John the Freelancer

Wanna land your first freelance client? It’s simple. 1. Create an Upwork profile 2. Pick one specific skill 3. Apply to 3 jobs a day with personalized proposals That’s all I did to land my first client. Why does this work? You get better fast by doing, not thinking.

I’ve always said this. If you’re in data and want to stay relevant: Learn how to make decisions, not dashboards. Explain outcomes, not outputs. Solve problems, not queries. Tools fade. Problem-solvers don’t.

I don’t get it. Why are data devs obsessing over what’ll be relevant in 3 years? SQL has lasted 40+. Python’s been strong for 20. What matters more? - Can you solve a real problem? - Can you explain it simply? - Can someone pay you for it? Long-term relevance = business…

Worried your data skills won’t be relevant in 2–3 years? Same here. What helped: - Focused on business problems, not just code - Practiced explaining insights, not just building pipelines - Learned to adapt Tools change. Thinking doesn’t.

Freedom as a dev is simple. I started freelancing without quitting my job. How? - Picked one skill to sell - Took weekend gigs - Learned how to talk to clients “But what if it fails?” Then you still have your job. You’re not stuck, you’re just scared.

Getting ETL clients as a freelancer is simple. Stop saying “I do Python-based ETL.” No one cares. Here’s what works: - Say “I automate your reports” - Target ecom and SaaS founders - Share mini-case studies of time saved “But they don’t know what ETL is.” Exactly. You need…

Scared to leave your stable dev job? Me too. But here’s what helped me build confidence: - Took on 1 freelance project on the side - Treated it like a test run - Realized I could land clients consistently You don’t need to take a big leap. You need a small win.

You want to raise your rates But you're afraid clients will walk. So you stay stuck: - Overworked. - Underpaid. - Resentful. Here’s the truth: The right clients don’t leave because of higher rates. They leave when the value isn’t clear. If you’re struggling to charge…