Starting a freelance career often involves navigating a complex landscape of global opportunities and local obstacles, particularly for those working from emerging markets. In the latest episode of the Freelance Pathfinders Podcast we got together with host Daniel Amanya for a transparent look into my journey, covering everything from my first job to troubles and obstacles I face. This conversation is packed with practical advice on bidding strategies, project management, and maintaining a healthy work life balance while building a digital agency online. To listen to the full discussion and explore more stories from successful freelancers, visit Daniel Amanya’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@danielamanya. You can find the complete interview with Erinc Guray by visiting the episode link at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6zyIqnoLVI today.
Podcast Title: The Freelance Pathfinders Podcast
Host: Daniel
Guest: Erinc Guray
Introduction to the Episode
Daniel: Hi everyone and welcome back to the Freelance Pathfinders podcast. In this episode, I host Erinc Guray from Turkey. Erinc is a web developer with over five years of experience working online. In this episode, he is going to tell us about his journey and what it is like being a freelancer from Turkey. We will also discuss his beginner journey, his mistakes, and the lessons he has learned while making money from the internet. Welcome to the episode. Welcome to the show, Erinc.
Erinc: Thanks for having me, Daniel. I am happy to be on this show. This is a good podcast for freelance starters and hopefully, it will be a good episode. Good luck to us for now.
Daniel: Thanks a lot. So, Erinc, could you tell us a little bit about your background to the extent you are able to share and how you got started into freelancing?
Erinc: My background is a bit unique. Educationally, I was not a very steady person. I changed a lot of schools and departments, but I finally finished my associate degree in computer programming. Now, I am trying to finish my four year degree in Management Information Systems. As you can see, I was transitioning back and forth. I was a bit of a troubled youngster, and that is actually what made me start freelancing. When you are a student and you go to an employer, they are often hesitant to hire you. I already knew a bit of English and I wanted to try my chance working globally on the internet. My technical background in web development started even earlier because I was curious about programming from a young age, but I did not think of it as a profession then. In 2020, during the pandemic, I started professionally. I began with a UK based agency and a Sierra Leonean agency, then moved on to consultation companies for businesses starting in Africa. I tried some normal nine to five jobs after that, but a couple of years later, I wanted to start my own agency. Now, here I am.
Core Skills and the Ideal Customer
Daniel: Awesome. Thank you for that. That is an interesting background. You highlighted that your education path drove you into freelancing because traditional employers were not keen on your student status. Could you give us a high level detail on your skills and your industry? What is your core service as a freelancer and who is your ideal customer?
Erinc: I am a web developer. What we do is create web pages and websites using different tools like WordPress, Shopify, or Webflow. I also do custom builds using HTML, CSS, and newer frameworks like Next.js or React. This is my core skill. In this area, you can master one thing, like becoming a WordPress expert, and you will find many clients starting businesses who need websites. My master skill is definitely the development side of these applications.
The First Win: Getting Started Online
Daniel: What was your first freelancing job and how did you get it?
Erinc: This was back in 2015. I was a student bidding on jobs on a platform called Elance, which is what Upwork was named back then. I was bidding on everything, even if it was just two, five, or ten dollars. I eventually found a ten dollar job to upload a script to a hosting provider and install it. That was my first ever freelance job. I just uploaded the files and installed them. It was simple, and I honestly did not believe I could get money from the internet until it actually happened.
Daniel: I totally get it. My first work on Upwork involved someone who did not know how to align a text document to the left. I am a transcriptionist, so that was straightforward for me, and I also got paid five dollars. It is funny because even today, people still struggle with basic Excel formatting or Microsoft Word. We talk about AI, but basic computer literacy is still a skill in high demand.
Erinc: Exactly. It looks basic to us, but they need help regardless, so we are there to help them.
Navigating Platforms and Local Obstacles
Daniel: You mentioned Elance is now Upwork. What other platforms have you used?
Erinc: I have tried many, including Freelancer.com and PeoplePerHour. I leave some of them if the commissions are too high or the market is too low. Sometimes you see job descriptions that are not even from real people. Lately, I have narrowed it down to just Upwork and Freelancer.
Daniel: What challenges or bottlenecks did you face when you were starting out?
Erinc: The first obstacle is getting that first job when you have no reviews or history. You spend so much time bidding. After that, the challenge is project management. Often, the clients do not know how to manage a project, so you end up being the project manager. Managing expectations and scope creep is a big task. Another obstacle is that the platforms forget you quickly if you take a break. I took a six month break and it is hard to recover because the algorithm stops promoting you. Lastly, payment gateways in Turkey have been a major issue. In 2015, things were fine, but then regulations closed PayPal in my country. We moved to TransferWise, but because our currency is volatile, they also moved some operations out. Eventually, most of us moved to wire transfers, which fixed the issue.
Daniel: It is interesting to hear that. I am from Uganda, and PayPal has never been supported here. It was a huge struggle for me in the beginning. I actually had to go to Kenya to fix some of my payment issues. It is a relief to know Ugandans are not the only ones struggling with these gateways.
Strategies for Finding Consistent Work
Daniel: Do you have consistent clients right now, and how many can you serve at once?
Erinc: Right now, my only regular work is from an AI data annotation platform. Before I took my break, I had two or three regular agency customers who paid me on an hourly basis. Agencies are great because they have a lot of work to outsource.
Daniel: What are your top strategies for getting clients?
Erinc: My first strategy is filtering. I use negative keywords to remove irrelevant jobs and I often sort by the least number of bids. I look for the underserved projects where the employer might have mistyped the category or title. These jobs often vanish into the void because no one finds them, but if the identity is verified, they are great opportunities. My second strategy involves using Large Language Models to help write proposals. I use a template to keep them short and helpful. Providing a clear solution to the specific problem mentioned in the post is much better than a generic AI response. Also, if you have the budget, paying for the platform’s premium tiers or promotions helps a lot.
Dealing with Difficult Clients
Daniel: Have you had to deal with difficult clients? How do you handle them?
Erinc: I recently had a difficult case with a cryptocurrency job. The client wanted a token with a referral system, but midway through, it was revealed that he wanted to create a scam multi-layer marketing token. I researched it and realized it was unlawful in many places. I asked for financial declarations which he would not provide. I contacted the platform and they told me not to deliver the work. Unfortunately, the client gave me a zero star review. Usually, I try to compensate by doing more work or settling for a lower payment to keep things smooth, but in this case, I had to walk away for legal reasons. Now I am suffering the consequences because that review is at the top of my profile and it dropped my completion rate to seventy percent.
Daniel: I have been in that situation too. I had a client who would ghost me for weeks. When we ended the contract, my score dropped from ninety five percent to sixty seven percent. It really takes a toll on your proposal win rate. My strategy to fix it was to take on several low cost, five dollar jobs just to get the rating back up.
Work Life Balance and Productivity
Daniel: How do you manage your time and stay productive without burning out?
Erinc: This is a great question because it is so easy to get caught up in the work, especially with bidding, which feels like a game. Nowadays, I try to work only four or five hours if I do not have a pressing client deadline. I make sure to go outside and take regular breaks. It is very easy to overwhelm your nervous system in this job.
Daniel: I agree. I try to take one week off every three months. It is important to put it on the calendar so you actually do it, no matter how much work you have. Do you prefer working alone or collaborating?
Erinc: I mostly work alone, but not always by choice. Sometimes an employer invites me to a team, and that is fun because you feel like you have friends online to talk to during meetings.
Financial Advice for New Freelancers
Daniel: Does freelancing pay your bills, and what advice would you give to others about managing finances?
Erinc: If you have regular clients and a good hourly rate, you can make a good living. However, it can fluctuate. One big mistake I made was not building credibility. I did not form a company early on; I just took the money and spent it. I wish I had known to open a company bank account and build a credit score. This helps you resist the fluctuations when times are lean. For new starters, my advice is to build a portfolio even if you think you do not have experience. Frame what you have done professionally. Also, avoid filling your profile with generic AI content because it makes you look like a fake profile.
Future Goals and the Traditional Job Market
Daniel: What are your long term goals? Would you ever go back to a traditional job?
Erinc: I want to hire a team and start an agency so I can help beginners and create more of an impact. I am interested in impact entrepreneurship, helping young people in my country find internships and opportunities. Regarding traditional jobs, I sometimes apply on LinkedIn for contract roles, but the recruitment process has changed so much. It is all automated now. Also, freelancers are often in a gray area where companies do not know whether to call us juniors or seniors. I think I prefer working with small businesses because you can see the direct impact of your work on real people.
Daniel: That is very understandable. There are days I miss the office dynamics, but the freedom of freelancing is hard to give up. Erinc, we have come to the end of the show. If people want to hire you for your web development services, where can they find you?
Erinc: They can go to my website at guraywebpro.com. All my social links and my WhatsApp are listed there. I am always happy to answer questions from new freelancers as well.
Daniel: Awesome. Erinc, thank you so much for your time. Do you have any parting shots for the audience?
Erinc: I want to congratulate you on this program, Daniel. It will help a lot of people. Freelancing is a great alternative for people in underserved areas or those who cannot get a traditional education. Even teenagers can learn these skills and start making money in their spare time. This show is a great resource.
Daniel: Thank you so much for those encouraging words. I really appreciate it. It has been a pleasure having you on the show. Bye for now.
Erinc: Thanks, Daniel. I look forward to seeing you again.
Thanks for checking in I am Erinc Guray. I am providing tech & career tips, making reviews on SaaS tools and helpful extensions for tech starters on this blog. You can find out more about my services on my homepage.
Recent Comments