DEV Community

Cover image for Brutal Truths About Freelancing

Brutal Truths About Freelancing

Sohail SJ | TheZenLabs on January 06, 2025

This is a submission for the 2025 New Year Writing challenge: Retro’ing and Debugging 2024. Hey Dev, So 2024 was my first year as a freelancer,...
Collapse
 
arjun_chauhan_ea83ba617b8 profile image
Arjun Chauhan

Great post! Balancing freelancing, time management, and continuous learning is definitely a challenge, but it's also what makes it so rewarding. I completely agree that setting clear priorities and maintaining a healthy routine is key. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle, but making time for learning new skills not only keeps us sharp but also motivates us to stay passionate about what we do. Thanks for sharing these insights

Collapse
 
thesohailjafri profile image
Sohail SJ | TheZenLabs

I'm glad you liked the article!

Collapse
 
superdevchaurasia profile image
Ashfak

The projects you worked on in 2024 are super impressive!

Collapse
 
thesohailjafri profile image
Sohail SJ | TheZenLabs

hey thanks mate!

Collapse
 
sahilchaubey profile image
sahilchaubey03

Your tips on managing finances and dealing with difficult clients are pure gold—thank you for sharing

Collapse
 
thesohailjafri profile image
Sohail SJ | TheZenLabs

hey thanks I hope those help!

Collapse
 
sahil_chaubey_45db49be580 profile image
WebDevWarrior

You mentioned reading some amazing books in 2024. Which one had the biggest impact on your freelancing journey, and why?

Collapse
 
thesohailjafri profile image
Sohail SJ | TheZenLabs

NSTD for sure, the best book on negotiations. without it you cant survive in freelance world

Collapse
 
sahil_chaubey_5417dfa7caa profile image
ReactNinja

It’s refreshing to see someone openly talk about the highs and lows of freelancing

Collapse
 
thesohailjafri profile image
Sohail SJ | TheZenLabs

thank you for reading it!!!

Collapse
 
sahil_reigns_4776e181e6f7 profile image
ReignsEmpire

How do you handle clients who ghost you mid-project?

Collapse
 
thesohailjafri profile image
Sohail SJ | TheZenLabs

just take that content ui/code and use it in social media posts for learning your learnings. if your contract allows you.

Collapse
 
shesah_b56b4a3a21dea42d77 profile image
Shesah

superb quality content ✨

Collapse
 
thesohailjafri profile image
Sohail SJ | TheZenLabs

glad to hear that!

Collapse
 
devops_devrel profile image
Memories From

I’m curious—how do you handle unexpected expenses during slower months? Do you have a strategy for that?

Collapse
 
thesohailjafri profile image
Sohail SJ | TheZenLabs

thank you for giving it the read!

Collapse
 
mahesh_allam_80ccc1372f8a profile image
Mahesh ALLAM

Really helpful article! It gives a clear and honest view of freelancing, showing both the good and the tough parts. Great for anyone thinking about freelancing 🔥🔥

Collapse
 
thesohailjafri profile image
Sohail SJ | TheZenLabs

thank you for giving it the read!

Collapse
 
riya_shukla_659343aef0ce6 profile image
riya shukla

Informative blog , very useful content

Collapse
 
thesohailjafri profile image
Sohail SJ | TheZenLabs

thank you for giving it the read!

Collapse
 
kiran_waghmare_f88adefc30 profile image
Kiran Waghmare

🤩

Collapse
 
thesohailjafri profile image
Sohail SJ | TheZenLabs

thank you for the read!