One Quarter Down Without a Corporate Safety Net: The Brutal Truth

None of these people are me.

One whole quarter without a corporate safety net. Has it really been that long? It’s gone so fast. Would I rather go through this again or apply for my first full-time job again? Honestly, I’m not sure. But one thing I do know: this founders/solo/startup/freelancers club feels like its own little secret world. But, I was put on this earth to complain and eat potatoes — so I’m sharing the real truth about what I’ve learned so far.

1. It’s Hard

I don't know what I was expecting. (Actually, I do. I thought I’d be making six figures within six months because, you know, freelance wages.) But, work doesn’t land in your lap. I don’t answer cold emails, so why would I expect anyone else to?! You have to hustle. It's your entire personality now. And even when you have work, you can't work 100% of the time. Which means you can’t get paid 100% of the time. You also have to:

• Hustle

• Do admin

• Build your personal brand

• Network

None of those pay you directly, but without them, you’ll never get paid at all.

2. It’s a Mental Game

This part caught me off guard. I’m a team player. I need a work bestie, someone to bounce ideas off. But when it’s just you in your own head all day, things get heavy. I’ve caught myself leaving long voice notes to friends just to hear my own thoughts out loud. If you’re having a bad day, there’s no one to pick you up. You just... spiral. Here’s what’s helped me:

• Get dressed (yes, even makeup) every day

• Join a gym

• Rent a coworking space

I need to feel like I’m going to work. Because guess what? Nobody is making you work. And if I don’t trick myself into acting like a functioning human, nothing gets done. (Also, turns out I’m hella Type B. Keeping my shit together is an active effort.)

3. Your Personal Brand Is Your Business

Sure, you can cold email people and eventually hit someone. But honestly, how many people am I going to annoy in the process and kill my future chances with? Every single piece of work I’ve gotten has come through LinkedIn or TikTok. It’s not enough to just offer services anymore. You have to build a personal brand, a stream of content, a reputation, a presence. This is the part I’m focusing on now. I guess this is where I say, watch this space?

4. You Find Your Offer By Saying ‘No.’

From the beginning, I knew fractional work was for me — flexibility was the main thing I wanted. But what exactly am I offering? What’s my edge? Honestly, it’s been a journey of omission. Each project helps me learn:

• What I enjoy

• What I don't

• Where my actual strengths lie

For example, I know now I’m not built for tiny businesses. I’m best at auditing brand experiences and optimising budget activity — not wearing twelve hats at once. It’s been organic, I’ve found omission has been the best way to find what I like.

5. You Better Nail Your Elevator Pitch

Ohhh, here’s a painful one. In one networking call, I had a horrible experience. I was already feeling fragile, and neither of us had done enough research before the meeting. After the call, when of course, I was stuck with nothing but my own thoughts. I came to realisation that marketing is a spectrum. Simply, similar to a political spectrum. You might have a few thoughts that cross the spectrum but for the most part, you’ll occupy a space.

• Far left = creatives

• Middle = content, strategy, generalists

• Far right = hardcore digital, tech, development

I sit moderate. A lot strategic, a little creative, can manage a web build, but I’m not your tech-stack advisor. This person was deep right, deeply technical and I wasn’t clear enough about where I sit. They tore me apart. Told me I didn’t have enough hands on skills. It was brutal, but necessary. You best believe after that, I nailed my elevator pitch. (Actually, it’s still fluid. I think it always will be, but it’s in much better shape.)

The Marketing Spectrum: A simplified approach.

6. Network. Then Network Some More. Then wait. Then network.

There’s a hidden job market. It’s the WOM job market. Companies aren’t using recruiters or running job ads to hire Fractionals. It’s Word of Mouth. But, there’s a real disconnect you don’t see coming. The people that need you, aren’t networking, they’re WORKING. The people willing to help you. They’re amazing, but they’re your peers. Other hustlers. Of course the insight and advice you’re getting is incredible, but in terms of networking for work, more often than not there’s at least one degree of separation. You’re networking with a peer, you hope will in future mention you to someone they know. It’s a long game, which is a hard task for someone who’s been raised by social media to expect gratification in under 30 seconds.

Final Thoughts

Three months in, and this life is not what Instagram makes it look like. It’s messy, scary, lonely sometimes — but also, deeply rewarding (or it will be, I hope.)