Thankful for Four Years of Freelancing
It’s been four years since I signed off from my last full-time, in-house job.
If you texted me on that day—March 31, 2021—and promised that I’d be able to find enough clients and enough work to float my own business for four years, I’d have sent you several eyeroll emoji and a “Sure, Jan” gif.
I remember, even weeks after I resigned, feeling a gnawing in the pit of my stomach. I even wrote about it:
“I question my decision to leave at least once a day. I constantly wonder if I’m as good at my trade as my friends and family say I am, and whether I’m strong enough to overcome the rejection when potential clients and employers tell me I’m not.”
Well, my little business that could is still chugging. And it’s chugging largely because of you, the community of people that has believed in me from Day One.
So today, with this anniversary post, I pay tribute to you.
To the people who connected me with my first opportunities: Sue DePasquale, Ashley Budd, Yvonne Lyons, Menchu Mediola-Fernandez, Emma Jones, Sue Pick, Liz Gross, Amma Marfo, Josie Ahlquist, Donna Talarico, Lynne Wester, Brittiny Lenz. Thank you.
Your faith in me—whether it entailed talking me through entrepreneurship, sending work my way, or introducing me to people who did—you were foundational to everything I’ve built.
To the people who helped expand my little company when I decided, “yeah—I’m really doing this freelance thing”: Joseph DiDomizio, Jennifer Boscia-Smith, Brenda Riddell, Joel Goodman, Kristin Van Dorn, Matt Braun, Beth Kissinger, Stacey Pelios, Jess Gill, Durice White Galloway, Jen Doak Mathewson, Fiorella Gil, Angela Myers, Charlie Melichar. Thank you.
You helped me branch into new directions and dream bigger dreams for this business than I would have done on my own.
To the people whose support and business sustained me through the most roller-coastery year of my life: Meredith Barnett, Maggie Whittier, Jeanette Der Bedrosian, Dee Goodrich, Jennifer Tucker, Sara Sajadi, Julie Frahm, Ken Budd, Erin Hatten, Ben Hatten, Matt McFadden, Tim Jones, Ann Leporati, Elena Loveland, Meghan Goff, Dan Giroux. Thank you.
During my time of deep self-doubt, you helped remind me that I’m pretty OK at what I do, and that dry spells—however long—do, in fact, end.
I can’t forget to thank the person whose expertise and advice helps me stay on the right side of the tax law, Nancy Simonetti. (Yes, you’re my mom — but you’re also the best accountant in the world!)
And I’d be terribly remiss if I didn’t give an enormous shoutout to Dan Hanson, whose limitless support and patience sought me through every peak and valley I’ve had in the past four years. You are the icing on my cupcake, sunshine.
Each of you (and anyone I’ve inevitably and regrettably omitted, please forgive my ailing memory) has played a role in helping get me to this milestone.
These days we tend to lionize the successful entrepreneur, the one who builds a successful brand or company from the ground up with minimal assistance from anyone else. But that story’s usually a myth.
No (wo)man is an island, as John Donne wrote. And no business gets by without a little help from its friends, as John Lennon (and Paul McCartney) (kinda) wrote.
Kristin Hanson Writes is here because of you, my friends.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank. you.