6 Things to be Thankful for as a Freelancer

Being a VBO comes with a lot of great perks that are worth remembering this Thanksgiving.

There’s so much to be thankful for all year round, but each Thanksgiving we take time to acknowledge those things with our families and friends. This time around, we want you to keep in mind the special things to be thankful for as a freelancer. VBOs are happier and healthier (and often times wealthier) than their traditional working counterparts, so let’s deep down into some of the reasons why that is. Here’s our curated list of six things to be thankful for as a VBO this Thanksgiving. 

1. VBOs set their own schedules.

As a work from home freelancer, you are not a slave to the 9 to 5 grind. You don’t have to stick to the traditional Monday through Friday 40 hour work week. If inspiration strikes you in the early morning or late afternoon, you can build your work hours around that. Same goes for night owls, depending on the nature of your business — you want to make sure you’re available to your clients too. Nevertheless, you can define your prime time as you see fit. And the vast majority of traditional employees can’t say that, so be thankful. 

2. VBOs work from wherever they want.

VBOs aren’t handcuffed to a desk in an office somewhere. There is no fixed location for VBOs. As long as you’ve got your laptop and anything else you need to work, you can work from pretty much anywhere, be it your favorite coffee shop, a fun coworking space, or the beach! With your laptop in tow, you have the freedom to work from anywhere you want. You can take a road trip without having to skip out on work. You can keep your same work whenever you move to a new city. The possibilities are limitless, and that’s certainly another thing to be thankful for as a VBO this holiday. 

3. VBOs avoid the pitfalls of traditional entrepreneurship.

VBOs are business owners just like entrepreneurs, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end. VBOs have taken a revolutionary path to business ownership that leaves them with more money upfront, more time and less stress than entrepreneurs. When you look at the key differences between VBOs and entrepreneurs, you’ll definitely be thankful that you chose the route you did. 

4. VBOs are in full control of who they choose to work with.

The people that you collaborate with can make or break your work experience. Employees can’t choose their coworkers any more than they can choose their bosses. Entrepreneurs often have investors to answer to who may push certain collaborations. As a VBO, you don’t have to worry about any of this. You have the freedom to choose your clients carefully. And if you want to hire other VBOs to take on a big project, that’s all up to you too. Trust us, this is a big one to be grateful for. 

5. VBOs don’t have to choose between family and work.

Being a VBO is a great option for stay at home parents. It enables them to contribute to the household while saving on childcare costs, so they can go back into the workforce from the comfort of their homes. There are all kinds of legit online jobs for stay at home parents out there. Being a VBO is about the whole you, and that includes your family. Be thankful that freelancing allows you to keep your work-life balance in place. 

6. VBOs set their own pay.

This is one of the biggest things to be thankful for as a freelancer this Thanksgiving. You set your own standard for pay. Now don’t get us wrong, that doesn’t mean you can just start charging $100 per hour right out the gate. You probably won’t land any clients if your rate is outrageous. Do some research and see what clients are paying for similar services in your area. Compare yourself to other VBOs and business entities with a similar level of experience and set your pay based on what you believe your truly worth. The key is that you have to be able to deliver. In fact, you’ve got to over-deliver on your client’s expectations, and you’ll have no problem making what you want to make once you’ve got some experience under your belt. 

As you can see, there’s a lot to be thankful for as a freelancer. And here’s one bonus: It’s never too late to make your transition to VBO. If you want to learn how to become a freelancer (or how to become a better one) and build a prosperous VBO Lifestyle, you’re in good luck. Our VBO Quickstart masterclass will be opening in January. This 90-day info-packed course will teach you everything you need to know to leave the scripted life behind and launch your path to freedom and financial stability. Enrollment opens on Dec. 23, so check back soon.