Why I Quit My Job to Freelance Full-Time

For years, I juggled a full-time job as a developer and freelancing on the side. Some months, my freelance income was higher than my salary. But I still stayed in my job.

Then one day, I realized something — I was stuck in a loop. The work felt the same every day. I wasn’t learning or growing anymore. That’s when I made the scariest but best decision of my life: I quit my job to become a full-time freelancer.

And my life changed completely.

Getting Started Wasn’t Easy

At first, freelancing was hard. No company was handing me work anymore. I had to find clients myself.

I reached out to friends, old colleagues, and even random leads. Some people were interested but had tiny budgets. Others liked my work but disappeared later. I even thought about going back to a job at one point.

But then, my first real project came in — and that changed everything.

The Four Projects That Taught Me Everything

In just a few months, I worked with four different clients. Each project had challenges, and each one taught me something new.

Project 1: Upgrading an Old System

My first project was simple: moving an old system to a newer version. It wasn’t exciting, but it gave me confidence. I realized I could make money on my own.

Project 2: Fixing a Slow, Crashing Website

A client’s system kept crashing whenever they had too much data — specifically, thousands of barcodes. The old team’s “fix”? Just add more server space (a.k.a., throw money at the problem).

Instead, I rewrote the code:
✅ Added background jobs to process data in smaller chunks.
✅ Stopped storing barcodes unnecessarily on the server.
✅ Used a Vue.js library to display them quickly.

Now, even with 80,000+ records, the system runs fast and smooth — without wasting extra money on servers.

Project 3: Fixing a Stolen, Broken Website

This one was a mess. A local business had a website built with a cheap, stolen script. The company that sold it just changed the logo and colors — but none of the features worked.

For example, the site had a section for “Top Selling Products.” But instead of showing real sales data, they had a random number column in the database. That’s it. No logic at all.

I rebuilt it properly, fixing countless lazy shortcuts. The client was shocked at how much was broken before — and grateful for the real fix.

Project 4: My Favorite One So Far

This one is still ongoing, and I’m really enjoying it. I can’t share details yet, but it’s a project that excites me every day.

And in my free time? I’m working on my own products, too. That’s something I never had time for in a regular job.

What I’ve Learned About Freelancing

Freelancing has taught me a lot. Here are some of my biggest lessons:

💡 Clients don’t always know what they want. You have to guide them.
💡 Many businesses waste money on bad solutions. Like throwing more servers at a bad codebase instead of fixing it.
💡 Some developers take shortcuts. I’ve seen so many lazy fixes that just cause bigger problems later.
💡 Freelancing is unpredictable. Projects can stop suddenly. Clients can disappear. But if you keep going, good opportunities will come.

What’s Next?

Freelancing is not easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

It’s not just about money — it’s about freedom, learning, and growth. I finally get to choose what I work on and build things that actually make a difference.

If you’ve ever thought about freelancing, my advice is: start now. It’s tough at first, but the rewards are worth it.

Have you tried freelancing? What was your experience like? Let me know in the comments — I’d love to hear your story! 🚀