avatar巴黎莎拉

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his is what I chose to write about. It was the expertise my client was looking for, but it has since led to over $100K worth of work with this single client, both in my niche and on projects completely unrelated.</p><p id="17ad">Finding a niche is a good idea, but it doesn’t need to define what you do forever. You can use it as a foot in and a way of building your profile.</p><h1 id="ca76">2. I solved my client's problem</h1><p id="3bda">My client was originally looking for writers who had worked in the careers space to write content about changing careers. They had a specific brief they wanted to fill.</p><p id="fc29">Although they contacted me, I didn’t take that they wanted me as a given, and I still wrote a proposal detailing how I could help them achieve their goal. I focused on what I could do <i>FOR </i>them, solving their problem, and outlining clearly how I would approach the task. I told them my credentials, but I made my proposal about them and what they needed.</p><p id="ec1a">It is a common freelancer mistake to launch into what they have achieved, who they’ve worked for, and what qualifications they have without linking this to how it will help the client. Above anything else, they want to know how <i>YOU</i> are going to help <i>THEM</i>.</p><h1 id="fcc5">3. I provided proof</h1><p id="33db">We already know that Upwork has got itself known for having some poor-quality clients and freelancers. To stand above the 18 million, it’s important to show that you are not a wannabe with no experience. You are an expert at what you do.</p><p id="c5fb">To do this, you need proof. I have a writing portfolio I link to when pitching for work, I have testimonials on my Upwork profile, and I have recommendations on LinkedIn that I can also share.</p><p id="2eb3">It’s important that you can back up your talk with hard evidence showing what you can do. Especially for clients paying the biggest sums. They want to be sure they are getting the quality they are willing to pay for.</p><h2 id="799c">What have I learnt?</h2><p id="d224">The fact that people think you can’t get good clients on Upwork can be an advantage. If you have the right mindset and approach, it’s easier than you think to stand above the 18 million freelancers, many of whom aren’t expecting to strike it big. Many are aiming low, pricing low, and putting in the effort that the low expectation equates to.</p><p id="d52e">If you really have expertise to offer, and you put in the effort to pitch yourself in the right way, there are top clients to be had on Upwork.</p><h2 id="08d1">There’s more…</h2><p id="98a5">If you like my work, I have a series of articles about how to make money on Upwork in the pipeline.</p><p id="9fed">Here is my latest:</p><div id="af67" cla

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ss="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-i-made-100k-on-upwork-and-became-top-rated-with-a-100-success-score-a305ef7d8e01"> <div> <div> <h2>How I Made £100K on Upwork and Became Top Rated With a 100% Success Score</h2> <div><h3>If I can do it, so can you</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*talqtG9SwMex4wuI)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="d650">You can follow me or subscribe to my list here on Medium, or you can join my Substack community, <a href="https://redefiningsuccess.substack.com/">Redefining Success</a>, for even more. I’m looking forward to connecting.</p><p id="e0a8">Check out some of my latest posts:</p><div id="ed1c" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-you-define-success-could-be-the-key-to-your-happiness-7e87f5a5b9f2"> <div> <div> <h2>How You Define Success Could Be the Key to Your Happiness</h2> <div><h3>And also your unhappiness…</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*y6XeGW7HiHo0F9_o)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="071c" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-a-train-hopper-made-me-see-how-messed-up-our-working-system-is-8f5dc3b6dd3c"> <div> <div> <h2>How a Train Hopper Made Me See How Messed Up Our Working System Is</h2> <div><h3>We’ve got it so backwards</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*S1pUr2HzkJKbUSZB)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="1424" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/when-i-called-myself-a-writer-the-money-came-in-fc77468e0627"> <div> <div> <h2>When I Called Myself a Writer, the Money Came In</h2> <div><h3>What you tell yourself matters</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*AYK0DtsukpP2-1cF)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

【Sara in Paris】為什麼我在法國有穩定工作還想創業?

當時,我在法國如願以償地得到了一間科技公司的歐洲業務經理職位,花了半年多才終於拿到很難辦下來的工作簽證。雖然很感激當時的老闆,也以為自己達到了當初設定的目標。

沒想到後來,我發現我已經不想在科技業,對於科技產品我一直沒有熱忱。我也不想再到處出差,比起到處住飯店,我比較想要每天回自己的家。每天早上都很沉重地去上班,進公司前還會倒吸一口氣,想著接下來的八小時我會被困在公司,最慘的是歐洲的冬天,早上出門時是天黑的,下班時也是天黑的,可以說有陽光的時間,我都在公司裡。

我愛好自由,如果我說這就像被困在監獄裡,也不誇張。我問自己:這真的是我要的嗎? 雖然想改變,也不知道從何改變起,就這樣一天過一天。

直到有一天,我早上要去辦事,心情特別好,因為我有一個早上可以待在外面,可以看到巴黎的街景,正當我要去搭地鐵時,巧遇了一位只見過一次面的女孩,我前一年見到她時,她才剛到巴黎,本來要去百貨公司上班當銷售員,但簽證遲遲辦不下來,她只好另謀出路,才幾個月,她已經做出了一番事業,不需要去找工作了。

她問我:「今天天氣好好,我等一下打算去塞納河走一走,妳有空一起去嗎?」我無奈地說:「沒有辦法耶,我現在只能進地鐵回公司,晚上才能出來。」

在搭半小時的地鐵中,我的腦袋被轟炸著:我只有一個早上可以待在外面我就在偷笑了,她卻可以選擇要待在外面的時間和長短。我不斷地想著:我一定要改變,我要在家裡工作,我要想出去就出去,看得到白天,我要「自由」。於是我決定開始做改變。我知道我再繼續待在這裡,實在太浪費生命了。

那一天的巧遇,改變了我接下來的生活。

每天下班後,我開始想我要做什麼樣的副業,我說「副業」是因為我一開始不敢畫大餅,想先從小做起,先試水溫。我一開始不想投資很多錢下去,或是積庫存,所以我想先從「提供服務」、「近零成本」的個人服務創業做起。

別人問我怎麼找靈感,我覺得可以先從自己曾經有的「要是有怎麼樣的服務就好了」的想法想起,然後想辦法利用自己的經驗和能力,提供這樣的服務。SBM株式會社董事長吉江勝說: 「你的經驗比你想像中的有價值。」

當然這個領域最好是自己有興趣的,沒有經驗就要有將「非常努力」的決心。作者趙星曾說:「 跨越圈子不僅需要非凡的努力,更需要超凡的心態。

我非常有興趣我要做的領域,而且有好幾年的業務經驗,但是我沒有產業的經驗,所以我很努力地研讀相關知識,為了打入這個圈子,讓人家信任我。

一開始不敢說自己有什麼偉大理想或要賺大錢,純粹只想逃脫苦悶的朝九晚五生活,和做自己有熱忱的事情。

我相信「熱忱」對於一個從事新事業的人來說,是最重要的,有了熱忱,那個動力是源源不絕的,會將一個人的潛能真的發揮出來。

雖然我還是硬著頭皮繼續上班,先等副業有點結果再說。但是我的生活不再行屍走肉:通勤時眼睛不再瞇瞇眼,而是帶著希望的看相關的書。下班後我不再失望地帶著「又是天黑,浪費一天」的心情回家,而是帶著希望去跟客戶見面,或是想著如何優化副業。

那時有朋友問我 :「妳這樣下班還要工作不會太累嗎?」我說 :「不會耶,充滿希望的感覺比行屍走肉好太多了。」不管是不是自我催眠,我感覺得到我走路比以前更輕快且愉快了。

一週後,我的第一個案子進來了。

Sara 莎拉
在巴黎居家創業。法國Audencia商學院研究所畢業。
之前在科技業做歐洲區業務經理,因嚮往自由,決定離開舒適圈,在家工作。是妻子,也是媽媽。
分享素人也可以在家創業、同時照顧小孩的學習心得,希望有更多的人能夠實現在家工作的願望。
臉書專頁 https://www.facebook.com/saraparislife
部落格 www.sarainparis.com
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