The Acerta study shows that 75% of freelancers who were asked about their early experiences are happy with their choice. 75% would do it again without hesitation, while 53% thought they were sufficiently prepared beforehand.
On the contrary, one in four said they did not have enough support and advice from third parties when they started down the freelance route. 16% said financing and finding an accountant were among the biggest challenges.
The administrative side of freelancing was an unpleasant surprise for 15% of the people in the poll, along with issues with customers not paying (10%) and difficulties attracting customers (9%). 25% of new freelancers say these difficulties could be a good enough reason to reconsider going for a well-paid job with a salary. 5% of them are thinking of closing their freelance company.
Another notable conclusion from the poll is that 88% of freelancers prefer to work alone for the first year. When asked if they intended to recruit during the first year, 88% said no. Their first concern was to stabilise their position as a freelancer. Becoming an employer was not immediately on the agenda, says Acerta.
The poll has also shown that 68% of entrepreneurs who started out in 2018 don’t have a business plan, while 55% have not gone through any extra training on how to manage a company after getting their qualification.
Maria Novak
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