I make videos that amplify your brand's visual identity and values | Croak the man-frog who likes ripping people to pieces 🐸🌊😱💔
I was 30 before I started freelancing as an editor/motion designer. Prior to that I was the sales and marketing director for a software company that digitally archived people's teeth. A merger eliminated my position due to redundancy so I negotiated a part-time demotion to focus more on freelance. Soon I found myself calling in one, sometimes two, sometimes three weeks in a row due to bookings. Obviously the arrangement was not tenable. It was my day off. They called to ask if I could come in but my car was in the shop. They sent a driver to shuttle me in. Immediately upon entering, someone guided me to a meeting room. There must have been 15 people sitting at a big roundtable. I remember thinking, 'I'm getting laid off just like in the movies.' I negotiated a severance and they drove me home. When I think back on it, I learned to freelance how I learned to swim. Slowly. Water touching my feet, 'that's okay. Maybe I'll go up to my knees.' Next thing you know you're up to your neck. Anything further is actual swimming and 'I'm not sure I'm there yet oh shit someone just threw me in the deep end I guess I'll swim now.' Not everyone gets to ease in to freelance like I was able to. And they're probably better for it. If there's one thing I learned from that experience, shaped entirely by the fact that everything worked out, it's don’t be afraid to let go of what feels safe but isn't working. ----------------------------------- ➕ Follow for more like this. Or ring the 🔔 to be notified. #freelance #motiondesign #motiongraphics #videoediting #animation
You know, I’ve been asking myself what the heck I’m doing on LinkedIn lately, and then your post with your freelance origin story pops up and then I think, maybe there’s still inspiring, relevant stuff here that can speak to me. Thanks, Paul!
Feels like I cannonballed and got a mouthful of water but at least I'm treading water now lol
A very inspiring journey
This is beautiful
I am Jack's never-ending website update.
Paul best way to do it! Only make the jump when it's safe!
Motion Graphics, Graphic Design, and Illustration
8moLove this - thanks for sharing! It's funny when you look back in your careers to see what parts of them prepared you for making a go of it on your own! Also, you should definitely speak more to how you managed to keep level in those situations to negotiate a *new* partnership with your company that made you redundant, *AND* how you negotiated a severance later on when the partnership didn't work out. That's inspiring! 👏🏻