Ben Stroup

I left the corporate world 18 months ago to be a full-time freelancer and consultant. Here’s 16 things I’m learning:

1. Being a 1099 is no less scary than being a W-2 in today’s climate.
2. Benefits are replaceable.
3. I enjoy working on different projects with different people.
4. This mode of operations allows me to be a specialist which means I can add a lot more value to my clients than if I was an employee.
5. I have the power to create the life that I want.
6. I can say no. (I have to admit I’m still learning to do this.)
7. If the client and I don’t “gel,” we don’t have to work with each other.
8. I’m proactively contributing to the economy by contributing to the personal income of others. Right now, I pay five other freelancers on a regular basis to help me execute client projects.
9. I’m not bogged down by process, protocol, or precedent.
10. Everything I do is measured by results, not just completing a task. This keeps me sharp, always learning, and seeking out others to learn from.
11. I’m expected to bring new ideas, energy, and perspective to the table. That means I need to take care of my body, mind, and soul.
12. I must define the life that I want and the work that I want to do. Other people will always have different ideas about what my work and life should be about.
13. Relationships are the fuel of any sustained business effort.
14. I get to try new things, do things differently, and break ranks with boring, mundane, and predictable projects often engineered to eliminate or minimize risk.
15. Nothing can be taken for granted. Every project, every client, every business partner is a gift. I treat them as such, even when I don’t have to.
16. My family must never be neglected. If it all crumbles, they will be there to help me pick of the pieces. I shouldn’t wait until that happens, though. Their strength, encouragement, and belief in me helps me get through those days when it just seems impossible.

I may not be a freelancer and consultant for the rest of my working life, but I suspect the lessons I’m learning now will shape my thinking, believing, and doing forever.

Are you a freelancer or consultant? What have you learned along the way?

Ben Stroup is a content activist in a post-paragraph world. He is chief broker of opportunity at Ben Stroup Enterprises. Connect with Ben via email, Twitter, and Google+. Subscribe via email to learn how to use content to move people to action.