<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[FreelanceHustle]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Growth Marketer's Guide: Master Freelancing on Fiverr and Upwork, Build Thriving Businesses, and Skyrocket Your Career in the Digital Economy.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e7Tc!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff03ce558-fd4d-4855-a8d4-53200ddaf1aa_500x500.png</url><title>FreelanceHustle</title><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Sun, 03 May 2026 11:32:49 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.freelancehustle.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[freelancehustle@substack.com]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[freelancehustle@substack.com]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[freelancehustle@substack.com]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[freelancehustle@substack.com]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA[The Most Profitable Social Media Marketing Gigs on Fiverr (And How They Reach $10K+ Months)]]></title><description><![CDATA[Social media marketing has always been one of the most in-demand categories on Fiverr.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/the-most-profitable-social-media</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/the-most-profitable-social-media</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 29 Nov 2025 14:27:36 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/youtube/w_728,c_limit/-XfbQmVI8Zs" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Social media marketing has always been one of the most in-demand categories on Fiverr. But just like every industry, it evolves. Platforms change, algorithms shift, and certain gigs that were once extremely profitable slowly fade out. Others explode.</p><p>After generating <strong>$2.7M+</strong> in social media marketing services on Fiverr, I want to break down exactly which gigs have the earning potential to reach <strong>$10,000+ per month</strong>, what is trending in 2026, and which platforms are best for new sellers to target.</p><div id="youtube2--XfbQmVI8Zs" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;-XfbQmVI8Zs&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/-XfbQmVI8Zs?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div><hr></div><h2>My Current Numbers (For Transparency)</h2><ul><li><p><strong>$2.7M+</strong> lifetime earnings</p></li><li><p><strong>30,000+ orders completed</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>$400,000+</strong> earned on Fiverr in 2025 alone</p></li><li><p>Specializing in <strong>Instagram growth</strong>, <strong>Instagram content</strong>, and <strong>social media strategy</strong></p></li></ul><p>I share this because I want you to know: <strong>the results are real</strong>, and so are the opportunities. But they are only available to those who adapt.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yy8e!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd9aa39a-80e6-4c78-b646-a85ae526edde_2468x958.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yy8e!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd9aa39a-80e6-4c78-b646-a85ae526edde_2468x958.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yy8e!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd9aa39a-80e6-4c78-b646-a85ae526edde_2468x958.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yy8e!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd9aa39a-80e6-4c78-b646-a85ae526edde_2468x958.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yy8e!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd9aa39a-80e6-4c78-b646-a85ae526edde_2468x958.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yy8e!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd9aa39a-80e6-4c78-b646-a85ae526edde_2468x958.png" width="1456" height="565" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/cd9aa39a-80e6-4c78-b646-a85ae526edde_2468x958.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:565,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:173889,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.freelancehustle.com/i/180212047?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd9aa39a-80e6-4c78-b646-a85ae526edde_2468x958.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yy8e!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd9aa39a-80e6-4c78-b646-a85ae526edde_2468x958.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yy8e!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd9aa39a-80e6-4c78-b646-a85ae526edde_2468x958.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yy8e!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd9aa39a-80e6-4c78-b646-a85ae526edde_2468x958.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yy8e!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd9aa39a-80e6-4c78-b646-a85ae526edde_2468x958.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div><hr></div><h2>Step 1: Use Data, Not Guesswork (Free Tool You Can Use)</h2><p>We built a free platform to help freelancers analyze Fiverr categories:</p><p><strong>&#128073; <a href="https://launch.freelancehustle.ai/">launch.freelancehustle.ai</a></strong></p><p>You will be able to:</p><ul><li><p>View <strong>top tags</strong> in any category</p></li><li><p>Analyze <strong>pricing</strong>, <strong>demand</strong>, <strong>skills</strong>, <strong>revenue</strong>, and <strong>trends</strong></p></li><li><p>Suggest new categories for us to add</p></li></ul><p>This gives you a real data advantage before choosing your niche.</p><div><hr></div><h2>What Is Changing in Social Media Marketing?</h2><p>Some services that were best-sellers in the past have <strong>lost demand</strong>:</p><ul><li><p>Hashtag research (hashtags no longer matter much on Instagram)</p></li><li><p>Ghost follower and fake follower audits</p></li><li><p>Large packs of Instagram analytics reports</p></li></ul><p>These were previously high-volume, low-ticket gigs. The market has shifted.</p><p>Newer, more profitable categories have emerged.</p><div><hr></div><h2>Highest-Profit Social Media Marketing Niches in 2026</h2><p>Below is a breakdown of the categories that are currently most lucrative&#8212;and why.</p><div><hr></div><h1>1. <strong>Instagram Growth &amp; Account Management</strong></h1><p><strong>Competition:</strong> High (27,000+ results)<br><strong>Earning Potential:</strong> High<br><strong>Best For:</strong> Experienced sellers with strong proof of results</p><p>Instagram remains one of the strongest social platforms for business visibility. Growth services still dominate because clients want:</p><ul><li><p>Higher reach</p></li><li><p>More followers</p></li><li><p>More authority</p></li><li><p>More leads</p></li></ul><h3>What Works</h3><ul><li><p>Organic growth systems (no specific follower guarantees)</p></li><li><p>Engagement strategies</p></li><li><p>Full monthly account management</p></li><li><p>Content creation + strategy packages</p></li></ul><h3>What Does <em>Not</em> Work Anymore</h3><ul><li><p>Promising exact follower numbers</p></li><li><p>Selling hashtags</p></li><li><p>&#8220;Ghost follower removal&#8221; reports</p></li></ul><p>These are outdated.</p><div><hr></div><h1>2. <strong>Pinterest Marketing (One of the Most Overlooked Goldmines)</strong></h1><p><strong>Competition:</strong> Low (5,600 results)<br><strong>Earning Potential:</strong> Very High</p><p>Pinterest has a massive organic reach potential and is extremely popular among:</p><ul><li><p>E&#8209;commerce brands</p></li><li><p>Personal brands</p></li><li><p>Coaches</p></li><li><p>Bloggers</p></li><li><p>Etsy sellers</p></li></ul><h3>Why This Niche Is Exploding</h3><ul><li><p>Lower competition means easier ranking</p></li><li><p>Buyers tend to stay long-term (months of management)</p></li><li><p>High demand from Pinterest Ads + organic strategy</p></li></ul><h3>What The Top Sellers Do</h3><p>One top seller we analyzed:</p><ul><li><p>26 orders in queue (Pinterest only)</p></li><li><p>Offers <strong>four gig types</strong>: organic posting, ads, e-commerce focus, and consultations</p></li><li><p>Uses smart <strong>upsells</strong>: TikTok, Instagram, Google SEO, Ads Management</p></li><li><p>Charges <strong>up to $800+</strong> per package after upsells</p></li></ul><p>This model is perfect for scaling to $10K+/month.</p><div><hr></div><h1>3. <strong>LinkedIn Profile Optimization &amp; Strategy</strong></h1><p><strong>Competition:</strong> Moderate<br><strong>Earning Potential:</strong> Extremely High</p><p>LinkedIn is becoming a powerhouse platform for:</p><ul><li><p>Entrepreneurs</p></li><li><p>Job seekers</p></li><li><p>Coaches</p></li><li><p>Corporate professionals</p></li></ul><h3>Why It Is So Profitable</h3><p>Many LinkedIn consultants charge <strong>$500&#8211;$1,300+ per package</strong>.</p><p>Top sellers offer:</p><ul><li><p>LinkedIn profile rewrites</p></li><li><p>Strategic content plans</p></li><li><p>Positioning and branding messaging</p></li><li><p>Competitor analysis</p></li><li><p>SEO for LinkedIn search</p></li></ul><p>This niche works because LinkedIn attracts <strong>professionals willing to invest</strong> in their image.</p><div><hr></div><h1>4. <strong>Twitter/X Growth Management</strong></h1><p><strong>Competition:</strong> Low<br><strong>Earning Potential:</strong> Medium to High</p><p>Twitter/X is growing rapidly among:</p><ul><li><p>Founders</p></li><li><p>Creators</p></li><li><p>Marketers</p></li><li><p>Crypto/tech enthusiasts</p></li></ul><h3>What Works</h3><ul><li><p>Daily engagement</p></li><li><p>Comment strategy</p></li><li><p>Growth systems</p></li><li><p>Content posting &amp; scheduling</p></li></ul><h3>What Fails</h3><ul><li><p>Gigs with vague descriptions (&#8220;I will work 2.5 hours on your account&#8221;)</p></li></ul><p>Buyers need clarity&#8212;<strong>what exactly will you do?</strong></p><p>Meanwhile, top sellers like <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/lamspyrou">Lambros</a> (a friend of mine) have <strong>15+ orders in queue</strong> because he provides:</p><ul><li><p>Content creation</p></li><li><p>Engagement</p></li><li><p>Full growth plan</p></li><li><p>Niche targeting</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h1>5. <strong>YouTube Consulting &amp; Channel Audits</strong></h1><p><strong>Competition:</strong> Moderate<br><strong>Earning Potential:</strong> High</p><p>Production and editing are competitive, but <strong>consulting</strong> and <strong>strategy</strong> have become premium services.</p><p>Buyers want:</p><ul><li><p>Thumbnail feedback</p></li><li><p>Video topic strategy</p></li><li><p>Structure analysis</p></li><li><p>SEO optimization</p></li></ul><p>Many consultants deliver:</p><ul><li><p>60&#8211;90 minute video audits</p></li><li><p>Personalized growth roadmaps</p></li><li><p>Monthly coaching calls</p></li></ul><p>These gigs often sell for <strong>$100&#8211;$500+</strong>.</p><div><hr></div><h1>6. <strong>TikTok (Mainly Short&#8209;Form Editing)</strong></h1><p><strong>Competition:</strong> Very High (55,000+ results)<br><strong>Earning Potential:</strong> Medium to High</p><p>TikTok growth services are less popular than editing services.</p><p>Most Fiverr demand is currently in:</p><ul><li><p>Short&#8209;form video editing</p></li><li><p>Podcast repurposing</p></li><li><p>Batch editing (10&#8211;30 videos)</p></li></ul><p>This area is profitable, but extremely competitive.</p><div><hr></div><h1>7. <strong>Specialized Services: Social Media Account Recovery (Hidden Opportunity)</strong></h1><p>A surprising category: <strong>legal-style account recovery for suspended profiles.</strong></p><p>One seller we reviewed is an EU&#8209;licensed attorney who:</p><ul><li><p>Writes legal appeal letters</p></li><li><p>Helps unrestrict accounts</p></li><li><p>Charges <strong>$200&#8211;$600+</strong> per order</p></li><li><p>Has consistent demand</p></li></ul><p>If you have legal experience, this niche is wide open.</p><div><hr></div><h2>The Smartest Approach for 2026</h2><p>If you are starting or scaling:</p><h3><strong>1. Pick One Platform First</strong></h3><p>Do not try to offer everything.</p><p>Choose:</p><ul><li><p>Instagram</p></li><li><p>Pinterest</p></li><li><p>LinkedIn</p></li><li><p>Twitter/X</p></li><li><p>YouTube</p></li><li><p>TikTok</p></li></ul><p>Then dominate it.</p><h3><strong>2. Create Multiple Gigs Within That Platform</strong></h3><p>Like:</p><ul><li><p>Strategy</p></li><li><p>Content creation</p></li><li><p>Growth management</p></li><li><p>Ads management</p></li><li><p>Consultations</p></li></ul><p>This keeps all traffic inside one ecosystem.</p><h3><strong>3. Add Smart Upsells</strong></h3><p>Upsell to:</p><ul><li><p>Other platforms</p></li><li><p>Monthly management</p></li><li><p>Ads</p></li><li><p>Content design</p></li><li><p>Analytics reporting</p></li></ul><p>This is how you turn a $50 order into $300+.</p><h3><strong>4. Use Data to Understand Trends</strong></h3><p>Check:</p><ul><li><p>Demand</p></li><li><p>Competition</p></li><li><p>Pricing</p></li><li><p>Tags</p></li><li><p>Search volume</p></li></ul><p>Use: <strong>launch.freelancehustle.ai</strong></p><div><hr></div><h2>Where I Would Start If I Were New Today</h2><h3><strong>Top 3 Niches for 2026 Beginners</strong></h3><ol><li><p><strong>Pinterest management</strong> (low competition, high demand)</p></li><li><p><strong>LinkedIn profile optimization</strong> (high ticket, strong audience)</p></li><li><p><strong>Twitter/X growth management</strong> (growing platform + low competition)</p></li></ol><p>These niches have the perfect balance of:</p><ul><li><p>Volume</p></li><li><p>Low competition</p></li><li><p>Fast ranking potential</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h2>Final Thoughts</h2><p>The social media marketing category is still one of the best places to build a six&#8209;figure agency. But the secret is:</p><p><strong>Choose the right platform.</strong><br><strong>Develop multiple gigs around it.</strong><br><strong>Sell high&#8209;value services&#8212;not outdated ones.</strong></p><p>If you want to build a real, long&#8209;term business, you need systems, not luck.</p><p>See you soon!</p><p>Kind regards,<br>Vasily</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[I Made $2.7M+ On Fiverr and I Can't Scale Anymore]]></title><description><![CDATA[You can earn millions on Fiverr, but real scale starts when you take control of your audience and income.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/i-made-27m-on-fiverr-and-i-cant-scale</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/i-made-27m-on-fiverr-and-i-cant-scale</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2025 09:30:34 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3cdb5444-6677-4ab7-a9bc-6d51e3c9cea5_1280x726.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-C5QF1AiuMBs" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;C5QF1AiuMBs&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/C5QF1AiuMBs?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><h2>The Milestone (and Why I Am Writing This)</h2><p>Recently, I crossed <strong>$2.7 million</strong> in lifetime earnings on Fiverr. A personal milestone for sure and a signal that platforms like Fiverr and Upwork can still create meaningful, life-changing income. I see more sellers breaking through <strong>$10,000+ per month</strong>, quitting jobs, and building agencies. That is the goal of this channel and newsletter: to <strong>inspire</strong> people to start, and then to <strong>equip</strong> them to scale.</p><p>But here is the conversation we do not have enough: <strong>sustainability</strong>. Not every growth curve lasts. Platform dynamics change. Demand shifts. Categories boom and fade (remember <strong>NFT gigs in 2020&#8211;2021?)</strong>. If you plan to scale, you must plan for <strong>volatility</strong>.</p><div><hr></div><h2>The Ceiling Is Real</h2><p>If you build only on a marketplace, you will eventually hit a <strong>ceiling</strong>. It can take years, or it can hit early. It depends on:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Category demand:</strong> some services have natural limits.</p></li><li><p><strong>Platform supply and traffic:</strong> Fiverr may not deliver the same volume every month.</p></li><li><p><strong>Your operations:</strong> delivery speed, response time, and customer satisfaction.</p></li></ul><p>In August, my Fiverr analytics showed <strong>$44,000</strong> in revenue. In September, it was <strong>$34,000</strong>. Nothing &#8220;broke.&#8221; That is just platform seasonality and flow. You can do everything right and still ride the wave.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vyiB!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce2939a1-e8e4-488e-a916-1134cc722283_2296x850.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vyiB!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce2939a1-e8e4-488e-a916-1134cc722283_2296x850.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vyiB!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce2939a1-e8e4-488e-a916-1134cc722283_2296x850.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vyiB!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce2939a1-e8e4-488e-a916-1134cc722283_2296x850.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vyiB!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce2939a1-e8e4-488e-a916-1134cc722283_2296x850.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vyiB!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce2939a1-e8e4-488e-a916-1134cc722283_2296x850.png" width="1456" height="539" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ce2939a1-e8e4-488e-a916-1134cc722283_2296x850.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:539,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:180198,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.freelancehustle.com/i/178635840?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce2939a1-e8e4-488e-a916-1134cc722283_2296x850.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vyiB!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce2939a1-e8e4-488e-a916-1134cc722283_2296x850.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vyiB!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce2939a1-e8e4-488e-a916-1134cc722283_2296x850.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vyiB!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce2939a1-e8e4-488e-a916-1134cc722283_2296x850.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vyiB!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce2939a1-e8e4-488e-a916-1134cc722283_2296x850.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div><hr></div><h2>The Hidden Risk of Scaling on a Platform</h2><p>Scaling means <strong>hiring</strong>, forming a <strong>legal entity</strong>, paying <strong>taxes and contributions</strong>, and making real commitments to people. Marketplaces, meanwhile, can experience glitches and enforcement swings. Recently, some sellers even received <strong>erroneous suspension emails</strong>. Fiverr corrected it when contacted, but the message is clear: when your cash flow depends on a platform, <strong>you carry platform risk</strong>.</p><p><strong>Takeaway:</strong> if you are growing an agency, you cannot rely on a single platform to meet payroll.</p><div><hr></div><h2>Consistency Wins (But It Is Work)</h2><p>Fiverr rewards consistent behavior: fast responses, on-time delivery, and satisfied clients. Social media is different. No one forces you to post. That is why creators burn out after two to three weeks of low views. The fix is to treat visibility like a <strong>lifestyle</strong>, not a sprint. Share your thoughts, wins, challenges, and lessons. Stay consistent when the metrics are quiet.</p><div><hr></div><h2>The 2&#8211;3 Year Rule</h2><p>If you are starting now, give yourself <strong>2&#8211;3 years</strong> on Fiverr or Upwork before deciding whether the platform &#8220;works.&#8221; For the first stretch, focus on:</p><ul><li><p>Building <strong>proof of demand</strong> for a specific offer.</p></li><li><p>Honing your <strong>processes</strong> to deliver consistently.</p></li><li><p>Collecting <strong>reviews</strong> and increasing order value.</p></li></ul><p>During that period, expect to live on <strong>reasonable revenue</strong>, not on the &#8220;$10k months&#8221; you see in thumbnails. Those months can come, but they arrive after systems are in place.</p><div><hr></div><h2>Build Your Own Platform (While The Platform Is Feeding You)</h2><p>Once you have proof that your service sells, build <strong>your own system</strong>:</p><ul><li><p>An <strong>audience</strong> that listens to you (YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn).</p></li><li><p>An <strong>email list</strong> you can reach directly.</p></li><li><p><strong>Direct payment</strong> and <strong>direct communication</strong> with clients.</p></li></ul><p>Why? Because subscriptions can lapse, offers can expire, and clients can decide not to re-enter the marketplace. When you own the relationship, your <strong>retention</strong>, <strong>upsell</strong>, and <strong>cash flow</strong> are in your control.</p><div><hr></div><h2>What I Am Doing Now</h2><p>I am scaling a <strong>done-for-you Instagram growth service</strong> for businesses and personal brands. The demand is strong. Last week alone, we closed <strong>7 clients</strong> from my existing audience. At a pace of <strong>~5 new clients per week</strong>, that is roughly <strong>20 per month</strong>, with typical retention of <strong>3&#8211;6 months+</strong>. That creates a healthier, more predictable base than waiting for marketplace traffic.</p><p>At the same time, I am continuing to build <strong><a href="https://freelancehustle.ai/">FreelanceHustle</a></strong> with Ayman. It is a long game. We are investing time, testing ideas, and improving steadily. It will not happen overnight, and that is fine. The point is <strong>compound effort</strong>.</p><div><hr></div><h2>If You Are Growing Right Now, Do This Next</h2><ol><li><p><strong>Pick one service</strong> with real demand and commit. Minimize distractions.</p></li><li><p><strong>Dominate one marketplace channel</strong> (Fiverr/Upwork) for proof and cash flow.</p></li><li><p>In parallel, <strong>ship content weekly</strong> on one platform where your buyers live.</p></li><li><p><strong>Capture emails</strong> from day one.</p></li><li><p><strong>Track your leading indicators:</strong> inquiries, response time, delivery speed, retention, upsell rate.</p></li><li><p><strong>Budget for volatility.</strong> Assume a 20&#8211;30% swing month to month.</p></li></ol><div><hr></div><h2>Common Pitfalls to Avoid</h2><ul><li><p><strong>Waiting until something breaks</strong> to diversify.</p></li><li><p><strong>Hiring too fast</strong> without a pipeline you control.</p></li><li><p><strong>Judging success on likes and views</strong> instead of conversations and conversions.</p></li><li><p><strong>Changing offers weekly.</strong> Iteration is good; whiplash is not.</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h2>A Note on Mindset</h2><p>You will think everything is working&#8230; until it is not. When that happens, do not panic. Step back, tighten your offer, talk to customers, and act. You cannot remove risk, but you can <strong>shift it</strong> by owning more of your system.</p><div><hr></div><h2>Final Thoughts</h2><p>I am grateful for the $2.7M+ milestone and for the doors Fiverr opened. Marketplaces are an amazing training ground and springboard. Use them fully. But build something you <strong>own</strong> while you are winning there. Your future self will thank you.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1RPO!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5ad5c38-2402-4ed9-a608-a0f2a90524b6_2332x442.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1RPO!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5ad5c38-2402-4ed9-a608-a0f2a90524b6_2332x442.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1RPO!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5ad5c38-2402-4ed9-a608-a0f2a90524b6_2332x442.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1RPO!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5ad5c38-2402-4ed9-a608-a0f2a90524b6_2332x442.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1RPO!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5ad5c38-2402-4ed9-a608-a0f2a90524b6_2332x442.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1RPO!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5ad5c38-2402-4ed9-a608-a0f2a90524b6_2332x442.png" width="1456" height="276" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d5ad5c38-2402-4ed9-a608-a0f2a90524b6_2332x442.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:276,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:91465,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.freelancehustle.com/i/178635840?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5ad5c38-2402-4ed9-a608-a0f2a90524b6_2332x442.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1RPO!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5ad5c38-2402-4ed9-a608-a0f2a90524b6_2332x442.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1RPO!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5ad5c38-2402-4ed9-a608-a0f2a90524b6_2332x442.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1RPO!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5ad5c38-2402-4ed9-a608-a0f2a90524b6_2332x442.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1RPO!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5ad5c38-2402-4ed9-a608-a0f2a90524b6_2332x442.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p></p><div><hr></div><h3>What I Am Offering Right Now</h3><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://growth.wnogmedia.com/">Instagram Growth (Done-For-You):</a></strong> If you want consistent growth and qualified connections, reply to this email or DM me on Instagram. Let us see if it is a fit.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://freelancehustle.ai/">FreelanceHustle:</a></strong> If you are a Fiverr seller, try the platform <strong>free for 14 days</strong>. Questions? Message me anytime.</p></li></ul><p><em>See you soon!</em></p><p>Kind regards,<br>Vasily</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[I Launched a CRM & AI Platform for Fiverr Sellers]]></title><description><![CDATA[Over the past year, Ayman and me have been quietly building something I am incredibly excited to share with you&#8212;a platform designed specifically for Fiverr sellers.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/ai-platform</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/ai-platform</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 22 Aug 2025 11:18:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/youtube/w_728,c_limit/2Szqbu43_h0" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Over the past year, <strong>Ayman and me</strong> have been quietly building something I am incredibly excited to share with you&#8212;a platform designed <strong>specifically for Fiverr sellers</strong>.</p><p>This is not just another AI tool. It is an <strong>AI + CRM platform</strong> built to help you:</p><ul><li><p>Reply faster and smarter with AI-powered agents</p></li><li><p>Manage your leads, buyers, and past orders in one place</p></li><li><p>Stay organized and increase sales on Fiverr</p></li><li><p>Collaborate with your team inside a shared workspace, fully synced with all updates</p></li></ul><p>The result? A simpler, smarter way to grow your Fiverr business without drowning in repetitive tasks.</p><div id="youtube2-2Szqbu43_h0" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;2Szqbu43_h0&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/2Szqbu43_h0?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div><hr></div><h2>Why We Built This Platform</h2><p>As an active Fiverr seller myself, I know how overwhelming it can get:</p><ul><li><p>Endless client messages filling your inbox</p></li><li><p>Repetitive questions that eat up your time</p></li><li><p>Struggles with organizing leads, buyers, and renewals</p></li></ul><p>I kept thinking&#8212;<strong>there has to be a smarter way</strong>.</p><p>That is when I teamed up with <strong>Ayman</strong>, my former Computer Science professor from university in the U.S. After graduating, we kept in touch and decided to combine our strengths to build this platform. Ayman has gone on to work at multiple startups, launch his own projects, and develop deep expertise in programming&#8212;especially in the rapidly evolving AI space.</p><p>Together, we set out to create a tool that truly helps Fiverr sellers work smarter.</p><p>Fast forward a year and a half, and today more than 40 sellers are already using it successfully.</p><div><hr></div><h2>How It Works (And Why It&#8217;s Safe)</h2><p>One of the biggest questions I get is: <em>&#8220;Is this safe for my Fiverr account?&#8221;</em></p><p>The short answer: <strong>Absolutely yes.</strong></p><ul><li><p>We never ask you to connect your Fiverr account or provide access credentials.</p></li><li><p>Everything runs through our AI agent, powered by OpenAI.</p></li><li><p>Replies are generated in real time, without storing your data.</p></li></ul><p>I have personally used this platform daily for more than a year. My account is safe, and the sellers using it have had no issues either.</p><div><hr></div><h2>Getting Started</h2><p>The platform is now open to everyone&#8212;no waiting list required.</p><ol><li><p>Go to <a href="https://freelancehustle.ai">freelancehustle.ai</a></p></li><li><p>Sign up with your name, email, and password</p></li><li><p>Start your <strong>free two-week trial</strong></p></li></ol><p>You&#8217;ll get full access to the platform immediately. The only difference between the free trial and the paid plan ($39/month) is access to our private <strong>Telegram community</strong>, where top Fiverr sellers share strategies and tips.</p><p>&#128161; <strong>Special Promo:</strong> After your free 14-day trial, you can get <strong>50% off your first month</strong> with promo code <strong>AUGUST50</strong>.</p><div><hr></div><h2>Key Features</h2><p>Here is what makes the platform so powerful:</p><h3>1. <strong>Inbox &amp; Order Agent</strong></h3><ul><li><p>AI-powered replies based on your instructions</p></li><li><p>Customize exactly how you want the AI to respond</p></li><li><p>Works directly in your Fiverr inbox and order page with a single click</p></li></ul><h3>2. <strong>CRM System</strong></h3><ul><li><p>Manage all your <strong>leads, buyers, past clients, and follow-ups</strong> in one place</p></li><li><p>Add notes, assign labels, track renewals, and organize by categories</p></li><li><p>Export your data whenever you need</p></li></ul><h3>3. <strong>Team Collaboration</strong></h3><ul><li><p>Invite your team members into a shared workspace</p></li><li><p>Everyone works with the same synced instructions, CRM, and updates</p></li><li><p>Perfect for Fiverr agencies and multi-member teams</p></li></ul><h3>4. <strong>Voice Prompts</strong></h3><ul><li><p>Speak your hints instead of typing</p></li><li><p>AI turns them into professional, client-ready messages instantly</p></li></ul><h3>5. <strong>Magic Button</strong></h3><ul><li><p>Fix grammar, improve tone, or make replies friendlier</p></li><li><p>Translate messages into different languages</p></li><li><p>Reshape your text instantly with one click</p></li></ul><h3>6. <strong>Quick Responses &amp; Templates</strong></h3><ul><li><p>Save your most-used replies</p></li><li><p>Search and insert them easily (much better than Fiverr&#8217;s native quick responses)</p></li><li><p>Speed up order messages and deliveries</p></li></ul><p>And yes&#8212;we even added <strong>Dark Mode</strong> for those of you who prefer a sleeker look.</p><div><hr></div><h2>What&#8217;s Coming Next</h2><p>We are just getting started. In the <strong>next days and weeks</strong>, we are rolling out even more features:</p><ul><li><p>Managing orders directly in the platform</p></li><li><p>Replying to Fiverr briefs automatically</p></li><li><p>A built-in collaboration hub for teams</p></li><li><p>And many more updates that will push your Fiverr business to the next level</p></li></ul><p>But here&#8217;s the important part: <strong>we want you&#8212;the sellers&#8212;to be part of the active development.</strong> Your feedback, ideas, and suggestions will directly shape what comes next.</p><p>That&#8217;s why we&#8217;ve created a <strong>private Telegram group</strong> where you can:</p><ul><li><p>Connect with other Fiverr sellers</p></li><li><p>Share ideas with me, Ayman, and my Fiverr operations team</p></li><li><p>Stay updated on new releases and upcoming features</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h2>Join Us</h2><p>If you have been feeling overwhelmed on Fiverr&#8230;<br>If your inbox feels endless&#8230;<br>If you want a smarter way to handle clients, manage your business, and scale faster&#8230;</p><p>This platform is for you.</p><p>&#128073; <a href="https://freelancehustle.ai">Sign up here to start your free trial</a></p><p>Do not forget: use promo code <strong>AUGUST50</strong> to get <strong>50% off your first month</strong> after the free trial.</p><p>Let&#8217;s build the future of freelancing&#8212;together.</p><p>&#8212; Vasily &amp; Ayman</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Making Money on Fiverr While Travelling – with Luke Baillie]]></title><description><![CDATA[How Luke Rebuilt His Freelance Career on Fiverr, Landing Direct Clients, and Visited 80+ Countries.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/luke-baillie</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/luke-baillie</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2025 15:08:52 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/169677134/95cebe724fc06f44b4e1ff418f1950e4.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-yUmfC_Aw9nw" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;yUmfC_Aw9nw&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/yUmfC_Aw9nw?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zi6K!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7bcbe56-ea2f-4248-af6d-6fa2499adbca_2390x1460.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zi6K!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7bcbe56-ea2f-4248-af6d-6fa2499adbca_2390x1460.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zi6K!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7bcbe56-ea2f-4248-af6d-6fa2499adbca_2390x1460.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zi6K!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7bcbe56-ea2f-4248-af6d-6fa2499adbca_2390x1460.png 1272w, 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zi6K!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7bcbe56-ea2f-4248-af6d-6fa2499adbca_2390x1460.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zi6K!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7bcbe56-ea2f-4248-af6d-6fa2499adbca_2390x1460.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zi6K!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7bcbe56-ea2f-4248-af6d-6fa2499adbca_2390x1460.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zi6K!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7bcbe56-ea2f-4248-af6d-6fa2499adbca_2390x1460.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><blockquote><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/lukebbaillie">Luke&#8217;s Fiverr Profile</a></strong></p></blockquote><h3><strong>Starting Out on Fiverr</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Luke, when did you first get involved with Fiverr?</strong><br><strong>Luke:</strong> Technically, about eight years ago&#8212;I was just helping a friend manage his Fiverr messages. But things did not work out there. You were actually the one who pushed me to give Fiverr a real shot, back when we were in Russia in 2021. I started my own account, and the first few months went well until I got a 4-star review, which kind of threw me off. I stopped for a while&#8230; then picked it up again last year in Belgrade.</p><p><strong>Q: What happened after you restarted?</strong><br><strong>Luke:</strong> From August to November, it was great. I reached Level 2 Seller, which was a big milestone for me. Then I got a mediocre review&#8212;nothing terrible, but enough to drop me back to Level 1. And last month, I dropped again to Level 0.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Riding the Ups and Downs</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: That sounds frustrating. Are you still getting orders?</strong><br><strong>Luke:</strong> Surprisingly, yes. Last month, I still made $1,000 on Fiverr&#8212;even on Level 0 with no promoted gigs. My best week ever was $3.5K, just before I lost my promoted status.</p><p><strong>Q: Why not launch a UGC gig? You are a native English speaker from the UK.</strong><br><strong>Luke:</strong> I actually did one as my first Fiverr order&#8212;it was $500. But I have been hesitant to go all-in. Part of it is that I want to be selective. I do not want to be the face of products I do not believe in. Especially if I go into politics someday, I do not want old videos resurfacing of me promoting some crypto scam or questionable supplement.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>The Travel Lifestyle</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: You have visited over 80 countries now. Where did that passion come from?</strong><br><strong>Luke:</strong> I used to watch Top Gear with my dad. Those road trips and adventures they filmed just fascinated me. I always dreamed of seeing the world like that. Fiverr gives me the freedom to travel while I work&#8212;I just need decent internet to deliver videos.</p><p><strong>Q: What are the most memorable countries you have visited?</strong><br><strong>Luke:</strong> Russia was definitely one of the best&#8212;I ended up staying for three months instead of three weeks. Afghanistan was eye-opening too, even though I visited in winter and had the coldest shower of my life. It is hard to pick just one place. Every country teaches you something different.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Mental Growth Through Struggles</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Has all this travel changed your perspective on life?</strong><br><strong>Luke:</strong> Massively. A few years ago, I hit rock bottom. I was broke, homeless for a few nights, just walking around cities until morning. But those experiences teach you what really matters. You stop caring about being judged. You realize how little you actually need&#8212;and how much freedom matters.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Direct Clients and Building a Business</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: You recently started getting direct clients too, right?</strong><br><strong>Luke:</strong> Yeah. In December, I launched a video editing subscription service&#8212;mainly short-form content like reels. One client found me through email and reached out at 1:00 a.m. Vietnam time. I took the call outside with mosquitoes buzzing around me, and they are still with me today.</p><p><strong>Q: How are you finding more clients now?</strong><br><strong>Luke:</strong> Some cold email outreach and a lot of referrals. I am up to seven private clients now. It is not stable, but I work hard, stay up till 4:00 or 5:00 a.m. if needed, and meet all deadlines. Clients come back when you deliver well.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Plans for Personal Brand</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: What are your plans for Instagram and YouTube?</strong><br><strong>Luke:</strong> I want to build my personal brand&#8212;travel content, business lessons, maybe even motivation. I posted 24 travel reels in February and started seeing results. But then I went to Turkmenistan and lost internet for a while&#8230; and just never got back to it. I need to be consistent.</p><p><strong>Q: What is holding you back from posting?</strong><br><strong>Luke:</strong> Overthinking. I get so many ideas that I end up doing nothing. I confuse myself. I know I need to just start and figure it out along the way. That is what I am working on now.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Advice to Aspiring Creators</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: What would you say to someone who wants to live with more freedom like you?</strong><br><strong>Luke:</strong> Start by connecting with people. Almost every opportunity I have had came from conversations&#8212;not from job boards. And do not wait until you are ready. Just start. My first real job came after 120 rejections. You need to take big steps, be willing to move, and be open to change. And if you have a skill, build on it for a few years. That experience will always give you leverage later.</p><div><hr></div><p><strong>Q: What does the future look like for you now?</strong><br><strong>Luke:</strong> Keep growing the client side, keep traveling, and finally launch my own content regularly. I do not know what country I will be in next month&#8212;but I do know I will be editing videos and building something meaningful wherever I am.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Where to find Luke</h3><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/lukebbaillie">Fiverr&#8217;s Profile</a></strong></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/lukebaillie">Instagram</a></strong></p></li></ul><p>Thanks for reading this edition. If Luke&#8217;s story resonated with you, drop a comment or share it with someone.</p><p>See you soon,<br>Vasily</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[From Oxford to Fiverr Pro: Denis's Cybersecurity Journey]]></title><description><![CDATA[From Corporate Security at Barclays and Fujitsu to Fiverr Pro&#8212;Denis Now Leads a Lean, High-Ticket Consulting Brand.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/denis-galkin</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/denis-galkin</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2025 16:46:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/168486891/8b13157a2fbebc869f6c038725d59b20.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-dQBZOyisyNY" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;dQBZOyisyNY&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/dQBZOyisyNY?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!8bxc!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc02eb347-24b9-4859-9947-dd895912452d_1508x1302.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!8bxc!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc02eb347-24b9-4859-9947-dd895912452d_1508x1302.png 424w, 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I was programming in BASIC, Turbo Pascal, and Visual Basic on Windows 3.1 and 95. I fixed computers at school, sometimes better than my computer science teacher. I even created some automated test systems for teachers to save grading time. That was my first exposure to practical IT.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Breaking into Cybersecurity</h3><p><strong>Q: How did you transition into cybersecurity professionally?</strong><br><strong>Denis:</strong> Around 2005, I started working with banks like HSBC, Barclays, and Lloyds as a security engineer. I was securing ATMs, implementing cryptography, and hardening systems. It was the early stage of what we now call cybersecurity.</p><div><hr></div><h3>The Oxford Dream</h3><p><strong>Q: What inspired you to study at Oxford?</strong><br><strong>Denis:</strong> As a child, I saw the word "Oxford" in science books at home. My grandmother was a paleontologist, and we had many academic books around. That name stayed with me. Years later, after building experience and earning certifications, I applied and was admitted to Oxford for a master&#8217;s in Software and System Security.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Was Oxford Worth It?</h3><p><strong>Q: Looking back, was it the right decision?</strong><br><strong>Denis:</strong> Definitely. It took five years to complete while working, running a company, and raising two children. I passed my CISSP after failing once, got my ISO 27001 Lead Auditor certification, and later added CRISC and CISM. Oxford was tough, but it helped me level up my career.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Working with Big Banks &amp; Launching His Company</h3><p><strong>Q: What was it like working with major corporations?</strong><br><strong>Denis:</strong> I worked with seven international banks. At Fujitsu, I was a Principal Security Solutions Architect, reporting to the CISO and signing off on multi-million-pound security solutions. But the pressure was huge. Even while skiing in the Alps, I had to take work calls. That&#8217;s why I eventually launched my own limited company&#8212;to gain flexibility and balance.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Discovering Fiverr</h3><p><strong>Q: With all that experience, why try Fiverr?</strong><br><strong>Denis:</strong> I had known about Fiverr through a friend but only gave it a serious look in late 2024. Initially, I thought it was not for me, but then I started analyzing the platform. I spent two months watching videos&#8212;especially yours&#8212;and created around 17 gigs covering different cybersecurity services.</p><div><hr></div><h3>First Sales and Niche Focus</h3><p><strong>Q: How did your Fiverr sales begin?</strong><br><strong>Denis:</strong> Real traction started in January 2025 after polishing my gigs for a few months. My services cover everything from GDPR to ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, and risk management. Because I worked across many domains in my career, I could confidently offer consultations in all of them.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Gig Structure &amp; Pricing</h3><p><strong>Q: How do you structure your offers?</strong><br><strong>Denis:</strong> Most gigs are one-hour consultations with three tiers:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Basic:</strong> Delivery within 30 days</p></li><li><p><strong>Standard:</strong> Delivery within 5 business days</p></li><li><p><strong>Premium:</strong> Delivery within 2 days for urgent cases</p></li></ul><p>In some cases, clients book multiple hours or even larger bundles. I am also preparing to launch subscription-based services for companies that need ongoing support but cannot afford a full-time Chief Information Security Officer.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Pro Seller &amp; Top Rated Status</h3><p><strong>Q: How did you become a Fiverr Pro and Top Rated Seller so fast?</strong><br><strong>Denis:</strong> I applied for Pro Seller status shortly after joining. I had all the credentials&#8212;Oxford, industry certs, real-world experience&#8212;and got approved in about a month. I hit Top Rated Seller status within three months of consistent sales, maintaining a 100% response rate and success score of 10.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Fiverr Project Insights</h3><p><strong>Q: What kind of clients and requests do you get on Fiverr?</strong><br><strong>Denis:</strong> Most clients are small businesses, though I have worked with billion-dollar companies through Fiverr too. Some requests are strange&#8212;people asking me to hack systems or recover stolen accounts. I report those immediately. But overall, the platform has allowed me to serve a wide range of serious clients.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Tips, Tools &amp; Workflow</h3><p><strong>Q: Do you use any tools or have a team helping you?</strong><br><strong>Denis</strong>: I work closely with a trusted colleague&#8212;one of the top technical cybersecurity specialists I know. He helps with the more technical engagements. We do not use complex systems&#8212;just a clean setup to manage consultations and delivery.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Thoughts on Fiverr's 20% Fee</h3><p><strong>Q: How do you feel about Fiverr taking 20%?</strong><br><strong>Denis:</strong> It is similar to working with a recruitment agency&#8212;they take a cut for connecting you with clients. Fiverr offers infrastructure, support, and traffic. Of course, it would be nice to pay less, but for what it offers, the fee is reasonable.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Advice for Experienced Professionals</h3><p><strong>Q: What advice do you have for experienced professionals considering Fiverr?</strong><br><strong>Denis:</strong> Define your goals clearly. Understand that you are trading time, energy, and money. Focus on learning how Fiverr works&#8212;watch videos, study gig structure, and test. If you are a true expert, there is definitely demand. Just be ready to put in the time initially.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Strategic Direction: Healthcare &amp; HIPAA</h3><p><strong>Q: What are your long-term goals beyond Fiverr?</strong><br><strong>Denis:</strong> I am building a second major stream around HIPAA compliance in the U.S. healthcare sector. I have worked with companies like Novartis and helped hospitals protect sensitive patient data. I believe healthcare is vulnerable and needs more cybersecurity awareness, especially in small organizations.</p><div><hr></div><h3>$15K+ Months, Tips, and What's Next</h3><p><strong>Q: What kind of results have you seen so far?</strong><br><strong>Denis:</strong> Within the first month, I hit $5,000/month. That quickly grew to $15,000+ by May. I have received tips up to $1,000 from satisfied clients. Fiverr has given me flexibility, reach, and a new client base. I will continue growing on the platform while building out my healthcare consulting business.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Where to Find Denis</h3><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/denis_galkin">Fiverr Profile</a></strong></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisgalkin/">LinkedIn</a></strong></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.adsecurus.com/">Website</a></strong></p></li></ul><p>Thanks for reading this edition. If Denis&#8217;s story resonated with you, drop a comment or share it with someone.</p><p>See you soon,<br>Vasily</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Marko Made $50,000+ Selling on Fiverr]]></title><description><![CDATA[Marko&#8217;s Journey from $5 Remixes to $2,500 Meditation Gigs&#8212;and Now $1,000 Website Projects in Web Design.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/marko-mihajlovic</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/marko-mihajlovic</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 14:36:17 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/167641416/5006dbf9536d70a8c9d471a9843b8609.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-TGBCW0-fyjQ" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;TGBCW0-fyjQ&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/TGBCW0-fyjQ?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sx3V!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8cbf9334-2c20-4c6b-a5b8-318412f188e4_2204x1306.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sx3V!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8cbf9334-2c20-4c6b-a5b8-318412f188e4_2204x1306.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sx3V!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8cbf9334-2c20-4c6b-a5b8-318412f188e4_2204x1306.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sx3V!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8cbf9334-2c20-4c6b-a5b8-318412f188e4_2204x1306.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sx3V!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8cbf9334-2c20-4c6b-a5b8-318412f188e4_2204x1306.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sx3V!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8cbf9334-2c20-4c6b-a5b8-318412f188e4_2204x1306.png" width="1456" height="863" 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class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><blockquote><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/markusflok">Marko&#8217;s Fiverr Profile</a></strong></p></blockquote><h3>Discovering Fiverr</h3><p><strong>Q: Marko, how did you first hear about Fiverr?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> Back in college, I was looking up ways to make money online and came across Fiverr through a simple Google search. I had a passion for music production and knew how to use FL Studio, so I thought, why not turn that into a service? That is how it all started.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Early Gigs &amp; the First Order</h3><p><strong>Q: What was your first Fiverr order like?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> It took about a month to land my first order. It came from an Eastern European client who wanted a basic remix for $5. That feeling of earning money online for the first time was incredible&#8212;I could not believe someone would pay me just through a computer.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Building Momentum</h3><p><strong>Q: How did things progress from that first order?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> The first few months were up and down. I got a few orders, then one month was dead, then it picked up again. But I kept experimenting&#8212;testing new thumbnails, creating multiple gigs in niches like meditation music, lo-fi, podcast intros. That helped me learn what worked.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Transition to Full-Time Music Services</h3><p><strong>Q: At your peak with music gigs, what were you earning?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> Around $2,500/month. A lot of that came from creating original meditation music for faceless YouTube channels. They needed custom audio to stay monetized on YouTube, and I filled that gap.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Realizing It Was Time to Pivot</h3><p><strong>Q: Why did you shift from music to Webflow websites?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> I stopped enjoying music when it became &#8220;work.&#8221; I even tried automating music generation, but it felt wrong&#8212;I originally loved music because it was fun. I wanted to move to something more scalable, more high-ticket. That is when I discovered Webflow. It allowed more customization, and I saw potential for higher-value services.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Learning &amp; Rebranding</h3><p><strong>Q: How did you teach yourself Webflow?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> I started by creating projects for myself&#8212;most of them were terrible at first. I learned on the go, and whenever I got stuck, I turned to YouTube and ChatGPT. Slowly I built confidence.</p><p><strong>Q: Did you create a new Fiverr profile for Webflow?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> No. I decided to keep my original profile and rebrand it completely&#8212;new gig titles, new descriptions, new thumbnails. I was worried it might confuse buyers since my reviews were music-related, but it turned out to help.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Getting First Website Orders</h3><p><strong>Q: How did you land your first Webflow orders?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> I reached out to some of my old music clients, offering website design instead. Most said no, but a few said yes. That kickstarted my transition. Then promoted gigs started bringing in more organic leads.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Order Growth &amp; Workflow</h3><p><strong>Q: How did orders grow in the first few months of Webflow?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> It started slow&#8212;1 order, then 3, then 2 the next month. It was not instant, especially since I was still learning. Promoted gigs made a big difference, accounting for about 80&#8211;90% of orders.</p><p><strong>Q: What tools and systems do you use to manage everything?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> I work solo. I used to use Notion but now prefer Airtable to manage clients and projects. For scheduling calls, I use a tool called Setmore, which does not send emails (important to avoid Fiverr&#8217;s terms violations). And for video calls, I use Fiverr&#8217;s Zoom integration&#8212;it helps when clients need handholding or walkthroughs.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Fiverr Strategy &amp; Insights</h3><p><strong>Q: What pricing strategy did you start with?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> Fiverr does not allow Webflow gigs to be under $80. So I priced one page at $80, then upsold extra pages. That helped build momentum.</p><p><strong>Q: Do you offer unlimited revisions?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> I did early on. One project took six months because of unlimited revisions and slow client responses. Never again. It taught me to set clear limits and expectations.</p><p><strong>Q: What about Fiverr Promoted Gigs?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> Game-changer. I once spent $100 and earned over $2,000. Most of my orders come from them. If you are not using promoted gigs, you are invisible&#8212;half of Fiverr search results are ads now.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Personal Website &amp; Branding</h3><p><strong>Q: Does having a portfolio website help on Fiverr?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> Definitely. Unlike audio, where clients can just listen, website buyers want to see. A personal website builds credibility and makes you stand out. I even used Vasily&#8217;s website as inspiration for my own.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Exploring Direct Clients &amp; Agencies</h3><p><strong>Q: Are you considering working with clients outside Fiverr?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> Yes. Fiverr is a great lead channel, but I am also experimenting with cold emails and building a brand on X (Twitter). Eventually, I might join a Webflow agency to learn more or even build one myself.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Success Score, Consistency &amp; Frustrations</h3><p><strong>Q: Your Fiverr success score is 9&#8212;do you think that matters?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> It helps. One buyer told me he chose me simply because I had a gig video. The platform is weird sometimes&#8212;traffic comes in waves&#8212;but you just have to stay consistent.</p><p><strong>Q: What frustrates you most about Fiverr?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong> The imbalance. Some clients want $200 websites with crazy animations. And I do not always know why traffic drops suddenly. But you have to push through and keep improving.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Advice for New Sellers</h3><p><strong>Q: What advice do you have for people starting out on Fiverr?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Research your niche and study your competitors</p></li><li><p>Use a profile picture with your face and add a video</p></li><li><p>Create at least three gigs&#8212;test different offers</p></li><li><p>Be patient&#8212;orders take time to come</p></li><li><p>Consider offering trending services like AI or chatbot tools</p></li><li><p>Keep experimenting and learning daily</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h3>What&#8217;s Next</h3><p><strong>Q: What are your plans for the next few months?</strong></p><p><strong>Marko:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Keep optimizing Fiverr gigs</p></li><li><p>Expand to AI-related services</p></li><li><p>Launch cold email outreach campaigns</p></li><li><p>Continue growing on X and building portfolio credibility</p></li><li><p>Possibly work with or join an agency for mentorship and experience</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><p><strong>Where to Find Marko</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/markusflok">Fiverr Profile</a></strong></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://x.com/MarkusFlok">X (Twitter) Profile</a></strong></p></li></ul><p>Thanks for reading this edition. If Marko&#8217;s story resonated with you, drop a comment or share it with someone trying to figure out their next move.</p><p>See you soon,<br>Vasily</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Filip Built a $13K/Month Fiverr Agency With His Team]]></title><description><![CDATA[From Student to Studio Owner: How Filip Built a 6-Figure 3D Animation Business on Fiverr]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/filip-zekic</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/filip-zekic</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 02 Jul 2025 11:50:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/164583006/dbfaf5028fdbf63c1d145df6be6bae5f.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><div id="youtube2-tCVTBPpucds" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;tCVTBPpucds&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r7UI!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F42f5c4ff-2828-4854-af38-c3769b758f7e_1944x1284.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r7UI!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F42f5c4ff-2828-4854-af38-c3769b758f7e_1944x1284.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r7UI!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F42f5c4ff-2828-4854-af38-c3769b758f7e_1944x1284.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r7UI!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F42f5c4ff-2828-4854-af38-c3769b758f7e_1944x1284.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><blockquote><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/agencies/siriusanimation">Filip&#8217;s Fiverr Profile</a></strong></p></blockquote><h3><strong>Discovering Fiverr</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Filip, how did you first discover Fiverr?</strong></p><p><strong>Filip:</strong> Everything started in 2021. I was studying animation and 3D design in Serbia, after switching from a physics degree that did not work out. I always had the feeling I was meant for more, and after discovering Fiverr, I was drawn to the idea of setting up a storefront instead of constantly applying for gigs like on Upwork.</p><p>To create my first gig, I used projects I built during a bootcamp and personal pieces, like a stylized character of my wife. I priced my basic gig at $50 and analyzed other sellers to position myself competitively.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>First Orders &amp; Key Lessons</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: What was your first Fiverr order like?</strong></p><p><strong>Filip:</strong> It took one month to land my first order&#8212;a hair salon owner wanted 3D models for an AR app. I did not even know what AR meant at the time, but I figured it out and delivered. That project led to more work with the same client.</p><p>My second project got canceled after 7 days, and I felt defeated. But it taught me a key lesson: miscommunication kills projects. From then on, I created pre-written macros, PDF style guides, and asked for references upfront.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Going Full-Time</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: When did you realize Fiverr could become your full-time business?</strong></p><p><strong>Filip:</strong> After just 2&#8211;3 months, I went from earning $500/month to $5K/month. That was when I knew Fiverr could be more than a side hustle. I could either keep freelancing solo or start scaling. I chose the second path.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Team Building</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: How did you start building your team?</strong></p><p><strong>Filip:</strong></p><ul><li><p>I started locally&#8212;Facebook groups and university classmates</p></li><li><p>My first hire, Dan, is now the technical lead</p></li><li><p>We are now a team of 9 (including my wife, currently on maternity leave)</p></li></ul><p>Hiring was not easy. Some people only lasted a few months, while others like Dan grew with me. Now I am working on building proper processes to train new team members more efficiently.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Shifting to Agency Model</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: You turned your Fiverr profile into an agency. Why?</strong></p><p><strong>Filip:</strong> Because it reflects reality. Clients often prefer working with certain team members based on their visual style. I wanted to be transparent and also attract higher-ticket projects by showing we are a professional studio.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Studio Operations</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: What systems do you use to run your studio?</strong></p><p><strong>Filip:</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Discord</strong> &#8211; for internal communication</p></li><li><p><strong>Notion</strong> &#8211; for project tracking (may switch to Asana)</p></li><li><p><strong>Google Drive &#8594; internal server (32TB)</strong> &#8211; for file sharing</p></li><li><p><strong>On-site office in Novi Sad</strong> &#8211; creative collaboration is better in person</p></li></ul><p>I believe in building a physical office culture, especially for creative work. It is not the trendiest thing right now, but it helps grow a strong team and better results.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Frustrations with Fiverr Tools</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: What do you think about Fiverr&#8217;s tools?</strong></p><p><strong>Filip:</strong> <strong>FiverrGo (AI Assistant)</strong></p><ul><li><p>Cannot read images or interpret links</p></li><li><p>Sends too many messages that feel spammy</p></li><li><p>Often underprices projects without understanding complexity</p></li></ul><p><strong>Fiverr Ads</strong></p><ul><li><p>Too basic&#8212;needs better targeting, keyword control, and higher budget options</p></li></ul><p>These features feel underdeveloped compared to other ad platforms or AI tools like ChatGPT.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Becoming a Fiverr Pro</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: How did you become a Fiverr Pro?</strong></p><p><strong>Filip:</strong> I applied several months in and got accepted on my first try. I submitted portfolio work from clients like Decathlon and Kipling, along with side projects and personal animation work.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Using Seller Plus</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: What about Seller Plus&#8212;what features do you use?</strong></p><p><strong>Filip:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Priority customer support</p></li><li><p>Success manager feedback</p></li><li><p>Buyer insights (order volume, average spend)</p></li><li><p>I do manual follow-ups instead of using automation</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Earnings and Workflow</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: What is your current Fiverr income?</strong></p><p><strong>Filip:</strong> Right now, we average $12K&#8211;13K/month. We focus on high-ticket work&#8212;each project is usually $1K to $5K. We take on about 5&#8211;6 clients per month.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Client Collaboration</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: How do clients respond to working with your team?</strong></p><p><strong>Filip:</strong> Most still message me directly, but they like knowing a team is behind the work. Some even request specific team members once they&#8217;ve worked with us before.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>What&#8217;s Next</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: What are your future plans?</strong></p><p><strong>Filip:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Continue using Fiverr as a lead channel</p></li><li><p>Build more presence on social media to attract direct clients</p></li><li><p>Train team members to take over communication and sales</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Advice for Freelancers &amp; Agencies</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: What advice do you have for new Fiverr sellers or agencies?</strong></p><p><strong>Filip:</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Yes, Fiverr still works</strong>&#8212;but you need effort and positioning</p></li><li><p><strong>Study your competition</strong> and do better</p></li><li><p><strong>Invest in your visuals</strong>&#8212;especially for design/3D niches</p></li><li><p><strong>Build structure</strong> early on (FAQs, PDFs, macros)</p></li><li><p><strong>Start local</strong> when hiring and scale slowly</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Where to Find Filip</strong></h3><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/agencies/siriusanimation">Fiverr Profile</a></strong></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/filipzekic/">LinkedIn</a></strong></p></li></ul><p>Thanks for reading this one.<br>If you enjoyed it, feel free to reply, comment, or share your biggest takeaway.</p><p>See you soon,<br>Vasily</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[I am Launching an AI and CRM Platform for Fiverr Sellers]]></title><description><![CDATA[Built to help Fiverr sellers stay organized, follow up with ease, and turn leads into long-term clients.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/i-am-launching-an-ai-and-crm-platform</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/i-am-launching-an-ai-and-crm-platform</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 24 May 2025 17:21:17 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8c3ae089-6008-4ca4-9287-74426a654a2d_2540x1440.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This year, I&#8217;ve consistently been hitting over $30K&#8211;$40K months on Fiverr. April closed out at <strong>$39,000</strong>, and one of the <strong>biggest reasons</strong> for this growth is not some &#8220;hack&#8221; &#8212; it&#8217;s systems.</p><p>In particular: <strong>having my own CRM designed specifically for Fiverr sellers</strong>.</p><p>Let me explain how this system works, how I use it daily to drive results, and how you can start using it too &#8212; with <strong><a href="https://app.freelancehustle.ai/signup">early access before public launch</a></strong><a href="https://app.freelancehustle.ai/signup">.</a></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HWFd!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c1899b5-5cd4-401c-a915-cb2ab4d0a493_2446x942.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HWFd!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c1899b5-5cd4-401c-a915-cb2ab4d0a493_2446x942.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HWFd!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c1899b5-5cd4-401c-a915-cb2ab4d0a493_2446x942.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HWFd!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c1899b5-5cd4-401c-a915-cb2ab4d0a493_2446x942.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HWFd!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c1899b5-5cd4-401c-a915-cb2ab4d0a493_2446x942.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HWFd!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c1899b5-5cd4-401c-a915-cb2ab4d0a493_2446x942.png" width="1456" height="561" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5c1899b5-5cd4-401c-a915-cb2ab4d0a493_2446x942.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:561,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:197454,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.freelancehustle.com/i/164094912?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c1899b5-5cd4-401c-a915-cb2ab4d0a493_2446x942.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HWFd!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c1899b5-5cd4-401c-a915-cb2ab4d0a493_2446x942.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HWFd!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c1899b5-5cd4-401c-a915-cb2ab4d0a493_2446x942.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HWFd!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c1899b5-5cd4-401c-a915-cb2ab4d0a493_2446x942.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HWFd!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c1899b5-5cd4-401c-a915-cb2ab4d0a493_2446x942.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div><hr></div><h2>&#128295; Why Fiverr Sellers Need a CRM</h2><p>If you are using Fiverr as a serious channel for your freelance or agency business, organizing your <strong>leads, buyers, and follow-ups</strong> is essential.</p><p>For years, I used Trello, Google Sheets, and Notion to keep track of my orders and clients. But none of these tools were built with Fiverr in mind &#8212; they were generic.</p><p>That is why I decided to build something <strong>from the ground up</strong>.</p><div><hr></div><h2>&#128640; <a href="https://freelancehustle.ai/">FreelanceHustle.ai</a> &#8211; Built by Sellers, for Sellers</h2><p>Together with my friend and my former university professor in the US, Ayman, I have been building a SaaS tool called <strong><a href="https://freelancehustle.ai">FreelanceHustle.ai</a></strong>. We&#8217;ve worked on it for over a year, and it has been a <strong>game changer</strong> in how I manage my Fiverr business.</p><p>Here&#8217;s what it allows you to do:</p><ul><li><p>Track active orders, follow-ups, renewals, leads, and more</p></li><li><p>Jump into Fiverr inbox conversations directly from the CRM</p></li><li><p>Sort clients by follow-up priority</p></li><li><p>Add notes, labels, and set reminders</p></li><li><p>Easily move clients between stages (active, past, follow-up, etc.)</p></li></ul><p>We built a Chrome extension that lets me categorize leads while I&#8217;m inside the Fiverr platform &#8212; no copy/pasting or switching tabs.</p><p>This system helped me <strong>recapture missed opportunities</strong>, upsell existing buyers, and keep track of high-ticket leads &#8212; which led to <strong>an extra $10K+ MRR</strong> over the past several months.</p><div id="youtube2-so3hkl4riNw" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;so3hkl4riNw&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/so3hkl4riNw?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div><hr></div><h2>&#129504; It Gives You Control &#8212; Not Automation</h2><p>Unlike some tools that try to auto-reply or automate messaging, <strong>this CRM keeps YOU in control</strong>. You decide when and how to engage with leads, but you have all the context at your fingertips &#8212; organized, searchable, and prioritized.</p><p>And that matters. Fiverr is unpredictable. One bad review, one drop in success score, and your gig visibility can dip overnight.</p><p>This tool helps you build <strong>your own client engine</strong> &#8212; regardless of what Fiverr does with its algorithm.</p><div><hr></div><h2>&#128230; Join the Waitlist &#8211; Get Early Access + Exclusive Perks</h2><p>We are <strong>launching <a href="https://freelancehustle.ai/">FreelanceHustle.ai</a> in the coming days</strong> &#8212; but we are doing it in <strong>stages</strong>.</p><p>If you join the waitlist now, you&#8217;ll get:</p><ul><li><p>&#9989; <strong>Early access before public launch</strong></p></li><li><p>&#127873; <strong>Exclusive bonuses</strong></p></li><li><p>&#129504; <strong>Access to a private group</strong> of top Fiverr sellers and myself, where I&#8217;ll share tips, systems, and behind-the-scenes updates</p></li><li><p>&#128184; <strong>Founding user pricing</strong></p></li><li><p>&#129514; <strong>30-day extended free trial</strong></p></li></ul><p>&#128073; <strong><a href="https://app.freelancehustle.ai/signup">Sign up here</a></strong> to be part of the first launch wave.</p><div><hr></div><h2>&#128200; The Power of Retention: Why CRM = More Revenue</h2><p>You have probably heard me talk about this before: the <strong>best Fiverr sellers don&#8217;t just get new clients &#8212; they retain them</strong>.</p><p>With this system, I track clients who:</p><ul><li><p>Have subscribed monthly for 6&#8211;12 months</p></li><li><p>Are ready for a subscription renewal</p></li><li><p>Could be reactivated with a simple message</p></li></ul><p>That is why I believe a CRM is not optional if you are serious about growing on Fiverr.</p><div><hr></div><p>Thank you so much for reading this newsletter and I am excited to see you on the inside of the platform!</p><p>Kind regards,<br>Vasily</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[I Made $42K in April on Fiverr and I am launching a SaaS for Fiverr Sellers!]]></title><description><![CDATA[What worked for me on Fiverr in April 2025 (crossing $42K+), and why I&#8217;m launching a new SaaS to help other Fiverr sellers grow smarter and faster.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/i-made-42k-in-april-on-fiverr-and</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/i-made-42k-in-april-on-fiverr-and</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 12 May 2025 16:59:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c70c3be7-78a5-477e-9df7-67793a2469bb_2540x1440.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>&#128176; April 2025 Recap: Hitting $42,000+ on Fiverr</h3><p>This past month, I crossed <strong>$42,000+</strong> in revenue on Fiverr.<br>Yes &#8212; over $40K in just one month, driven by a combination of:</p><ul><li><p>Strong recurring clients</p></li><li><p>Smart use of Fiverr Ads</p></li><li><p>Ongoing service improvements</p></li><li><p>A consistent, tested workflow</p></li></ul><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sB36!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0056af0c-1f3e-4e1c-b7a5-f482c65c3b14_2204x908.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sB36!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0056af0c-1f3e-4e1c-b7a5-f482c65c3b14_2204x908.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sB36!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0056af0c-1f3e-4e1c-b7a5-f482c65c3b14_2204x908.png 848w, 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data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0056af0c-1f3e-4e1c-b7a5-f482c65c3b14_2204x908.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:600,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:137770,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.freelancehustle.com/i/162726358?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0056af0c-1f3e-4e1c-b7a5-f482c65c3b14_2204x908.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QodB!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9ec55125-f42f-4b20-b751-e73b099a5811_2162x1556.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QodB!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9ec55125-f42f-4b20-b751-e73b099a5811_2162x1556.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QodB!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9ec55125-f42f-4b20-b751-e73b099a5811_2162x1556.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QodB!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9ec55125-f42f-4b20-b751-e73b099a5811_2162x1556.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>For those of you who have been following my journey (and thank you!), you know this has been 8 years in the making.<br>And while these results are exciting, they come with important lessons.</p><p>Let me break it all down.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#128202; What the Numbers Show</h3><p>Looking back through the Fiverr analytics dashboard:</p><ul><li><p>In <strong>2019</strong>, I was regularly hitting $60K+ months at my peak.</p></li><li><p>In <strong>2020</strong>, I briefly left Fiverr to explore other things, but ultimately returned.</p></li><li><p>In <strong>2022</strong>, I was making around $10K/month and worked on improving my service again.</p></li><li><p>In late <strong>2024</strong>, revenue stabilized around $30K/month.</p></li><li><p>And now, in <strong>April 2025</strong>, we surged up to $42K.</p></li></ul><p>Of course, success is <strong>never linear</strong>.</p><p>Last year, I also had big drops &#8212; from $43K one month down to $34K or even $26K the next.<br>This is normal when running a business on any platform.</p><blockquote><p><strong>Key takeaway:</strong> Always know your expenses. Do not let high-income months trick you into overspending.</p></blockquote><div><hr></div><h3> &#128640; I&#8217;m Launching <a href="https://freelancehustle.ai/">FreelanceHustle.ai</a> &#8212; Built for Fiverr Sellers</h3><p>Back in <strong>April 2024</strong>, I started testing the idea of integrating GPT into my daily client communication.</p><p>But I quickly realized something was missing &#8212; I did not want to go back and forth with ChatGPT every time. I wanted a GPT that already knew <strong>my services</strong>, understood how I work, and could be <strong>trained and instructed</strong> to respond the way I needed.</p><p>That is when I partnered with <strong>Ayman</strong>, my former university professor from the U.S., and we began building something together.</p><p>Now, 12 months later, that idea has turned into a real product:<br><strong><a href="https://freelancehustle.ai/">FreelanceHustle.ai</a></strong> &#8212; a tool designed specifically for Fiverr sellers. It helps you <strong>manage client communication, track leads, monitor buyers, and build a full CRM system based on your Fiverr work</strong>.</p><p>&#128172; <strong>Important:</strong> This is not some auto-reply bot.<br>You stay fully in control of every conversation &#8212; the AI helps you respond faster and smarter, but <em>you</em> decide what gets sent.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gZc1!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffc180ad3-d56c-4664-96dd-c7c21b71a300_2940x1662.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" 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https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!u2YD!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2c22d01b-4b2e-4f6b-a8f1-868f7233754d_2932x1660.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!u2YD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2c22d01b-4b2e-4f6b-a8f1-868f7233754d_2932x1660.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!u2YD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2c22d01b-4b2e-4f6b-a8f1-868f7233754d_2932x1660.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!u2YD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2c22d01b-4b2e-4f6b-a8f1-868f7233754d_2932x1660.png" width="1456" height="824" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!u2YD!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2c22d01b-4b2e-4f6b-a8f1-868f7233754d_2932x1660.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!u2YD!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2c22d01b-4b2e-4f6b-a8f1-868f7233754d_2932x1660.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!u2YD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2c22d01b-4b2e-4f6b-a8f1-868f7233754d_2932x1660.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!u2YD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2c22d01b-4b2e-4f6b-a8f1-868f7233754d_2932x1660.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>&#127881; We&#8217;re launching in <strong>May</strong>, and the waitlist is now open.</p><p>If you join the waitlist, you&#8217;ll get:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Early access before the public launch</strong> (we&#8217;ll be launching in stages, and you&#8217;ll be part of the first wave)</p></li><li><p><strong>Exclusive bonuses</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Access to a private community</strong> with top Fiverr sellers and me, where I&#8217;ll share tips, behind-the-scenes insights, and updates on my day-to-day Fiverr progress</p></li></ul><p><strong>&#128073; <a href="https://app.freelancehustle.ai/signup">Join the Waitlist for FreelanceHustle.ai</a></strong></p><div><hr></div><h3>&#127775; Why Fiverr Still Works in 2025</h3><p>I am often asked why I keep investing in Fiverr, especially when I also run direct client work and agency projects.</p><p>Here&#8217;s why:</p><p>- Fiverr provides <strong>built-in traffic</strong> &#8212; you do not have to build a massive funnel or run complex ads.<br>- Buyers trust the platform &#8212; they are already in the marketplace, ready to spend.<br>- You can scale faster &#8212; through Fiverr Ads, optimized gigs, and subscriptions.</p><p>One example from this month:<br>A single client paid <strong>$1,580</strong> for managing two Instagram accounts, selecting all available gig extras.<br>Another client placed <strong>three separate $666 orders</strong> for different businesses.</p><p>These kinds of high-ticket, bundled, or recurring orders happen because the Fiverr system supports <strong>upsells and subscriptions</strong> inside the gig flow.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dNTC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F76201923-1dbb-4b04-bcfe-7cb972f273b3_1586x990.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dNTC!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F76201923-1dbb-4b04-bcfe-7cb972f273b3_1586x990.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dNTC!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F76201923-1dbb-4b04-bcfe-7cb972f273b3_1586x990.png 848w, 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dNTC!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F76201923-1dbb-4b04-bcfe-7cb972f273b3_1586x990.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dNTC!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F76201923-1dbb-4b04-bcfe-7cb972f273b3_1586x990.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dNTC!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F76201923-1dbb-4b04-bcfe-7cb972f273b3_1586x990.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dNTC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F76201923-1dbb-4b04-bcfe-7cb972f273b3_1586x990.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div><hr></div><h3>&#128273; Subscriptions Are the Secret</h3><p>If you want <strong>stable, recurring income</strong> on Fiverr, you need to offer:</p><ul><li><p>Monthly subscriptions</p></li><li><p>Packages with clear deliverables</p></li><li><p>Service tiers that buyers can upgrade into</p></li></ul><p>Even if you offer something like consulting, you can break it into a <strong>monthly model</strong>.<br>For example: set goals, break them into phases, and deliver value over six months.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#128640; Smart Use of Fiverr Ads</h3><p>In April, I spent <strong>$1,479</strong> on Fiverr Ads.<br>This generated <strong>$5,246</strong> in tracked sales &#8212; an excellent ROAS (return on ad spend).</p><p>Compared to platforms like Facebook or Instagram Ads, Fiverr Ads can be more efficient because:</p><ul><li><p>There&#8217;s less seller competition bidding for traffic</p></li><li><p>You get direct, purchase-ready buyers</p></li><li><p>You do not need to build a cold traffic funnel from scratch</p></li></ul><p>The lesson?<br>If you are serious, invest in your gigs like you would any product.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#128269; Market Trends and Competitive Insights</h3><p>Yes, competition on Fiverr has grown.</p><p>In my social media marketing category alone, there are now over <strong>110,000+ results</strong> &#8212; much more than just a few years ago.</p><p>But competition does not mean saturation.</p><ul><li><p>I see <strong>AI services</strong> booming with new opportunities.</p></li><li><p>Sellers in WordPress, logo design, and web development still have massive demand.</p></li><li><p>Top sellers have <strong>20, 30, 50+ orders in queue</strong> &#8212; proving that new and returning clients are flowing in.</p></li></ul><p>If you want to stand out, you need:</p><p>- Well-structured gigs<br>- Recurring service offers<br>- Strong gig visuals and descriptions<br>- Investment into ads or organic promotion</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#9881;&#65039; Comparing Platforms: Fiverr vs. Running Your Own Agency</h3><p>I often hear people say:<br>&#8220;Why not leave Fiverr and run everything yourself?&#8221;</p><p>Here&#8217;s the honest breakdown:</p><ul><li><p>Running your own agency means <strong>building a full sales funnel</strong>, paying for ads, doing cold outreach, and managing everything manually.</p></li><li><p>On Fiverr, the platform delivers buyers to you &#8212; all you have to do is <strong>optimize, deliver, and upsell</strong>.</p></li></ul><p>Yes, Fiverr takes a 20% commission.<br>Yes, you give up some control.</p><p>But in return, you get <strong>a ready-made marketplace</strong>, a review system, and a massive pool of global buyers.</p><p>For many, that trade-off is worth it &#8212; especially when scaling.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#128200; My Personal Goal: Hitting $2.5 Million Lifetime on Fiverr</h3><p>Right now, I am close to crossing <strong>$2.5 million</strong> in total Fiverr earnings.</p><p>That number is more than just a milestone.<br>It is motivation to keep improving, testing, and pushing my services further.</p><p>It also fuels bigger plans:</p><ul><li><p>Exploring new services (like paid ads)</p></li><li><p>Launching <strong><a href="https://freelancehustle.ai/">freelancehustle.ai</a></strong> &#8212; a platform to help Fiverr sellers scale</p></li><li><p>Sharing everything I learn through this newsletter, my YouTube channel, and upcoming projects</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h3>&#128227; Let&#8217;s Stay Connected</h3><p>If you want to follow along:</p><ul><li><p>Subscribe to this newsletter for insights, interviews, and behind-the-scenes stories</p></li><li><p>Check out <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/vasilykichigin">my YouTube channel</a></strong> for Fiverr strategy videos and day-in-the-life vlogs</p></li><li><p>Join the waitlist for <strong><a href="https://app.freelancehustle.ai/signup">freelancehustle.ai</a></strong> &#8212; launching soon with tools to help Fiverr sellers grow</p></li></ul><p>Thank you for reading, and thank you for your support.</p><p>See you soon!<br>Vasily</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[From Freelancing on Fiverr and Upwork to Building a 6-Figure Marketing Agency]]></title><description><![CDATA[I talk with Pascu about adaptability, leaving London, growing an agency, and why personal branding matters more than ever in 2025.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/pascu-dragos</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/pascu-dragos</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 27 Apr 2025 11:57:51 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/162214286/3e10ed10052701b278ccab801598ef8e.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>&#128075; Meeting Again, Years Later</h3><p>Back in 2019, I hosted a small Instagram marketing event in London. One of the people who showed up was <strong>Pascu</strong> &#8212; a talented videographer, fitness enthusiast, and aspiring entrepreneur.</p><p>Fast forward to 2025:<br>We reconnected again, this time in Belgrade.</p><p>Since that event, Pascu&#8217;s journey has been anything but linear &#8212; moving from fitness, to freelancing, to agency-building, and to building a strong personal brand online.</p><div id="youtube2-uTXxbDESHTo" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;uTXxbDESHTo&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/uTXxbDESHTo?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div><hr></div><h3>&#128248; From Fitness to Freelancing to Agency Owner</h3><p>After graduating in London, Pascu was working odd jobs, filming events, weddings, and slowly building a portfolio.</p><p>But when the pandemic hit in 2020, all his videography work disappeared overnight.<br>Instead of giving up, he pivoted:</p><ul><li><p>Started a podcast</p></li><li><p>Took on podcast management clients</p></li><li><p>Transitioned into remote video editing</p></li><li><p>Later, worked for one of London&#8217;s fastest-growing agencies, learning how <em>video must sell</em> &#8212; not just look good</p></li></ul><p>Eventually, he realized he wanted to run his own business.<br>That decision pushed him to leave London, move back to Romania, and double down on building something that truly fit his lifestyle and values.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#128747; Leaving London: Why Geography Does Not Matter Anymore</h3><p>In the early days, London gave Pascu opportunities, clients, and perspective.</p><p>But once he built his skills and network, <strong>being physically based in London no longer made sense</strong>. The expenses were high. The opportunities were shifting online. The need to "be in the city" was fading.</p><p>Today, he works fully remotely, building his brand and client base while living in Eastern Europe &#8212; proof that geography matters less than ever if you know how to position yourself.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#127919; Reinventing His Offer: From Videographer to Creative Strategist</h3><p>Pascu realized early that being "just a videographer" would not be enough.<br>He evolved into a <strong>Creative Strategist</strong>, combining his skills in:</p><ul><li><p>Video production</p></li><li><p>Paid advertising knowledge</p></li><li><p>Direct-response marketing principles</p></li></ul><p>Today, he helps <strong>DTC brands</strong> (direct-to-consumer companies) improve their creative assets and advertising strategies, driving real results in highly competitive markets.</p><p>And he found his niche by blending his past passions &#8212; not abandoning them.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#128293; Building a Real Sales Funnel</h3><p>Instead of relying on Fiverr or Upwork forever, Pascu built a real funnel:</p><ul><li><p>Personal branding on LinkedIn and X (Twitter)</p></li><li><p>A clean, simple landing page that builds trust immediately</p></li><li><p>Direct booking into discovery calls</p></li><li><p>Diagnosing client needs before offering solutions</p></li></ul><p>Today, his sales cycle includes discovery, audits, custom proposals, and long-term client relationships &#8212; not one-off gigs.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#129504; Lessons on Personal Brand and Authority</h3><p>If you are trying to build a serious freelancing or agency career today, <strong>personal brand is non-negotiable</strong>.</p><p>As Pascu put it perfectly:</p><blockquote><p>If someone Googles your name and only finds your Upwork profile, you are just another freelancer.<br>If they find your YouTube videos, interviews, articles, and real content &#8212; you become an authority.</p></blockquote><p>In a world flooded with AI-generated content, real personality and depth will stand out more than ever.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#128218; Learning by Doing, Not Waiting</h3><p>Pascu&#8217;s early career was built by learning the hard way:</p><ul><li><p>Buying a camera before he knew how to use it</p></li><li><p>Learning videography on YouTube</p></li><li><p>Editing obsessively, spending 20+ hours on 1-minute clips</p></li><li><p>Reaching out directly to businesses when platforms were too competitive</p></li></ul><p>The key was never being afraid to start imperfectly &#8212; and figuring things out on the way.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#128222; Sales Calls vs. No-Calls: What Works Best?</h3><p>For higher-ticket clients, Pascu still believes in <strong>sales calls</strong>:</p><ul><li><p>Building human connection matters</p></li><li><p>Understanding client pain points personally</p></li><li><p>Setting clear expectations before starting a project</p></li></ul><p>Instead of pushing for immediate sales, he focuses on diagnosis first &#8212; analyzing ad accounts, spotting real issues, and only offering solutions when it makes sense.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#128200; Client Retention Over Client Churn</h3><p>Pascu&#8217;s agency focuses on <strong>long-term relationships</strong>, not quick wins.</p><ul><li><p>His average client stay is <strong>9&#8211;10 months</strong></p></li><li><p>Some clients have been with him for <strong>2+ years</strong></p></li><li><p>Delivering consistent results builds loyalty &#8212; and referrals</p></li></ul><p>In contrast to platforms where clients come and go quickly, direct relationships offer much higher LTV (lifetime value) and stability.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#127942; Thinking About Coaching and Masterminds</h3><p>We also discussed the idea of Pascu eventually coaching others.</p><p>His view is refreshing:</p><ul><li><p>No fake promises of "10K months in 90 days"</p></li><li><p>No mass-marketed info products</p></li><li><p>Focused, intentional help for serious entrepreneurs who want real mentorship, not shortcuts</p></li></ul><p>Maybe in the future, you will see Pascu hosting masterminds, private events, or selective programs.<br>(And who knows &#8212; maybe we will collaborate on one.)</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#128640; Key Takeaways from This Conversation</h3><ul><li><p><strong>Adaptability is everything.</strong> You can pivot your skills without starting over.</p></li><li><p><strong>Personal brand is the future.</strong> People want to know the person behind the service.</p></li><li><p><strong>Direct client relationships offer more freedom.</strong> Platforms are great for starting, but long-term growth requires independence.</p></li><li><p><strong>Learn by doing, not waiting.</strong> Imperfect action beats waiting for perfect conditions.</p></li><li><p><strong>Focus on real value and human connection.</strong> Clients stay longer when you genuinely care.</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h3>&#128227; Connect With Pascu</h3><p>You can find Pascu here:</p><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascudragos/">LinkedIn - Pascu</a></strong></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://x.com/pascu_exodus">X (Twitter) - Pascu</a></strong></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://exodus-creative.com/">Work with Pascu</a></strong></p></li></ul><p>Feel free to reach out to him if you want to learn more about his journey, agency work, or just follow his next moves.</p><div><hr></div><p>Thanks for reading this one.<br>If you enjoyed it, feel free to reply, comment, or share your biggest takeaway.</p><p>See you soon,<br>Vasily</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How I Run a $38K Per Month Fiverr Business (And What My Team Looks Like in 2025)]]></title><description><![CDATA[A behind-the-scenes look at how I&#8217;ve built a team to support and scale my Fiverr business, why hiring takes time, and how to think about building your own agency.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/how-i-run-a-38k-per-month-fiverr</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/how-i-run-a-38k-per-month-fiverr</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:16:32 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5237cfaa-63b3-432f-8b35-bad20592c2b4_2540x1440.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>&#129521; The Truth About Growing Beyond Solo Freelancing</h3><p>If you are just starting out as a freelancer, you can do everything yourself.<br>And at the beginning &#8212; you should.</p><p>But eventually, you hit a wall. You stop feeling excited. You start feeling burned out. You realize&#8230; if I keep doing this alone, I will stay at the same level forever.</p><p>That is exactly what happened to me before. After 7&#8211;8 years running my Fiverr agency, I can say this with full confidence:</p><blockquote><p><strong>Hiring is not about making more money. It is about buying your time back &#8212; so you can grow.</strong></p></blockquote><p>Let me show you how I structure my team today and what I learned the hard way along the way.</p><div id="youtube2-pwvVlPVxCqE" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;pwvVlPVxCqE&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/pwvVlPVxCqE?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div><hr></div><h3>&#129489;&#8205;&#128188; The Core Team Structure</h3><p>Here is how the business looks right now:</p><ul><li><p><strong>3 core services:</strong><br>&#9642;&#65039; <em>Growth service</em><br>&#9642;&#65039; <em>Content service</em> (social media content &amp; management)</p><p>&#9642;&#65039; <em>Strategy service</em> (complete instagram strategy)</p></li><li><p><strong>Full-time team members</strong><br>&#9642;&#65039; <em>Communication, operations and sales manager</em><br>&#9642;&#65039; <em>Project manager</em><br>&#9642;&#65039; <em>3 full-time content designers</em><br>&#9642;&#65039; <em>YouTube editor</em><br>&#9642;&#65039; <em>Support from contractors and partnerships</em></p></li></ul><p>Let me break this down by role.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#128172; Communication &amp; Operations: My First Big Bottleneck</h3><p>The person currently leading this part of the business is <strong>Aljosa</strong>.<br>He joined in October 2024 and has become a key part of the day-to-day communication on Fiverr.</p><p>When I was starting, I loved replying to messages. But over time, that became very time consuming.</p><p>Aljosa now helps me:</p><ul><li><p>Manage new inquiries and closing leads</p></li><li><p>Communicate with clients</p></li><li><p>Maintain systems</p></li><li><p>Keep things moving when I am focused elsewhere</p></li></ul><blockquote><p>This role took me <strong>months to hire for</strong>. You cannot just hand over your Fiverr account to anyone &#8212; trust is everything.</p></blockquote><div><hr></div><h3>&#129309; Long-Term Hires Start With Project-Based Work</h3><p>Before Aljosa, I learned a big lesson from <strong>Nina</strong>.</p><p>We first connected online. I started by paying her for individual tasks. After a month, she became the person helping me with everything, especially since my systems and processes were a bit messy back then. After a few months of working together, I decided to travel to meet her in Manila &#8212; and I actually have a YouTube video about that trip as well.</p><div id="youtube2-kP1mW4Gh55k" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;kP1mW4Gh55k&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/kP1mW4Gh55k?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p>Today, she has been with me full-time for <strong>7 years</strong>.</p><blockquote><p>If you are not sure about hiring someone full-time, start project-based. Build trust. Let it evolve naturally.</p></blockquote><div><hr></div><h3>&#127912; Content Team: Built From Scratch</h3><p>The content service started with <strong>Mila</strong> (my wife), who began learning Canva and experimenting with social media post design.</p><p>Now, she manages a team of three amazing full-time designers:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Marija</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Natalia</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Milica</strong></p></li></ul><p>Mila acts as the Senior Designer/Project Manager, handling:</p><ul><li><p>Task assignments</p></li><li><p>Communication with content clients</p></li><li><p>Client feedback and revisions</p></li><li><p>Quality control</p></li><li><p>Calendar &amp; schedule</p></li></ul><p>This structure works really well. To expand, we will eventually need another project manager to support more designers.</p><blockquote><p><strong>A good Project Manager usually comes from inside the team.</strong> In our case, someone typically starts in a Designer role and later grows into a Project Manager position.</p></blockquote><div><hr></div><h3>&#128640; Growth Service: Powered by Partnerships</h3><p>The growth service is more complex. It is powered by systems I built over the last several years &#8212; <strong>and key partnerships</strong>.</p><p>That includes long-time team members like <strong>Kos</strong> (my first hire in 2016), as well as support from <strong>Nina</strong> and others.</p><p>But honestly, a lot of the scalability and stability here comes from <strong>partnering with other people in the same space</strong>.</p><ul><li><p>They have systems</p></li><li><p>I have clients</p></li><li><p>We collaborate</p></li></ul><p>This creates a healthy, win-win relationship that fuels consistent delivery without needing to hire internally for every task.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#127916; YouTube &amp; Content Support</h3><ul><li><p><strong>Nikolay</strong> has been with me from the beginning. He edits my YouTube videos, thumbnails, and manages uploads.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/lukebbaillie">Luke</a></strong> is a trusted freelancer I bring in for projects &#8212; especially for more advanced video work.</p></li></ul><blockquote><p>Not every role needs to be in-house. Some of your best teammates might be long-term project-based collaborators.</p></blockquote><div><hr></div><h3>&#129504; Two Smart First Hires to Consider</h3><p>If you are just starting out and thinking about your first hire, here is my advice:</p><h4>1. Hire someone who can <strong>do the service work</strong></h4><p>If you are a designer, hire a junior designer. If you do outreach, hire someone to help manage that process.</p><p>Yes, you will need to train them &#8212; but they can start saving you time right away.</p><h4>2. Hire someone to <strong>give you more time</strong></h4><p>That could be someone to:</p><ul><li><p>Respond to leads</p></li><li><p>Follow up with clients</p></li><li><p>Manage communication</p></li></ul><p>This is where I started with Nina, and where Aljosa adds the most value today.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#9888;&#65039; The Hard Truth: Hiring Takes Time</h3><p>In 2024, we tried to hire designers <strong>all year</strong>. We went through <strong>500+ applications</strong>.<br>We only hired <strong>two people</strong>.</p><blockquote><p>You are not failing if it takes months. You are doing it right.</p></blockquote><p>Most people give up after two bad interviews. But if you quit the hiring process, you are also quitting your chance to grow.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#128173; Final Thoughts: Why This Matters</h3><p>Running a team is hard. It is slower than doing everything yourself. You will not make more money immediately.</p><p>But long-term? It is how you build something that outlives your energy and attention span. I love working with my team. I trust them. I learn from them. And they are the reason I can keep building.</p><blockquote><p>If you are stuck right now &#8212; look at the team around you (or the one you need to build). That is probably the next step.</p></blockquote><div><hr></div><p>Thanks for reading this newsletter. If you have any questions, you can always reply to this email and I will do my best to get back to you.</p><p>Have a great and productive week!<br>Vasily</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Which Social Media Platform Should You Pick (and Actually Stick To)?]]></title><description><![CDATA[A reflection on social media in 2025, the struggle to be everywhere, and why choosing one platform to go all in on might be the smartest move.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/which-social-media-platform-should</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/which-social-media-platform-should</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 22:06:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/160817433/f6a6a21b81238a96e337a99f898eafa5.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>&#10052;&#65039; One Cold Evening, One Familiar Question</h3><p>It is the end of a workday here. Snow started falling outside the office &#8212; one of those days that suddenly feels quieter, slower. And as I was wrapping things up, something Mila said stuck with me.</p><p>She told me she wants to start running her social media. Simple statement, but it triggered something.</p><p>Because, this question of <em><strong>where to post</strong></em> and <em><strong>what to focus on</strong></em> has been bouncing around for years.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#129337;&#8205;&#9794;&#65039; The Pressure To Be Everywhere</h3><p>Everywhere you look, creators are dominating on multiple platforms:</p><ul><li><p>Someone tweets 5 times a day on X</p></li><li><p>Another person&#8217;s LinkedIn carousels are going viral</p></li><li><p>Reels, Threads, newsletters, podcasts &#8212; it is nonstop</p></li></ul><p>And then you ask yourself:<br><strong>Where do I go? What should I focus on?</strong></p><p>I have asked myself that a thousand times. And even after almost 10 years of creating, I still come back to the same answer.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#127909; Why I Keep Choosing YouTube</h3><p>For me, it is <strong>YouTube</strong>. I am not sure why exactly &#8212; but the rhythm just works.</p><ul><li><p>I record a video</p></li><li><p>I send it to <strong>Nikolay</strong> or <strong>Luke</strong></p></li><li><p>They edit it</p></li><li><p>I add the title and description</p></li><li><p>It goes live</p></li></ul><p>That system makes creating feel easy. More than that &#8212; I actually <em>enjoy</em> doing it.</p><p>YouTube lets me deliver real value. I can sit down, talk through an idea, and share a message that lasts longer than a tweet or a Reel.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#9997;&#65039; X, AI, and the Strange World of "Consistency"</h3><p>I still use <strong>X</strong>. I like it. I write thoughts there.<br>But something about the platform has shifted &#8212; and I know I am not the only one noticing it.</p><p>You can <em>see</em> when people are using AI.<br>Sometimes, it is fine. I even use ChatGPT myself.<br>I&#8217;ll transcribe my YouTube audio, feed it into GPT, and get ideas for posts.</p><p>And I will be honest &#8212; some of the results are decent. But they still do not sound like <em>me</em>.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#128257; What Actually Wins Is Repetition</h3><p>Let us be real &#8212; on X, nobody remembers what you posted yesterday.<br>It is all about the <em>next</em> post. The <em>next</em> impression.</p><p>You win by showing up consistently, not by going deep.</p><p>But YouTube?<br>That content sticks. Someone might watch a video from a year ago and still take something valuable from it.</p><p>That is the difference.<br>And that is why I keep coming back to YouTube.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#127919; The Real Answer: Pick One Platform</h3><p>Here is what I have learned:</p><p><strong>Pick one platform and go all in.</strong></p><ul><li><p>Choose the one that feels natural</p></li><li><p>The one that works with your workflow</p></li><li><p>The one that fits your message</p></li><li><p>The one you actually <em>enjoy using</em></p></li></ul><p>You will only stay consistent if you enjoy the process.<br>That is what makes it sustainable.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#128075; Final Thoughts</h3><p>This is not a growth hack or content plan.<br>It is just a real reminder from someone who is also figuring it out.</p><p>You do not need to be everywhere.<br>You just need to be somewhere &#8212; and show up consistently.</p><p>So take a moment.<br>Think about what platform feels <em>right</em> for you.<br>And then&#8230; go all in.</p><p>See you next time,<br>Vasily</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Is Fiverr Still Worth It in 2025? My $2.4M+ Journey So Far]]></title><description><![CDATA[My 2025 Fiverr Strategy: What&#8217;s Changed, What Still Works, and Where I&#8217;m Focusing Now.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/is-fiverr-still-worth-it-in-2025</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/is-fiverr-still-worth-it-in-2025</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 03 Apr 2025 18:38:17 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/160517743/93a37065c318baf6d3854a04861dd807.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>March 2025 closed out at just over $38,000 in earnings from Fiverr.</strong></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g20L!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F579d648d-b2e8-40e3-8621-8295a8fac876_2146x808.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g20L!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F579d648d-b2e8-40e3-8621-8295a8fac876_2146x808.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g20L!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F579d648d-b2e8-40e3-8621-8295a8fac876_2146x808.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g20L!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F579d648d-b2e8-40e3-8621-8295a8fac876_2146x808.png 1272w, 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g20L!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F579d648d-b2e8-40e3-8621-8295a8fac876_2146x808.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g20L!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F579d648d-b2e8-40e3-8621-8295a8fac876_2146x808.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g20L!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F579d648d-b2e8-40e3-8621-8295a8fac876_2146x808.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g20L!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F579d648d-b2e8-40e3-8621-8295a8fac876_2146x808.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>That number still surprises me. Last year, most of my months were below $30K. The key takeaway is this: Fiverr can still work if you treat it like a real business.</p><p>I am not just sitting back waiting for orders. I am building, experimenting and adapting. The platform is changing and if we want to grow, we need to grow with it.</p><div id="youtube2-DeKfRf8cDd0" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;DeKfRf8cDd0&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/DeKfRf8cDd0?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div><hr></div><h3><strong>&#128736; What Fiverr Is Doing Right Now</strong></h3><p>Yes, there have been updates. Fiverr Go, AI tools, new features &#8212; all rolling out.</p><p>I know some sellers feel uncertain about these changes. I have had mixed feelings too.</p><p>That said, Fiverr is still investing in growth. They are running commercials in the U.S., including during major events like March Madness. That tells me they are still focused on bringing in high-quality buyers.</p><p>This gives me a sense of optimism.</p><p>Not every update will feel right immediately. Some might seem unclear or out of place. But Fiverr has made adjustments in the past and they will probably continue evolving based on feedback.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>&#10071; The Old Way of Waiting on Fiverr Search Is Over</strong></h3><p>If you are still depending only on Fiverr's search to send you traffic, it is going to be tough.</p><p>Some of my gigs get just 1,000 to 2,000 impressions per day &#8212; sometimes even less. That is not where the revenue comes from.</p><p><strong>I bring in my own traffic.</strong></p><ul><li><p>I reach out to past clients</p></li><li><p>I promote my services through <a href="https://youtu.be/DeKfRf8cDd0?si=hWH-JGBy96LWgivp">YouTube</a></p></li><li><p>I link to my <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/vasily17">Fiverr profile</a> from <a href="https://x.com/VasilyKichigin">X</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vasily17">Instagram</a></p></li><li><p>I talk about what I do and share results regularly</p></li></ul><p>This is what works now. Not waiting. Not hoping. Showing up and building momentum.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>&#128241; You Need to Be on Social Media (But Not Everywhere)</strong></h3><p>Pick one platform. Make it your home base. Post consistently.</p><p>Here are my top 4 choices:</p><ul><li><p><strong>LinkedIn</strong><br>Great for building credibility and a professional brand. Easy to set up and good reach potential.</p></li><li><p><strong>YouTube</strong><br>If you're comfortable speaking on camera, this is one of the most valuable platform. Just from my own channel, I consistently get 5 to 10 new newsletter subscribers per day. That kind of long-term traffic and connection is powerful.</p></li><li><p><strong>Instagram</strong><br>Ideal for visual content like design, branding, or social media work. Share behind-the-scenes, client work, or updates in stories and DMs.</p></li><li><p><strong>X (Twitter)</strong><br>Probably my favorite right now. Super fast. Great for posting results, screenshots and personal thoughts.</p></li></ul><p>You do not need to post everywhere. Just pick one, stick with it and start showing what you are working on and learning.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>&#129504; You Do Not Need Perfect English or a Polished Voice</strong></h3><p>I am not a native English speaker. I still make mistakes sometimes.</p><p>But people know it is me. They can tell it is real &#8212; and that is more valuable than sounding perfect.</p><p>Use tools like ChatGPT to check grammar or spark ideas, but try to write in your own voice. You will improve quickly and people will connect with you more.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>&#128269; Look for Underrated Gigs and Niche Angles</strong></h3><p>There are still services on Fiverr that most sellers overlook &#8212; but buyers are actively searching for them.</p><p>For example, I saw someone offering<a href="https://www.fiverr.com/hygge24/social-media-account-create"> social media profile setup for $250</a>. He had 3 orders in queue at the time I recorded my video.</p><p>If you are offering services like logo design, website development, or social media, try to niche down early. Instead of saying:</p><blockquote><p><strong>I will create a logo for your business</strong></p></blockquote><p>Say something like:</p><ul><li><p>I will create a logo for your restaurant business.</p></li><li><p>I will create a logo for your real estate agency.</p></li><li><p>I will create a logo for your med spa business.</p></li></ul><p>This approach helps you stand out more clearly and face less competition in Fiverr's search results.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#128200; What I Am Focusing On Right Now</h3><p>Here is what I am currently working on in my business:</p><ul><li><p>Posting results and updates on <strong>X.</strong></p></li><li><p>Sharing behind-the-scenes agency work on <strong>Instagram.</strong></p></li><li><p>Publishing consistently here on <strong>Substack.</strong></p></li><li><p>Driving traffic to Fiverr through <strong>YouTube.</strong></p></li><li><p>Promoting my new <strong>Instagram Strategy</strong> gig.</p></li><li><p>Preparing to launch a <strong>platform in April</strong> to help sellers reply faster, track leads and manage communication more efficiently.</p></li></ul><p>I will share more about this tool soon.</p><div><hr></div><h3>&#127919; Final Thoughts</h3><p>You are never going to feel fully ready. You will never have the perfect setup. You just have to start.</p><p>Even if it is one post per week. One service. One client. That is enough to begin creating momentum.</p><p>Thank you so much for reading and if you enjoyed this piece, please consider subscribing and sharing with someone who you feel needs to write this.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.freelancehustle.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading FreelanceHustle Newsletter!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>See you soon!<br>Vasily</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Lambros Makes $12,000+ Per Month on Fiverr With 20+ Gigs]]></title><description><![CDATA[Lambros shares how he built a thriving Fiverr business, scaled beyond legal contracts, and found massive success with X(Twitter) management.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/lambros-spyrou</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/lambros-spyrou</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 11 Mar 2025 17:33:25 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/158859122/1da4d5ca6834fb1ecf67b383b2014e52.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-H7qxA2L5Rjo" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;H7qxA2L5Rjo&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/H7qxA2L5Rjo?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7cuS!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdb0df1d2-fe6f-4828-afe0-575020a3ece5_2338x1592.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7cuS!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdb0df1d2-fe6f-4828-afe0-575020a3ece5_2338x1592.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7cuS!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdb0df1d2-fe6f-4828-afe0-575020a3ece5_2338x1592.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7cuS!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdb0df1d2-fe6f-4828-afe0-575020a3ece5_2338x1592.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7cuS!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdb0df1d2-fe6f-4828-afe0-575020a3ece5_2338x1592.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7cuS!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdb0df1d2-fe6f-4828-afe0-575020a3ece5_2338x1592.png" width="1456" height="991" 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stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><blockquote><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/lamspyrou">Lambros&#8217;s Fiverr Profile</a></strong></p></blockquote><h3>Advice for Freelancers</h3><p><strong>Q: Lambros, how did you first discover Fiverr?</strong></p><p><strong>Lambros:</strong> Initially, I was studying law in Newcastle, UK, and during my third year, I started looking for ways to earn extra income. I did some research work for the <em>New York Times</em> and also used a site called <em>Prolific</em> for online surveys, which paid small amounts but helped with pocket money.</p><p>Then, COVID hit in 2020. I was supposed to move to London for my master&#8217;s degree in international business, but I ended up staying in Cyprus and studying online. That was when I lost access to <em>Prolific</em> since it only worked in certain countries.</p><p>While looking for ways to replace that income, I came across a <em>CNBC Make It</em> article about freelancing platforms like <em>Upwork</em>, <em>Freelancer.com</em>, and <em>Fiverr</em>. I first created an account on <em>Freelancer.com</em> but did not get any work. I also applied to business consulting roles and internships at firms like <em>KPMG</em>.</p><p>One major inspiration for me was <em>Chris Sacca</em>, a venture capitalist from <em>Shark Tank</em>. He also had a law degree but later shifted into business. His transition was a blueprint for me, and I decided to put myself on Fiverr, thinking I could offer contract-related services.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Getting Started on Fiverr</h3><p><strong>Q: What was your first experience like selling on Fiverr?</strong></p><p><strong>Lambros:</strong> I created my Fiverr account in June 2020, and it took me about two months to land my first order in August. Funny enough, I actually missed the first message from a buyer and saw it a day later. Thankfully, they still went ahead with the order.</p><p>I had no prior experience drafting contracts, but I figured it out by researching for a few days. The client left a 5-star review, and I even received a tip. That was the moment I realized, <em>"Wow, I can actually make money online!"</em></p><p>In September, I got no orders. But in October, I received eight, in December, I got 15, and by January 2021, I had 50 orders in a single month. At that point, I was balancing Fiverr with my master&#8217;s degree.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Scaling Beyond Contracts</h3><p><strong>Q: You started with legal contracts, but now you offer a variety of services. When did you decide to expand beyond law?</strong></p><p><strong>Lambros:</strong> While I enjoyed my law degree, I realized my real passion was business. I was already considering switching into business consulting.</p><p>I started diversifying my Fiverr gigs not just because I wanted to try new things but also because it turned out to be a great business model. Many of my clients who bought legal services came back for other services, like <em>Twitter management</em>.</p><p>For example, I worked with a transportation company on their <em>terms and conditions</em> and <em>privacy policy</em>. Later, they saw my Twitter management gig and purchased that service too. Because I built trust with them through communication and quality service, they were comfortable ordering from me again.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Building a Team on Fiverr</h3><p><strong>Q: You have multiple gigs now. How do you manage everything?</strong></p><p><strong>Lambros:</strong> Once I became a <em>Top Rated Seller</em> in 2022, I realized I had the credibility to scale further. I started opening more gigs and involved people from my circle to help.</p><ul><li><p><strong>My brother</strong> helps with travel itinerary gigs because he loves researching travel destinations.</p></li><li><p><strong>Nicolas</strong>, my right-hand man, is amazing at <em>graphic design</em> and helps manage our social media services.</p></li><li><p>I also have a few freelancers on a flexible basis for different projects.</p></li></ul><p>At first, my idea was to use my account to bring in leads and refer them to my friends. But we found that some clients preferred working directly with me, so I built a system where my team handles delivery, while I manage communication and quality control.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Dominating X (Twitter) on Fiverr</h3><p><strong>Q: Your Twitter (X) management gig is one of your most successful. How did that happen?</strong></p><p><strong>Lambros:</strong> Originally, Nicolas wanted to showcase his designs on <em>Twitter</em>. While engaging with the Fiverr community there, we built an audience.</p><p>One day, a <em>Top Rated Seller</em> who offers book publishing services messaged us and asked if we could manage his <em>Twitter</em> for <strong>$500 per month</strong>. We jumped on a call, set up the service, and realized this could be a viable offering.</p><p>Since then, our Twitter gig has gained momentum and consistently ranks at the top of Fiverr&#8217;s search results.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Fiverr&#8217;s AI Changes</h3><p><strong>Q: What do you think about Fiverr&#8217;s AI Assistant and the Fiverr Go program?</strong></p><p><strong>Lambros:</strong> The AI assistant is a step in the right direction but still has flaws. Sometimes, it misinterprets client needs and sends them vague responses. Some clients even message me saying, <em>"I want to talk to a human, not AI."</em></p><p>As for Fiverr Go, it is a bit scary. The AI-powered service generation could replace some sellers, especially those offering basic services. We will have to see how it evolves.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Earnings &amp; Growth Potential</h3><p><strong>Q: What does your Fiverr income look like today?</strong></p><p><strong>Lambros:</strong> I average <strong>$8,000 to $10,000 per month</strong>, but some months go as high as <strong>$12,000 to $13,000</strong>. My best month was <strong>November 2024</strong>, when demand for <em>Twitter</em> and <em>social media management</em> services surged.</p><p>I believe <strong>$20K+ per month</strong> is achievable, especially if my <em>social media management</em> gigs gain more traction.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Advice for New Fiverr Sellers</h3><p><strong>Q: What advice would you give to freelancers who are struggling to get orders?</strong></p><p><strong>Lambros:</strong></p><ol><li><p><strong>Niche Down at First</strong> &#8211; Do not start with generic gigs like <em>&#8220;I will design a logo&#8221;</em>. Instead, create specific gigs like <em>&#8220;I will design a logo for a fitness brand&#8221;</em>. This helps you stand out in a less competitive market. Once you get reviews, you can gradually expand.</p></li><li><p><strong>Leverage External Traffic</strong> &#8211; Do not just rely on Fiverr&#8217;s algorithm. Build a presence on <strong>X, YouTube, LinkedIn</strong>, or other platforms to drive leads to your Fiverr profile.</p></li><li><p><strong>Pricing Strategy</strong> &#8211; Do not undervalue yourself. Sellers charging <strong>$5</strong> attract low-quality buyers. Instead, price your services strategically to attract serious clients.</p></li><li><p><strong>Overdeliver on Communication</strong> &#8211; Many freelancers focus only on delivering work. But <em>how</em> you communicate with buyers plays a huge role in getting repeat orders.</p></li><li><p><strong>Stay Patient &amp; Consistent</strong> &#8211; Your first months may be slow. But if you keep optimizing your gigs and delivering quality, growth will come.</p></li></ol><div><hr></div><h3>Future Plans</h3><p><strong>Q: What are your goals for the next year?</strong></p><p><strong>Lambros:</strong> I want to scale my <strong>Twitter/X gig</strong> further and explore <strong>YouTube</strong> as a platform to share my journey. Also, I am considering expanding my agency model to handle more clients beyond Fiverr.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Final Thoughts</h3><p><strong>Q: How has Fiverr changed your life?</strong></p><p><strong>Lambros:</strong> Fiverr completely changed my life. I went from being a broke student making <strong>&#163;100 per month</strong> from online surveys to running a <strong>six-figure business</strong>. It gave me financial freedom and allowed me to build something of my own.</p><p>For anyone starting out &#8211; <strong>just take action.</strong> Do not wait for the perfect moment. Start now, learn along the way, and adapt as you grow.</p><h3><strong>Where to Find Lambros</strong></h3><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/lamspyrou">Fiverr Profile</a></strong></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://x.com/lamspyrou">X(Twitter)</a></strong></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><p>If you are a current Fiverr seller, I would love to connect with you personally! <strong><a href="https://talk.freelancehustle.com/12ca0ddf19c2807bb6cfefc69408cc12">You can fill out the form here.</a></strong></p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.freelancehustle.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading FreelanceHustle Newsletter!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[I Met My Fiverr Buyer Ron in Person – His Honest Opinion on Using Fiverr]]></title><description><![CDATA[After years of working together on Fiverr, I finally met one of my buyers in person! In this interview, he shares his honest opinion on the Fiverr buying experience.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/ronald-bodinger</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/ronald-bodinger</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 26 Feb 2025 22:14:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/157949790/12a716f4561412c52bb2b7164ee0e143.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-fcqtOvQ2E08" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;fcqtOvQ2E08&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/fcqtOvQ2E08?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p>Last week, I had the chance to travel through Hungary and Austria, where I met my long-time buyer, Ron. He has used my service more than five times and was happy to share his overall experience using Fiverr, including the most important factor that every freelancer should keep in mind.</p><p>Since you are a subscriber of this newsletter and a listener, you get exclusive access to listen to and read this interview first! It will also be released on <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@VasilyKichigin">my YouTube channel</a></strong> next week!</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2f1ca01e-66d0-447c-9bbd-4ceb072b9d29_2902x1618.png&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f60b86dc-66fd-4bf5-92bf-dd2c43c5a4e7_2902x1626.png&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1fcd4e63-285d-4955-afe1-4f2ded10e5a2_1456x720.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>Ron runs a successful YouTube channel where he reviews various PC parts and builds while collaborating with many well-known brands.</p><blockquote><p><strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TekTherapy">Ron's YouTube Channel</a></strong></p></blockquote><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!V-du!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F912fb3f5-765a-40d8-a2f2-fd0ee9786a5d_2316x1274.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!V-du!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F912fb3f5-765a-40d8-a2f2-fd0ee9786a5d_2316x1274.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!V-du!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F912fb3f5-765a-40d8-a2f2-fd0ee9786a5d_2316x1274.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!V-du!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F912fb3f5-765a-40d8-a2f2-fd0ee9786a5d_2316x1274.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!V-du!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F912fb3f5-765a-40d8-a2f2-fd0ee9786a5d_2316x1274.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!V-du!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F912fb3f5-765a-40d8-a2f2-fd0ee9786a5d_2316x1274.png" width="1456" height="801" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/912fb3f5-765a-40d8-a2f2-fd0ee9786a5d_2316x1274.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:801,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:1425012,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.freelancehustle.com/i/157949790?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F912fb3f5-765a-40d8-a2f2-fd0ee9786a5d_2316x1274.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!V-du!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F912fb3f5-765a-40d8-a2f2-fd0ee9786a5d_2316x1274.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!V-du!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F912fb3f5-765a-40d8-a2f2-fd0ee9786a5d_2316x1274.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!V-du!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F912fb3f5-765a-40d8-a2f2-fd0ee9786a5d_2316x1274.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!V-du!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F912fb3f5-765a-40d8-a2f2-fd0ee9786a5d_2316x1274.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3><strong>Experience as a Fiverr Buyer</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: What has been your experience using Fiverr as a buyer? Are you still using it?</strong></p><p><strong>Ron:</strong> Yes, I still use Fiverr for various tasks, such as web server setup. However, my experience has been mixed. Just because a seller has five stars or is a Pro Seller does not always guarantee the best service. I tend to stick with sellers I have built a relationship with rather than constantly searching for new ones.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Leaving Reviews and Seller Communication</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Do you rate sellers lower than five stars?</strong></p><p><strong>Ron:</strong> I do not typically leave bad reviews unless absolutely necessary. If I encounter an issue, I reach out to the seller first to see if we can work things out. I only consider lower ratings if there is no response or if the service is completely unsatisfactory.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Changes in Buyer Experience Over the Years</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Do you feel Fiverr has improved or worsened as a buyer experience over the years?</strong></p><p><strong>Ron:</strong> Honestly, it has gotten worse in some aspects, but not because of Fiverr itself. The platform has become overcrowded, making it difficult to choose the right seller. When you search for something, you get hundreds of options, which can be overwhelming.</p><p>For urgent tasks, sometimes the top-rated sellers have long wait times, so buyers are forced to choose less experienced sellers. This creates a challenge in finding the right balance between quality and availability.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Long-Term Seller Relationships</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Do you tend to work with the same sellers, or do you try new ones often?</strong></p><p><strong>Ron:</strong> I prefer long-term relationships with sellers. If I find someone reliable, I keep working with them rather than switching. Even though I stopped using Instagram growth services, it was not because of bad service&#8212;it was just not a focus anymore. I always prioritize communication and consistency when choosing a seller.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>AI in Fiverr&#8217;s Buying Process</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: How do you feel about Fiverr introducing AI assistants to the buyer experience?</strong></p><p><strong>Ron:</strong> I am not a fan of AI for customer service. It usually makes things more complicated. Instead of getting direct help, you have to go through unnecessary steps before reaching a human.</p><p>If Fiverr adds AI chat for sellers, buyers will have to type &#8220;Chat to human&#8221; just to get real interaction. That is frustrating. I have seen it happen on platforms like Amazon, and I do not like the trend.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>AI-Generated Project Assistance</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: What do you think about Fiverr&#8217;s AI helping buyers define project requirements and match them with sellers?</strong></p><p><strong>Ron:</strong> It could be useful, but it depends on the niche. In graphic and design services, it makes sense because AI can generate baseline concepts that sellers can refine. But in other categories, I am skeptical about how effective it would be.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Buyer Fees on Fiverr</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Does the service fee Fiverr charges buyers bother you?</strong></p><p><strong>Ron:</strong> Not at all. The fee is reasonable and provides a security net. Every platform has some sort of fee, so I do not mind paying a little extra for protection and support if something goes wrong.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Overall Rating of Fiverr as a Buyer</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate Fiverr as a buyer?</strong></p><p><strong>Ron:</strong> I would give it a <strong>solid 7</strong>. It is still a great platform, but it used to be better. The biggest issue is the overwhelming number of sellers, making it harder to find the best ones.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Final Advice for Freelancers and Buyers</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: What is the most important thing sellers should keep in mind when working with buyers?</strong></p><p><strong>Ron:</strong> Communication is the key. Even if the result is not exactly what the buyer expected, good communication helps build trust. A seller who is willing to listen and make adjustments will always have repeat buyers.</p><div><hr></div><p>If you liked this interview and are interested in more stories like this, consider subscribing and sharing this newsletter on social media. This would mean a lot to me, and I will continue to produce similar stories like Ron&#8217;s, as well as stories of sellers on Fiverr.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.freelancehustle.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading FreelanceHustle Newsletter!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>See you soon!<br>Vasily</p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Florian Makes $8,000+ Per Month on Fiverr and X(Twitter) with Social Media Marketing Services]]></title><description><![CDATA[Listen now | From $5 Gigs to an $8K/Month Business: How Florian Scaled Social Media Marketing Business on Fiverr & X(Twitter).]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/florian-holler</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/florian-holler</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 20 Feb 2025 10:00:43 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/157480710/2e495c8469b6d35d695452cac5a667cb.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-FrbIwdXwa9E" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;FrbIwdXwa9E&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/FrbIwdXwa9E?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!72r8!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e5e1bc6-aa46-47ea-bc1d-0cae6ed9ed60_2226x1518.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!72r8!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e5e1bc6-aa46-47ea-bc1d-0cae6ed9ed60_2226x1518.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!72r8!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e5e1bc6-aa46-47ea-bc1d-0cae6ed9ed60_2226x1518.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!72r8!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e5e1bc6-aa46-47ea-bc1d-0cae6ed9ed60_2226x1518.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!72r8!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e5e1bc6-aa46-47ea-bc1d-0cae6ed9ed60_2226x1518.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!72r8!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e5e1bc6-aa46-47ea-bc1d-0cae6ed9ed60_2226x1518.png" width="1456" height="993" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0e5e1bc6-aa46-47ea-bc1d-0cae6ed9ed60_2226x1518.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:993,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:851893,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.freelancehustle.com/i/157480710?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e5e1bc6-aa46-47ea-bc1d-0cae6ed9ed60_2226x1518.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!72r8!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e5e1bc6-aa46-47ea-bc1d-0cae6ed9ed60_2226x1518.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!72r8!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e5e1bc6-aa46-47ea-bc1d-0cae6ed9ed60_2226x1518.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!72r8!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e5e1bc6-aa46-47ea-bc1d-0cae6ed9ed60_2226x1518.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!72r8!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e5e1bc6-aa46-47ea-bc1d-0cae6ed9ed60_2226x1518.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><blockquote><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/growthflo">Florian&#8217;s Fiverr Profile</a></strong></p></blockquote><h3>Getting Started on Fiverr</h3><p><strong>Q: How did you first discover Fiverr, and what was your journey like in the beginning?</strong></p><p><strong>Florian:</strong> I first discovered Fiverr back in 2017 when I was around 15 or 16 years old. At that time, Fortnite was trending, and I decided to offer animated intro videos for gamers. My first gig took me 16 hours to create, and I only earned $5, but it showed me that the platform worked.</p><p>I did not know much about freelancing or other platforms like Upwork&#8212;Fiverr was my first introduction to the online work world. What I liked about it was the ability to set up a gig and have clients find me without needing to do outreach.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Transitioning to Social Media Marketing</h3><p><strong>Q: How did you move from Fortnite intros to social media marketing and design?</strong></p><p><strong>Florian:</strong> After realizing that making intro videos was too time-consuming for the small income, I started exploring other areas.</p><p>At that time, I got interested in Instagram growth and started a fashion-themed page. Within a few months, I grew it to 10,000 followers and eventually reached 150,000 followers. I started selling shoutouts on the page, but when I tried offering them on Fiverr, I realized there was no real demand.</p><p>That led me back to Fiverr to see what social media services were in demand. That is when I discovered organic Instagram growth, which you (Vasily) were already offering. I analyzed your profile, pricing, and service structure, then decided to try offering a similar service at a lower price. After a few months, I got my first order, and from there, I kept refining my approach.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Expanding into Design Services</h3><p><strong>Q: How did you transition from Instagram growth to content creation and design?</strong></p><p><strong>Florian:</strong> Managing multiple Instagram growth orders became difficult because it was so time-consuming. After around 10 active orders, it became hard to handle alone.</p><p>At the same time, I was helping my brother with his social recruiting agency, where I learned to design ads, social media posts, and Facebook campaigns. Seeing an opportunity, I decided to expand my Fiverr offerings to include content creation and ad designs.</p><p>I never had formal graphic design training. I learned it over time through dropshipping, where I had to create ads. I started with Photoshop and later discovered Canva and Figma, which made the process easier.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Fiverr Earnings &amp; Business Growth</h3><p><strong>Q: How much are you currently making on Fiverr, and how has your revenue grown?</strong></p><p><strong>Florian:</strong> My Fiverr profile has generated close to $50,000 in total revenue, and I currently make between $2,000 and $4,000 per month. My highest month was slightly over $4,000.</p><p>Fiverr has been great, but I was balancing it with my university studies, so I could not dedicate 100% of my time. Since I finished my studies last year, I have been focusing more on growing my business.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Team &amp; Scaling Challenges</h3><p><strong>Q: Are you working alone, or do you have a team?</strong></p><p><strong>Florian:</strong> Right now, I am handling everything on my own, except for some help from my girlfriend, who assists with manual Instagram growth tasks.</p><p>I have hit a point where I feel limited because:</p><ol><li><p>I cannot take on more orders without sacrificing quality.</p></li><li><p>I have high standards for my design work, making it hard to delegate.</p></li><li><p>Fiverr pricing makes it challenging to scale with a team while staying competitive.</p></li></ol><p>I know I need to optimize my systems before I can scale. That includes automating repetitive tasks like client onboarding and file creation.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Growing on Twitter/X</h3><p><strong>Q: You have seen massive growth on X (Twitter). How did that happen?</strong></p><p><strong>Florian:</strong> I originally joined Twitter two years ago but was not posting. I noticed a large design community sharing work and engaging with each other.</p><p>In January 2025, I decided to start posting my designs. At first, I had zero engagement, but I spent time connecting with other designers, commenting on their posts, and forming relationships. After building a network, my posts started taking off, with some reaching 30,000+ views.</p><p>Now, I consistently generate 3+ leads per week, and I have already converted two small clients and one high-ticket client from X alone.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Fiverr vs. X for Client Acquisition</h3><p><strong>Q: Are you getting more clients from Fiverr or from X?</strong></p><p><strong>Florian:</strong> Right now, my X (Twitter) clients have surpassed my Fiverr revenue.</p><ul><li><p><strong>Fiverr</strong> brings consistent orders, but the pricing makes it harder to scale.</p></li><li><p><strong>X</strong> attracts higher-budget clients, and I do not have to give up 20% in platform fees.</p></li></ul><p>That being said, I am not leaving Fiverr. It is still a great source of inbound clients and provides stability, while X is helping me diversify.</p><div><hr></div><h3>Challenges with Fiverr</h3><p><strong>Q: What do you find frustrating about Fiverr?</strong></p><p><strong>Florian:</strong> There are a few challenges:</p><ol><li><p><strong>Success Score is unclear</strong> &#8211; It affects visibility, but Fiverr does not explain exactly how to improve it.</p></li><li><p><strong>Subscriptions cannot be canceled within 10 days</strong> &#8211; This makes managing long-term clients difficult.</p></li><li><p><strong>Limited path to Top Rated Seller</strong> &#8211; I meet the criteria, but Fiverr seems to be limiting how many new sellers get promoted.</p></li><li><p><strong>Many clients want intro calls</strong> &#8211; This is time-consuming. I am considering creating a pre-recorded video to replace intro calls.</p></li></ol><div><hr></div><h3>Advice for Freelancers</h3><p><strong>Q: Is it too late to start on Fiverr? What advice do you have for new freelancers?</strong></p><p><strong>Florian:</strong> Fiverr is definitely not too late to start, but you need to be patient.</p><ul><li><p>It took me 3 months to get my first order.</p></li><li><p>Another 3 months to get my second order.</p></li><li><p>Then, it started snowballing from there.</p></li></ul><p>If you are just starting out, here is what I recommend:</p><ol><li><p><strong>Pick the right niche</strong> &#8211; Fiverr is best for gig-based services with a clear start and end.</p></li><li><p><strong>Be consistent</strong> &#8211; Update your gig, stay active, and respond quickly to messages.</p></li><li><p><strong>Consider a second platform</strong> &#8211; X (Twitter) worked well for me. LinkedIn is also great for outreach.</p></li><li><p><strong>Engage with others</strong> &#8211; On Fiverr, X, or any platform, building relationships is key.</p></li><li><p><strong>Think long-term</strong> &#8211; Fiverr works, but you need patience and consistency to see results.</p></li></ol><div><hr></div><h3>Future Plans</h3><p><strong>Q: What are your next steps for growing your business?</strong></p><p><strong>Florian:</strong> My biggest focus now is:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Raising prices</strong> to attract higher-budget clients.</p></li><li><p><strong>Building better systems</strong> to handle more projects efficiently.</p></li><li><p><strong>Expanding beyond Fiverr</strong> and growing my X audience.</p></li><li><p><strong>Potentially hiring a team</strong> in the future once my processes are optimized.</p></li></ul><p>I am also considering <strong>the &#8220;one-person agency&#8221; model</strong>, like <strong><a href="https://www.designjoy.co/">DesignJoy</a></strong>, where I could offer high-value design services on a subscription model.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Where to Find Florian</strong></h3><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/growthflo">Fiverr Profile</a></strong></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://x.com/growthflo">X(Twitter)</a></strong></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><p>If you are a current Fiverr seller, I would love to connect with you personally! <strong><a href="https://talk.freelancehustle.com/12ca0ddf19c2807bb6cfefc69408cc12">You can fill out the form here.</a></strong></p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.freelancehustle.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading FreelanceHustle Newsletter!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Chris Farman Makes $20,000+ Per Month on Fiverr as a Spokesperson]]></title><description><![CDATA[How Chris Turned His Passion for Video Creation Into a $20K+/Month Fiverr Business as a Top Spokesperson.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/chris-farman</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/chris-farman</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jan 2025 14:17:34 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/443f519c-3a0e-4c7d-b178-e810ed5f869d_2540x1440.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-C1lVU3HdenU" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;C1lVU3HdenU&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/C1lVU3HdenU?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><blockquote><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/mediamonkeyy">Chris&#8217;s Fiverr Profile</a></strong></p></blockquote><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2NFR!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c5aaf5a-1d7b-43ec-867c-7797dc9bc1a6_2164x1102.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2NFR!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c5aaf5a-1d7b-43ec-867c-7797dc9bc1a6_2164x1102.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2NFR!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c5aaf5a-1d7b-43ec-867c-7797dc9bc1a6_2164x1102.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2NFR!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c5aaf5a-1d7b-43ec-867c-7797dc9bc1a6_2164x1102.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2NFR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c5aaf5a-1d7b-43ec-867c-7797dc9bc1a6_2164x1102.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2NFR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c5aaf5a-1d7b-43ec-867c-7797dc9bc1a6_2164x1102.png" width="1456" height="741" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8c5aaf5a-1d7b-43ec-867c-7797dc9bc1a6_2164x1102.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:741,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:351794,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2NFR!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c5aaf5a-1d7b-43ec-867c-7797dc9bc1a6_2164x1102.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2NFR!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c5aaf5a-1d7b-43ec-867c-7797dc9bc1a6_2164x1102.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2NFR!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c5aaf5a-1d7b-43ec-867c-7797dc9bc1a6_2164x1102.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2NFR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c5aaf5a-1d7b-43ec-867c-7797dc9bc1a6_2164x1102.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>I am personally fascinated by Chris&#8217;s journey. This is another example where you do not need to have a high number of orders but should instead focus on high-ticket ones. Also, receiving $192 in tips is possible as well. Chris sent me this just a few days ago, it is insane.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eIJ8!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa42043fe-a5dc-4167-bf8e-d8853e68fe94_945x992.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eIJ8!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa42043fe-a5dc-4167-bf8e-d8853e68fe94_945x992.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eIJ8!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa42043fe-a5dc-4167-bf8e-d8853e68fe94_945x992.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eIJ8!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa42043fe-a5dc-4167-bf8e-d8853e68fe94_945x992.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eIJ8!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa42043fe-a5dc-4167-bf8e-d8853e68fe94_945x992.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eIJ8!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa42043fe-a5dc-4167-bf8e-d8853e68fe94_945x992.jpeg" width="467" height="490.226455026455" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a42043fe-a5dc-4167-bf8e-d8853e68fe94_945x992.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:992,&quot;width&quot;:945,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:467,&quot;bytes&quot;:110449,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eIJ8!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa42043fe-a5dc-4167-bf8e-d8853e68fe94_945x992.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eIJ8!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa42043fe-a5dc-4167-bf8e-d8853e68fe94_945x992.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eIJ8!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa42043fe-a5dc-4167-bf8e-d8853e68fe94_945x992.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eIJ8!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa42043fe-a5dc-4167-bf8e-d8853e68fe94_945x992.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3><strong>Introduction</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Can you introduce yourself and share your Fiverr journey?</strong></p><p><strong>Chris</strong>: Thanks for having me! I&#8217;m Chris, and I&#8217;ve been offering video content services on Fiverr for a few years now. My journey has been exciting, with ups and downs. I started earning $8,000&#8211;$10,000 per month earlier this year, but recently, I&#8217;ve surpassed $20,000 per month. Right now, I have just under $10,000 in active orders, so it looks like this month will be strong as well.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Breaking the $10K Barrier</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Many sellers struggle to break $5K&#8211;$10K. How did you surpass $10K and reach $20K+ per month?</strong></p><p><strong>Chris</strong>: It&#8217;s all about offering a high-value service with a strong effort-to-reward ratio. For example, I provide video content, and a 5-minute video can earn me $300. The key is focusing on what clients truly value. They are not just paying for the editing or production but for the transformation that the video can bring&#8212;whether it&#8217;s boosting their brand or increasing sales.</p><p>I&#8217;ve built my Fiverr profile around my personal brand, which includes acting skills, professional communication, and a polished image. Clients see me as an asset. While I do get some repeat business, I rely heavily on attracting new clients, which happens daily. On average, I close 2&#8211;3 new orders per day.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Scaling Through Specialization</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: How do you ensure your services stand out in a competitive market?</strong></p><p><strong>Chris</strong>: I&#8217;ve diversified my offerings to cater to specific client needs. Currently, I have 9 gigs that range from green screen spokesperson videos to podcast-style content and even niche setups like medical-themed videos with a lab coat. I&#8217;ve also adapted my setups to cater to different client preferences, such as casual, formal, or home-office-style backgrounds. This flexibility helps attract a wider range of clients.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Managing Challenges</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Do clients ever reject your work, and how do you handle challenges?</strong></p><p><strong>Chris</strong>: Occasionally, a client might ask for revisions or feel the video isn&#8217;t what they expected. I always manage expectations upfront. For example, I explain that different video styles&#8212;such as talking head vs. UGC (user-generated content)&#8212;can yield varying results. If a client is unsure, I recommend creating 2&#8211;3 variations so they can test and see what works best.</p><p>Additionally, I charge extra for services like scriptwriting because it&#8217;s time-intensive. I&#8217;ve even tried hiring scriptwriters, but it&#8217;s challenging to find someone who can match my tone and style.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>The Role of Fiverr</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Could you replicate your success outside Fiverr?</strong></p><p><strong>Chris</strong>: It would be much harder. Fiverr brings traffic directly to you, whereas running your own website requires significant effort and money to drive traffic through ads or SEO. Fiverr simplifies this by connecting you to clients actively searching for your services. That said, I&#8217;m working on diversifying to reduce dependency on the platform.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Building a Team</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: How does your team help you scale, and what does it look like?</strong></p><p><strong>Chris</strong>: My core team consists of editors. I found my main editor on Upwork about three years ago, and he&#8217;s been fantastic. He now has a team of 5&#8211;6 editors, with 2&#8211;3 dedicated to my projects. I handle all client communication and filming while my team takes care of editing.</p><p>This partnership works well because it&#8217;s project-based rather than salaried. It keeps the team motivated, and I can scale up or down based on workload. However, building the right team takes time and effort. Trust and reliability are crucial.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>The Fiverr Addiction</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: What do you dislike about Fiverr?</strong></p><p><strong>Chris</strong>: Fiverr&#8217;s metrics can make you feel like a slave to the platform. For instance, if you deliver late or fail to respond quickly, it impacts your success score and potentially your ranking. Recently, I dropped from a 10 to a 9 on the success score. If it drops further, I risk losing my top-rated seller status.</p><p>That said, these metrics keep you accountable, ensuring quality and responsiveness. While some complain about the 20% commission, I think it&#8217;s fair given the traffic Fiverr brings.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Advice for Freelancers</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Is it too late to start on Fiverr? What advice do you have for new freelancers?</strong></p><p><strong>Chris</strong>: It&#8217;s definitely not too late, but success depends on your niche. Fiverr is ideal for gig-based services with clear start and end points. If your work involves longer-term contracts, platforms like Upwork might be better.</p><p>To stand out, focus on high-demand services and specialize. For example, instead of offering general video editing, target niches like podcast editing or UGC-style videos. Specialization helps you differentiate and charge premium rates.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Final Thoughts</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Any last words for freelancers watching this?</strong></p><p><strong>Chris</strong>: Fiverr is a fantastic starting point, but don&#8217;t put all your eggs in one basket. Once you&#8217;re making $5,000 per month, start building your brand outside the platform&#8212;whether through social media or your own website. Also, give yourself time. Aim for $500 in your first month and scale from there. Patience and persistence are key.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Where to Find Chris</strong></h3><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/mediamonkeyy">Fiverr Profile</a></strong></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9DYPSXYcyerkp58vjzePTA">YouTube</a></strong></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/freelancewithchris/">Instagram</a></strong></p><div><hr></div></li></ul><p>If you are a current Fiverr seller, I would love to connect with you personally! <strong><a href="https://talk.freelancehustle.com/12ca0ddf19c2807bb6cfefc69408cc12">You can fill out the form here.</a></strong></p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.freelancehustle.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading FreelanceHustle Newsletter!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Alek Makes $10K/Month with Design Gigs on Fiverr]]></title><description><![CDATA[How Alek Transformed $15 Gigs into $4,000+ High-Ticket Branding Projects and Built a $10K/Month Fiverr Business]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/how-alek-makes-10kmonth-with-design</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/how-alek-makes-10kmonth-with-design</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 23 Jan 2025 22:38:56 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/04bbce50-fd3d-4d90-b012-37dcc883b87c_2540x1440.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-kzwVqKo3lho" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;kzwVqKo3lho&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/kzwVqKo3lho?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p>I had the pleasure of interviewing Alek at the end of 2024, and his story was extremely inspiring. First of all, Alek already had a lot of experience in his field as well as in running and managing companies, so he came to Fiverr with substantial experience.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dKGX!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffd04f941-5176-4280-8562-68336ed3e82e_4284x3505.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dKGX!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffd04f941-5176-4280-8562-68336ed3e82e_4284x3505.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dKGX!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffd04f941-5176-4280-8562-68336ed3e82e_4284x3505.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dKGX!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffd04f941-5176-4280-8562-68336ed3e82e_4284x3505.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dKGX!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffd04f941-5176-4280-8562-68336ed3e82e_4284x3505.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dKGX!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffd04f941-5176-4280-8562-68336ed3e82e_4284x3505.jpeg" width="724" height="592.3482726423903" 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https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dKGX!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffd04f941-5176-4280-8562-68336ed3e82e_4284x3505.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dKGX!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffd04f941-5176-4280-8562-68336ed3e82e_4284x3505.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dKGX!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffd04f941-5176-4280-8562-68336ed3e82e_4284x3505.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><blockquote><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/salezio84">Alek&#8217;s Fiverr Profile</a></strong></p></blockquote><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CzEm!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb5ef653d-cf11-4733-b95a-6388d547311a_2106x1246.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CzEm!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb5ef653d-cf11-4733-b95a-6388d547311a_2106x1246.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CzEm!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb5ef653d-cf11-4733-b95a-6388d547311a_2106x1246.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CzEm!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb5ef653d-cf11-4733-b95a-6388d547311a_2106x1246.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CzEm!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb5ef653d-cf11-4733-b95a-6388d547311a_2106x1246.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CzEm!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb5ef653d-cf11-4733-b95a-6388d547311a_2106x1246.png" width="1456" height="861" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b5ef653d-cf11-4733-b95a-6388d547311a_2106x1246.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:861,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:1639662,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CzEm!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb5ef653d-cf11-4733-b95a-6388d547311a_2106x1246.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CzEm!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb5ef653d-cf11-4733-b95a-6388d547311a_2106x1246.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CzEm!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb5ef653d-cf11-4733-b95a-6388d547311a_2106x1246.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CzEm!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb5ef653d-cf11-4733-b95a-6388d547311a_2106x1246.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3><strong>Current Fiverr Income</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: How much are you currently earning on Fiverr?</strong></p><p><strong>Alek</strong>: In November 2024, I made just north of $10,000&#8212;around $9,000-plus to be precise.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Starting on Fiverr</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: How did you get started on Fiverr, and what brought you to the platform?</strong></p><p><strong>Alek</strong>: It is quite an interesting story. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I started looking for new ways to earn a primary income after my hospitality-related businesses were shut down. I came across <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AlexandraFasuloBiz">YouTube videos by Alexandra Fasulo</a>, a well-known Fiverr vendor, and her success story inspired me to try freelancing.</p><p>I have a background in design. I studied design in Belgrade and had more than 15 years of experience in marketing and design, working with pharmaceutical companies and various industries. Fiverr seemed like the perfect platform to channel my skills into a profitable career.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Choosing Services on Fiverr</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Did you already have experience with the services you now offer on Fiverr, or did you develop them while using the platform?</strong></p><p><strong>Alek</strong>: My services are closely tied to my professional background. My major in college was design, so it was not a new field for me. Over the years, I worked with major clients in the cosmetics and supplements industries, which gave me deep experience in brand development, logo creation, and packaging design. These naturally became the core services I offer on Fiverr.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>The First Steps and Challenges</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: How long did it take for you to get your first order? What was the turning point in your Fiverr journey?</strong></p><p><strong>Alek</strong>: It took me a couple of months to get my first order. I knew it would require patience, so I was prepared. My initial prices were low&#8212;around $15 for logo or packaging design. After my first order, it took another 15&#8211;20 days to get the next one.</p><p>The turning point was a combination of factors: building a strong portfolio, receiving excellent reviews, and optimizing my gigs. Continuity and quality were key to gaining momentum. Within six to eight months, my orders and income started increasing significantly.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Scaling and High-Ticket Services</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Your services are high-ticket compared to many other Fiverr sellers. How has your pricing evolved over time?</strong></p><p><strong>Alek</strong>: When I started, my gigs were priced at $15. Now, my average ticket is around $165 historically, but in recent months, my prices have been much higher. For example, I recently completed a $4,000 branding project that included product photography and commercials. It has been a gradual process of increasing prices as I gained experience and built my reputation.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Managing Workload and Building a Team</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Are you managing everything yourself, or do you have a team to help you?</strong></p><p><strong>Alek</strong>: Surprisingly, I am still a one-man band. I handle all communication, design work, and administrative tasks myself. I am exploring the idea of building a team, but finding the right people with the necessary skill and attention to detail has been a challenge. For now, I do everything on my own to ensure the highest quality for my clients.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Advice for New Fiverr Sellers</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: What advice would you give someone with professional experience who wants to start on Fiverr? Is it too late to begin?</strong></p><p><strong>Alek</strong>: It is never too late. Fiverr is a growing platform and there is always demand for high-quality services. My advice is to master your craft first and then build your profile. Be patient, consistent, and focus on delivering quality work. Success on Fiverr is not an overnight achievement, but with dedication, it is definitely possible.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Future Plans</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: Do you think Fiverr limits your growth? Have you considered creating your own platform, like <a href="https://www.designjoy.co/">DesignJoy?</a></strong></p><p><strong>Alek</strong>: Fiverr has been instrumental in my success, and I think the 20% commission is fair given the opportunities it provides. I plan to create my own website in the future, but for now, Fiverr remains my main focus. It offers a fantastic ecosystem to test and refine services while reaching a global audience.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Final Thoughts</strong></h3><p><strong>Q: How can people find and work with you?</strong></p><p><strong>Alek</strong>: The best way to reach me is <strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/salezio84">directly on Fiverr.</a></strong> If you search for "cosmetic packaging design," my gig will appear as the Fiverr Choice option. At this stage of my journey, Fiverr is the primary way for clients to connect with me.</p><div><hr></div><h4>Here is how you can contact Alek:</h4><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.fiverr.com/salezio84">Fiverr Profile</a></strong></p></li></ul><p>Please let me know if you enjoy this format. I am excited to share more stories with you in the coming weeks and months. If you are interested in having your story featured, <strong><a href="https://talk.freelancehustle.com/12ca0ddf19c2807bb6cfefc69408cc12">you can fill out the form here.</a></strong></p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.freelancehustle.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading FreelanceHustle Newsletter!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How I Hire People for My Fiverr Business]]></title><description><![CDATA[Hiring the right people for your agency can feel like a full-time job, but it is the foundation of sustainable growth. Here is how I approach it for my Fiverr business.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/how-i-hire-people-for-my-fiverr-business</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/how-i-hire-people-for-my-fiverr-business</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 30 Dec 2024 18:42:52 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/bc2fa135-bb65-4e76-a8f3-673664e12f2f_1920x1080.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r1E_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F47d9ee2b-02e4-448b-a507-57e943e17982_1920x1080.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r1E_!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F47d9ee2b-02e4-448b-a507-57e943e17982_1920x1080.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r1E_!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F47d9ee2b-02e4-448b-a507-57e943e17982_1920x1080.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r1E_!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F47d9ee2b-02e4-448b-a507-57e943e17982_1920x1080.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r1E_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F47d9ee2b-02e4-448b-a507-57e943e17982_1920x1080.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r1E_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F47d9ee2b-02e4-448b-a507-57e943e17982_1920x1080.jpeg" width="1456" height="819" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/47d9ee2b-02e4-448b-a507-57e943e17982_1920x1080.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:819,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:441413,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r1E_!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F47d9ee2b-02e4-448b-a507-57e943e17982_1920x1080.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r1E_!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F47d9ee2b-02e4-448b-a507-57e943e17982_1920x1080.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r1E_!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F47d9ee2b-02e4-448b-a507-57e943e17982_1920x1080.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r1E_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F47d9ee2b-02e4-448b-a507-57e943e17982_1920x1080.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>For me, this year was definitely a very positive one. I did not necessarily achieve all the goals I set, but looking at the numbers, it has been a better year than the last one. The biggest thing that happened this year is that I was able to hire a few people who brought a lot of value to the business and I wanted to break down my hires this year and how it took me almost a year to find them.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tP88!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd9c8b9d8-0377-4e4d-9ba0-23704e604df1_2290x848.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tP88!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd9c8b9d8-0377-4e4d-9ba0-23704e604df1_2290x848.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tP88!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd9c8b9d8-0377-4e4d-9ba0-23704e604df1_2290x848.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tP88!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd9c8b9d8-0377-4e4d-9ba0-23704e604df1_2290x848.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tP88!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd9c8b9d8-0377-4e4d-9ba0-23704e604df1_2290x848.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tP88!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd9c8b9d8-0377-4e4d-9ba0-23704e604df1_2290x848.png" width="1456" height="539" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d9c8b9d8-0377-4e4d-9ba0-23704e604df1_2290x848.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:539,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:158942,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tP88!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd9c8b9d8-0377-4e4d-9ba0-23704e604df1_2290x848.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tP88!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd9c8b9d8-0377-4e4d-9ba0-23704e604df1_2290x848.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tP88!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd9c8b9d8-0377-4e4d-9ba0-23704e604df1_2290x848.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tP88!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd9c8b9d8-0377-4e4d-9ba0-23704e604df1_2290x848.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">My 2024 Fiverr Revenue</figcaption></figure></div><blockquote><h4>Remember: Do not let the business pull you too deeply into operations.</h4></blockquote><p>In 2019, I had a team of 20 people, all full-time employees. I was excited about the idea of having people work <em>with</em> me (I do not like saying that someone works <em>for</em> me). At the time, I was watching <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@garyvee">GaryVee</a> constantly and he had a large team working in his media agency and under his personal brand.</p><p>After finishing university in the U.S. in 2017, I returned to my home country, Russia and decided to rent an office and start hiring people. By the way, as soon as I returned, I began documenting my journey on YouTube. Here is my first video showcasing my setup and team at that time:</p><div id="youtube2-b6Gd23oDPpk" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;b6Gd23oDPpk&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/b6Gd23oDPpk?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p><strong>At that time, I already had two people working with me:</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Nina</strong>: She still works with me now and was helping with operational tasks, social media posts, and communication.</p></li><li><p><strong>Kos</strong>: He was and still is, managing growth campaigns for Instagram, essentially taking care of service delivery.</p></li></ul><p>When I returned to Russia, I met another person around my age who had completed his studies in Canada, Dmitry. He already had experience in social media marketing and was freelancing as well. Once we met, we immediately felt a connection and realized we could bring value to each other. Hiring Dmitry was more challenging because of his existing experience in marketing and I was unsure how to approach the financial aspect at first. I simply asked him how much he would need to work full-time with me and focus entirely on my business. He proposed a number and at the time, it seemed like a very good offer, so I accepted it.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KAJG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fda31a96f-93a1-4ce2-a8cc-8a94d3b33d1d_1278x720.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KAJG!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fda31a96f-93a1-4ce2-a8cc-8a94d3b33d1d_1278x720.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KAJG!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fda31a96f-93a1-4ce2-a8cc-8a94d3b33d1d_1278x720.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KAJG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fda31a96f-93a1-4ce2-a8cc-8a94d3b33d1d_1278x720.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KAJG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fda31a96f-93a1-4ce2-a8cc-8a94d3b33d1d_1278x720.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KAJG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fda31a96f-93a1-4ce2-a8cc-8a94d3b33d1d_1278x720.jpeg" width="1278" height="720" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/da31a96f-93a1-4ce2-a8cc-8a94d3b33d1d_1278x720.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;width&quot;:1278,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:194550,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KAJG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fda31a96f-93a1-4ce2-a8cc-8a94d3b33d1d_1278x720.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KAJG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fda31a96f-93a1-4ce2-a8cc-8a94d3b33d1d_1278x720.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KAJG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fda31a96f-93a1-4ce2-a8cc-8a94d3b33d1d_1278x720.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KAJG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fda31a96f-93a1-4ce2-a8cc-8a94d3b33d1d_1278x720.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">October 11, 2017 (Vasily, Dmitry, Konstantin)</figcaption></figure></div><p>Hiring someone with an entrepreneurial mindset who is also pursuing their own ventures can be challenging. These individuals are often focused on growth and scaling their efforts. While traditional salaried positions can sometimes limit personal financial growth due to predictable increases (typically 5%&#8211;10% per year or less frequent), there are often other incentives and performance bonuses available, depending on the value they bring to the business.</p><p>I highly recommend setting clear expectations from the start! Ask about their goals, financial expectations, where they see themselves in a few years and how they envision collaborating with you. If you notice anything unusual or alarming in their responses, it is better not to proceed with the hire. It can be very difficult to part ways later if the collaboration does not align with your vision.</p><blockquote><h4>In 2019, I had 20 people working with me, but in June, following my NYSE appearance, I had to let everyone go.</h4></blockquote><p>It was an incredibly stressful time in June 2019 when Instagram introduced new limits, making it impossible to provide the service that accounted for 95% of my revenue. When something like this happens, the first thing you must do is cut expenses as quickly as possible. I had to have difficult conversations with each team member, explaining that I could no longer afford to pay them. It was a rough time because we were essentially like one big family and some of the team members were people I had known for many years, even from high school. It is never easy to deliver such news, especially when you know others are financially dependent on you.</p><p>I worked hard to find a solution and pivot the business, but the stress was overwhelming. It took me several months to cut expenses as much as possible. By the time 2020 began, I was starting with a fresh perspective. The only person still part of my team was Nina. I offered her what I could afford to pay and she accepted. I believe she stayed because she had faith in me and my ability to recover.</p><p>Together, we built a powerful client acquisition system. I developed a new approach for growing Instagram accounts and trained Nina to execute it. She conducted daily outreach from my Instagram account, offering prospects a free trial and then converting them to a subscription. Within 3&#8211;4 months, we had over 80 active clients and things were starting to get back on track.</p><p>Unfortunately, in August 2020, the industry shifted once again. I was back to the starting point and had to search for a new solution.</p><p><strong>As we move into 2025, here is what my team looks like:</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Kos</strong>: Manages growth campaigns for Instagram.</p></li><li><p><strong>Nina</strong>: Handles outreach, sales and communication.</p></li><li><p><strong>Mila (my wife)</strong>: Oversees quality checks for content design work and manages the designers.</p></li><li><p><strong>Aljosa</strong>: A recent hire who has taken over all Fiverr communication and built a system for increasing Fiverr sales.</p></li><li><p><strong>Marija</strong>: A designer responsible for client content design work.</p></li><li><p><strong>Natalia</strong>: Also a content designer, focusing on social media posts for clients.</p></li><li><p><strong>Milica</strong>: Another recent hire who works as a content designer specializing in social media posts.</p></li><li><p><strong>Nikolay</strong>: Assists with all editing tasks, including YouTube videos, thumbnails, and covers for this newsletter.</p></li></ul><p><strong>In addition to my full-time team members, I also have partnerships</strong> that cost a certain amount per month, depending on the number of clients I have. These partnerships can be incredibly valuable. When you identify competitors or systems that are managed successfully, there is often a significant opportunity to partner with them and leverage their infrastructure to provide additional value to your own clients.</p><blockquote><h4><strong>Do you know the ROI of each team member?</strong></h4></blockquote><p>I remember asking myself how to determine a person&#8217;s salary and how it should increase year after year. I realized I needed to have a system in place. But before that, I had to understand what this person actually contributes to the business. From my experience, team members can be responsible for different processes:</p><ul><li><p>You hire someone to manage your system, essentially saving you time.</p></li><li><p>You hire someone to bring in more leads and sales.</p></li><li><p>You hire someone to handle service delivery.</p></li></ul><p>In my workflow, these roles are categorized as:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Project Manager</strong>: Focused on managing systems and saving time.</p></li><li><p><strong>Sales Operator and Communication: </strong>Responsible for generating leads, driving sales, and communicating with potential and current clients.</p></li><li><p><strong>Designer</strong>: Handles the execution of service delivery.</p></li></ul><p>For each role, it is important to have a clear understanding of how this person can grow, how much value they bring to your business and how much time they are saving for you</p><blockquote><h4>If I start hiring people, I will be left with nothing&#8212;my team members will end up making more money than I do.</h4></blockquote><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!k7d-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa6d3450c-5962-4660-ac5c-f9a3d9493d7d_4284x4966.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!k7d-!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa6d3450c-5962-4660-ac5c-f9a3d9493d7d_4284x4966.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!k7d-!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa6d3450c-5962-4660-ac5c-f9a3d9493d7d_4284x4966.jpeg 848w, 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data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a6d3450c-5962-4660-ac5c-f9a3d9493d7d_4284x4966.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:4966,&quot;width&quot;:4284,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:542,&quot;bytes&quot;:2345484,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!k7d-!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa6d3450c-5962-4660-ac5c-f9a3d9493d7d_4284x4966.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!k7d-!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa6d3450c-5962-4660-ac5c-f9a3d9493d7d_4284x4966.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!k7d-!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa6d3450c-5962-4660-ac5c-f9a3d9493d7d_4284x4966.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!k7d-!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa6d3450c-5962-4660-ac5c-f9a3d9493d7d_4284x4966.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Yes, this is a very common mindset among freelancers. You might think, &#8220;Why hire someone and pay them X amount when I can do the work myself and keep all the money?&#8221; It is true that you can remain a one-person show and handle all the work yourself. We often hear about <strong>&#8220;one-person businesses generating millions of dollars a year.&#8221;</strong> It sounds cool and appealing, especially when you are working solo and making good money. But in reality, this approach may not work well for everyone.</p><p>Here is an example from my experience: About two years ago, I introduced a new service, and Mila (my wife) took on the role of delivering it. She created social media posts under my guidance, quickly mastered the skill and clients were happy with the results. However, she could not handle more than 4&#8211;5 clients per month, which capped her maximum earnings at around $3,000 per month based on our prices at the time.</p><p>After a few months, I told her that we needed to scale and that she could not continue doing all the designs herself. Nina, who was already part of our team, was open to taking on the role of social media designer. While Mila was initially hesitant, understandably so, as every designer has their own style and approach, I explained that we just needed to create clear guidelines and rules for how the posts should look. With that, we would be able to scale effectively.</p><p>Over time, Mila transitioned into more of a Project/Content Manager role. She began focusing on quality checks, assigning clients to designers and managing client communication. Today, we have a team of 3 full-time designers, with Mila still overseeing their work as Project/Content Manager.</p><p>I believe we are able to deliver high-quality social media posts that stand out from others because of the structured approach we take. However, as we continue to scale, we need even more team members and finding the right person can take months.</p><blockquote><h4>Finding the right person can take months and it is something you should work on daily.</h4></blockquote><p><strong>Currently, we hire people from two main sources:</strong></p><ol><li><p><strong><a href="https://jobrack.eu/">Jobrack</a></strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Running local paid ads linked to a Notion form</strong></p></li></ol><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PfRR!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01fa2a9-a106-416d-ba08-ae1a197d06ed_1080x1920.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PfRR!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01fa2a9-a106-416d-ba08-ae1a197d06ed_1080x1920.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PfRR!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01fa2a9-a106-416d-ba08-ae1a197d06ed_1080x1920.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PfRR!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01fa2a9-a106-416d-ba08-ae1a197d06ed_1080x1920.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PfRR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01fa2a9-a106-416d-ba08-ae1a197d06ed_1080x1920.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PfRR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01fa2a9-a106-416d-ba08-ae1a197d06ed_1080x1920.png" width="288" height="512" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c01fa2a9-a106-416d-ba08-ae1a197d06ed_1080x1920.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1920,&quot;width&quot;:1080,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:288,&quot;bytes&quot;:3361835,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PfRR!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01fa2a9-a106-416d-ba08-ae1a197d06ed_1080x1920.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PfRR!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01fa2a9-a106-416d-ba08-ae1a197d06ed_1080x1920.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PfRR!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01fa2a9-a106-416d-ba08-ae1a197d06ed_1080x1920.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PfRR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01fa2a9-a106-416d-ba08-ae1a197d06ed_1080x1920.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Back in 2023, we got extremely lucky. We decided to post a job listing on <a href="https://jobrack.eu/">Jobrack</a>, and within 1&#8211;2 weeks, we found the right candidate. At that time, we did not have a proper system for evaluating a candidate's skills. However, we decided to give a trial task and based on the results, scheduled a call to conduct an interview with that person.</p><p>When hiring, beyond evaluating actual skills, you can often sense if a person <em>really</em> wants the job or if they are simply doing it for the paycheck.</p><p>It is challenging to spot potential issues at the beginning, especially when hiring remotely. Most candidates are enthusiastic when starting a new job and everything might seem smooth initially. This is why I highly recommend being extremely picky and paying close attention to small details. For example, a minor mistake like a misspelling might seem insignificant, but small errors like these can escalate over time, leading to bigger issues.</p><p>Communication is another key factor to assess. For instance, if you send a message to a candidate on Friday at 6 PM and they wait until Monday morning to respond, you might think it is acceptable since your arrangement likely includes working Monday to Friday with weekends off. Technically, they are not required to respond over the weekend. However, a candidate who truly wants the job and is attentive to details will often go the extra mile, showing care and initiative by responding as soon as possible, even outside of standard hours. This kind of proactive behavior can make all the difference.</p><blockquote><h4>Here is what our hiring process looks like:</h4></blockquote><ol><li><p><strong>Portfolio Review</strong><br>We review each candidate's portfolio to evaluate if their skills potentially match what we are looking for.</p></li><li><p><strong>Trial Task</strong><br>We create and send them a trial task to complete. Trial tasks typically involve creating 3 social media posts from different niches.</p></li><li><p><strong>Video Interview</strong><br>Based on the results of the trial task, we schedule a video interview to get to know the candidate better.</p></li><li><p><strong>Two-Week Trial Period</strong><br>If they pass the interview, we organize a two-week trial period. At this stage, they are not fully onboarded and do not have access to Slack, Trello, or other internal tools. Instead, we create a temporary Telegram group chat and assign tasks directly using Canva. During the trial period, we allocate &#8364;300. If they successfully pass the trial, they are offered a monthly salary of &#8364;1,000.</p></li></ol><p>The trial period gives us insight into how the candidate works and completes tasks. It is important to clarify that the trial period does not mean the candidate is fully onboarded. If we feel the collaboration is not going in the direction we hoped, we may end the trial early. In such cases, the candidate is paid for the days they worked.</p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.freelancehustle.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption"><strong>If you are finding this newsletter valuable, share it with a friend and consider subscribing if you have not already.</strong></p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>See you next week!</p><p>Happy New Year to you and your family!</p><p>Kind regards,<br>Vasily</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[From Fiverr to Wall Street: How I Got Invited to the NYSE]]></title><description><![CDATA[My Freelancing Story: From Managing Orders Online to Standing on Wall Street's Most Iconic Stage.]]></description><link>https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/nyse</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.freelancehustle.com/p/nyse</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Vasily Kichigin]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 12 Dec 2024 13:48:01 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Gr93!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b8daa91-c091-44ef-b430-4579fa28760e_5000x3333.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Gr93!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b8daa91-c091-44ef-b430-4579fa28760e_5000x3333.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Gr93!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b8daa91-c091-44ef-b430-4579fa28760e_5000x3333.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Gr93!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b8daa91-c091-44ef-b430-4579fa28760e_5000x3333.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Gr93!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b8daa91-c091-44ef-b430-4579fa28760e_5000x3333.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Gr93!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b8daa91-c091-44ef-b430-4579fa28760e_5000x3333.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Gr93!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b8daa91-c091-44ef-b430-4579fa28760e_5000x3333.jpeg" width="1456" height="971" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5b8daa91-c091-44ef-b430-4579fa28760e_5000x3333.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:971,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:1499272,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Gr93!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b8daa91-c091-44ef-b430-4579fa28760e_5000x3333.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Gr93!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b8daa91-c091-44ef-b430-4579fa28760e_5000x3333.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Gr93!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b8daa91-c091-44ef-b430-4579fa28760e_5000x3333.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Gr93!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b8daa91-c091-44ef-b430-4579fa28760e_5000x3333.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><strong>I never imagined that something like this could happen to me in my freelancing career, especially from simply selling my services on Fiverr.</strong></p><p>I started my journey back in 2014 when I decided to give Fiverr a chance. I was driven by the idea of making money online and having the freedom to work from my laptop. Inspired by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/garyvee/">Gary Vaynerchuk's</a> relentless <em>"hustle mode"</em> mentality, I accepted the challenge to start hustling and scale the unscalable.</p><p>In 2017, I had the incredible opportunity to meet Gary at the Brand Minds Conference in Bucharest. I even got the chance to ask him a question and personally thank him for the motivation and inspiration he gave to me. That moment was later featured on his YouTube channel, and <a href="https://youtu.be/sRaUmFkw32g?si=61uWSkGRk8OX380Q&amp;t=3882">you can watch it here.</a></p><div class="instagram-embed-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;instagram_id&quot;:&quot;BUcF415gcs2&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;A post shared by @vasily17&quot;,&quot;author_name&quot;:&quot;vasily17&quot;,&quot;thumbnail_url&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/__ss-rehost__IG-meta-BUcF415gcs2.jpg&quot;,&quot;like_count&quot;:null,&quot;comment_count&quot;:null,&quot;profile_pic_url&quot;:null,&quot;follower_count&quot;:null,&quot;timestamp&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false}" data-component-name="InstagramToDOM"></div><blockquote><h2>How It All Started: My First Gig and First Buyer on Fiverr.</h2></blockquote><p>I discovered Fiverr online and was inspired by the many sellers who had large number of orders in queue and a consistent flow of clients. One seller, in particular, stood out to me was Wayne, known as <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/ozzieuk">ozzieuk</a> on Fiverr. I was amazed by the number of orders he had in his queue and the volume of reviews on his profile. He was already a <em>Top Rated Seller</em> at the time and seeing his success made him a role model for me.</p><p>Honestly, I did not have any specific skills at that time. However, I had some experience creating basic logos from running and managing my gaming community focused on Counter-Strike 1.6. This was when I was 14 years old and it was there that I learned how to create simple banners and logos using Adobe Photoshop.</p><p>With that experience in mind, I thought it could be a great starting point since I already had a basic understanding of the creative process. To be honest, I was just incredibly motivated to start. Only two weeks after creating my first logo design gig, I landed my very first order.</p><p>Looking back, it is a bit embarrassing to admit that I used the buyer's username when communicating with them. But hey, we all learn from our experience.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!H4QT!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d1d77fa-5254-4ae2-a464-103fbbde5ab2_1266x1054.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!H4QT!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d1d77fa-5254-4ae2-a464-103fbbde5ab2_1266x1054.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!H4QT!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d1d77fa-5254-4ae2-a464-103fbbde5ab2_1266x1054.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!H4QT!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d1d77fa-5254-4ae2-a464-103fbbde5ab2_1266x1054.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!H4QT!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d1d77fa-5254-4ae2-a464-103fbbde5ab2_1266x1054.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!H4QT!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d1d77fa-5254-4ae2-a464-103fbbde5ab2_1266x1054.png" width="604" height="502.8562401263823" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3d1d77fa-5254-4ae2-a464-103fbbde5ab2_1266x1054.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1054,&quot;width&quot;:1266,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:604,&quot;bytes&quot;:137110,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!H4QT!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d1d77fa-5254-4ae2-a464-103fbbde5ab2_1266x1054.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!H4QT!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d1d77fa-5254-4ae2-a464-103fbbde5ab2_1266x1054.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!H4QT!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d1d77fa-5254-4ae2-a464-103fbbde5ab2_1266x1054.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!H4QT!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d1d77fa-5254-4ae2-a464-103fbbde5ab2_1266x1054.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><blockquote><h4><strong>Here it is, the very first logo I created! &#128516;</strong></h4></blockquote><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yBvw!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe44e9202-e0c8-4fe6-9ec2-ab832d309fcb_576x444.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yBvw!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe44e9202-e0c8-4fe6-9ec2-ab832d309fcb_576x444.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yBvw!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe44e9202-e0c8-4fe6-9ec2-ab832d309fcb_576x444.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yBvw!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe44e9202-e0c8-4fe6-9ec2-ab832d309fcb_576x444.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yBvw!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe44e9202-e0c8-4fe6-9ec2-ab832d309fcb_576x444.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yBvw!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe44e9202-e0c8-4fe6-9ec2-ab832d309fcb_576x444.png" width="396" height="305.25" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e44e9202-e0c8-4fe6-9ec2-ab832d309fcb_576x444.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:444,&quot;width&quot;:576,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:396,&quot;bytes&quot;:79787,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yBvw!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe44e9202-e0c8-4fe6-9ec2-ab832d309fcb_576x444.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yBvw!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe44e9202-e0c8-4fe6-9ec2-ab832d309fcb_576x444.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yBvw!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe44e9202-e0c8-4fe6-9ec2-ab832d309fcb_576x444.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yBvw!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe44e9202-e0c8-4fe6-9ec2-ab832d309fcb_576x444.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>I am not sure if the client ever used my design on their t-shirts, but for me, it was a life-changing experience. This order showed me that I could work with someone I had never met and do it entirely online. It was a moment of realization that something much bigger could be built from this freelancing work.</p><p>At that time, I was not even thinking about the money. I believe many successful sellers felt the same way because, in the beginning, it is all about the excitement of landing your first orders, receiving those first reviews and getting these push notifications on your phone that says, <em>"You received an order from X buyer."</em></p><p>Once you get into the Fiverr game, it becomes addictive. You feel motivated to keep going, aiming to reach higher levels and eventually achieve <em>Top Rated Seller or Fiverr Pro status.</em> You also start obsessing over where your gig ranks in search results, checking it from different devices and locations.</p><p>I remember going to the Apple Store just to open Fiverr.com and check where my gig was ranked. I know it sounds crazy, but maybe you have done it too.</p><p>Later on, I began experimenting with different types of gigs. Eventually, I found my niche offering social media marketing services. I focused specifically on growing clients' Instagram accounts and creating and posting content for them.</p><p><strong>From 2018 to 2019, I had an average of over 600 orders in queue each month across all of my gigs combined.</strong></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mx4H!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6cef4382-fe81-42c5-b0ce-314832d6c863_1680x1342.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mx4H!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6cef4382-fe81-42c5-b0ce-314832d6c863_1680x1342.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mx4H!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6cef4382-fe81-42c5-b0ce-314832d6c863_1680x1342.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mx4H!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6cef4382-fe81-42c5-b0ce-314832d6c863_1680x1342.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mx4H!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6cef4382-fe81-42c5-b0ce-314832d6c863_1680x1342.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mx4H!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6cef4382-fe81-42c5-b0ce-314832d6c863_1680x1342.png" width="1456" height="1163" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6cef4382-fe81-42c5-b0ce-314832d6c863_1680x1342.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1163,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:881428,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mx4H!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6cef4382-fe81-42c5-b0ce-314832d6c863_1680x1342.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mx4H!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6cef4382-fe81-42c5-b0ce-314832d6c863_1680x1342.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mx4H!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6cef4382-fe81-42c5-b0ce-314832d6c863_1680x1342.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mx4H!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6cef4382-fe81-42c5-b0ce-314832d6c863_1680x1342.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>It was not something extremely unique, but it was definitely unusual for many freelancers on the platform. Besides that, I had a passion for public speaking and organizing events and meetups. In 2018, I organized several events in collaboration with Fiverr.</p><p>One of the biggest highlights was the three events I hosted together with Fiverr in Germany. I documented the entire journey in a YouTube video.</p><div id="youtube2-CxbNuRSoOv8" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;CxbNuRSoOv8&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/CxbNuRSoOv8?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p><strong>In 2019, just before Fiverr's IPO, I received this email:</strong></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p0rH!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F214f49fc-354d-4a6a-bf0b-72dabf773d91_2278x1386.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p0rH!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F214f49fc-354d-4a6a-bf0b-72dabf773d91_2278x1386.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p0rH!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F214f49fc-354d-4a6a-bf0b-72dabf773d91_2278x1386.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p0rH!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F214f49fc-354d-4a6a-bf0b-72dabf773d91_2278x1386.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p0rH!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F214f49fc-354d-4a6a-bf0b-72dabf773d91_2278x1386.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p0rH!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F214f49fc-354d-4a6a-bf0b-72dabf773d91_2278x1386.png" width="694" height="422.31043956043953" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/214f49fc-354d-4a6a-bf0b-72dabf773d91_2278x1386.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:886,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:694,&quot;bytes&quot;:493534,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p0rH!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F214f49fc-354d-4a6a-bf0b-72dabf773d91_2278x1386.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p0rH!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F214f49fc-354d-4a6a-bf0b-72dabf773d91_2278x1386.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p0rH!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F214f49fc-354d-4a6a-bf0b-72dabf773d91_2278x1386.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p0rH!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F214f49fc-354d-4a6a-bf0b-72dabf773d91_2278x1386.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>At first, it was hard to believe. I thought it was just another promotional email or possibly even a scam since I never expected to receive something like this. But soon, that disbelief turned into reality. Just a few weeks later, I was on my way to New York City to celebrate one of the biggest milestones in Fiverr's history &#8212; their IPO.</p><p>This moment felt especially meaningful. It made me reflect on all the late nights and sacrifices I had made along the way. I realized why I had chosen to hustle so hard, skipping parties and fun times at university to focus on completing $5 projects. Those $5 gigs eventually turned into $50, $100, and even $500+ orders.</p><p>To be honest, there were many moments when I wanted to quit Fiverr because it felt like nothing was working. In fact, I did quit for an entire year in 2020 but that is a story for another time.</p><blockquote><h2>How I Almost Missed the Opening Day at the NYSE</h2></blockquote><p>On June 13th, 2019, at 8:00 am, I was supposed to be at the front door of the NYSE. If you are even a few minutes late, there is a high chance you will not be allowed to enter. To avoid any possible stress, I decided to leave my hotel room early at 7:00 am to grab a coffee first.</p><p>Around 7:20 am, I unexpectedly ran into <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lironsmadja/">Liron</a>, who was the Director of International Expansion at Fiverr at the time and later became the Head of Global Brand Marketing. Since we had not seen each other for a while, we stopped to catch up. During our chat, he suddenly said, <em>"I hope you remember that you are not allowed to wear jeans at the NYSE."</em></p><p>I froze for a moment. I told him I planned to wear dark jeans, thinking they would be fine. But he quickly clarified that jeans are jeans, and the rule was strict &#8212; no jeans allowed.</p><p>Panic set in. There were no clothing stores open until 9:00 am, and I only had 40 minutes to figure something out. Fortunately, Liron mentioned that there was a shop nearby that opened at 7:30 am and that they would most likely have pants. Without wasting a second, I headed straight there, hoping for the best.</p><p>At 7:30 am, I realized I had left my phone in the hotel room. Panic mode activated. I sprinted back to the hotel, grabbed my phone and then rushed straight to the store.</p><p>When I arrived, I discovered that they were actually opening at 7:45 am &#8212; not 7:30 am as I had expected. Every second felt like an hour. As soon as the doors opened, I rushed inside. There was a lady at the front who gave me a confused look, probably wondering why I was so stressed. I quickly asked, <em>"Where can I find dark pants? I need them for the NYSE, and I have less than 15 minutes to make it there."</em></p><p>She pointed me toward the pants section, and I grabbed the very first pair I saw without even thinking twice. I headed straight to the cashier, but of course, another issue came up. The total was around $50, but for some reason, my card kept getting declined. I tried it multiple times, but it just would not go through.</p><p>At that point, I had no other options &#8212; or so I thought. Then, I reached into my jeans back pocket and, to my surprise, found a $100 bill. I have no idea how it ended up there since I almost never carry cash, but at that moment, it felt like pure luck. That $100 bill saved me from a complete disaster.</p><p>This experience taught me a valuable lesson: always carry a little cash on you. Technology is great, but it can fail you at the worst possible moment.</p><p>It was 7:55 am and I was running like crazy to make it on time. To make things worse, it was pouring rain and I was completely soaked. I arrived just barely a minute before 8:00 am. There were a lot of people outside, but they had already gone through security. Stepping into the NYSE entrance felt a lot like going through passport control when arriving in the U.S. &#8212; strict checks, serious faces and that sense of importance in the air.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ETtM!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec38744d-e7b8-41d0-b463-84b39015e1ba_3024x2044.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ETtM!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec38744d-e7b8-41d0-b463-84b39015e1ba_3024x2044.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ETtM!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec38744d-e7b8-41d0-b463-84b39015e1ba_3024x2044.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ETtM!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec38744d-e7b8-41d0-b463-84b39015e1ba_3024x2044.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ETtM!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec38744d-e7b8-41d0-b463-84b39015e1ba_3024x2044.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ETtM!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec38744d-e7b8-41d0-b463-84b39015e1ba_3024x2044.jpeg" width="480" height="324.44444444444446" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ec38744d-e7b8-41d0-b463-84b39015e1ba_3024x2044.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:2044,&quot;width&quot;:3024,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:480,&quot;bytes&quot;:1409111,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ETtM!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec38744d-e7b8-41d0-b463-84b39015e1ba_3024x2044.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ETtM!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec38744d-e7b8-41d0-b463-84b39015e1ba_3024x2044.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ETtM!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec38744d-e7b8-41d0-b463-84b39015e1ba_3024x2044.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ETtM!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec38744d-e7b8-41d0-b463-84b39015e1ba_3024x2044.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div class="native-video-embed" data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs="{&quot;mediaUploadId&quot;:&quot;b2efda0a-e08b-47f0-ad9a-9a06178a0dc0&quot;,&quot;duration&quot;:null}"></div><p>Once I made it through security, we all entered the lobby area. People started talking to each other, and I began looking around to see if I could recognize anyone.</p><p>Luckily, I spotted a few familiar faces, including <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/orenba/">Oren</a>, who I had met during my visit to the Fiverr office in Tel Aviv. At the time, he was an Education Manager at Fiverr. I also recognized some of the other sellers. It felt special to be there, surrounded by people who had shared similar journeys. Honestly, I still could not believe it was really happening to me.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f42369a1-f07f-40ea-b932-09b49e8ae287_3088x2316.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3a8bc0cd-f57a-4473-89b1-926185e9c780_3088x2316.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ce13b496-837b-41ac-a260-7cd585f8a369_1456x720.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><blockquote><h2>My Journey to the Balcony of the NYSE</h2></blockquote><p>When we entered the NYSE, there was a beautiful gathering area where everyone could network. There was a large buffet filled with food and later on, people took turns speaking on stage.</p><p>At one point, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michakaufman/">Micha</a>, Fiverr's CEO, stepped onto the stage to address the crowd. He thanked everyone for being there and acknowledged how special this moment was for the Fiverr community. But then, he said something that left me completely speechless. He announced that he wanted the sellers to be on the balcony ringing the bell.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C_Ut!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2bf25a4d-8a41-4a36-acad-786333228680_4032x3024.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C_Ut!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2bf25a4d-8a41-4a36-acad-786333228680_4032x3024.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C_Ut!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2bf25a4d-8a41-4a36-acad-786333228680_4032x3024.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C_Ut!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2bf25a4d-8a41-4a36-acad-786333228680_4032x3024.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C_Ut!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2bf25a4d-8a41-4a36-acad-786333228680_4032x3024.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C_Ut!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2bf25a4d-8a41-4a36-acad-786333228680_4032x3024.jpeg" width="1456" height="1092" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2bf25a4d-8a41-4a36-acad-786333228680_4032x3024.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1092,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:2366893,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C_Ut!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2bf25a4d-8a41-4a36-acad-786333228680_4032x3024.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C_Ut!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2bf25a4d-8a41-4a36-acad-786333228680_4032x3024.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C_Ut!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2bf25a4d-8a41-4a36-acad-786333228680_4032x3024.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C_Ut!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2bf25a4d-8a41-4a36-acad-786333228680_4032x3024.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div class="native-video-embed" data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs="{&quot;mediaUploadId&quot;:&quot;dde3f263-c7b4-4f9d-a198-ae7fd5873b59&quot;,&quot;duration&quot;:null}"></div><p>At some point, we started moving into the actual stock exchange floor as the moment was approaching to officially announce that Fiverr was going public. The atmosphere was electric. TV crews, NYSE staff, and correspondents were all getting ready to go live.</p><p>As we walked toward the balcony, we were joined by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrtuttle/">John</a>, who was the Chief Operating Officer of the NYSE at the time and later became its Vice Chairman. He started chatting with us sellers, asking about the services we provided. When it was my turn, I told him that I offered social media marketing services. His curiosity grew, so I shared that, on average, we managed over 600 clients on a monthly basis.</p><p>He was visibly surprised and asked me about my team. I explained that, at the time, I had an office in Russia and another in the Philippines, with a team of 20 people working together. What made the moment so special was seeing how even people at that level were genuinely inspired by my journey and the work I had built. When John started introducing me to his colleagues, saying, <em>"This is Vasily, and he manages 600+ clients every month,"</em> it was an unforgettable moment that made me feel truly proud.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0452a5e5-6af2-43dc-b98d-ec0d82e05635_5472x3648.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4891e05a-1501-4636-8d74-c980e17d053d_4032x3024.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/849d170c-bf44-43f2-b906-3513dea46663_1456x720.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>When you step onto the balcony, there is a wall where people can leave notes as a memory of their visit. I decided to write my name, sign it, and add the hashtag <strong>#hustle</strong>.</p><p>Finally, when the bell rang, we were all standing on the balcony, cheering and celebrating this unforgettable moment. It felt surreal to be part of such a historic event. After that, many of the sellers started buying Fiverr stock through their mobile apps and were constantly checking the stock price as it moved.</p><p>Later on, we returned to the main room with the stage, where I had the opportunity to be interviewed by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentmessenger/">Brent</a>, who was the Vice President of Community Engagement at the time. We wrapped up the day with a networking party where the entire Fiverr crew and sellers came together to celebrate.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Y5xv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b37e4ca-170c-43fd-8044-9cb245333ee0_6000x4000.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Y5xv!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b37e4ca-170c-43fd-8044-9cb245333ee0_6000x4000.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Y5xv!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b37e4ca-170c-43fd-8044-9cb245333ee0_6000x4000.jpeg 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data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9b37e4ca-170c-43fd-8044-9cb245333ee0_6000x4000.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:971,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:6089253,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Y5xv!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b37e4ca-170c-43fd-8044-9cb245333ee0_6000x4000.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Y5xv!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b37e4ca-170c-43fd-8044-9cb245333ee0_6000x4000.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Y5xv!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b37e4ca-170c-43fd-8044-9cb245333ee0_6000x4000.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Y5xv!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b37e4ca-170c-43fd-8044-9cb245333ee0_6000x4000.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>I hope you found this story interesting and I truly appreciate you taking the time to read it.</p><div><hr></div><p><strong>If you are finding this newsletter valuable, share it with a friend, and consider subscribing if you have not already.</strong></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.freelancehustle.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.freelancehustle.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p>Kind regards,<br>Vasily</p>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>