The Real Reason You’re Not Earning $10K/Month as a Freelancer Yet

The cursor blinks. That brilliant idea, that service you know people need, feels so close yet impossibly far. You’ve read the articles, maybe even taken the courses. “Find your niche!” they scream. “Build a personal brand!” “Network relentlessly!” And yet, the clients aren’t exactly breaking down your door. The momentum feels… well, non-existent.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The path to a thriving freelance career or service business is often paved with well-intentioned advice that somehow misses the deepest, most crucial gears. I’ve been there, and I’ve had conversations that peeled back the layers to reveal a simpler, yet more profound, set of truths.

Forget the complex funnels for a moment. Let’s talk about what really makes a potential client lean in, nod, and say, “Yes, this is the person I need.”

What Clients Are Really Thinking (But Won’t Say)

“I didn’t hire the best designer. I hired the one I trusted not to screw it up.” — anonymous client

Imagine you’re looking to hire someone for a critical project. You’re not just scrolling through profiles. You’re wading through a sea of uncertainty, and a few silent, heavy questions are weighing on your mind:

“Are they actually skilled enough for my specific problem?”
“Will they be reliable? Can I count on them to show up and follow through?”
“Can I genuinely trust them to deliver what we agree upon, without constant hand-holding?”
And perhaps the biggest one: “Do they truly understand what we need, or will they just try to fit us into their pre-defined box?”

These aren’t usually on a client’s checklist, but they are the undercurrent of their decision-making process. Your website, your portfolio, your initial interactions — every touchpoint should be engineered to answer these silent anxieties with a resounding, confident “Yes!”

Your mission, as I see it, is to make their decision as easy as possible. Aim for zero risk, or as close to it as you can get, for them.

Why Price Doesn’t Matter (When You Offer True Value)

“Expensive is only a problem when value is unclear.” — someone who gets it

One of the first questions many freelancers obsess over is pricing. “Am I too expensive? Too cheap?” We often hear clients ask, “Are you affordable?” And yes, budget is a factor. But here’s a secret that shifts the entire game: for the right clients, the ones you truly want to work with, affordability becomes a secondary concern when overwhelming value is demonstrated.

Think about it. These clients, often successful businesses or busy entrepreneurs, are frequently more constrained by finding the right talent (let’s call it “human capital”) than by the exact dollar amount. Their biggest headache isn’t the invoice; it’s the risk of a project failing, of deadlines missed, of miscommunication and subpar work.

If you can convincingly demonstrate that you are the low-risk, high-reward solution to their specific, painful problem, the conversation about price changes dramatically. It’s no longer about being the cheapest; it’s about being the best investment.

How to Prove Your Worth

“Don’t just show me what you did. Show me how you think.”

So, how do you transmit this signal of skill, reliability, and understanding through all the noise? This is where strategic action comes in, moving beyond just having a “portfolio.”

Niche Down, Then Go Deeper: Yes, niching matters. But it’s not just about saying “I design websites.” It’s about, “I help e-commerce brands in the sustainable goods sector increase conversions through Figma-designed, user-centric Shopify experiences.” Even better, as we discussed in a recent meeting, is focusing on emerging intersections of technology where competition is lower, and expertise is rare. Think Figma combined with AI-driven content, or leveraging a specific, up-and-coming headless CMS like Payload. When Figma acquired Payload, it wasn’t just a business transaction; it was a signal of where the market is heading. “Second-order thinking,” understanding these ripples, lets you position yourself ahead of the curve.
Show, Don’t Just Tell, Your Expertise:
- Write with Purpose: Technical articles aren’t just for SEO. They demonstrate your thought process. Explain why you chose a particular tool or approach for a problem.
- Share Your Code (Wisely): Open-sourcing relevant code, creating helpful templates — these are tangible proofs of skill.
- Explain Your Decisions: When showcasing a project, don’t just show the final product. Briefly explain the “why” behind your design choices or development strategies. This builds trust and shows you’re a thinking partner, not just an order-taker.

Imperfect Action > Perfect Ideas

This is perhaps the most uncomfortable truth, and the biggest hurdle for many: your biggest obstacle is often you. It’s the fear of not being perfect, the endless tweaking, the analysis paralysis.

Buy the domain. Create a basic landing page using ChatGPT for the copy if you have to. Publish that first article. Ship it!

There’s a famous quote by Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn:

“If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.”

This isn’t an excuse for sloppy work, but a powerful antidote to perfectionism.

Getting something out there, even if it’s not 100% polished, does several crucial things:

It breaks inertia. The hardest part is starting.
It creates momentum. One action makes the next one easier.
It provides real-world feedback. You learn what resonates and what doesn’t far faster than by theorising in isolation.
It builds your “proof of work” library. Each piece of content, each small project shared, adds to your credibility.

That initial fear, that “Oh my God, what if it’s not good enough?” is natural. But pushing through it is where the magic happens. You’ll find yourself thinking, “Okay, that contact form isn’t ideal, I need to fix it,” and that spurs further, faster action. This is the momentum we’re talking about.

Your Brand Is the Dealbreaker

“People don’t hire skills. They hire trust.”

All these actions — understanding client psychology, demonstrating value, niching, showcasing expertise, and consistently shipping work — culminate in something indispensable: your personal brand.

In an age where AI can generate content and perform many tasks, your unique perspective, your reliability, your human touch, and your proven ability to solve problems are what make you irreplaceable. Your personal brand isn’t just a logo or a tagline; it’s the sum total of the trust and expertise you project. It’s your lighthouse, guiding the right clients to your shore.

The Journey Starts With One Step

This isn’t about adding more to your already overwhelming to-do list. It’s about shifting your focus to what truly moves the needle. It’s about empathy, targeted value, and courageous, consistent action.

So, what’s the one small, imperfect step you can take today to start answering those silent client questions and building real momentum? Don’t overthink it. Just start. The rest will follow.

Thanks, Matija