My old boss told me to never work for less than $50 an hour, but my first big client offered $35
When I started freelancing as a copywriter last year, my former manager gave me that advice. He said taking lower rates would trap me and make it hard to raise them later. I held out for months, turning down a few jobs that paid less. Then, a marketing agency in Portland offered me a steady 20 hours a week at $35 an hour. I was scared to say yes, but I really needed the money. I took it, and that client ended up giving me so much repeat work and referrals that my income doubled in six months. Now I think starting lower to get your foot in the door can actually work. Did anyone else have a hard rule about rates that they ended up breaking?