Times Money Mentor’s Post

A Professional Heartbreak One of my friends, who’s into freelancing, recently lost one of his highest-paying clients, an American YouTuber who was paying him in dollars for an hour of work, five days a week. When telling me about this, my friend said, “Bhai, mera dil tod diya, mera client mujhe chor ke chala gaya.” (Brother, my heart is broken; my client has left me.) It has been over a week, but he remains deeply affected by the loss. Observing this, I’ve come to realize several points: - Avoid forming such a deep connection with a client that it becomes difficult to move on. - Acknowledge that there will always be someone more skilled. - Continuously search for new clients and opportunities. - Consistently work on improving and enhancing your skills. - Understand that a client may leave at any time. GC: Amaan Gul 👀

"Keep doing that until you land a 'real job'," they said. Sound familiar? I've been there - post-graduation, freelancing, agency work, you name it. Society has us believe that a "real job" is something you despise, where you grind non-stop for minimum wage. But here's the catch: I'm at the happiest phase of my life now, working harder than ever before. The game-changer? Creative freedom. Building something beneficial for our team and audience, learning to scale up, learning from the best – we've bundled it all together. Notice Me(dia) has just launched a newsletter, spotlighting top CEOs like Naval Ravikant. We share all his insights so you can apply them in your own life. In less than 24 hours, we've already hit 130 subscribers. Don't be left behind. You'll find the link in the comments. Catch it while you can :)

💡What I'd go back and tell my 20 year old self...💡 Recently I had someone 3-4 years younger from back in high-school reach out & ask for some life / career advice. They were in a similar situation as me when I was still in University - completely lost and unsatisfied with how my day-to-day was looking as an adult. I'll be 25 in a couple of months - and although I'm far from having my life figured out - I'm definitely in a better place than I was 4 years ago - here's a quick summary of what I told him, and what I wished someone would've told me when I was 20: 1. No-one cares. Aside from your parents (if you're lucky) and maybe a couple of close friends, no-one cares about you, where you are in life, or where you're heading. Pursue what you want to pursue without worrying about how others will perceive you. 2. Don't be afraid to leave. If you don't feel like you belong somewhere, leave. Be it a city, an institution, a friend group, or a relationship. Things rarely change for the better on their own, and there are so many people / places out there who would treat you so much better just as you are. Don't waste time on people who don't value you. 3. Learn how to make an income outside of regular employment. Instead of leaning on a job for an income - learn how to provide value to the market on an individual level. Unlike what they teach you in school, jobs are not less risky, or more secure than being able to freelance / run a small business of your own. In a business, customers come and go. In time you will be able to predict the flow of customers coming in, forecast how much income you will make that month, and gradually increase your bandwidth & flow of revenue as time goes on. If you fire a client, or if a client fires you, you have many others to keep you afloat. 4. Give yourself as much time as you need. Even if you suck at something, just simply doing it every single day for an extended period of time will make you significantly better. I SUCKED at freelancing when I started 2 years ago. I SUCKED at managing my team when I started my agency. I cringe when I reminisce on some of the first sales calls I ever had. The reason I'm much further ahead of where I was 2 years ago, is because I didn't quit. I knew that I sucked, but I knew it couldn't get worse if I just showed up everyday. Momentum can take years to develop, showing up is really half the battle. 5. Stay on top of your health. Eat good, sleep well, exercise daily, hang out with people that raise your mood up, and don't consume media that brings you down mentally. Curious to know what you'd tell yourself if you could go back in time. Do you agree with the above 5? Let me know in the comments below. 👇

I had a chat with a friend who switched to freelancing  To this day, he didn't land a single project Sometimes, it's not about you or your CV. For context, he's got 5 years of experience and works with the same clients he worked with before. And he's doing well.  Thanks to referrals and previous networking. But when it comes to new projects, he's had 0 results in the last 2 months. Worth noting, he didn't commit much in his portfolio. But let's be real. When you have a reliable job and 5 years behind you, you don't care much about collecting a portfolio. Especially, when most of the work you do is under NDA. And this got me thinking. Do you think portfolio, networking, or referrals matter more these days to land a job than personality? PS. Does it matter more than the fact you can actually deliver the best results? -- PPS. If you're enjoying this type of content, ↳ Make sure to subscribe to me, Alexander Karsonis

I got scammed by my client When you start something new, You’re full of scepticism and self-doubt. When I started my freelancing journey, I was in the same boat. Early on, I made a big mistake. I took on a project without a contract. I trusted the client’s word and enthusiasm. Everything seemed perfect at first. But as the work progressed, Red flags began to appear. Payments were delayed. Communication became sporadic. Eventually, the client vanished, Leaving me with unpaid invoices and wasted time. I was devastated. But this experience taught me invaluable lessons. Always have a contract. No matter how trustworthy a client seems, A contract protects both parties. I learned to set clear boundaries and expectations from the start. I began to value my work more. Understanding that my time and skills are precious. This experience made me more resilient. More cautious, but also more confident. I built better processes. Developed a stronger client vetting system. And learned to trust my instincts. Getting scammed was a tough lesson, But it made me a better freelancer. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from a mistake in your career?

Is it just me, or is it just hard to turn down an opportunity—any opportunity—when you’re freelancing? I’m about to break up with my longest-running retainer client. And it’s not becase anything is wrong. I love this client. I love their mission and their product. I’ve loved working with their team. And I’ve especially loved the freedom they’ve given me to do my thing. So, why am I leaving? Because I’ve grown. My offering has evolved. The work no longer serves my greater business goals. The reason I’ve hung on for a year includes the reasons I mentioned. But if I’m honest, it’s more because the month-to-month paycheck is reliable. I’ve found that saying no—especially when you have a bird in hand—is one of the hardest parts of freelancing. It’s easy to fall into a scarcity mindset and hang onto a “sure thing,” even when you know it’s holding you back. But there’s an opportunity cost to everything you do. Being honest and clear about how you’re spending your time can either propel you forward or hold you back. It took me a few months of going back and forth on whether or not I should leave behind this opportunity to pursue an unknown bigger one. Is it the right choice? Feels like it! I’ll report back in a few months.

Do You Believe in Allah Almighty blesses you in uncountable ways! Right? One door closes and the other opens in a way you can't even fathom As I mentioned yesterday about that heartless client who didn't pay me. The very next week, someone offered me a gig. It was a random short-term gig but paid well. In freelancing, I believe in the take-it or leave-it policy. However, I am always up to some reasonable negotiations. So at that time, when this person told me that I was expensive and then ghosted. I didn't dwell on it. After two years break, he contacted me again Offered two short projects. It was a trusted source ‘luckily’ so they paid promptly. In freelancing, you are always on a roller coaster ride like At one moment you reach the high point and earn money and at the other moment, you fall into an uncertainty ditch and do not know what will happen next. It was like that moment for me. I was having bad money days but this gig came to brighten my day. In a nutshell, If one door closes on you another 100s are waiting for you to be opened. Have faith in your abilities Trust In Yourself and Allah You will definitely be rewarded. Did you have any similar experiences? Would love to hear your thoughts. If you just stumbled here for the first time. Let me introduce myself. I am Ayesha H., a green writer. I craft words for a brighter, sustainable, and cash-positive tomorrow. My words + Your Business = Success (💵+🌍) Wanna Green your business? 🤝 Let's chat! #freelancing #blessings #experience #sustainability

➤ 9 to 6 job is hard. Freelancing is hard.  So, pick your hard. ➤ Being fat is hard.  To be fit is hard.  Pick your hard. ➤ Communication is hard.  Not able to tell your opinion is hard.  Pick your hard. ➤ Being in debt is hard.  Being financially free is hard.  Pick your hard. ➤ Mastering your craft is hard.  But having no skills is harder.  Pick your hard. Life will never be easy. It will always be hard.  But we can choose our hard.  Pick wisely! Anything worth having is going to take work! PS: What is your hard & how do you tackle it? ♻ Repost to expand reach. Follow me, hit the 🔔 Sangeetha K You'll get notified on my next post. #linkedingrowth  #personalbranding #socialemediamarketing

After 8 years of freelancing, on and off, I've come to realize a common pitfall: the reluctance to say NO. I too am a sufferer of this. We often overload our plates out of the fear of disrespecting others, leading to all-nighters and over-commitment. But here's the catch: this can inadvertently signal that the job was easy, inviting a never-ending stream of additional tasks. Here are my thoughts on the root cause & suggestions; 1. Yes, communication is important. And that starts from the BEGINING. Be very clear and precise about the task brief and what you're asking from someone! We are often emotionally too available to be taken for granted. But don't do that, because we feel it when you do. 2. Please don't underestimate or overestimate the required time a task may need. It varies from person to person. If someone can do a job in one hour that requires 10 hours for others, it's his/her skill and years of experience that make it efficient. On the other hand, if someone takes 10 hours to do a one-hour job, that means he/she isn't eligible for the job yet. 3. Please don't mix help & support with professional commitments.