The Secret Life of a Flash Freelancer
       Peter Elst - Flash on the Beach 2009
Why go freelance?
Top reasons to go freelance

               I hate my job
                                I hate my boss
  I hate my colleagues

                               My work is not valued
 Our clients are idiots
                          I’m wasting my time

          I’m not paid enough
Top reasons to go freelance

             I want a challenge
                              I want freedom
   I want to experiment

                             I want geek status
I want to build a business


            I want to live up to my potential
My story

   FlashForward 2001 - Amsterdam


   Macromedia Flash MX sneak peek


         flashcomponents.net

 Flash MX Most Wanted Components


Macromedia Certified Flash Professional


       Freelance Flash developer
My story

   FlashForward 2001 - Amsterdam


   Macromedia Flash MX sneak peek
                                          Passion
         flashcomponents.net
                                             +
 Flash MX Most Wanted Components
                                          Sharing
Macromedia Certified Flash Professional
                                             =
       Freelance Flash developer
                                           Work
Start blogging
Write articles
Author books
Speak at events

                      Flash on the Beach

         FITC
                      Adobe MAX            FlashForward

                                                          Flashtival
    The ActionScript Conference

                                             webDU
            Multi-Mania

                                  Scotch on the Rocks
    Flashconference.de
                                                  MediaElements
Be accessible
Work versus pay

• Not all work is paid work
• Where do you draw the line?
• When does helping out become working for free?
• How do you set expectation?
Work versus pay

• 15 minute rule
• Give advice not solutions
• No refund policy
That said...

• Be nice!
• These are potential clients
Freedom requires discipline

• Its (too) easy to do overtime
• Keep track of your hours
• Set milestones and create daily todo lists
• Procrastination is your enemy
Dealing with clients

• Be clear about your skills and expertise
• Give honest feedback about their plans
• Know your role within the project
• Communicate and set up a workflow
Choosing your projects

• Do not take on just any project!
• Make sure you feel comfortable about the work
• Money should not be the determining factor
• Its tempting to bite off more than you can chew
Failure is an option
Embrace the possibility of fuckups

• Murphy’s law and human fallibility
• Technical limitations are not always avoidable
• Have a backup plan and learn from it
Surviving nightmare clients

• Find some way to vent your anger
• Never send out impulse email replies
• Accept that some clients are jerks
• Provide honest feedback and a project debriefing
Project checklist

• Is the project technically possible?
• Is the project deadline feasible?
• Is the budget within your range?
• Are you excited about the project?
• How well does the client communicate?
• How do you feel about the team?
• Is this a project you would put on your portfolio?
Setting your price

• Know your value and respect it
• Be consistent about pricing between clients
• Charge by the hour/day or a fixed rate
Charging by the hour/day

• Low risk for the freelancer
• Client typically requires you to estimate
• Make sure you keep a detailed timesheet
Charging fixed rates

• Much bigger risk for the freelancer
• Be careful about doing this for experimental work
• Calculate in extra days for contingencies
• Clients know the exact budget
Estimation versus guesstimation

• Don’t do fixed pricing without a signed off spec
• Break down the project into chunks
• Compare with previous projects
• Don’t forget to take research into consideration
• Be sure to budget in 20 to 50% extra hours
The cheap/fast/good dilemma

Clients always want all three, though:

 • Cheap and fast won’t be good
 • Fast and good won’t be cheap
 • Good and cheap won’t be fast
Dealing with feature creep

• Feature creep happens
• Make sure you work in iterations
• Embrace change (but charge for it)
• Have the client budget in features
Project workflow

      idea

    proposal

 functional spec

 technical spec

    budget

    contract

   prototype
Project workflow

      idea

    proposal          Concept
 functional spec         +
 technical spec      Definition
    budget
                         =
                   Implementation
    contract

   prototype
Setting goals

• Where do you want to go with your business?
• Do you want to employ people?
• What are you passionate about?
Preventing burnout

• Force yourself to take a step back
• Make sure you have a backup plan
• Work towards a daily routine
• Keep yourself motivated
Work/life balance

• 40 hour weeks are difficult but not impossible
• No deadline is more important than your health
• No deadline is more important than your family
• Working from home can make things easier
Self evaluation

• Regularly look back at your work and evaluate
• Be critical but recognize your strengths
• Find areas you need to improve on and do it
Experimentation

• Try out new technologies and push it to the limit
• Don’t limit yourself to what you know
• Go outside of your comfort zone
Contributing to the community

• Open source your work whenever you can
• Be recklessly vocal about the things you care about
• Get involved in local user groups, other initiatives
Time management

• Time is a limited resource
• Break up your day into different tasks
• Keep track of your hours on each task
• Try to minimize impact on other projects
Ten commandments

1. Know yourself
2. Be passionate about your work
3. Communicate with your clients
4. Experiment and share what you learn
5. Don’t let money primarily drive your decisions
6. Be self-critical but allow yourself to be proud of your work
7. Accept failure and learn from it
8. Set yourself goals and work towards them
9. Don’t be afraid of change, embrace opportunities
10. Have fun!
Q&A

• Are you thinking about going freelance?
• What are issues holding you back?
• How is it working out for you?
Thanks!

 Feel free to get in touch with your
 questions, feedback.

 blog:    www.peterelst.com
 email: info@peterelst.com
 twitter: @peterelst

The Secret Life of a Flash Freelancer

  • 1.
    The Secret Lifeof a Flash Freelancer Peter Elst - Flash on the Beach 2009
  • 2.
  • 3.
    Top reasons togo freelance I hate my job I hate my boss I hate my colleagues My work is not valued Our clients are idiots I’m wasting my time I’m not paid enough
  • 4.
    Top reasons togo freelance I want a challenge I want freedom I want to experiment I want geek status I want to build a business I want to live up to my potential
  • 5.
    My story FlashForward 2001 - Amsterdam Macromedia Flash MX sneak peek flashcomponents.net Flash MX Most Wanted Components Macromedia Certified Flash Professional Freelance Flash developer
  • 6.
    My story FlashForward 2001 - Amsterdam Macromedia Flash MX sneak peek Passion flashcomponents.net + Flash MX Most Wanted Components Sharing Macromedia Certified Flash Professional = Freelance Flash developer Work
  • 7.
  • 8.
  • 9.
  • 10.
    Speak at events Flash on the Beach FITC Adobe MAX FlashForward Flashtival The ActionScript Conference webDU Multi-Mania Scotch on the Rocks Flashconference.de MediaElements
  • 11.
  • 12.
    Work versus pay •Not all work is paid work • Where do you draw the line? • When does helping out become working for free? • How do you set expectation?
  • 13.
    Work versus pay •15 minute rule • Give advice not solutions • No refund policy That said... • Be nice! • These are potential clients
  • 14.
    Freedom requires discipline •Its (too) easy to do overtime • Keep track of your hours • Set milestones and create daily todo lists • Procrastination is your enemy
  • 15.
    Dealing with clients •Be clear about your skills and expertise • Give honest feedback about their plans • Know your role within the project • Communicate and set up a workflow
  • 16.
    Choosing your projects •Do not take on just any project! • Make sure you feel comfortable about the work • Money should not be the determining factor • Its tempting to bite off more than you can chew
  • 17.
  • 18.
    Embrace the possibilityof fuckups • Murphy’s law and human fallibility • Technical limitations are not always avoidable • Have a backup plan and learn from it
  • 19.
    Surviving nightmare clients •Find some way to vent your anger • Never send out impulse email replies • Accept that some clients are jerks • Provide honest feedback and a project debriefing
  • 20.
    Project checklist • Isthe project technically possible? • Is the project deadline feasible? • Is the budget within your range? • Are you excited about the project? • How well does the client communicate? • How do you feel about the team? • Is this a project you would put on your portfolio?
  • 21.
    Setting your price •Know your value and respect it • Be consistent about pricing between clients • Charge by the hour/day or a fixed rate
  • 22.
    Charging by thehour/day • Low risk for the freelancer • Client typically requires you to estimate • Make sure you keep a detailed timesheet
  • 23.
    Charging fixed rates •Much bigger risk for the freelancer • Be careful about doing this for experimental work • Calculate in extra days for contingencies • Clients know the exact budget
  • 24.
    Estimation versus guesstimation •Don’t do fixed pricing without a signed off spec • Break down the project into chunks • Compare with previous projects • Don’t forget to take research into consideration • Be sure to budget in 20 to 50% extra hours
  • 25.
    The cheap/fast/good dilemma Clientsalways want all three, though: • Cheap and fast won’t be good • Fast and good won’t be cheap • Good and cheap won’t be fast
  • 26.
    Dealing with featurecreep • Feature creep happens • Make sure you work in iterations • Embrace change (but charge for it) • Have the client budget in features
  • 27.
    Project workflow idea proposal functional spec technical spec budget contract prototype
  • 28.
    Project workflow idea proposal Concept functional spec + technical spec Definition budget = Implementation contract prototype
  • 29.
    Setting goals • Wheredo you want to go with your business? • Do you want to employ people? • What are you passionate about?
  • 30.
    Preventing burnout • Forceyourself to take a step back • Make sure you have a backup plan • Work towards a daily routine • Keep yourself motivated
  • 31.
    Work/life balance • 40hour weeks are difficult but not impossible • No deadline is more important than your health • No deadline is more important than your family • Working from home can make things easier
  • 32.
    Self evaluation • Regularlylook back at your work and evaluate • Be critical but recognize your strengths • Find areas you need to improve on and do it
  • 33.
    Experimentation • Try outnew technologies and push it to the limit • Don’t limit yourself to what you know • Go outside of your comfort zone
  • 34.
    Contributing to thecommunity • Open source your work whenever you can • Be recklessly vocal about the things you care about • Get involved in local user groups, other initiatives
  • 35.
    Time management • Timeis a limited resource • Break up your day into different tasks • Keep track of your hours on each task • Try to minimize impact on other projects
  • 36.
    Ten commandments 1. Knowyourself 2. Be passionate about your work 3. Communicate with your clients 4. Experiment and share what you learn 5. Don’t let money primarily drive your decisions 6. Be self-critical but allow yourself to be proud of your work 7. Accept failure and learn from it 8. Set yourself goals and work towards them 9. Don’t be afraid of change, embrace opportunities 10. Have fun!
  • 37.
    Q&A • Are youthinking about going freelance? • What are issues holding you back? • How is it working out for you?
  • 38.
    Thanks! Feel freeto get in touch with your questions, feedback. blog: www.peterelst.com email: info@peterelst.com twitter: @peterelst