Category: Insights

Absolutely!

If you are not one, you should totally reconsider.

Let’s take a deep dive into the world of freelancing and why we think freelancers will rule the world.

Consider every business owner you can think of, what’s the denominating factor?
They either offer a service or sell a product and get paid for it. They have the luxury of time and can decide what kind of service/product they want to sell and to whom to sell. If this isn’t freelancing, what else could it be?

Are there freelancers in government? The answer is yes. The real stakeholders and kingmakers don’t necessarily sit in the government houses everyday. These stakeholders are consultants who are outsourced by the government to provide that advice and strategies that will change the world and affect economic policies. Consulting is a freelance job that provides additional income.

In retrospect, freelancing is taking over traditional employment and the trends are there to prove it. According to 99 Firms and their most recent analysis on freelancing, approximately 1.1 Billion people in the world are freelancers and that number is set to triple by 2027.

With more and more people trying to find their purpose and do work they actually like, the gig industry keeps growing every single day. In fact, more 9-5ers have side gigs which supplement their income. This has caused a big shift in employment.

The global pandemic caused a lot of transitions or as we now call it, “the new normal” leading to more remote and hybrid roles, as well as job loss. It has therefore become expedient to have multiple sources of income. It’s no news that one in every three adults has more than one source of income and freelancing options is at the top of the league.

Why Freelancing?
According to a Forbes research in 2015, the top five reasons for the rapid switch to freelancing includes:

Freelancing is quite simply, earning on a per-job or per-task basis. Freelancers are self-employed persons who can serve multiple clients, earn from doing work (gig) they love, and at the time they want to. A few years ago, freelancers were looked upon as unambitious and nonchalant but today, freelancing is the future of work. In fact, more companies are looking to hire freelancers who can provide what they need on-demand.

Anyone who doesn’t have a freelance job should consider getting one soon because the industry is fast becoming saturated. The gig industry was worth $350 billion dollars in 2021; the most amazing fact being that this industry keeps evolving.
Freelancing is driven by digital transformation. For every job that is outsourced, there are multiple, competent freelancers available to work. Gig platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, RemoteHub, BookingsAfrica.com amongst others have provided tech-driven platforms that connect freelancers to their choice audience. This has created ease for both service providers and customers to interact real-time.

1. Flexible working hours: More employees just wanted to free up time to do what they loved and to also work at their own pace. (For example, BookingsAfrica.com allows service providers to set their own avaibile hours which in turn prevents them from being overbooked or double-booked).
2. No income ceiling: Freelancing enables you to earn as much as you want, charge what you are worth and be independent of one stream of income. Hence, it is imperative that service providers set competitive prices that would encourage more bookings.
3. Choosing your own projects: In the gig industry, you get to choose who you want to work with but most importantly choose what kinds of projects you prefer. Persons who took up employment opportunities for just monetary reasons now have a chance at doing what they are actually passionate about.
4. Work-life Balance: The traditional 9-5 work model causes a lot of stress and anxiety when not properly managed. To be in control of their life, more people have opted for freelancing jobs and the numbers keep rising.
5. Be your own boss: Toxic workplaces left more employees with no other option than to become self-employed. Freelancing offers a more suitable option as opposed to trading options of self-employment.
6. Amongst all these reasons, we see that the prevailing reason is FREEDOM.

Varieties of Freelance jobs
With the rise in mental health advocacy, a lot of individuals across the globe are seeking opportunities to ease themselves of stress. Humans are social beings and will hardly thrive in isolation and so the natural desire to spend more time with their families or travel around the world, is completely normal. Because time seems to never be enough, people are more willing than ever to pay for services that free up their time.

In this digital age, literally anything can be outsourced. Any service that can be rendered to ease stress is your ticket to financial freedom.

Adults will always need money and freelancing is one of the pathways to financial freedom.
With freelancing, you can earn from:

1. Tutoring: Knowledge is a big deal in the world right now. If you can teach what you are an expert in, you can earn money from anywhere in the world.
2. Influencing: Marketing strategies keep evolving and in very recent times, people with a large following and a loyal community leverage on this advantage to make money. Influencers have become major in the marketing industry and through freelancing work, they are able to live out their dreams.
3. Copywriting: Writing smart, creative copies for the purpose of Advertising (ads), email marketing, documentaries, research papers, blogs and so on. Lots of people are making big bucks from this freelance work.
4. Photography/Videography: You can sell your pictures on gig platforms or earn a fee from editing videos on platforms such as Shutterstock, Bookings Africa, Fiverr and Upwork amongst others.
5. Virtual assistance: Get paid per hour or project when working as an online assistant to anyone in need of that service.

The possibilities are endless when you decide to become a freelancer. In a few years from now, trends show that the freelance workforce will be about 50.9% of the American populace by 2027.

If you haven’t joined the train by now, please do. As a freelancer, you get to work with your choice clients, and from anywhere in Africa when you register on the Bookings Africa platform.

And even if you don’t believe that freelancers will rule the world, I think it’s only safe to join a moving train is profitable and has proven past predictions right.

Do you wish you had known about remote jobs or side gigs before the pandemic? Well, you are not alone in that boat, as so many people have wished and are still wishing, but it is time to get past that now. Though the effect of the pandemic seems to linger like an African mother’s words when a wrong was done, but there is a way out. 

The problem many Nigerians face is getting used to a system and staying dedicated to that monotony. There are a lot of 9-5ers who are yet to recover from their job loss even after getting a new one. Some have found remote jobs but still like the idea of waking early to hustle for the bus. But what is the point of staying in a system when technology has made life easier and jobs no longer follow the traditional pattern? 

The world is moving, and it is important to identify skills you possess that can be monetized. If you stick to 9-5 jobs, how long do you think your services will be required? With the uncertain future, will your current work system adapt to a sudden stay-at-home policy? These are the questions you should be asking yourself, as more than 20% of full-time workers lost their jobs in 2020 when the pandemic started. Pause for a minute- What would you have done if there was a time machine to travel with before the pandemic? I bet many of us would have planned better and the narrative will be different. Unfortunately, technology doesn’t have a time machine yet but the good news is- it is not too late to start planning and making money alongside your regular job. 

How to get started

According to the world’s most significant value investor, Warren Buffet, learning to make passive income is one of the best ways to achieve financial freedom. It is great to have a job, but you are safer if you have a side gig that passively brings you money. But the drawback we find among many people is that they conclude quickly that not everyone has the talent to offer, so it is better to stick to their jobs. That is far from the truth! If you are ready to scale up your finances, you can do many things. If you don’t know where to begin, keep reading!

1. Identify what you love. 

Ask yourself these questions – What do I love doing that can bring me money? What am I passionate about? What do you know more about than your friends? What services or skills can I offer to others?

If you can answer these honestly, it will be easy to know what talents are worth monetising. Even if you love talking, there is a way to convert it into a side gig that will benefit you.  You can be a voice over artist on Bookings Africa or become a tutor and get paid for your skill. 

2. Do your research 

Once you have discovered the skills and talents you can offer, your next task is to search for freelance websites that need your skills. If you don’t already know about the online market, this is the period to get acquainted with it as you need to know how to charge and other vital aspects of the market. There are so many online money making sites to research, but you need to be careful to work with credible ones. 

If you are good at writing or programming, going for platforms like Upwork and Fiver will help you get started quickly. But what if you love tutoring, photography or are great at makeup artistry? Your best bet will be to register on Bookings Africa. The platform works for both physical and online jobs. Ultimately, learn all about the website before deciding to join other service providers in Africa registered there. 

3. Plan your logistics 

Logistics is crucial for monetising your skills even after knowing how to make money online in Nigeria. If you have a 9-5 job, you don’t have the luxury of time to attend the regular Saturday owambe. You should note the number of times you can set aside for the side gigs you are pursuing when planning your logistics. Also, do you need to write a convincing bio for your audience and update them with previous works?  This is the time to plan that. What means are you planning to deliver your service through? If you are doing it online, you need to consider your area’s network. If it means going to the client’s house, you should have discussed the client’s requirement through our chat service to know what to expect.

4. Get booked, Get Paid 

After all the planning, it is time to get results by actually working. This doesn’t mean you will get people ready to pay for your skills instantly, but first sell yourself and when the opportunity comes, you will be prepared to grab it. 

Why Bookings Africa?

The number of people looking for online sites to make money since the pandemic has skyrocketed, and so has the fake online sites. With desperate searches online, more desperate scammers are also floating. The way out is to subscribe with a credible company that would help you harness your talent to its fullest. Unlike most freelance websites that require you to pretend to be a citizen of a foreign country to be booked, Bookings Africa works quite differently. No matter your location, you can be booked and get paid for your services. 

Whether you want to offer services that can be done virtually or requires physical presence, it is easier to get started on Bookings Africa.  Interestingly, registration is free so you don’t get charged until your first booking. So, even if your account is reading zero, but you have a skill, you can convert it to funds when you take that step to register. 

Final words

Having a side business is no longer a fluke, as many can testify that it brings results. But that was only possible when they discovered all these things we have mentioned. That talent you think is invaluable, someone somewhere is getting paid for it, and until you launch out, you will keep receiving smiles and thank you’s. It is high time you leave wishes for the fairy tale lovers and start acting. The time to start is now!