If I Were to Start Freelancing In 2025, This is What I'd Do [0 to $100K FULL GUIDE]

TLDR;

Mike Scully shares his blueprint for starting a freelance business, detailing how he made over $10,000 per month in his first three months and $100,000 in nine months. He emphasizes leveraging existing skills, building a personal brand, creating content, engaging with potential clients, and effectively closing deals through sales calls.

• Identify and sell your existing skills as a service.
• Build a personal brand to attract clients.
• Engage with potential clients through content and direct messages.
• Offer free work initially to gain testimonials.
• Master sales calls by asking the right questions and confidently stating your price.

Introduction: From 9-to-5 to Freelancing Success [0:00]

Mike Scully shares his journey from a struggling telecommunications engineer to a successful freelancer earning three times more while working fewer hours. He highlights that his academic and professional background was initially marked by failures and disappointments. However, by embracing freelancing, he transformed his life and believes anyone can achieve similar success by recognizing their skills and offering them as services to entrepreneurs.

Identifying and Selling Your Skills [1:26]

To start freelancing, recognize and leverage your existing skills, even those you might not consider valuable. These skills can be as simple as creating Excel sheets or offering consulting services. Freelancing is a legitimate business opportunity, not just a one-time gig. Identify what you enjoy doing daily, such as talking to people, typing, or helping others, and find a service in demand that aligns with your interests. For example, Mike enjoys designing and identified landing pages as a high-demand service he could learn.

Building a Personal Brand [2:21]

A personal brand is more than just a logo or color scheme; it's your story and daily life. Instead of being just another freelancer on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork, create content showcasing your personality and expertise on platforms like X, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. Business owners are more likely to trust and hire someone they feel they know. Mike emphasizes that people buy from people, and showcasing your authentic self can lead to numerous opportunities and referrals.

Engaging with Potential Clients [3:20]

Post content daily, send 10-20 direct messages (DMs) daily, and demonstrate your competence and skills to attract clients. A key tip for sending DMs is to offer your services for free in exchange for a testimonial. Uploading these testimonials as content or placing them on your landing page builds trust and attracts more business. Don't be afraid to do free work at the beginning of your freelancing journey to build credibility and a portfolio.

Mastering Sales Calls [4:19]

When potential clients reach out, conduct sales calls to close deals and get paid. Ask questions to understand their goals, struggles, and current strategies, such as whether they are running ads or have organic traffic. After they finish explaining their needs and ask about your price, state your price confidently and remain silent. The silence puts the ball in their court, and they will likely agree. Send the invoice immediately via Stripe while still on the call.

Common Mistakes and Success Stories [5:21]

Avoid being afraid of sales calls and pushing too hard for payment in DMs. Mike shares examples of people he has helped achieve significant monthly income through freelancing, such as someone earning $15,000 a month with a strong Twitter following and a 17-year-old earning $3,500 in 30 days. He reiterates that by following the points in the video, anyone can start doing outreach and growing a personal brand to get clients.