How to Create an Agency: Scaling Your Freelance Work to a Business 

I’ve been there. Being a comfortable yet bored freelancer. Work is okay. Good even. But you want something more. You’re starting to flirt with the idea of going big, or at least bigger, and going from freelancer to entrepreneur. 

So it’s time to take it to the next level. 

Hello there, I’m Emilia. I’m Alexa’s #TravelBFF, but I’m also a creative chameleon who has been devoted to creative work for the past 10 years. Mainly to creating brands and helping entrepreneurs launch their businesses. Today I’m here to help you launch yours.

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1. Create a brand for yourself

Give your business a name. It can be your own, but it’s time to make it official and make it feel official by creating a brand for your business. Check out my guest post about how to create a brand

Here are 6 Popular Countries that Offer Working Visas abroad

2. Build a website or portfolio

A simple landing page or portfolio where you can show off your amazing work and clients can book or contact you. 

Your page should have: 

✓ A clear statement of what you do and what problem you solve 

✓ Who you are 

✓ Your services 

✓ Showcase of your work / Testimonials 

✓ A contact page 

You don’t have to spend thousands on a page if you’re just starting out. You can easily create a page in user-friendly and accesible platforms like Canva, Squarespace, and Wix. If you’re a designer and you want something a little more extra, then I recommend Showit. 

3. Set up your systems

If you’ve been freelancing for a while, you probably have many systems in place. But as you scale your business, streamlined systems are going to be essential. Keep your files, processes and everything you need to operate tidy and organized. This makes the difference between a stressful day and an easy-working-in-flow one. And having your client go through an easy-to-follow, streamlined process with you can be a make-it-or-break it experience. 

I swear by Notion and I keep my entire life organized there, from my client projects, to my social media content ideas. But you can also use Asana or even Google Spreadsheets. 

4. Give yourself “work hours”

remote working from bed

I know, I know, the whole point of working for yourself is not having a fixed schedule. But giving yourself some (flexible) work hours will give your a lot of mental order, and will help you stay organized. 

And it’s also good to have a clear boundary of when it’s time to stop working because it’s easy to just keep going, overwork yourself and get to a point of burn out. Take care of yourself and you’ll take care of your business! 

5. Make it Official

Congratulations! You’re an actual business now. So time be an adult and have all your paperwork sorted out. This looks different in every country, but consult a professional on how your business needs to be set up in order to pay the right taxes, and have everything in place. 

Digital Nomad Reminder: if you’re planning on doing this abroad, make sure you’re on the right visa! 

6. Reach out to former clients and introduce your new business

Don’t be too shy to introduce your new baby into the world. Especially to former clients you’ve done freelance work for in the past. Let them know that you’re up and running and what you can do for them. 

Did you know it takes someone to see a product/service up to seven times before they actually purchase something? So don’t be afraid to shamelessly promote your business. 

7. Don’t give up

Emilia Igartua

You know what they say: Rome wasn’t built in a day. And neither is any successful business. I don’t know a single success story with at least a few failures under their belt. Starting out can be tough, and it will take time, patience and grit. But it will be worth it! 

And that’s it! This was one lengthy post, but now you’re fully equipped to embark on the adventure of creating your brand. If you need some help shaping your ideas, I’m happy to say that brainstorming is my superpower. Book a call with me here and let’s set your dreams in motion.

Happy creating!

— Emilia Igartua

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I'm a bestselling author, hotel reviewer and pickleball player. I teach women how to travel the world solo without going broke or getting kidnapped.
 
In 2011, I left Seattle with just $200 in my pocket to travel the world solo. Today, I'm the founder and creator of The Solo Girl’s Travel Guide, the #1 travel guide book series for women - and the author of The One-Way Ticket Plan. 

author of The One-Way Ticket Plan and CEO of The Solo Girl’s Travel Guide

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