Experiment report

In January 2020, I started a new experiment: I quit what was a dream job and became a freelancer. Today, the experiment is over. Below is a short reflection on what went well and what could have worked better.

What worked well

• Worked with several very interesting companies.
• Gained exposure to business models I wasn’t previously aware of.
• Met new intelligent and ambitious people.
• Experienced first-hand what it feels like to be self-employed and saw the behind-the-scenes of several freelancers and entrepreneurs.
• Learned to appreciate the audacity and courage of people who don’t rely on monthly paychecks and take much more responsibility for their lives than most “salarymen.”

Financial outcome

Objectively, my financial situation remained approximately unchanged. Towards the end of the experiment, I was overbooked, meaning I could have increased my income substantially in theory. In practice, I chose to end the freelance experiment and “settle down.”

What could have been better

• Found freelancing much more stressful than being a hired employee.
• Stress stemmed not only from ensuring enough projects in the pipeline (which I generally had) but also from:
• Lack of focus.
• Need for extreme context switching.
• Lack of a team.
• Received one suggestion to mitigate this stress, but by then I already had several job offers and was 90% committed to accepting a position at MyBiotics.

Conclusion

I’m very happy I did this experiment. I learned a lot, enjoyed a lot (and suffered a lot too), met new people, and changed the way I think about many things. Was it a good idea? Yes. Should you try becoming a freelancer? That’s for you to decide—it’s your life, you enjoy the success and take the risk of failure.