How to Start Freelancing Business?

sancheuz · August 25th, 2003

Hello,
I'm interested in becoming a freelancer architectural renderer. I know there are some freelancers in here. Eventually I wish to have my own studio. I am only 18 though. I was wondering if any of you could share tips or experiences on how to begin my own business. Dont worry i live in a small town in Florida where i wont be any competition to you guys

John Dollus · August 25th, 2003

Freelancer or Moonlighter? Big difference.

sancheuz · August 25th, 2003

What is a moonlighter exactly?

Sawyer · August 25th, 2003

I moonlight - I own my own set up and I work out of my house after the hours I put in as a drafter. A freelancer works full time for themselves out of their own office.

Main thing I think is to hone your skills. You need a visual eye for design and composition. A photograhers sensabilities and a really good understanding of how buildings work. Knowledge of cad software I think is also very important. Plus how to do things to computers so they don't die.

Jeff Mottle here at CGA is very strict about creating a professional mood. This means no talk about warez or cracked software. This is important for many reasons and it is just a fact of life that you are going to have to buy a bit of stuff. I would imagine thinking about $10,000 to start. Also to freelance you need to do all your own marketing/budgeting/fun stuff like that. So pick up a few business books I love Guerrila Marketing but there are thousands of business books.

bigcahunak · August 25th, 2003

Build a strong portfolio.

John Dollus · August 25th, 2003

Sawyer hit it right on the head.

A moonlighter uses someone elses software and business resources in order to provide services to others outside of their main employer for compensation outside of their main income.
A freelancer is typically self-sufficient with their own insurance (both business and health) as well as their own expenses such as software upgrades etc.

choochee · August 25th, 2003

It takes a lot of effort. We started working from our living room, today we have a nice office and many different works (check out www.n-trace.com). The most important thing to know is, the most difficult part is getting the client to order a job. Doing it is easy....also in Israel, it takes some time to beat the cash out of him after it's done ;(

kid · August 25th, 2003

this might be a helpful article -

http://www.coroflot.com/public/how_t...freelancer.asp

and here's something fellow freelancer/moonlighter designers and illustrators will find amusing (and true)

[ August 26, 2003, 04:41 AM: Message edited by: kid ]

Cesar R · September 13th, 2003

Designer's bed looks like mine, LMAO HAHA !

nice one!

nisus · September 18th, 2003

Very nice image Kid. Where did you find it?
rgds

nisus

August 25th, 2003	#1 (permalink)
sancheuz Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Homestead Age: 24 Posts: 204 Name: Jonathan Sanchez	Hello, I'm interested in becoming a freelancer architectural renderer. I know there are some freelancers in here. Eventually I wish to have my own studio. I am only 18 though. I was wondering if any of you could share tips or experiences on how to begin my own business. Dont worry i live in a small town in Florida where i wont be any competition to you guys __________________ Skylight?

August 25th, 2003	#3 (permalink)
sancheuz Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Homestead Age: 24 Posts: 204 Name: Jonathan Sanchez	What is a moonlighter exactly? __________________ Skylight?

August 25th, 2003	#4 (permalink)
Sawyer Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: CA Age: 34 Posts: 1,563 Name: Sawyer Fischer	I moonlight - I own my own set up and I work out of my house after the hours I put in as a drafter. A freelancer works full time for themselves out of their own office. Main thing I think is to hone your skills. You need a visual eye for design and composition. A photograhers sensabilities and a really good understanding of how buildings work. Knowledge of cad software I think is also very important. Plus how to do things to computers so they don't die. Jeff Mottle here at CGA is very strict about creating a professional mood. This means no talk about warez or cracked software. This is important for many reasons and it is just a fact of life that you are going to have to buy a bit of stuff. I would imagine thinking about $10,000 to start. Also to freelance you need to do all your own marketing/budgeting/fun stuff like that. So pick up a few business books I love Guerrila Marketing but there are thousands of business books. __________________ And you may ask yourself What is that beautiful house?

August 25th, 2003	#7 (permalink)
choochee Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Israel Age: 39 Posts: 102 Name: Yossi Rachevsky	It takes a lot of effort. We started working from our living room, today we have a nice office and many different works (check out www.n-trace.com). The most important thing to know is, the most difficult part is getting the client to order a job. Doing it is easy....also in Israel, it takes some time to beat the cash out of him after it's done ;( __________________ www.n-trace.com visit us !

August 25th, 2003	#8 (permalink)
kid Veteran Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 629 Name: ad hominem	this might be a helpful article - http://www.coroflot.com/public/how_t...freelancer.asp and here's something fellow freelancer/moonlighter designers and illustrators will find amusing (and true) [ August 26, 2003, 04:41 AM: Message edited by: kid ] __________________ cabbages

August 25th, 2003	#2 (permalink)
John Dollus Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Tampa Age: 38 Posts: 619 Name: John Dollus	Freelancer or Moonlighter? Big difference.

August 25th, 2003	#5 (permalink)
bigcahunak Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Israel Age: 36 Posts: 820 Name: Itzik Kelner	Build a strong portfolio.

August 25th, 2003	#6 (permalink)
John Dollus Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Tampa Age: 38 Posts: 619 Name: John Dollus	Sawyer hit it right on the head. A moonlighter uses someone elses software and business resources in order to provide services to others outside of their main employer for compensation outside of their main income. A freelancer is typically self-sufficient with their own insurance (both business and health) as well as their own expenses such as software upgrades etc.

September 13th, 2003	#9 (permalink)
Cesar R Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Florida Age: 26 Posts: 876 Name: Cesar Rullier	Designer's bed looks like mine, LMAO HAHA ! nice one! __________________ Xeon 5130 : Revit + 3DSMax Architecture Student / Autodesk BSD AE ------------------------------------------ Fa5 - Honda Civic Si

September 18th, 2003	#10 (permalink)
nisus Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gent Flanders Belgium Europe Age: 32 Posts: 3,276 Name: Evert Vandenberghe	Very nice image Kid. Where did you find it? rgds nisus __________________ www.ams.be / www.nisusarts.com http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=nisusCGA&p=r

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