I’ve been in this freelance industry since June 2024.
I’ve worked with many clients — both desis and foreigners — but I still haven’t been able to land high-ticket projects. I tried switching to cold emailing and Upwork many times, but I always hesitated because platforms like Upwork and Fiverr don’t feel beginner-friendly. They seem tough since I’ve never used them, even though I took notes and learned a lot about them.
Alhamdulillah, I did get a handful of clients from LinkedIn and local platforms, and now I’m planning to build an agency. The work load is pretty good so I’m hiring local talents but the clients aren’t paying that much. That’s why I’m confuse and my growth has been stuck for the last three months, and I feel like I’m not scaling the way I should.
I’m also a reels and documentary editor, and with the skills I’ve gained over the last 1.5 years — especially in research, storytelling, and editing speed — I know I need to update my pricing too. I used to charge $3 per minute for documentaries and $15 for reels, but I believe I’ve outgrown those rates.
What suggestions would you guys give me as I shift towards building a personal brand and starting on Upwork?