Taking the plunge into 1099 life is a thrilling adventure. Many of us know our destination but aren’t sure how to start freelancing.
If you don’t know where to start — you’re in the right place. Nation1099’s Meet The Indi feature is a series of interviews people who are in the trenches and building freelance careers. These profiles will help give you the insights you need to thrive in the gig economy and start freelancing.
How This Small Business Content Marketing Specialist Climbs Her Own Career Ladder
A profile of Holly Vandewal of Could Nine Marketing, LLC. She is a small business content marketing specialist. In this interview she discusses the journey from corporate content marketing to building her own freelance business.
Freelance Editor Specializes In Nonprofit Clients
In this edition of our freelancer profile series, we look at how marketing specialist Rebekah Fraser works with nonprofit clients.
How This Freelance Marketing Strategist Went From The E.R. To Bali
In this edition of our freelance career profile series, Kristy Marshall tells how she quit a thriving corporate career to get some balance — and adventure — back into her life. Now she’s making it as a freelance marketing strategist.
How A Landscape Photographer Is Transitioning to Full-Time Freelancing
Erik Sellgren is a landscape photographer currently based in London. A native of Gothenburg, Sweden, Erik has also resided in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Singapore, Seoul and New York. Erik seeks to capture authentic and intriguing moments in peoples' daily lives, as well...
Freelance Graphic Designer Uses Low Overhead To Give Clients What Agencies Can’t
Freelance graphic designer Emily Fitterman has over 25 years experience as an art director and in graphic design. She graduated from School of Visual Arts with a B.F.A. in advertising and honed her craft working for companies such as Random House, Penguin...
How This PR Consultant Is Branching Out Into Content Marketing
You'll find PR consultant Michelle Garrett at the intersection of public relations, content marketing and social media. As a PR consultant, content creator, blogger, speaker and award-winning writer, Michelle’s articles and advice have been featured in...
Freelance Portrait Photographer Describes His Start As A Photographer’s Assistant
Michael Oliver graduated from Saint Petersburg College with a major in Photographic Technology and works as a freelance portrait photographer. Oliver was born in Florida, but also grew up living in Trinidad and Tobago. In this interview, he offers some fascinating...
A Digital Strategy Consultant Describes Her Mid-Career Jump to Freelancing
The great thing about Nation1099 is the variety of freelance roles in the growing gig economy and the variety of experience. We've profiled people who are new to freelancing and people who coach freelancers on growing their businesses. In this profile, we're lucky to...
How This Freelance Cartoonist Builds Business Through New Channels
Chaz Bottoms is an award winning animator/filmmaker and freelance cartoonist based in Cleveland Ohio. His films have premiered nationally and internationally. His work has been featured in Vibe Magazine, Saint Heron and on AspireTV. He is currently freelancing for...
This Late Blooming Freelance Digital Artist Is Chasing Her Dreams In The Gig Economy
Stephanie Russell is a self-described late bloomer just beginning her adventure as a freelance digital artists. Prior to this, she worked in retail and as an education specialist, but some changes in her family situation -- and a lifelong inclination -- have pushed...
Building a Virtual Team To Serve Clients – Advice From An Agency Operations Expert
Solopreneur Jayne Heggen knows the power of asking hard questions. They are essential, she feels, in guiding clients through the chaos and helping them stay on the path to success. That's the purpose of her consultancy, the Heggen Group, which relies on an evolving...
Finding Success in Freelance Video Production and Still Prioritizing Family Life
Andrew Tiu is a film editor who has built freelance video production into a full-service studio based in Dallas. Tiu's studio, Motion Butter, helps brands create marketing and advertising content in the digital space through filmmaking and motion design. Andrew's...
How An In-Demand Freelance Animator Got His Career Moving
Wayne Carlisi has been working in the arts for over 35 years. He graduated from Brandes Art Institute in 1983 and his professional career has been in animation, illustration and fine art. As an animator, he has worked for every major studio in Los Angeles (Disney,...
How A Freelance Illustrator Primes His Creativity
Dejvid Knezevic is a freelance illustrator and designer from Slovenia. Over the years he has honed a unique style inspired by the concept of human thoughts and emotions conveyed in a visual environment. Tell us about your freelance illustrator services. What’s your...
A Freelance Documentary Photographer Talks “Getting Out There”
Todd Henry is a freelance documentary photographer originally from Pennsylvania, who now resides in Auckland, New Zealand. He enjoys shooting documentary style photographs. He says he particularly enjoys learning about other cultures, skateboarding and traveling....
A Freelance Children’s Book Illustrator Shares Her Inspiration
Mary Manning began illustrating as soon as she was old enough to hold a pencil. This freelance children’s book illustrator discovered at such a young age what she loved most thanks to the influence of all the great Golden Age illustrators. Since then she has worked...
Ready to Go Freelance? Put Your Past Experience To Work
In previous posts we've explored different timelines and conditions necessary for "taking the plunge" into the gig economy. There are many factors we can say are universally true when considering whether to go freelance in a full-time capacity, but as we continuously...
“Double Your Freelancing” With Email Courses and Roadmapping
Growing a freelance business is one of the topics people ask us about most at Nation1099, so when we were brainstorming the subject, we knew we wanted to talk to Brennan Dunn of the Double Your Freelancing blog. Brennan is a guy who knows a few things about growing a...
Be Great at Selling What You Do: A Marketing Specialist On Standing Out in Today’s Gig Economy
For many of us finding our place in today’s gig economy, there was some set of circumstances that pushed us in an unexpected — but ultimately wonderful — direction. In her article, How a Really Dumb Promise Turned Into a Company, Brittany Bullen expresses how chance...
Scale Your Business: Lessons in Growth from a Virtual Assistant
Gina Horkey is a full-time business writer and virtual assistant who, like many of us, made a significant career shift in the last couple of years toward a work arrangement and lifestyle that better suited her personal needs and interests. Horkey describes herself as...
