The rise of freelancing and individual entrepreneurship has brought about a completely new era in the world of work, where people increasingly seek flexible, office-free, and company-independent forms of work, escaping from traditional corporate constraints. However, life outside the corporate realm demands different frameworks for those seeking efficiency and structure in their daily lives.
Many freelancers either cannot or do not want to spend their days in a traditional office environment, but working from home is not suitable for everyone either. Coworking spaces, such as KAPTÁR in Budapest, have become increasingly popular choices for freelancers in recent years. But what does it mean to be a freelancer, and why does the freelance community love KAPTÁR so much?
THE MEANING OF FREELANCING – WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE A FREELANCER?
Freelancing has become increasingly popular and well-known worldwide in recent decades, with more and more people choosing this flexible form of work, which is particularly suitable and convenient for online tasks.
The meaning of freelancer: an independent individual who takes on work or tasks on a contract basis and receives payment for it. Freelancers typically manage their own time and choose their work location. Their assignments are usually short-term, sometimes spanning only a few hours or days.
The benefits of freelancing include flexible working hours and locations, as well as easier balancing of work-life. You can set your own working hours and decide when to take a break. If you’re a morning person, you can work early in the morning, and if you’re a night owl and prefer to work late into the night, you can choose to work at night. If your best friend calls you to have coffee in the middle of the day, you don’t have to say no, as you can continue working afterwards!
The most popular freelance jobs include writing, web design, graphic design, programming, journalism, photography, and administration.
FREELANCER TAXATION
Of course, as a freelancer, you still need to pay taxes on your income, which you can do if you’re a business owner or a self-employed individual with a tax number. In both cases, you’re required to pay income tax. If you’re a business owner, you can choose between the KATA (Small Business Tax) and lump-sum taxation. It’s worth considering whether your clients are primarily Hungarian companies/individuals or foreigners, as this can affect how you structure your business. To select the appropriate business and taxation form, we recommend contacting an accountant. And not just any accountant—a good one. If you don’t know one, feel free to ask us at KAPTÁR; we’ll connect you!
KAPTÁR – THE CREATIVE HOME FOR FREELANCERS
Our coworking space, KAPTÁR, founded in 2012, is located in the heart of Budapest, easily accessible opposite the Basilica. Since our inception, our goal has been to create a modern and inspiring environment for those working here, where they can freely develop and connect with like-minded individuals. We tailor our wide range of services to unique needs, which attracts freelancers because it’s flexible, open, and inspiring.
OUR SERVICES
- Occasional Coworking: If you’re only looking for an office temporarily or occasionally, whether it’s for a day, a week, or a month, KAPTÁR is the place for you! In perhaps Budapest’s most beloved and efficient working environment, you’ll find favorable office rental rates tailored to you.
- Coworking Membership: Use KAPTÁR for a few days a month or even 24/7. In our coworking space, you can freely choose from various workstations (FLEXIE) or customize your own desk (FIXIE) according to your needs.
- Community Membership: You can be part of our community even if you don’t want or can’t work from KAPTÁR. Join our events, have lunch with us, or just drop by for a massage. Let’s hang out together!
- Meeting Room Rental: Our meeting rooms can accommodate 2–12 people for meetings, coaching sessions, workshops, training, and other group activities. Daily and hourly meeting room rental in Budapest downtown, close to everything and everyone.
- Private Office: Private office for occasional or regular use for cost-effective work.
At KAPTÁR, you’ll have lightning-fast internet, private phone booths, full office equipment (monitor, projector, whiteboard, flipchart, air conditioning), and, of course, coffee consumption options available to keep your work going just the way you like it!
WHY IT’S BETTER TO WORK AT KAPTÁR THAN AT HOME?
For most freelancers, all they need is a desk and a laptop to get their work done, so working from home or even from a café may seem convenient. However, many freelancers find that despite the flexibility of these work arrangements, they lose motivation in the low-stimulus (or overly noisy) environment at home or in hospitality venues, which ultimately reduces their efficiency. Especially since the pandemic, various home office jobs are increasingly popular, and of course, the number of freelancers is growing. It’s crucial that if you find yourself in such a situation, you pay close attention to maintaining your mental health, engage in communities, and find a motivating environment.
Well, a coworking space is just the perfect choice for people like this! Many freelancers work with us and happily take advantage of our modern community spaces to soar beyond the walls of their homes, in a much more vibrant setting, while retaining their flexibility and independence. One of the most motivating aspects here is that everyone is working on their own projects around you. Furthermore, you can become a member of such an inspiring community where it’s a pleasure to come in, whether it’s occasionally or with a regular membership.
Be a part of the KAPTÁR community, connect with other members, share your professional knowledge and experiences, so you can grow together! We have plenty of colorful programs waiting for you, whether it’s shared lunches, workshops, or even excursions! And of course, nothing is obligatory, and if you’re focused, I swear nobody will disturb you!
HERE’S WHAT FREELANCERS AT KAPTÁR THINK
If you don’t believe us, take a look at what members of our freelancer community have to say!
Attila – Photographer “Here’s a community where one can derive serious added value, both in business and human terms.”
Klaudia – Graphic Designer “I checked out KAPTÁR’s social media pages, and I really liked the office design – needless to say, this matters a lot to me – and when I saw the skiing pictures, the deal was sealed.”
Ildikó – Consultant “Being at KAPTÁR is fun. Joking around in the kitchen during lunchtime, fooling around with the FunFactory games, the community quiz nights. I enjoy all of them!”
A LITTLE HELP – HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL FREELANCER?
If you need some extra income alongside your current job or want to freelance full-time, we’ll show you how to do it! Brace yourself, because you’ll need a lot of determination, patience, and some basic knowledge to become successful and stand out from the crowd! In the following, we’ll show you how to start on this exciting journey.
Step 1: Is freelancing really for you?
Although being a freelance entrepreneur comes with many advantages, it’s essential to understand that it requires a completely different mindset than traditional employment. You won’t have a strict boss who tells you what to do or when to do it. You’ll need more discipline to manage your own time and handle multiple tasks. You’ll also have more responsibility because it’s up to you to acquire clients and deliver quality work on time. So, the first step is to consider whether freelancing is suitable for you.
If you have a full-time job, start freelancing on the side before quitting! Start building your new business on the side, give it time to take off, or at least become visible. If your side gig brings enough feedback and success, if new clients trust you and start giving you more and more work hand-to-hand, and you don’t stress out because of the prioritization pressure, client management, and increased responsibility, then it’s time for the big leap: becoming a full-time freelancer.
Step 2: Find your platform to find work
There are several ways to find your future clients. Some rely solely on recommendations. This method is excellent because it starts with a good level of trust, but it may take time for your good reputation to reach many people.
Definitely look for an online platform where clients can find you. Some use Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn to find new clients successfully, while others find their clients on various freelance job websites (you can read about them below). Find what works best for you because everyone is different!
If you want to be on a freelance job platform, make sure you create your profile meticulously and include reference works! You can set your prices either on an hourly basis or per project. Make sure to only take on work that’s worth your time and money, but as a beginner, you won’t be able to charge as much as a veteran freelancer. Gain experience, and then increase your rates later!
Step 3: Find work efficiently
At first, only take on projects that match your skills and that you’re sure you can complete on time! It’s essential to collect positive feedback, thus increasing your reputation and reliability. If you apply for a project that requires a cover letter, make sure to highlight the strengths and experiences that are important for completing the job. It’s important to note that unlike most traditional jobs, here you get to choose who you work for, so you can more easily avoid problematic clients.
Step 4: Ensure a good client experience
One of the most important parts of freelancing is building good relationships with your clients. If they are satisfied with the quality of your work, you communicate clearly and help them, and you quickly find a common ground, they are more likely to hire you again and recommend you to others! Stay available to them, answer their questions regularly, provide feedback on the work process, thus building crucial trust.
NOT ENOUGH GIGS AS A FREELANCER?
HERE ARE 3 WEBSITES WHERE YOU CAN SURELY FIND CLIENTS!
Searching for freelance gigs isn’t as complicated as you might think. Nowadays, there are numerous websites offering freelance work. We’ve compiled the top 3 for you to try out.
FIVERR
Fiverr is one of the most well-known online freelance platforms. It’s extremely user-friendly, and you can offer almost any service on it. Fiverr is characterized by its low prices, and it’s mainly used by web designers, writers, marketers, and programmers. It might be a good choice for you if you offer relatively inexpensive services and want to reach a lot of people! However, note that there’s a 20% transaction fee for each job on the platform.
UPWORK
