In this post, I wanted to summarise some of my freelancing goals for 2014. I hope that by doing so, I’ll hold myself accountable for growing my business next year.
Scale up
When I take on freelancing engagements, clients are currently getting just me. This is fine, but limits the amount of projects I can take on at one time. In 2014, I want this to change so that I can provide more value to clients and take on additional work — I don’t want to be bound by my own time.
I want to grow my business out so that it’s not just me, but a combination of me and and other (freelance) developers. In other words, transition from “Glen The Freelancer” to “Glen the Freelance Business Owner”. I’ve already taken first steps with this one by forming my own company (Yellow Square).
Action: Outsource and manage other developers on future projects.
Enhance my product portfolio
Selling products was one of my failed goals of 2013. My existing WordPress theme aggregator has stagnated after a long period of neglect, and my e-book on freelance development is only 25% complete. I want to put more effort into both of these, and also look into other forms of recurring revenue.
Action: Complete e-book
Read more business books
I’m a slow, but avid reader of books (I’m getting faster — “10 Days To Faster Reading” is helping me with this). Next year I want to be reading more business books and applying the advice to help my freelancing career.
Some great books I’ve read this year and can highly recommend include “E-Myth Revisited”, “Book Yourself Solid” and “Winning Without Losing”.
Action: Read at least 1 business book each month
Teach more
I blog occassionally. I send out mails to my mailing lists occasionally. But I want to do this more, and do it more consistently. I want to help people, and in the process grow my audience.
Action: Blog at least once per month. Send out a mail to my freelancing and software development lists at least once a month.
What plans do you have for next year? Comment at the bottom of this page and let me know, I’d love to hear from you.
photo credit: soccer goal by see-ming lee on flickr
Glen Scott
I’m a freelance software developer with 18 years’ professional experience in web development. I specialise in creating tailor-made, web-based systems that can help your business run like clockwork. I am the Managing Director of Yellow Square Development.
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