strategist_ceo

In the forthcoming period from April 27 to May 15, 2024, I shall be embarking on a well-deserved and earnest period of rest. Prior to this hiatus, I am fully committed to fulfilling all my orders. This juncture invites me to reflect on my professional journey, which commenced in late December 2020 - a time characterized by considerable adversity, including the dissolution of my company amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, financial obligations to employees, paying ransom to a kidnap in china (true story) and personal challenges of a significant nature. Such Is Life My entry into the freelance marketplace began with offering translation services, modestly priced at $5. Evolution of Professional Services: In response to market demand and personal inclinations, I transitioned from translation services to concentrate on plan writing. This pivot marked a significant evolution in my service offerings. Key Milestones: By December 2022, I realized that working on Fiverr could sustainably support my livelihood, often yielding better returns than traditional employment. In the latter part of 2023, I achieved significant professional recognition on the platform, earning top and pro badges. I will say my current SM @doron_successwas the reason I got TRS; she pinpointed the reason as to I didn't get the badge earlier on; for that, I remain thankful to her always. As of this month, I have achieved my highest revenue to date, marking a significant milestone in my journey on the platform. Challenges and Insights: My path was fraught with obstacles, including gig rotations, early advice from SM to severely underprice my services (It was depressing). However, reading the form helped me refine my strategy and pricing, leading to better outcomes. I find the forum more useful, 99% of the time. Reflections on Personal Growth and Future Considerations: This entire experience has been an intense learning process, transforming me from a high-level executive to a resilient freelancer who navigated through considerable downturns and emerged stronger. Looking ahead, I am contemplating a potential adjustment in my client selection strategy to optimize my earnings, though this requires me to be less forthcoming with my clients. It's a line I'm not willing to cross, yet(?.. it's tempting when I know I'm not working at full capacity) My journey thus far spans 3 years, 4 months, and 19 days, marked by continuous, "full-time" engagement, with the exception of a 4-day hiatus observed for the Chinese New Year (This year too!). I am now poised to take a 19-day sabbatical, being at a position to feel mentally comfortable enough to take a holiday. I feel blessed. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Fiverr for its significant impact on my life, which occurred in the most surprising manner. Who would've thought I'd go from leading a company of over 70 employees to freelancing? But here I am, loving my new lifestyle and am transitioning towards embracing a digital nomad life, with a plan to relocate to Vietnam come July.

Based on my experiences, Fiverr generally operates with fairness, although their customer support tends to offer generic responses. The buyer requested a cancellation of the order, apparently exploiting the system and asking for additional work without charge, which I objected to as I had completed the order. What she asked for wasn't a mere revision but an entirely new work. The buyer then raised a complaint, leading to the order's cancellation and her subsequent refund. Upon presenting the circumstances to customer support, they reimbursed me for the order (today, after a week or so). Interestingly, Fiverr compensated both the buyer and seller concurrently. Although this was appreciated, I couldn’t help but wish Fiverr had maintained a firm stance from the beginning. This leniency may leave room for such buyers to continue exploiting other sellers in the future.

Well, I hope the fiverr team know what they are doing. If I know what the client wanted (C), I wouldn't have accepted her as a client. It's a "super left" and "super woke" thing that I find incredibly provocative.

The rationale behind Fiverr's decision to proceed with the cancellation of an order, despite it being associated with a buyer whose actions were seemingly unjustifiable, eludes my understanding. This particular project started with an agreement on intended scope (A), after which, through mutual discussions, the buyer implied compliance with my recommendation (B). Despite successful delivery within the agreed parameters, the buyer has now introduced a new condition (C) which, as per our detailed conversation history, never surfaced prior to the completion of the project. Resolving this unexpected condition not only demands a complete overhaul of the work already delivered, but it also translates into at least an additional 20 hours of my effort. It's perplexing, as my records of our correspondences prove no prior mention of (C) in our discussions before the commencement or during the execution of project (B). I am compelled to question if there is a clear demarcation between "reasonable revisions" versus "exploitative requests for unpaid work under the guise of revisions." Does the customer service team undertake a thorough investigation to gauge the legitimacy of both parties’ claims before moving towards cancellation? In this case, the buyer’s supposed order requirements only materialized post-delivery, a circumstance that seems inherently unfair to the seller? I did refuse to work on (C) because it was an "ultra woke / extreme left" scenario.

Dear Buyers, In my pursuit of maintaining the highest degree of professionalism, I strive to interact with you in a friendly manner. My objective is to foster an environment where you feel welcome and comfortable. I do my utmost to present myself as approachable, kind, and accommodating. However, please understand that like any professional interaction, there should be mutual respect and adherence to certain boundaries...

It'll happen just once.

Recently, I had something unusual happen. For months, nobody tried to lower my fees, but then, suddenly, three different people asked me for a discount on the same day (On days like this, I read my horoscope). I told each of them that I don't offer discounts and that my prices are clearly stated and non-negotiable. One person even argued with me about an extra 5.5% service fee charged by Fiverr, claiming I was lying about my prices. Despite explaining my stance, all three kept pushing for a lower price. One of them tried to persuade me by saying they'd hire me immediately if I accepted their offered amount. I had to firmly tell them that it seemed like they didn't value my work, so I couldn't take on their projects. They all reacted with surprise. One respected me for it... "but...", another said that negotiating was just normal behavior, and the third pleaded, mentioning how much time I'd spent consulting with him for free (my effort going to waste). I do provide a lot of pre-sale consultation without charge, which builds a strong trust between me and my clients. They know I'm a professional who doesn't pressure them into buying anything. Ultimately, almost immediately after I declined to work with them, all three clients offered to pay my full rates. Nevertheless, I felt compelled to decline their offers. The need to repeatedly reinforce my pricing policy suggested an undervaluation of my professional services. Even though they were ready to proceed at my standard fees, the prolonged negotiations earlier raised concerns about our potential working relationship. I also worried it might harm my stats/algorithm if they rated me 3/5 for "value for money." Honestly, even without the potential review issues or facing this new challenge, I would have still refused their projects. It makes me wonder, am I difficult to work with, or am I just upholding my values? (To be frank, my mindset was very different when I was a "new and level one seller.")

To change your location with customer support, you need to show proof that you live in the U.S. While it's true that some believe sellers from certain places, like native English-speaking countries (e.g. English writers, Voiceovers, Speakers), can offer better services, having the location changed won't really help if you're not good at communicating. If you can't communicate well, buyers are likely to leave.

This echoes the advice my initial SM gave me; back then, amidst the Covid pandemic while I was situated in Thailand, he suggested I reduce my rates to align with those of a seller from a country classified among the 'Least Developed Countries.' (less than $180 for 40 hours of work!) He told me the same about the lack of reviews, implying that it will get better.

This one is quite serious, lol

This is life. Menderita sekarang, kesoronokan kemudian.

Living a fulfilling life is a matter of lifestyle choice. The dissatisfaction that you're experiencing with work might be a result of not engaging in other interests or perhaps not being busy enough. It's common to feel uncertain when we don't have enough work, leading to anxiety, and equally common to feel overwhelmed when we're swamped with too many tasks. The key to maintaining a happy, balanced life is to have little motivators that keep us going. This could be a daily dinner with loved ones, or treating yourself to something nice. The important thing is to find something that adds value to your day and keeps your spirits high. In doing so, you'll likely find that work becomes just one aspect of a well-rounded, satisfying life.

Hitting the gym, savoring some milk chocolate, indulging in a tub of chocolate mint ice cream occasionally, catching up on daily political commentary from Candace Owens or Tucker Carlson, blasting music, and enjoying a solid night's sleep.

From what I've gathered by reading other discussions, besides your own performance, the algorithm also compares you to other sellers. So, it seems like other sellers of the same category might be doing better than you. It's an odd way to calculate things but it probably makes business sense for them. However, I find it strange and a bit harsh how they take all your past cancellations into account and penalize you, the seller, for them. I'm not too happy with this change either.

Confused too... I got a gig that doesn't have a single cancellation (qualifying ones that is) but it's "negative impact".