I find the life of Companionship translates wonderfully to freelance work of various kinds. Especially being able to do work that is entirely based on computers - you can take your office with you.
Do you have a particular skill set you can sell? *If not, I suggest pursuing an education in something.*A skill set that can be sold to businesses and consumers alike is ideal.
Artist, photographer, musician, Modeling, Promotor, Agent/Representitive, fashion consultant, * Event Coordinator, a designer of any sort, **Programming, *Interior Decorating, Fashion Buyer, or this mysterious career I like to term "Mr. Ten Percent", the suite that doesn't seem to really do anything, never pays for business lunches, but you need to get something done, and he knows just the guy to do it, and always walks away with a 10% commission.*
Do some work pro bono, and develop an online portfolio. *Be involved in your industry scene and market online. *
You know how to use the Internet to market and probably have the*advertising budget to start.
You should be excellent at managing a schedule and literally time sheet all your projects so you see a pattern of completion times that allows you to give realistic quotes and meet deadlines.
It's requires pavement pounding skills to scare up work, however I find freelancing compliments companionship well. *
I travel to meet friends, and know in advance when I plan to visit a city. If no dates come through I have time to network for my day job and have already researched opportunities ahead. If I travel for work I put out visiting ads. I rarely loose out entirely. *
If my friends are keeping me busy, I take on less contracts. If they aren't around and new contacts are slow or uninspiring, I look for more work.
It's nice not to be at the mercy of companionship - alas nothing can protect you from a bad economy, and that's where your ability to maintain good relationships as a companion and business person will keep you stable.
My resume, however, never has a gap. Just to stay reasonably on top of my workload any date over two days has to agree to let me put on at least 3 hours a day on my projects so I never fall too far behind. It' never been a problem.
Introductions, business lunches (get used to being the one paying), should come naturally. Social skills will build a network of clients, associates, and comrades.
And unlike Companionship, if you're going to freelance, learn to negotiate
