When I first started freelancing, I had enough money to cover three things: one month of rent, a bag of beans and rice, and a thread of sanity. Rarely do we talk about the adrenaline and drive that come from leaping into something before you feel “ready,” but that’s exactly where I found myself: falling and building my wings along the way.

Working endlessly on an old laptop and a rickety red desk from IKEA, I knew that if I wanted to make a living doing what I love, I would need to find advantages in places others hadn’t. Communication became a key to my success, as well as caring deeply for people and their projects, and working in a methodical, professional manner, with a side of fun. 

As my client base and business grows, I still find myself making a hearty bowl of rice and beans to remember where I came from.