Things I wish I knew before becoming self-employed

For anyone considering making the jump

Hello! It’s FEBRUARY. Which means two things: The longest month of the century (Jan 2024) is now over. Dead. Gonzo. And, AND! It’s my birthday month, and six whole months since I made the move to Substack. It has been a stunning decision, thanks to each of you. Whether you’re a paid subscriber or not, THANK YOU SO MUCH for being here and supporting writing. I know what a privilege it is to be on the list of people you subscribe to, even more so how much of an honour it is for you to pay to subscribe, so truly, I am beyond grateful.

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I’m not gonna burst in here and start talking about pensions and mortgage protection – I’ll leave that to accountants or financial advisors or other people who know things about money and where it should and shouldn’t be loitering. 

I am going to talk about the practicalities of self-employment and some of the terrifying potholes I drove into at 80kmph so you can save your freelance tires. Trust me, it’s not all coffee and co-working spaces. It can be lonely, it can be challenging. But for seven years, I loved it. Here’s what I learned.

1

It’s not your last job, I promise

For at least two years after I became self-employed (and I say ‘became’ because it wasn’t a choice, as long-time readers will be aware of) I would absolutely SH*T my pants after every gig concluded. I was certain, beyond a doubt, that each time it happened that was the last job that would come through the door. Reader… It wasn’t.