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As a home design professional, you know that creating spaces is your passion. Yet, many designers struggle with balancing their time between client projects and personal work. When you’re just starting out in the industry, working as an employee can provide security and structure. However, freelancing offers a lot of benefits for ambitious designers who are ready to take their careers to the next level. Working as a freelancer allows you to choose your own workload and set your own rates. As a freelancer you can also expand your clientele to include hotels, resorts and other properties that may not be able to hire an entire interior design team on staff. If you’re thinking about making the leap from employee to independent contractor as a home design professional, here are 10 reasons why freelancing is worth it:
You have more control over the type of work you do.
When you work freelance, you have the freedom to choose the types of projects you want to take on. For example, if you want to focus on creating sustainable designs that incorporate green building practices, you can do that as a freelancer. You can choose to avoid certain projects that you don’t feel comfortable working on, such as designing spaces for kids or seniors. You have control over the types of clients you work with and the types of projects you take on as a freelancer. This can be particularly helpful if you have a niche interest in a particular type of design or project, such as designing for hospitality or commercial spaces.
You can set your own rates.
As an employee, you may be working with a set salary or hourly rate, which may not be enough to cover your basic living expenses. As a freelancer, you can set your own rates based upon your experience and skill level. You also have the freedom to adjust your rates as necessary if you need to scale back your workload due to a busy season or other factors. This gives you the opportunity to design a sustainable business that can support your lifestyle. Working as an employee, your salary is set and not likely to increase significantly as you gain more experience.
Freelancing allows you to build a strong portfolio.
As a freelancer, you have the flexibility to take on multiple projects at a time and choose which ones to prioritize. You can also be selective about the type of work you accept, choosing projects that are a good fit for your design style and will help you build a strong portfolio. As an employee, your workload is often dictated by the needs of the company and the projects that are on the schedule. Working as a freelancer gives you the opportunity to take on projects that are a good fit for your design style and will help build your portfolio. This can be helpful when you’re ready to look for full-time work or want to expand your client base to include hotels and resorts.
Freelancing gives you freedom to network and connect with others in your industry.
As an employee, you may be focused on completing projects for your employer and don’t have the time to attend networking events or connect with peers. As a freelancer, you have the freedom to build relationships with other designers and clients and attend networking events that can help you expand your network. You also have more time to connect with peers, clients and industry leaders and contribute to online forums and discussion groups where design professionals regularly connect and share advice. As an employee, you may have a limited amount of time each week to connect with peers and build relationships, which can be challenging when you have a busy workload. As a freelancer, you have more time to focus on building relationships and connecting with others in your industry.
As a freelancer, you can also gain valuable design experience working on your own projects.
As a freelancer, you have the freedom to take on small design projects on the side, like designing your own home or that of a friend, which can help you gain valuable design experience and build your portfolio. You may also have the flexibility to work on larger projects, such as designing an entire hotel. Working as an employee, you may not have the freedom to take on side projects or larger projects. Depending on your employer, it may also be a conflict of interest to design your own home or that of a friend, as you may be privy to information and insights that may be helpful on a future project.
Working as a freelancer will help you understand what it takes to run a business.
Freelancing is running your own business, which means you have to manage expenses and keep track of your finances and income. You have to manage your own time, track your hours and be disciplined about billing your clients and managing your cash flow. You have to keep track of your expenses and be disciplined about keeping an eye on your bottom line. Working as an employee, you don’t have to worry about these things. If you decide to start your own design business someday, you will have experience managing your own finances and running a business. This will help you keep your business on track and avoid financial problems that many designers encounter as they grow their business.
Freelancing will help you build the skills necessary to start your own business someday.
As a freelancer, you will encounter challenges and experience growing pains. You may have months when you don’t earn any income or times when you have to take on less-desirable projects to help fill your schedule. As a freelancer, you are responsible for marketing your services and finding clients. You may have to turn away work at times and have the flexibility to decline projects that aren’t a good fit for your design style. This can be challenging at times, but it can also help you understand what it takes to run a business. Working as an employee, you don’t have to worry about marketing your services, finding new clients or declining projects. Working as a freelancer can help you understand what it takes to run a business and start building the skills necessary to start your own design business someday.
There are many benefits to working independently and being in charge of your own workload.
Freelancing allows you to take control of your career and design a lifestyle that works for you. You can set your own schedule, choose your own projects and decide how much you want to work. You don’t have to answer to a boss or be confined to a typical 9-to-5 workday. You can set your own hours and decide how much you want to work. This can be beneficial if you have young children at home or a significant other who is also in the design industry and works freelance. You can work around your family’s schedule and avoid the hassles of commuting and working in a typical office environment.
There are risks associated with going freelance, but there are also many ways to minimize these risks.
It can take time to find consistent and steady work as a freelancer and build a solid client base. You can mitigate these risks by networking with designers in your area, joining design groups and finding design and architectural firms that are willing to work with freelance designers. You can also offer to help design and manage smaller projects for clients who may not be ready to hire a full-service design firm. This can help you build your portfolio and provide steady work in the meantime.
Conclusion
Freelance home design can be a great way to work for yourself and create a schedule that works for you and your family. As a freelancer, you have more control over the type of work you do and can set your own rates. Freelancing also allows you to build a strong portfolio and gain valuable design experience working on your own projects. You also have the opportunity to build the skills necessary to start your own business someday. There are risks associated with going freelance, but there are also many ways to minimize these risks.