2012 was the year I had originally planned on taking on Freelance Projects full-time and letting my day job at the advertising agency go. Things never go as planned, and a whole year later I’m still working 8-6 every day at the agency and taking on freelance projects in the evenings and weekends. It’s exhausting!!!!

Fortunately I’ve been able to still gain a lot of valuable information along the way, so I’ve decided to do a little recap of my “Freelance Journey: Lesson Learned” feature that appeared this year on the blog. I’ve really enjoyed sharing what I’ve learned along the way and I hope you’ve been able to find little nuggets of info too.

Lessons Learned(ing):
1. research before you leap
2. attend Blog Brunch
3. don’t call your client a moron
4. it’s ok to be unmotivated
5. list making saves lives
6. it’s ok to take a break from blogging
7. don’t hoard clients
8. pros and cons of communication through email
9. definition of a “sick” day
10. the ins and outs of font licensing
11. frankenstein rounds of revisions
12. the importance of a business card
13. it’s ok to feel uncomfortable
14. competition is good (maybe)

I’d love to hear your thoughts about the series and if there is anything in particular you’ve been curious about when it comes to the life of a freelancer. Let me know 🙂

I’m a big believer of continuing your education way past your school days. I also believe that there is no reason why the learning can’t be fun. I’d suggest taking an e-course to strengthen your blog, or learn a few extra things about your freelance process/business.

Learning is an ever going process. It doesn’t need to end at a certain age. It doesn’t need to be restricted to school and college curriculum. People can only grow when they believe in the never-ending process of learning and adopt it as an approach to everything that they do in life. Take cooking as an example. No one is born knowing how to cook even basic food. When they need to cook for themselves, they feel clueless. But if they decide to learn (at any point in life), they can! Youtube videos and tutorials have made this possible. Visit here to know more about thinkific vs teachable comparison.

I’ve had my eyes on a few classes that I hope to get around to taking in 2013.
1. Braid E-course: Braid is a creative and consulting company that is now offering e-courses. I’m particularly interested in the Dream Customer Catcher class. Check it out here.
2. Oh Joy RX: Joy of Oh Joy offers brand brainstorming, career advisory, portfolio development, and product feedback. Learn more here.
3. Alt Summit/ Alt Channel: A diverse mix of classes for only $15 each. A new class is offered every few days. I’ve got my eye on the “Media Kits That Will Make You Money” class by Victoria Hudgins. View all December classes here.

Have you guys taken an e-courses or attending any conferences that you’ve found to be valuable to your career or personal development. I’d love to hear about them!