Freelancer

3 Freelancer Success Stories [2024]

Pat Walls

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Updated: October 10th, 2024

As a Freelancer, you have the freedom to choose your own projects and work hours, making it a great business idea for anyone seeking a flexible side hustle or full-time entrepreneurship.

You can offer your skills and services to clients on a project-by-project basis through a digital platform that connects you with a global network of clients.

The services range from writing and design to programming and marketing.

It’s an opportunity to showcase your expertise, build a diverse portfolio, and earn income on your own terms.

With the rise of remote work and the gig economy, becoming a Freelancer empowers you to turn your skills into a thriving business.

In this list, you'll find real-world freelancer success stories and very profitable examples of starting a freelancer that makes money.

1. Solar Staff ($6M/year)

solar-staff //s3.amazonaws.com/www.starterstory.com/story_images/images/000/021/326/original/open-uri20221009-25-vx9a2y?1665301493 We used business networking and personal connections to attract and retain customers, along with themed conferences and context advertising. Our promotional budget accounts for 20-25% of our revenues.

How much money it makes: $6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.5M
How many people on the team: 77

I Put My Entire Life Savings Into This Startup Idea & Turned It Into An $6M Business

Solar Staff is a profitable fintech solution that helps businesses work with cross-border contractors, making interaction with freelancers 5 times faster and optimizing business productivity, with a YOY growth of 92% and plans to expand into the UK, India, Mexico, and Brazil.

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Read by 2,488 founders

2. Ellen Yin Media LLC ($960K/year)

Ellen Yin, founder of Ellen Yin Media and creator of Cubicle to CEO, started her business after quitting her corporate marketing job. She initially took on small projects, but when a coworker became her first client, she realized she could monetize her skills into a service. She then made a pivot to focus on creating and scaling digital products, launching her first program with zero content and pre-selling it to beta students. To attract and retain customers, she leveraged partner campaigns, utilized a self-liquidating offer funnel, and gained media features. Today, the business has reached seven figures in lifetime revenue and is on track to make over one million dollars in annual revenue.

How much money it makes: $960K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 3

How I Launched A Six Figure Online Membership That Helps Coaches & Service Providers Make Their First $10K Month

Founder Ellen Yin shares how she profitably bootstrapped growth from a $300 client project into 7 figures in lifetime revenue and how she launched a $10K/month online course using pre-selling to test and validate her offer.

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Read by 8,234 founders

3. ArrowUpz ($60K/year)

M Waseem Aziz, the founder of ArrowUpz, started his business after working as a freelancer and realizing the limitation of time and earning potential. He began outsourcing tasks to a team of remote workers and formed ArrowUpz to provide a wide range of digital services. Through referrals, paid ads, and organic traffic, he has gained over 100 clients and has plans for continued growth.

How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 5

How This Graphic Designer Leveraged The Freelancing Platforms To Start A $5K/Month Agency

ArrowUpz founder M Waseem Aziz shares how he started his digital agency as a freelancer, learned multiple skills, and outsourced tasks to build a team, resulting in a revenue boost from $250 as a graphic designer to $5K per month selling various digital services primarily via freelancing sites.

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Read by 2,646 founders