Skill: afrexai-cto/afrexai-freelance-empire (version 1.0.0)

--- name: Freelance Empire slug: afrexai-freelance-empire description: Complete freelance business operating system — from first client to six-figure solo business. Covers positioning, pricing, proposals, client management, finances, scaling, and the transition from side-hustle to full-time. Use when starting freelancing, raising rates, managing clients, building recurring revenue, or scaling beyond trading hours for dollars. triggers: - freelance - freelancing - freelance business - freelance pricing - freelance proposal - client management - solo business - solopreneur - independent consultant - freelance rates - side hustle - consulting business - going independent - freelance to agency - raise rates --- # Freelance Empire — Complete Solo Business Operating System > From first client to six-figure solo business. Every framework, template, and playbook you need. --- ## Phase 1: Foundation — Who You Are and Who You Serve Before you chase clients, define what you're selling and to whom. Generalists compete on price. Specialists compete on value. ### Positioning Statement Fill in every field. If you can't, you're not ready to charge premium rates. ```yaml positioning: what_i_do: "[specific service — not 'web development' but 'conversion-optimized Shopify stores for DTC brands']" who_i_serve: "[specific niche — industry, company size, stage, geography]" problem_i_solve: "[the expensive pain — quantify if possible]" why_me: "[unique angle — methodology, background, tool mastery, domain expertise]" proof: "[best result, number of clients, years of experience, notable logos]" anti_clients: "[who you DON'T serve — equally important]" ``` ### Niche Selection Scorecard Rate each potential niche 1-5: | Factor | Score (1-5) | Notes | |--------|-------------|-------| | **Demand** — Are people actively paying for this? | | Search job boards, Upwork, LinkedIn | | **Willingness to pay** — Can they afford premium rates? | | B2B > B2C, funded > bootstrapped | | **Your credibility** — Can you prove competence? | | Portfolio, case studies, testimonials | | **Enjoyment** — Will you still want to do this in 2 years? | | Burnout kills more freelancers than bad markets | | **Referral density** — Do clients in this niche know each other? | | Conference networks, Slack groups, associations | | **Repeat potential** — Will they need you again? | | Retainer-friendly > one-and-done | **Threshold:** Score ≥ 20/30 to proceed. Below 20 = pick a different niche. ### Service Packaging (3-Tier Model) Never sell "hours." Sell outcomes in packages. ```yaml packages: starter: name: "[Descriptive name — e.g., 'Launch Package']" price: "$[X]" includes: - "[Deliverable 1 with specific scope]" - "[Deliverable 2]" - "[X rounds of revision]" timeline: "[X days/weeks]" best_for: "[Client type — budget-conscious, testing the waters]" professional: name: "[e.g., 'Growth Package']" price: "$[X — 2-3x starter]" includes: - "[Everything in Starter plus...]" - "[Additional deliverable]" - "[Strategy component]" - "[X rounds of revision]" timeline: "[X days/weeks]" best_for: "[Serious clients, most popular — mark as RECOMMENDED]" premium: name: "[e.g., 'Scale Package']" price: "$[X — 2-3x professional]" includes: - "[Everything in Professional plus...]" - "[Ongoing support/retainer element]" - "[VIP access / priority]" - "[Unlimited revisions within scope]" timeline: "[X days/weeks]" best_for: "[High-value clients wanting comprehensive solution]" ``` **Decoy effect:** The middle tier should be the obvious best value. Price the top tier to make the middle feel reasonable. --- ## Phase 2: Pricing — Stop Trading Hours for Dollars ### Pricing Methods (Use All Three, Then Choose) **1. Cost-Plus (Your Floor)** ``` Annual income target: $___ ÷ 1,200 billable hours (realistic, not 2,080) × 1.30 (30% overhead: software, taxes, insurance, sick days, admin) = Minimum hourly rate: $___ ``` Why 1,200 not 2,000: You'll spend 40% of time on sales, admin, learning, marketing. If you bill 2,000 hours, you have no business — you have a poorly-paid job. **2. Market Rate (Your Anchor)** Research what others charge: - **Upwork/Fiverr** — low end (platform tax + race to bottom) - **Glassdoor/Levels.fyi** — employed equivalent ÷ 1,200 × 1.5 (no benefits premium) - **Freelance Rate Explorer** (various sites) — market median - **Ask peers** — most transparent source | Experience | Typical Multiplier vs Employed Rate | |-----------|-------------------------------------| | 0-2 years | 0.8-1.0× | | 2-5 years | 1.0-1.5× | | 5-10 years | 1.5-2.5× | | 10+ years / specialist | 2.0-4.0× | **3. Value-Based (Your Target)** Formula: `(Client's expected gain from your work) × 10-20% = your fee` Example: Your Shopify optimization will increase their revenue by ~$200K/year → charge $20K-40K, not $5K based on hours. ### Rate Increase Playbook | Signal | Action | |--------|--------| | Closing >70% of proposals | Raise rates 15-25% immediately | | Fully booked 4+ weeks out | Raise rates 20-30% | | Haven't raised in 6 months | Raise 10% minimum | | Losing proposals on price | DON'T lower — improve positioning instead | | Client says "that's cheap" | You left 2-3x on the table | **Rate increase script for existing clients:** > "Starting [date, 30+ days out], my rate for [service] will be [new rate]. This reflects [reason: increased expertise/market rates/expanded scope]. For existing clients, I'm happy to lock in the current rate for [X more months] if you'd like to prepay or extend our agreement. I value our work together and want to make sure you have plenty of notice." ### Pricing Red Lines Never: - Discount more than 15% (offer reduced scope instead) - Work for equity unless you'd invest that cash amount anyway - Accept "exposure" as payment - Match a lowball competitor (you're not the same product) - Price based on what YOU would pay (you're not the client) --- ## Phase 3: Finding Clients — The Acquisition Engine ### Channel Effectiveness Matrix | Channel | Time to First Client | Cost | Quality | Scalability | |---------|---------------------|------|---------|-------------| | **Warm network** (friends, ex-colleagues, LinkedIn) | 1-2 weeks | Free | ★★★★★ | Low | | **Referrals** from existing clients | Ongoing | Free | ★★★★★ | Medium | | **Content marketing** (blog, Twitter, LinkedIn posts) | 2-6 months | Time | ★★★★ | High | | **Freelance platforms** (Upwork, Toptal) | 1-4 weeks | 10-20% fee | ★★★ | Medium | | **Cold outreach** (email, DM) | 2-8 weeks | Time | ★★★ | Medium | | **Communities** (Slack, Discord, forums) | 1-3 months | Time | ★★★★ | Medium | | **Partnerships** (agencies, complementary freelancers) | 1-3 months | Rev share | ★★★★ | High | ### The "First 10 Clients" Playbook **Week 1-2: Warm outreach** 1. List 50 people who know your work (ex-colleagues, managers, friends in business) 2. Send personal message (NOT mass blast): > "Hey [Name], I've gone freelance doing [specific thing] for [specific niche]. If you know anyone who needs [outcome], I'd appreciate an intro. Here's my site/portfolio: [link]" 3. Post on LinkedIn (1 post, not daily spam): > "I'm now available for freelance [service] work. Specializing in [niche]. [1-2 sentence proof point]. DMs open or email [address]." **Week 3-4: Platform setup** 4. Create profiles on 2 platforms maximum (Upwork + one niche platform) 5. Submit 3-5 proposals per day (quality > quantity) 6. Accept 1-2 below-rate projects to build reviews (strategic investment, not habit) **Week 5-8: Content + community** 7. Write 2 articles about your specialty (your blog or Medium) 8. Answer 10 questions in relevant communities (Reddit, Stack Overflow, niche Slacks) 9. Reach out to 3 agencies or complementary freelancers for referral partnerships **Month 3+: Referral engine** 10. Ask every happy client: "Know anyone else who needs [result]?" ### Proposal Template (Win Rate 30%+) ```yaml proposal: subject: "[Specific outcome] for [Company] — [Your Name]" sections: hook: content: | [Reference something specific about their business/problem. Show you've done research — mention a specific page, product, or metric. 1-2 sentences maximum.] understanding: content: | [Restate their problem in your own words. Show you understand the BUSINESS impact, not just the technical need. "This is costing you roughly $X/month in..." or "This is blocking your ability to..."] approach: content: | [Your specific plan, broken into 2-4 phases. Each phase: what you'll do, what they'll receive, timeline. Be specific enough to show competence, vague enough to leave room.] proof: content: | [1-2 relevant case studies or results. Format: "For [similar client], I [did X] which resulted in [measurable outcome]." Link to portfolio piece if available.] investment: content: | [Present 2-3 options (packages from Phase 1). Recommend the middle option explicitly. Include what's NOT included to set scope boundaries.] next_step: content: | [One clear CTA. "Shall we do a 20-minute call this week to align?" Include your calendar link. Create mild urgency: "I have availability starting [date]."] rules: - Maximum 400 words (they won't read more) - Personalize the first 2 sentences (generic = trash) - Never mention your rate per hour - Never say "I'd love to" or "I'd be happy to" — just propose - Attach 1 relevant sample (not your entire portfolio) - Follow up once at 3 days, once at 7 days, then stop ``` --- ## Phase 4: Client Management — The Operating System ### Client Onboarding Checklist (First 48 Hours) ```yaml onboarding: before_kickoff: - [ ] Contract signed (ALWAYS before any work) - [ ] Deposit received (minimum 30%, ideally 50%) - [ ] Scope document shared and acknowledged - [ ] Communication channel established (email, Slack, project tool) - [ ] Meeting cadence agreed (weekly check-in recommended) - [ ] Access/assets received (logins, brand guide, content, etc.) - [ ] Timeline with milestones shared - [ ] Point of contact confirmed (one person, not a committee) kickoff_meeting: duration: "30-45 minutes" agenda: - Confirm objectives and success metrics - Walk through timeline and milestones - Clarify revision/feedback process - Establish emergency contact protocol - Set expectations for response times (both sides) after_kickoff: - [ ] Meeting notes sent within 2 hours - [ ] First milestone deadline confirmed - [ ] Project tracker created (Notion, Trello, or your tool) ``` ### Communication Rules | Situation | Response Time | Channel | |-----------|--------------|---------| | General questions | Within 24 hours (business days) | Email/project tool | | Feedback on deliverables | Within 4 hours during business hours | Email/project tool | | Emergency (site down, launch blocker) | Within 1 hour | Phone/text | | Scope change request | Within 24 hours with assessment | Email (documented) | **Weekly update template:** ``` Subject: [Project] — Week [X] Update ✅ Completed this week: - [Deliverable/milestone] - [Deliverable/milestone] 🔄 In progress: - [Task] — expected by [date] ⚠️ Needs your input: - [Question/decision needed] — by [date] to stay on track 📅 Next week: - [Planned work] 🚦 Status: [On Track / At Risk / Blocked] ``` ### Scope Creep Defense System **Classification:** | Type | Example | Response | |------|---------|----------| | **Clarification** | "Can you make the logo slightly bigger?" | Do it. This is normal. | | **Minor addition** | "Can you also add a contact form?" | "Sure — I'll add that for $[X] or we can swap it for [existing deliverable]." | | **Major addition** | "Actually, we also need a mobile app." | "I'd love to help with that. Let me scope it as a Phase 2 project with its own timeline and budget." | | **Scope shift** | "Actually, forget the website. Build us a SaaS instead." | "That's a fundamentally different project. Let's revisit the brief and I'll provide a new proposal." | **Magic phrase:** "I can absolutely do that. It's outside our current scope, so let me put together a quick estimate for the additional work." Never say "no" to scope creep — say "yes, and here's what that costs." ### Difficult Client Playbook **The Ghost** (disappears for weeks, then wants everything NOW): - Set deadline in contract: "Client feedback due within X business days or timeline shifts accordingly" - After 5 days silence: "Just checking in — I'll need your feedback by [date] to keep us on track for [deadline]" - After 10 days: "I've paused work pending your input. Happy to resume once you're ready — note this may shift our delivery date." **The Everything-Is-Urgent Client:** - Establish priority system at kickoff - "I can prioritize [X], which means [Y] moves to next week. Which would you prefer?" - Never drop everything — train them that urgency ≠ priority **The Revision Loop:** - Contract specifies revision rounds (2-3 standard) - "We've used our [X] included revisions. Additional rounds are [$/round]. Would you like to proceed or are we close enough to finalize?" - Prevention: get written approval at each milestone before moving forward **The Non-Payer:** - 50% upfront prevents most problems - Milestone payments for larger projects (never >30% outstanding) - 5 days late: friendly reminder - 15 days late: formal notice with late fee (specified in contract) - 30 days late: pause all work, send final notice - 60 days late: small claims or collections (for amounts >$500) --- ## Phase 5: Contracts — Protect Yourself ### Minimum Contract Clauses Every freelance contract MUST include: ```yaml contract_essentials: scope: - Specific deliverables (list each one) - What's explicitly NOT included - Number of revision rounds payment: - Total fee or rate - Payment schedule (50% upfront + 50% on delivery, or milestone-based) - Payment method and terms (Net 15 recommended, Net 30 maximum) - Late payment fee (1.5% per month is standard) - Kill fee (if they cancel: keep deposit + pay for completed work) timeline: - Start date (contingent on deposit received) - Milestone dates - Final delivery date - "Timeline contingent on timely client feedback" ip_and_ownership: - Work product transfers to client UPON FINAL PAYMENT (not before) - You retain right to use in portfolio (unless NDA) - You retain ownership of pre-existing tools/frameworks/templates termination: - Either party can terminate with 14 days written notice - Client pays for all completed work plus kill fee - You deliver all completed work upon payment liability: - Cap liability at total contract value - No consequential damages - Client responsible for content accuracy (legal, copyright) other: - Confidentiality / NDA terms - Non-solicitation (they can't hire your subs directly) - Dispute resolution (mediation before litigation) - Governing law (your state/country) ``` **Rule:** No contract = no work. Ever. Not even for friends. ESPECIALLY not for friends. --- ## Phase 6: Finances — Run It Like a Business ### Freelance Financial Dashboard Track monthly: ```yaml finances: revenue: gross_income: "$___" by_client: - client: "[Name]" amount: "$___" type: "project | retainer | hourly" revenue_concentration: "___%" # Largest client as % of total — danger >40% expenses: software_tools: "$___" marketing: "$___" education: "$___" insurance: "$___" office_coworking: "$___" contractor_help: "$___" total_expenses: "$___" profit: gross_profit: "$___" tax_reserve: "$___ (set aside 25-35% depending on country)" net_take_home: "$___" effective_hourly: "$___ (net ÷ total hours worked)" health: months_runway: "___" # Cash reserves ÷ monthly expenses pipeline_value: "$___" # Proposals sent, probability-weighted invoices_outstanding: "$___" avg_days_to_payment: "___" ``` ### Financial Rules 1. **Emergency fund:** 3-6 months expenses BEFORE going full-time freelance 2. **Tax reserve:** Transfer 30% of every payment to a separate account immediately 3. **Revenue concentration:** No single client >40% of income (if they leave, you're in trouble) 4. **Quarterly taxes:** Pay estimated taxes quarterly (US: Apr 15, Jun 15, Sep 15, Jan 15) 5. **Separate accounts:** Business checking + business savings + tax reserve — never mix with personal 6. **Invoice immediately:** Send invoice the day work is delivered, not "when you get around to it" 7. **Track everything:** Every expense, every hour, every invoice — from day one ### Retainer Model (Recurring Revenue) The path from feast/famine to predictable income: ```yaml retainer: types: bucket_hours: description: "X hours/month at discounted rate" best_for: "Ongoing maintenance, support, small tasks" pricing: "10-15% discount vs project rate" risk: "Unused hours — set 'use it or lose it' policy" fixed_scope: description: "Defined deliverables each month" best_for: "Content, social media, reporting" pricing: "Value-based, not hourly" risk: "Scope creep within 'fixed' scope" strategic_advisory: description: "Access to your expertise, X calls/month" best_for: "Experienced specialists, strategy work" pricing: "Premium — 2-3x hourly equivalent" risk: "Client expects unlimited access" rules: - Minimum 3-month commitment (no month-to-month to start) - Payment in advance (1st of month, not arrears) - Annual prepay discount: 10-15% (improves cash flow) - Review and adjust scope/price every 6 months - Rollover policy: max 20% hours roll to next month, then expire ``` --- ## Phase 7: Scaling — Beyond Trading Time for Money ### The Freelancer's Growth Ladder | Stage | Revenue | Model | Key Challenge | |-------|---------|-------|---------------| | **1. Hustler** | $0-50K | Hourly/project, any client | Finding enough work | | **2. Specialist** | $50-100K | Packaged services, niche | Saying no to bad-fit work | | **3. Expert** | $100-200K | Value-based, retainers | Time ceiling (you're maxed) | | **4. Leveraged** | $200K+ | Team, products, passive | Managing others / systems | ### Breaking the Time Ceiling (Stage 3 → 4) When you're fully booked at premium rates, you've hit the ceiling. Options: **1. Subcontract (Agency-Lite)** - Hire specialists for execution, you handle strategy + client relationship - Your margin: 30-50% of their rate - Risk: quality control, your reputation on the line **2. Productize a Service** - Turn your most common deliverable into a templated, repeatable product - Fixed price, fixed scope, documented process - Example: "Website audit" becomes a standardized 25-point report **3. Create Digital Products** - Templates, courses, guides, tools based on your expertise - Build once, sell forever - Revenue while you sleep (marketing required) **4. Build a Team (True Agency)** - Hire full-time or contract team - You become manager/salesperson/strategist - Different skill set — not every freelancer should do this ### Productized Service Template ```yaml productized_service: name: "[Clear, outcome-focused name]" tagline: "[One sentence — what they get]" price: "$[fixed price]" turnaround: "[X business days]" what_they_get: - "[Specific deliverable 1]" - "[Specific deliverable 2]" - "[Specific deliverable 3]" process: - step: "Order + onboarding form" time: "Day 1" - step: "[Your work]" time: "Day 2-[X]" - step: "Delivery + 1 round of revisions" time: "Day [X+1]" what_they_need_to_provide: - "[Input 1 — access, brief, assets]" - "[Input 2]" whats_not_included: - "[Exclusion 1 — available as add-on for $X]" - "[Exclusion 2]" ``` --- ## Phase 8: Platform Mastery — Winning on Upwork, Toptal & Co ### Platform Comparison | Platform | Fee | Best For | Minimum Experience | |----------|-----|----------|-------------------| | **Upwork** | 10% | Generalists + specialists, long-term contracts | Any | | **Toptal** | 0% (client pays) | Premium developers, designers, PMs | 3+ years, rigorous screening | | **Fiverr** | 20% | Productized services, quick gigs | Any | | **Freelancer.com** | 10% | Budget clients, contests | Any | | **99designs** | ~50% | Design contests (avoid — spec work) | Any | | **LinkedIn ProFinder** | Free | B2B consulting, professional services | 3+ years | ### Upwork Profile Optimization **Title:** "[Specific Skill] | [Niche] | [Result]" - ❌ "Web Developer" - ✅ "Shopify Expert | DTC Brands | 40+ Stores Launched, Avg 23% Revenue Increase" **Overview structure:** 1. Opening hook — your best result in one sentence 2. Who you help (niche) 3. What you do (services, 3-5 bullets) 4. Proof (numbers, client names if allowed, years) 5. CTA — "Message me about [specific project type]" **Portfolio:** 4-6 pieces maximum. Quality over quantity. Each with: problem → your approach → measurable result. ### Proposal Rules (All Platforms) 1. Reference something specific from the job post (first sentence) 2. Restate their problem in your words (show understanding) 3. Propose a specific approach (not "I can do this") 4. Include one relevant result/case study 5. Keep under 200 words 6. Ask one smart question (shows expertise, opens dialogue) 7. Never start with "Dear Hiring Manager" or "I am a..." --- ## Phase 9: Legal & Tax Essentials ### Business Structure Decision | Structure | Best For | Liability Protection | Tax Complexity | |-----------|----------|---------------------|----------------| | **Sole Proprietor** | Testing the waters, <$50K | None | Simple | | **LLC (US) / Ltd (UK)** | Established, >$50K | Yes | Moderate | | **S-Corp (US)** | >$80K, save on self-employment tax | Yes | Complex | **Rule:** Form an LLC/Ltd once you're consistently earning >$50K/year. The liability protection alone is worth it. ### Tax Deductions Checklist Track these from day one (save 20-40% on taxes): - [ ] Home office (dedicated space — % of rent/mortgage) - [ ] Internet and phone (business %) - [ ] Software and subscriptions (100%) - [ ] Hardware (computer, monitors, etc.) - [ ] Education and courses (related to your work) - [ ] Health insurance premiums (if self-employed, US) - [ ] Retirement contributions (SEP IRA up to 25% of net, US) - [ ] Travel for client meetings - [ ] Professional memberships - [ ] Accounting/legal fees - [ ] Marketing and advertising - [ ] Coworking space ### Insurance Checklist - [ ] **Professional liability (E&O)** — covers mistakes in your work (recommended for all) - [ ] **General liability** — covers physical damage/injury at client sites - [ ] **Health insurance** — don't go without it - [ ] **Disability insurance** — your ability to work IS your business --- ## Phase 10: Wellness — The Freelancer's Biggest Risk ### Burnout Prevention System | Signal | Severity | Action | |--------|----------|--------| | Working 50+ hours/week for 3+ weeks | ⚠️ | Reduce to 40, raise rates to compensate | | Dreading client calls | ⚠️ | Identify which client — fire or restructure | | Saying yes to everything | 🔴 | Immediately implement "48-hour rule" (sleep on every new request) | | No time off in 60+ days | 🔴 | Block 3-5 days off, tell clients in advance | | Physical symptoms (headaches, insomnia, anxiety) | 🔴 | Take a week off. Not negotiable. Business survives. | ### Sustainable Rhythms ```yaml weekly_rhythm: monday: "Planning, proposals, admin (no client work)" tuesday_wednesday: "Deep work — primary deliverables" thursday: "Client calls, reviews, feedback" friday: "Marketing, learning, overflow (half day if possible)" weekend: "OFF. Truly off. No 'quick emails.'" daily_rhythm: morning: "Deep work (2-4 hours, no calls, no email)" midday: "Calls, collaboration, quick tasks" afternoon: "Admin, email, planning tomorrow" hard_stop: "6 PM (or your chosen time) — same time every day" ``` ### Isolation Antidotes Freelancing is lonely. Budget for: - Coworking space (even 1-2 days/week) - Freelancer communities (online groups, local meetups) - Accountability partner (another freelancer — weekly check-ins) - Coffee/lunch with non-freelancers (maintain normal social life) --- ## Phase 11: Metrics — Know Your Numbers ### Weekly Dashboard ```yaml weekly_metrics: revenue: invoiced_this_week: "$___" collected_this_week: "$___" pipeline_proposals: "$___ (probability-weighted)" time: billable_hours: "___" total_hours: "___" utilization: "___%" # Target: 60-70% (yes, really — admin and sales are real work) clients: active_projects: "___" proposals_sent: "___" proposals_won: "___" win_rate: "___%" # Target: 25-40% health: largest_client_pct: "___%" # Danger: >40% avg_project_value: "$___" avg_days_to_payment: "___" satisfaction: "___/10" # Honest self-assessment ``` ### Quarterly Review Every 90 days, answer honestly: 1. **Revenue:** Am I on track for my annual target? If not, why? 2. **Rates:** Should I raise? (If win rate >40%, YES) 3. **Clients:** Which clients should I fire? (Low pay, high stress, bad fit) 4. **Niche:** Is my positioning working? Am I attracting the right clients? 5. **Scalability:** What's my biggest bottleneck? How do I remove it? 6. **Wellness:** Am I sustainable? What needs to change? 7. **Skills:** What should I learn in the next 90 days to increase my value? --- ## Phase 12: The Full-Time Leap ### Readiness Checklist Don't quit your job until ALL are true: - [ ] 6 months expenses saved (minimum — 12 months preferred) - [ ] Freelance income ≥ 50% of current salary for 3+ consecutive months - [ ] 3+ active clients (not dependent on one) - [ ] Pipeline of leads coming in (not one-time luck) - [ ] Contract/legal structure set up (LLC, insurance, etc.) - [ ] Health insurance secured (critical in US) - [ ] Partner/family aligned and supportive - [ ] Emotional readiness (freelancing is a rollercoaster) ### Transition Timeline ```yaml transition: months_1_3: label: "Side Hustle Phase" actions: - Build portfolio (3-5 pieces minimum) - Land 2-3 clients on evenings/weekends - Set up business basics (LLC, bank account, invoicing) - Start tracking all income/expenses months_4_6: label: "Validation Phase" actions: - Consistently earning from freelance work - Win rate on proposals improving - Starting to turn down low-fit work - Building referral network months_7_9: label: "Ramp Phase" actions: - Freelance income approaching 50%+ of salary - Pipeline generating inbound leads - Retainer clients secured (recurring revenue) - Set a firm quit date month_10_plus: label: "Launch" actions: - Give notice (2-4 weeks, leave professionally) - Immediately fill calendar with freelance work - First 90 days: overdeliver everything, build reputation - NO lifestyle inflation for first 12 months ``` --- ## Quick Reference — Natural Language Commands | Command | What It Does | |---------|-------------| | "Help me find my niche" | Run niche selection scorecard | | "Create my service packages" | Build 3-tier package structure | | "Calculate my rate" | Cost-plus + market + value-based pricing | | "Write a proposal for [project]" | Generate customized proposal | | "Onboard new client [name]" | Run onboarding checklist | | "Handle scope creep from [client]" | Classify and generate response | | "Review my finances" | Build monthly financial dashboard | | "Quarterly review" | Run 7-question business health check | | "Should I raise my rates?" | Analyze signals and recommend | | "Am I ready to go full-time?" | Run readiness checklist | | "Help with [difficult client type]" | Pull playbook for that scenario | | "Set up a retainer proposal" | Generate retainer model with pricing | --- ## 100-Point Quality Scoring Rubric | Dimension | Weight | Criteria | |-----------|--------|----------| | **Positioning clarity** | 15% | Niche defined, anti-clients identified, unique angle articulated | | **Pricing confidence** | 15% | Value-based pricing, rate increase history, no chronic underbidding | | **Client acquisition** | 15% | Multiple channels active, pipeline healthy, win rate tracked | | **Client management** | 15% | Onboarding process, communication cadence, scope control | | **Financial health** | 15% | Revenue diversified, tax compliant, emergency fund, expenses tracked | | **Legal protection** | 10% | Contracts for all work, LLC/Ltd formed, insurance active | | **Scalability** | 10% | Retainer revenue, productized services, delegation started | | **Sustainability** | 5% | Work-life boundaries, burnout prevention, social connection | **Score 0-49:** Survival mode — focus on clients and contracts first. **Score 50-69:** Growing — systemize what's working, raise rates. **Score 70-84:** Thriving — optimize for leverage and recurring revenue. **Score 85-100:** Empire — you've built a real business, not a job. --- *Built by [AfrexAI](https://afrexai-cto.github.io/context-packs/) — AI-powered business tools that actually work.*


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