A 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼 is similar to a financial portfolio. A financial portfolio spreads your money across multiple investments with varying levels of risk and return…

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹 is to diversify what you hold to provide maximum income while protecting you from the ever changing market’s volatility.

Your Freelance Portfolio helps you balance the risks and rewards of your freelance life. It helps you balance the risks and rewards of your freelance life.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀:

𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝟭: 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀
The core of your Freelance Portfolio. Like so-called blue-chip stocks, they’re your buy-and-hold investments: major clients (large or small in size) that provide regular income and work.

𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝟮: 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀
The growing edge of your business and the incubator of Blue Chips, Level 2s come from referrals, client testimonials, maintaining your network, and cultivating new contacts and prospects.

𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝟯: 𝗢𝗻𝗲-𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘁𝘀
Opportunistic gigs that fill time or income gaps.

𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝟰: 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵
In Level 4, you’re building the services, products, and alliances that will produce income in the long-term future.

𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗗 𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗘
What does a balanced Freelance Portfolio look like? Here’s what it doesn’t look like (and what you can do about it):

Imbalance: Your pipeline’s full, you’re working like crazy, but barely making ends meet.
Rebalance: Reassess your portfolio for Goal 1.

Imbalance: You’re making a decent income, but the payments are so far apart you struggle to meet your monthly expenses.
Rebalance: Focus on Goals 1 and 2.

Imbalance: You’ve got some great clients and gigs, but the money’s lousy.
Rebalance: Returning all three goals may be necessary.

Portfolio planning isn’t just about how busy you are, but about finding a client mix that delivers maximum value for your time and effort. This boils down to a 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘆 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:

Optimal clients + steady cash flow + meeting your income goals = 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼

𝗕𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗙𝗜𝗧𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗔 𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗗 𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗢:

1. 𝗡𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁-𝘁𝗼-𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁. Changeable schedules are part of freelance life.
2. 𝗡𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 “𝗽𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲.” A full pipeline’s only as good as the project in it. Your portfolio lets you weigh your projects and craft a mix that serves your income goals.
3. 𝗡𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 “𝗢𝗼𝗽𝘀, 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸.” If you don’t divide your time between looking for new work and doing your current work, you’ll finish your project and be tearing your hair because you don’t have any work lined up. Your portfolio lets you track your workload, anticipate quiet periods, and ramp up your marketing.
4. 𝗡𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 “𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲, 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆, 𝗮𝗶𝗺.” Your portfolio lets you see holes and change your goals – whether it’s landing or replacing a Blue Chip, growing your network, increasing your cash flow, or building your future with new products or services.

There are two sides of freelancing: the freedom of it, and the responsibility of it. There are really ywp sides of the same coin, and the Freelance Portfolio unites them. Your Freelance Portfolio gives you the freedom to live the life you love – and to spread the love around – whole fulfilling your professional and personal responsibility to make a living and do it well.