5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Freelancing
Hard lessons about clients, pricing, and process—learn them now, not later.
1. Clients Don’t Know What They Want
They’ll say they want a ‘simple’ site — but ask for 8 pages, interactive forms, animations, and a CMS. 👉 Always ask for 2–3 reference sites before you quote. This helps you clarify style, scope, and complexity early on.
2. Figma Before Code
Jumping straight into VS Code wastes time. You’ll tweak layout mid-build and rewrite components. 👉 Design in Figma first — even rough frames help lock down layout, flow, and copy.
3. Don’t Over-Explain Tech
Clients don’t care about Tailwind, React, or your stack. They care about the outcome. 👉 Frame your pitch in benefits: “fast load”, “easy to update”, “trustworthy feel” — not buzzwords.
4. Scope Creep Is Your Enemy
What starts as one page often becomes five. Edits never stop. 👉 Write a short scope doc or checklist and get sign-off. Set limits, and mention what’s ‘extra’ before you begin.
5. You Need a Repeatable Process
Every project shouldn’t feel like your first. 👉 Make templates for proposals, onboarding, and delivery. Reuse layout blocks in your code. Protect your energy for design, not admin.
What this note covers
- 1. Clients Don’t Know What They Want
- 2. Figma Before Code
- 3. Don’t Over-Explain Tech
- 4. Scope Creep Is Your Enemy
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