How not to be a consultant……

The year was 2014. Design Pros Media decided to close up shop and I moved in to take a
position to become an IT Consultant. Main priorities to target are PPA, PRWT, USF, XEROX,
SEPTA, IBC, and of course my team CTM.

This also started the process of me pulling together my resources to do this every task for
creatives.

If you’re a creative and looking to make money from freelancing or to get hired by a big box
company you need to have a specific system and method to follow. To treat it like a real
business, not just your hobby.

The freelancing market is often very competitive and hard to pierce through. Many people
succeed in making some income, but seldom enough to sustain their family and lifestyle.

Many Creatives Struggle with Their Income

I know a lot of creative people that can’t make enough money on the freelance market or get
hired by large corporations.

There are a couple of ways to increase your chances of getting a job. Let’s look at some
mistakes that are made along the way when jumping into something new. Here is what you
want to keep in mind:

• Honor and respect the chain of command
• You are not the only consultant
• You will become better if you consider yourself a secret weapon
• Despite popular belief document everything you can
• If you are an expert then you are not afraid to put what you know on paper
• You essentially are not an employee so you don’t get the same pull
• Be willing to submit more than you ask

Many of my processes and methodology for this started with Body Blast and were most effective
during the opening of the Denim Barber Shop, nowadays its larger rooms with more people and
experts with conflicting points of view; I see this as sharpening the blade to something bigger.

How to Charge More than Your Competition and Win the Client

There are many ways to differentiate yourself from your competition. One common theme
among freelancers is that they do not deliver on time. Make sure you deliver on time.
You can also make sure that you deliver with speed. If the client wants their delivery in 2 days,
you can make sure to over-deliver and have it on their desk in 1 day. It is a simple way to over-deliver.

What you have to do is go that extra mile for your clients and the word will spread. Don’t be
surprised if you would get customer offers or invites to projects.

As your orders come in you can scale up your business appropriately and eventually start
charging premium for your service. Clients will know that you are the best.

PETER A DELUCA AKAPD

AKAPAD is a versatile thinker known across Philadelphia, Europe, and even in the vast Multiverse as The Electic One. By day, he excels as an IT Mastermind, assisting individuals, both big and small, with a wide range of simple and complex solutions. In contrast, he is also a talented illustrator, a passionate comic book enthusiast, a creative content creator, and an active live streamer. Additionally, his podcast, “AKAPAD The Film Buff Podcast,” boasts an impressive catalog of over 500 episodes available on nearly every major platform.