attracting more projects. - How can freelancers build their portfolio if they’re just starting?
Offer discounted or free services to friends, family, or local businesses in exchange for showcasing the work in your portfolio.
Scaling Freelance Businesses
- How did you scale your freelance business after securing your first client?
I used strategies like creating a professional website, leveraging social media, joining freelance directories, and running targeted ads to attract more clients. - What tools do you use to manage your freelance work efficiently?
I use tools like Wix for website design, Grammarly for communication, Google Docs for collaboration, and Zoom for client meetings.