Overheard a freelancer bragging about $200/hour and it hit different

Was at that new co-working spot on 3rd Street last Tuesday. Guy next to me was on a call, loud talking about his $200 hourly rate. Made me feel small for a sec. Then I realized he was also complaining about only getting 10 hours of work that week. So he made $2000 in a week. I make $1500 working 30 hours. Who's really winning here? Has anyone else stopped comparing rates and started looking at total take-home instead?

3 comments

3 Comments

charlie19822h ago

...and that's why I stopped even caring about hourly rates altogether after last year's tax season. I knew this one guy who bragged about his $300/hour consulting fee but he only landed TWO clients all month. Meanwhile my buddy runs a pressure washing business charging $75 per driveway and he books six jobs a DAY during summer. That $200/hour freelancer probably spent more time chasing clients and doing unpaid proposals than actually billing. Total take-home is the ONLY number that matters to me now.

kimdixon18h ago

Nah, I gotta disagree. Hourly rate still matters. It’s a filter. Low rates attract tire kickers. High rates keep serious clients. But you’re right that take-home is king. Just think low rates make that harder long term.

colegarcia20h ago

Preach. Gross revenue is just noise.