Consulting, Freelancing, and Full-time job — I did all three and here's what I've learned in 7 years
A peek into my journey as a software engineer turned marketer, working with different companies in different roles, and how I pivoted through them.
Reading time: 11 minutes
👋 Hey, Aarushi here! Welcome to this week’s ✨free edition✨ of my newsletter. Each week I share practical frameworks, processes, mindset shifts, and anything else needed to become a better marketer. Join 800+ marketers from companies like Kalviyo, Uscreen, OpenPhone, Recart (and many more) and get a weekly in-depth essay around modern marketing topics.
I only share marketing content — be it on LinkedIn or this newsletter. Today, I want to share something deeply personal that I believe would help you get to know me slightly better. So, if you’re new here and only signed up for marketing content, feel free to browse my previous editions, or come back the next week.
For the rest of you lot, welcome to this incredibly humbling, emotional, and exciting edition.
You see, I’ve never shared my full story anywhere — not on a podcast, on a LinkedIn post, or now that I think about it, even with a friend. I’ve always told it in bits and pieces, but I’ve left the nerdy (and most important) parts out for most of it.
I want to change that. I feel there’s a lot of noise on LinkedIn and if someone were to plan a roadmap for their career, they’d need more than a carousel. Maybe this edition will help you answer questions that you’ve had for the longest time.
With the never-ending cycle of layoffs in the name of “restructuring” or a new CEO creating a “better strategy” by laying off thousands with a crappy email, I believe this topic will resonate with a lot of you and maybe figure out the next step for you.
Transition from full-time job to freelancing
If you didn’t know already, I’m a software engineer with an Honors degree. I got a job straight out of college — packed my bags, moved to a different state, and joined a company. Got a two-month training and then joined an incredibly huge client project.
While I was figuring out “adulting” — what to eat, how to structure my day, and how to spend and save money, I quickly realized my 9-5 wouldn’t cut it. Like any 20 year old beaming with aspirations, dreams, and hope, I assumed the harder I’d work at my 9-5, the more I’d earn (young Aarushi clearly had a lot to learn).
Jobs don’t work that way — you don’t earn more simply because you work harder or longer. You earn more when you create a bigger impact. That’s why, typically, executives, senior leadership, and managers make more. They have more experience, more nuanced insights into a company’s functioning, goals, and vision. They’re able to connect the dots that 20 year old Aarushi couldn’t connect (not that I was supposed to do that either).
I was an Automation Quality Analyst who used to write scripts and create automation environments for repeated tests.
After 4 months working in my first ever full-time job, I’d figured out the knick knacks of “time management.” Suddenly, I had more time than usual — my 5-9 after office hours felt more relaxing and my weekends were completely mine.
I started making friends in office, listening to their stories about how people they knew had quit their jobs to build a tech startup or a business. And I immediately knew I wanted to build something of my own.
But I wasn’t in a position to quit my job on a whim and take my chances with a startup or a business because I had too many responsibilities and family members counting on my job.
After hundreds of conversations with people around me and the internet lords, I discovered “freelancing”.
I had met incredibly talented and skilled folks at my office who didn’t pursue freelancing because it didn’t seem safe enough to take a bet on with their entire careers.
But I was a risk taker. From investing my salary straight in equity and highly volatile funds without really knowing finance, to introspecting how I wanted to build my life, what I genuinely wanted to do after 10 years, I was willing to take a bet. A safe one.
I started freelancing in July 2018 and within two months I saved up enough to buy myself a new laptop. The first thing I did after buying a laptop? Bought a crappy domain thinking this would be my road to my first million.
I continued freelancing for the next couple months working on content writing projects from Upwork, Freelancer.com, and facebook groups. It wasn’t as easy to get good paying projects and work with solid companies as it is today (thanks to LinkedIn, Twitter, and the hundreds of Slack communities we’re all a part of now).
The best part was, I consistently made twice my salary each month from freelancing. But I never thought of letting go of my job’s safety net until one day.
It was 15th November, 2018 (a day after my 21st birthday) and I emailed my manager requesting for a leave because I had a throbbing headache and my muscles felt as weak as water. I couldn’t open my eyes and felt like my heart would close up on itself.
My manager denied the request stating that as it was festival season and a lot of folks on the team had pre-planned their leaves, so I wasn’t allowed to take one. Like I needed to plan ahead for my body’s sickness.
I took a shower, went to the office, and turns out, my manager was on leave because of a “personal errand” she had to run. All those who showed up did their work, took long strolls around the “chai” stall, and left early. I did too. But the entire day I felt a sense of uneasiness and discomfort, not just from being physically sick but emotionally distrubed.
I wondered, “Would I ever get any control or flexibility in my life while I work in this project at this company?”
And while the straightforward answer would be switching jobs, the fact is it isn’t as easy or quick as it seems. You don’t apply to ten jobs, get an interview, and make the move (unless you’re lucky).
After that day, I started despising my job, my manager and hit an existential crisis. I wondered about my purpose, dreams, and life every single minute. Fast forward to 28th Nov, 2018, I resigned.
I called my mum, told her how much I’d saved up from my freelancing, and said I’m giving myself an year till I figure it out. If I don’t, I’d get back to studies, get my Master’s degree, and look for a job.
On 28th Dec, 2018, I submitted my ID card, signed all documents, and walked out of that building for the last time ever. As they say, people don’t quit bad jobs, they quit bad managers. I quit mine, for the better :)
Questions to ask yourself in a full-time job:
Am I achieving my personal and career growth goals in this role?
Does my job offer me the work-life balance I need?
Am I satisfied with the level of job security and benefits (health insurance, retirement plans, etc.) provided?
Do I feel valued and recognized for my contributions?
Is there a clear path for advancement or promotion within my current company?
Am I able to make a significant impact through my work?
Do I have the opportunity to learn new skills and challenge myself?
How does my current job align with my long-term career aspirations?
Am I financially compensated in accordance with my contribution and industry standards?
Do I have a healthy work culture and supportive colleagues/managers?
Building my freelancing buisness; going global, earning $12k monthly, and being happy
I’ve been freelancing since 2018 and a LOT has changed in the past few years, especially after 2020 (when Covid hit).
I started from Upwork and Fiverr, got my “big break” with a client I found on Fiverr and realized I was undercharging my services for over 18 months (still making 2.5X of my salary).
March 2020 came with an indefinite lockdown and people started experimenting — some with TikTok dances, others with their hobbies which they successfully monetized over the next few months, and the rest doubled down on being a geek like me.
I discovered marketers who were actively sharing their learnings, experiments, and mistakes on Linkedin.
With some decent posting, I was driving 8-10 inbound leads every month from LinkedIn. The only problem or maybe my strength was, I never chased quantity. I was saying NO more than yes to inbound leads. I was mentally filtering them out based on specific criteria I had set for my buisness. I later formalized this checklist.
I truly encompassed the “Do more with less” idea. I didn’t have an agency or 15 clients that I was outsourcing to other freelancers. I had 4-5 solid retainers that consistently helped me grow my MRR without being burnt out.
My goal with freelancing has never been to earn as much as I possibly can. If that was the goal, I wouldn’t bet my entire life on a career that’s highly dependent on ad-hoc projects and the client’s budget. I would rather do my Master’s, get a good job with a great compensation package, or build my own tech product.
My goal with freelancing was to have flexibility and control over how I spent every single day of my life.
After all, if you don’t reap the benefits of your career path, what’s the point of choosing it altogether?
I wanted to live the “freelancing life”. So when I transitioned from my job to freelancing, I started traveling more, working as a digitial nomad, and developed a lot of hobbies over time (baking, cooking, gardening, and filmmaking).
I didn’t want to be bogged down with a timeline (work 8 hours every single day). Some days, I worked 4 hours, and others, I worked 12 hours. I shaped my entire life (not just profession) by truly embracing the freelance life.
Questions to ask yourself as a freelancer:
Am I able to maintain a steady flow of projects to ensure financial stability?
Do I have a clear niche or specialization that sets me apart from competitors?
Am I effectively managing my time between project work, client acquisition, and self-improvement?
Have I established a sustainable pricing model that reflects the value of my work?
How well am I balancing multiple client demands without compromising on quality?
Am I investing enough in marketing myself and networking to maintain/increase visibility?
Do I have a solid contract and invoicing system in place to protect my business interests?
What strategies do I have in place for periods of low work volume?
Am I continuously learning and updating my skills to stay relevant in my field?
How do I handle work-life balance, and am I taking enough time for personal well-being?
Consulting
As I upskilled myself, I started adding new services to my freelance proposals as add-ons.
Think email marketing — along with writing blog posts, I’d also help clients clean up their email list, segment it into different buckets based on their criteria, and create a content calendar or an email template their in-house writers could follow.
Soon, I was selling SEO, email marketing, design, research reports, and social media marketing as add-ons. I had built up frameworks, mastered tools, and driven results for my clients.
Like most things in life, you only realize what you’re doing wrong when an external source shows you that clearly. Someone close to me once asked, “Are these really add-ons or are they full-fledged jobs you’re trying to cram into your freelance proposals?”
Light bulb moment.
I took a step back, requested for some time-off for a month from all my clients, and restructured my entire business. In the meantime, I also consulted some incredible marketers for their advice and asked if I was underselling my skills?
In those 30 days, I rigorosouly trimmed down the fat of my business and kept the meaty part. That meant, scaling up from just being a freelance writer to a content strategy consultant. Eliminating distractions like research reports, design, email marketing, and social media.
And with a proven track record of actually building up content strategies and driving results from them, I continued scaling my business.
The truth is, it’s easy to change your LinkedIn bio to say whatever you want. You could add the word CEO and list your freelancing business in the Work experience section. Or you could add a Sr. content marketer when you’ve only worked as a marketer for two years.
But when you’re selling your services, you’ll run into problems when there won’t be enough validation of your skills on paper. Buyers are sharper, selective, and smarter than ever. Be it a company buying your services on ad-hoc basis, or you buying a new monitor for your work station, every single one of us has evolved professionally to a stage where we’ve become incredibly great researchers. And if someone digs deep enough about you, they should be convinced of your skills and impact.
I bought plenty of courses, listened to podcasts at least 4 hours every single day for 30 days straight, and spoke to a lot of experienced marketers to figure out the WHY and HOW of making the transition from being a writer to a marketer.
It’s been a growth-driven, balanced journey of 7 years. Every single day, I wake up loving what I do for work, looking forward to the interesting campaings my team has planned for, and feeling satisfied thinking of the impact I’m creating.
Questions to ask yourself as a consultant:
Do I have a deep enough understanding of my field to provide high-value advice?
Am I effectively communicating my expertise and the ROI of my services to potential clients?
Have I built a strong professional network that can lead to referrals and new opportunities?
Do I have a clear method for measuring the impact of my consultancy work?
How do I differentiate my consultancy services from competitors?
Am I up-to-date with the latest trends and innovations in my industry?
What is my strategy for long-term client relationship management and retention?
Do I have testimonials or case studies to prove my past success and attract new clients?
How am I managing the administrative and business aspects of my consultancy practice?
Am I setting aside time for my own professional development and learning?
Takeaways from my career as a marketer
Value Creation Over Hard Work: In any job, earning potential increases not just with hard work but by creating a bigger impact and adding value.
Freelancing Offers Flexibility and Growth: Freelancing can provide a significant increase in income and personal growth opportunities, alongside the flexibility to manage your own schedule.
Building a Personal Brand: Using platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Slack communities for networking and visibility can greatly enhance freelancing opportunities.
Prioritizing Quality Over Quantity: Focusing on a few solid clients or projects can lead to a more sustainable and less burnt-out freelancing career.
Transition to Consulting: As skills and experience grow, transitioning from freelancing to consulting can be a natural progression, allowing for specialization and potentially higher earnings.
Continuous Learning and Upskilling: Investing in self-improvement through courses, podcasts, and mentorship is crucial for career growth and transition.
Authenticity and Validation are Key: In consulting or freelancing, being genuine about your skills and having a proven track record are important for attracting clients.
Impact and Satisfaction: Finding fulfillment in your work and making a positive impact should be the ultimate goal, regardless of the career path.
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