I have been freelancing as WordPress Developer and most recently as SEO for almost 10 years now.
My suggestions in this article are not based around skill set nor how to find and land new projects. It’s more towards the business end. So let me start.
Find a good tax accountant
Finding a good tax accountant is key to the success of any business. This is the rule #1 and had been mentioned to me by my mentors and bosses. And this applies with freelancing too.
You have to find an accountant or firm that is up to date with the latest tax laws that you can claim. As with any businesses, freelancing businesses have cost and expense too. For example as WordPress developer, my cost of hosting and plugins are quite significant, as well as I do spend a fair bit upskilling myself every year. So, I have to be sure what I can claim legally.
I am saying this because I had been in cases where my accountant didn’t claim the expenses I was entitled to claim legally. Small things matter when doing tax. It’s not only about expenses but also with income too. Main point, find a good tax accountant. It will be a very good investment.
Team up with expertise
I personally believe anyone can learn new skills to a reasonable point. But to be the best, you have to work with the best. If there are cases where teaming up with skilled professionals brings best value to the business, you have to.
In my case for example, I am pretty confident around SEO Services, especially technical and On-Page. But if a client asks for link building, I don’t touch that part, instead I refer this to a good friend of mine here in Sydney. But I don't outsource offshore outside of Australia and am transparent to the client.
Getting business advices
If you are targeting growth and not sure how to get there, getting advice from professionals can be rewarding in the long haul. Personally, I haven’t done so, but some of my friends running agencies had tried hiring a business advisor, and it has worked wonders for them.
It really comes to your budget, and what sort of advice you are seeking.