Freelancing and Self Employment

I earned ₹35 Lakhs in over 12 months freelancing alongside my MBA. Here’s the exact breakdown of how I got clients, delivered work, and built systems. I didn’t have a personal brand. I didn’t post daily on LinkedIn. I didn’t pitch “content strategy” or growth hacks. What I did have - was clarity on the value I could offer. I worked with founders, funds, and early-stage ventures across the US, UAE, and India. Helping them with pitch decks, founder stories, research reports, ghostwriting, and financial models. I didn’t chase 10 skills - I picked 3-4 that solved real problems. Then I built strong, specific offerings around them. Most of my clients were in that messy middle - Post-ideation, pre-scale. Not ready to hire full-time, but needing fast, sharp support. I reached out after startup pitch days, fundraises, or founder podcasts. Tracked warm leads in a simple Excel sheet. Sent personalized cold DMs. No spam. No fluff. I learned fast that delivery matters more than outreach. So I built clear scope of work docs, streamlined SOPs, and onboarding templates. No back-and-forth confusion. Just clarity, timelines, and outcomes. By Month 3, I wasn’t selling. I was just sending links and letting the work speak. And yes - I charged what I knew I was worth. Because I had done the research, benchmarked my pricing, and stuck to my lane. This isn’t some overnight success story. But it’s proof that freelancing isn’t just “extra income” - it can be real work, if you treat it like one. Comment your email ID and I’ll send you: - My actual lead gen Excel tracker - Cold DM templates that worked - My service breakdown sheet (what I offered, how I priced it) If you’re in B-school or just figuring your way around freelancing, this will help you start smarter. No gas. Just real systems that worked. #FreelancingJourney #SPJIMR #SideHustle #MBAAndBeyond #Ghostwriting #StartupSupport #FounderOps #PitchDecks #FinanceFreelancer #WorkSmart #LinkedIn #LinkedInCreator

To every Salesforce Consultant thinking about going Independent in 2026. January is usually the month when Senior Consultants look at their billable rate, look at their salary, and think: "I could do this on my own and double my income." I’ve recruited in this ecosystem for 12 years. I’ve seen people make the jump and thrive. I’ve also seen them panic and go back to full-time positions in 3 months. If you are weighing the switch, here are the factors I see making the biggest difference between a stress-free transition and a struggle. 1. The "Unbillable CEO" Reality When you are full-time, you just do the work. When you are independent, you have to run the business. Incorporation, taxes, chasing invoices, and compliance. Are you okay with doing 5-10 hours of unpaid admin a week? Also, consider the cash flow. Companies often pay Net-45 or Net-60. 2. The Continuous Pipeline In a full-time role, projects are handed to you. As a contractor, you have to hunt for them constantly. It isn't just about finding the first project. The real skill is lining up the next one while you are busy delivering the current one. Balancing deep technical work with constant networking and business development is a new muscle to build. It takes getting used to, and honestly, it isn't for everyone. 3. The "Niche" Factor The contract market is strong right now, but it heavily favors specific profiles. Know your lane before you start looking. • The Industry Specialist: Do you know Nonprofit Cloud, nCino, or Financial Services Cloud inside out? • The Force Multiplier: Are you a Senior Architect who can still be hands-on? Clients love this profile because they get "Strategy" and "Delivery" in one hire (2 roles for the price of 1). The Bottom Line: Contracting isn't just a job change. It’s a business launch. If you have the network and the specific skills the market needs right now, it can be a great career move. Contractors, what’s the one thing you wish you knew before you started? #SalesforceConsultant #Contracting #Freelance #CareerStrategy

Okay so here’s everything I know about getting clients (learned from freelancing with 30+ tech companies like Siemens, Semrush, and Riverside). In this free guide, I'll share... The three basic conditions clients need to feel comfortable hiring you: • Trust: The client trusts you as a person. • Pain: The client has a problem you can solve. • Taste: The client likes your work. The five methods I use to find new clients: 1. Friends & Family: Great starting point, but limited. Build a basic portfolio and move on.
 2. Intros & Referrals: Offer value when asking for an intro. They’re risking their reputation for you. 3. Cold Outreach: Don’t ask for work. Do the work. 
 Show how you’d solve their problems. 4. Content Creation: Share the work you want to create and high-intent clients will come. 5. Public Speaking: Speaking at a 20-person meetup will get you more clients than sitting in the audience at a huge conference. And
I will also: • Show you real screenshots and templates from my own process. • Explain how to start freelancing as a creative copywriter or designer, even if you have no experience or portfolio, and then work your way up to bigger clients. Let’s dive in :)

Step forward. Step outward. Step together. Three simple steps to build community I learned from Rhona Segarra and shared at Future Product Days. In my opening night keynote "With Heart and Head and Hands" I tuned Rhona's simple yet powerful steps to the context of a conference (or any other meeting of people). My goal: to help people overcome the awkwardness of not knowing who to talk to and instead meet one another to have meaningful conversations and build new relationships. Here's what to do: Step Forward (literally): When you see someone you want to talk to, walk up and engage! The place to start is with Vanessa Van Edwards' viral conversation starter: Replace "How are you?" (a recipe for dreadfully boring empty convos) with "What's good?" Step Outward (to be your true self and invite others to do the same): Now that you have a conversation flowing, make sure it is meaningful and inclusive. The place to start is by share your values and purpose: Tell your new friends what you care about and what you want to discuss, and find common ground. And as you do so, make sure to stand in an open circle and invite others in so your group can grow. Step Together (to keep the conversation and relationship going): When connection is built, make it last without making it the only connection of the day. The place to start is by making concrete plans for when and where to re-engage. "Let's grab coffee some time" is the end before anything has begun. "Let's go to dinner tonight! I'll suggest some options and send you the details. 6:30PM, and bring your friends!" stalls awkwardness and hesitation before they have a chance to take root. And once you take the initiative, your problem won't be finding someone to share your meal with, but finding a place that can host everyone around a communal table. The day after my talk, several people pulled me aside to let me know they'd tried these steps and they worked. And that evening, I found myself at a table outside a restaurant in Copenhagen sharing a meal and deep conversation with friends new and old. Because Rhona is right, and these three simple steps do in fact build community. Here's Rhona's TEDxSurrey talk "3 simple ways to build community." It just might be the best 10 minutes you spend with the internet today: https://lnkd.in/g3db79Ti #futureproductdays #tedxsurrey #howtomakefriends #connection #keynote #linkedinlife

Thinking about contracting but unsure if you’re ready? The transition from employee to contractor isn’t just about the money; it’s about mindset, strategy, and execution. When I made the leap into contracting in 2021, I had the same concerns many employees do today: Am I really ready for this? The truth is, preparation is everything. Contracting is not just about securing high day rates; it’s about taking control of your career, your finances, and your future. Here’s what you need to consider before you take the plunge: ✅ Adopt the contractor mindset: Contracting gives you the flexibility to build a Portfolio Career and future-proof your income if you treat the journey with respect. ✅ Develop a marketable niche: What skills, experience, and qualifications set you apart? Your industry, sector, and specialisms will determine your success whether you recognise it or not. ✅ Build a financial safety net: Contracting comes with gaps between contracts. Having 4+ months of expenses covered gives you breathing room. ✅ Optimize your presence: Update your LinkedIn, refine your CV, and start networking with contractors, recruiters, and accountants. Visibility is key. If you’re serious about transitioning into contracting, preparation is non-negotiable. The market is shifting. Those who position themselves well will thrive. Are you considering contracting? What’s your biggest hesitation? Let me know in the comments below! P.S. If you want help with your CV or LinkedIn and you’re within the project space, send me a message. #Contracting #PortfolioCareer #CareerGrowth #Leadership

After founding and scaling a women's organization to 15,000+ members, I know one truth: 89% of women's networks fail to deliver real value. This one won't. As the founder and former CEO of the National Association of Women Sales Professionals (NAWSP), I built a community that transformed careers, not just conversations. Three critical elements I learned about building powerful women's networks: • Success depends on curation, not collection. The right 20 connections outperform 2,000 random ones every time. • Women leaders need spaces designed for their actual lives, not idealized versions. Your calendar is already full. • Networks that drive results focus on action and visibility, not just talk and theory. This is why I immediately recognized the power of the Wednesday Women Membership that just launched today. It's not another crowded Slack group with performative networking. It's built for exec-level women who lead with conviction, value authentic connection, and want every woman to rise. No Instagram-perfect corporate masks. No status symbol price tags. No time-wasting activities. Instead: ✅ Hand-curated and AI-powered network connections that actually matter ✅ Value that fits into your actual life ✅ A community rooted in action, generosity, authenticity, and visibility I've built and led organizations that changed the trajectory of women's careers for over a decade. The Wednesday Women approach aligns with everything I know works. Power doesn't come from larger networks. It comes from strategic ones. What would change if you stopped collecting connections and started cultivating the right ones? P.S. For women executives tired of networks that take more than they give: This is your community. https://lnkd.in/epHyq42c #WednesdayWomen #ExecutiveWomen

For anyone who cares about their IP protection. Here’s my 7-point IP checklist I use with founders. At the start, it feels like everything’s yours. • You built the product • You hired the team • You paid for the code So of course you own it... right? Not always. In the eyes of the law, ownership is about what the contract says. And I’ve seen founders lose control of the very thing they built because they skipped this one detail: Who owns the IP? If your agreement is not clear on this: • You might not own the code • Your designer might hold the rights • Your contractor might walk away with your product It doesn’t matter if you funded it, or had the idea. If the IP clause is missing or vague - you’re at risk. So whether you’re: • Building something with co-founders • Hiring a freelancer • Collaborating with an agency Put it in writing. State who owns what. Be clear on when and how IP transfers. Your IP is more than just assets. It’s the entire business Protect it like your future depends on it. Because it does. Now the way I suggest you do it is this: 1 // Always include a clear IP ownership clause • Specify who owns all IP created during the project • State that IP is owned by the company - not individuals • For freelancers: transfer happens upon full payment 2 // Use “Work for Hire” or assignment clauses • In India, employee-created IP usually defaults to the employer • Still - make it explicit in every contract • For contractors, include an “assignment of rights” clause 3 // Define when IP transfers • Be clear on when the transfer happens (e.g., upon payment or delivery) • Until then, the creator retains rights - you only get a license 4) Cover all types of IP • List all relevant IP: source code, designs, documentation, trademarks, patents, databases, and any custom tools or scripts. • Don’t leave anything ambiguous. 5 // Address third-party components • Require that libraries/plugins are licensed for commercial use • Get disclosures in writing • State you’re not liable for copyright violations 6 // Add confidentiality and non-disclosure clauses • Protect your ideas and internal processes • Prevent use or disclosure elsewhere • Apply this to employees, agencies, and freelancers 7 // Plan for exits and disputes • Define what happens if someone leaves or a project ends • Assign all completed work to the company or client And here's a quick checklist before you sign any contract. • Is there a dedicated IP ownership/assignment clause? • Does it specify when and how IP transfers? • Are all types of IP covered? • Are third-party components addressed? • Are confidentiality and non-disclosure terms included? • Is the clause enforceable under Indian law? Before you build, hire, or collaborate - review your contracts. If the IP clause isn’t crystal clear, fix it before you start. Your company’s future depends on it. --- ✍ Tell me below: Do you own the IP in your company?

3 things that helped me make 6 figures every month as a college student. This isn’t to show off but to share how I did it. In my first year of college, I started with just ₹5000 a month. By the time I was in my last semester, I was making six figures every single month. Here’s exactly what worked for me: 1. I Focused on Upskilling ~ Instead of relying on my degree alone, I learned what was in demand. ~ I was not wasting my time on useless courses. Instead, I focused on trying things and practically learning. 2. I Showed Up Consistently on LinkedIn ~ I started posting about what I was learning and doing. It wasn’t perfect, but it was consistent. ~ Slowly, people started noticing, and projects came my way. Sure, my friends trolled me: “Why are you wasting your college years working?” “You’re not enjoying life.” But looking back, I’m glad I focused on building instead of just chilling. 3. I Built Relationships the Right Way ~ I connected with people who were ahead of me—not to ask for favors but to genuinely learn from them. ~ Some of my biggest projects came from people I simply reached out to with a kind word. 📌 My Biggest Takeaway Networking is essential, but staying grounded is even more important. While I kept learning from those ahead of me, I also made sure to guide others who were starting out. It’s a cycle of growth, and you should be part of it from both sides. If you’re in college or early in your career, don’t let doubts hold you back. Start learning, start sharing, and start connecting. The opportunities are there—you just have to take the first step. P.S. To anyone who’s still figuring it out: remember, it’s okay to start small. ₹5000 was my beginning, and look where it led me. Your starting point doesn’t define your destination. It’s been 8 months since I graduated, and the skills I built during my college years have made me self-employed.

The Dutch government just cancelled a law that was killing freelancing. And most freelancers don't even know it happened (or what comes next). For the past 2 years, a law called Wet DBA caused thousands of Dutch freelancers to lose contracts overnight. Not because they did anything wrong. But because companies were scared of fines. So a lot of companies stopped hiring freelancers completely. Then this year, the government introduced Wet VBAR. A replacement law with 10 criteria to determine if you're a "real" freelancer. It was supposed to protect low-paid freelancers, but ended up hurting high-paid freelancers Last month, the cabinet scrapped most of that law. That means thousands of freelancers quit for basically nothing. Here's the thing though.. this is actually good news. It proves that governments are still figuring this out. And the freelancers who understand that, don't panic. They position themselves ahead of any changes. So here's 3 things that protect freelancers no matter what law comes next: 1. Work through a proper legal entity. An LLC or BV gives you flexibility in how your work relationship is defined. You're not a person selling hours. You're a business delivering results. 2. Structure your client relationships correctly. Working for one long-term client is fine, IF the relationship is set up right. Clear project scope, deliverables-based contracts, no boss telling you how to do your work. You're a contractor, not a hidden employee. 3. Charge above the €38/hour threshold. From 2027, below that rate you're legally presumed to be an employee in the Netherlands. Above it, the burden of proof shifts to your client. That means Tech Freelancers are mostly exempt from this. The law changed. It'll change again. Build your freelance business in such a way so it doesn't matter. Be honest, did wet DBA impact your outlook on freelancing?

PSA for Professional Speakers: Know What You're Signing We recently reviewed a client contract that included language many speakers might gloss over but shouldn't. Here's what it said: "Work performed under this Agreement shall be considered work for hire and all intellectual property rights and/or copyrights in such work shall be assigned hereunder by Consultant to COMPANY NAME. Consultant shall retain a non-exclusive license to use such works. Consultant shall execute any such further agreements necessary to transfer ownership to COMPANY." What This Actually Means: By signing this, you're giving away ownership of your intellectual property. Let's break it down: "Work for hire" In legal terms, this means the client, not you, owns everything you create for this engagement. Your keynote content, frameworks, slides, worksheets, stories, and any materials you develop become their property. "All intellectual property rights and/or copyrights...shall be assigned" You're transferring full ownership. They can use it, modify it, sell it, license it to others without your permission or additional compensation. "Consultant shall retain a non-exclusive license" You get permission to use your own work. But you don't own it anymore. They do. And if they decide to restrict or revoke that license later, you could lose access to content you created. "Execute any such further agreements necessary to transfer ownership" You're committing to sign additional paperwork to formalize the transfer, essentially a blank check on future legal obligations. Your intellectual property IS your business. It's what you've spent years developing, refining, and delivering. When you transfer IP: -You lose control over how your content is used -You may not be able to use your own frameworks in future engagements without permission -The client can repurpose, rebrand, or resell your work without compensating you What You Can Do: Read every contract carefully. Don't assume standard language is harmless. Push back on IP transfer clauses. Most clients will accept reasonable alternatives: Get legal review. If you're unsure, have an attorney review contracts before signing. Know your worth. If a client insists on owning your IP, that's a different, and FAR more valuable transaction. Price it accordingly. At Talkadot, we see contracts like this regularly. Part of our job is protecting speakers from language that undervalues their work or transfers rights they didn't intend to give up. Your content is your asset. Protect it. *NOTE* This is not legal advice. I'm not an attorney, and nothing in this post should be construed as legal counsel or a substitute for professional legal review. For specific guidance on contract terms, consult a qualified attorney who specializes in intellectual property or entertainment law. If you've encountered contract language like this, or worse, share your experience in the comments. Awareness is the first line of defense.