Are you an entrepreneur or a freelancer?
Many people think that being an entrepreneur and freelancer is the same but that’s not true. Following I’ll give you a simple way to realize what the difference is:
If other people work for you, your are an entrepreneur. You are who work on an idea, you are the head, the leader. On the other hand, if you don’t have people working for you and you have to do the job, you are a freelancer. You and other people work on the entrepreneur’s idea even though you are independentent workers. I’ll give you some examples:
Fiverr is the “entrepreneur” (the owner or who manages Fiverr) and all the gig sellers as designers, writers, etc. are freelancers. eBay is the “entrepreneur” (owner, etc.) all the sellers are freelancers.
Is Jeff Bezos (Amazon) an entrepreneur or a freelancer?
Was Steve Jobs (Apple) an entrepreneur or a freelancer?
Are you an entrepreneur or a freelancer?
Recent Comments
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Hi, Hackerist,
I feel that I am an entrepreneur being that I am starting an online business and paying a yearly fee, with out knowing if I will reap its monetary rewards. That being said, I'm expecting greatness to happen through my writings because I'm solving someone's problem by taking a risk.
Thanks for posting,
Becky
Is this a bit to simplistic? I am a writer/photographer/videographer. I take gigs to complete content for others, product photos for sale as stock or on assignment and produce video documentaries. Traditionally, I am a freelancer who is in business for himself. I have to have a business license and pay taxes on my income. I rarely have anyone else working form me. Technically, I am en employee of my business.
In today's economy a third of American workers are freelancers. They are hired by a company to do a specific job. When that job is completed they are fired. Many people start a business and simply create a job for themselves. They may drive a logging truck or cut lawns. They may trim trees or run errands for elderly clients. They have to hire an accountant and provide for their own benefits. They have to find clients who will pay them to do whatever they do.
I'm a sales rep who gets a commission for selling other people's products. I sell my own photos and video on the internet. I a referral representative (an Independent contractor) with a card company that pays me well to build an organization of card users and train other referral representatives how to create their businesses.
Am I a freelancer or and entrepreneur? The line blurs. Personally, I am building a business that provides me passive income from a variety of income sources. I have no employees and rarely work with subcontractors. Still I consider myself an entrepreneur.
The dictionary says and entrepreneur is one who organizes a business. A freelancer does contract work for a several clients with no particular allegiance to any one client.
In my opinion the accent is on freelance. I would say that we are freelance entrepreneurs ...
Interesting question Bill. IMO, as a freelancer, you have a client. That client contracts you to do a specific project/job. When that is over you leave and sometimes go to another. As an entrepreneur you establish a business, whether brick and mortar or mobile. All of us here at Wealthy Affiliate can classify ourselves as entrepreneurs, who have one employee, ourself. That business attracts clients. You provide that client with a service/goods. Once that arrangement is completed you move on to the next client. In either case you hope that client will provide you with another opportunity to serve them. In which case you are one and the same. Your choice what you want to call yourself. I would throw in the word consultant into the mix.
I like the term freelancing entrepreneur. @HarvyBrown wants to throw consultant into the mix.I avoid the whole thing. I'm a guide on the river of life and I help startups use the internet to create successful businesses.
There you have my 8 second elevator speach.
Thanks Bill for your reply. Per Seth Godin:
"Freelancers get paid for their work. If you're a freelance copywriter, you get paid when you work. Entrepreneurs use other people's money to build a business bigger than themselves so that they can get paid when they sleep." Since freelancers are independent contractors, they don't work as employees, so they can't get fired. They work until the project ends or the gig is completed.
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Hi Tom.
That’s interesting. I think I may be both? Or just a freelancer. I’m an independent artist who 7 years ago began providing art instruction classes and workshops at senior living facilities and centers and libraries. I have built up the business to 18 accounts that book me regularly Freelancer? Entrepreneur?
Elaine
Hi Elaine,
Since you work for them (they don’t work for you) you are a freelancer. If you have a team as employees or independent contractors working in a project you manage as head, you would be an entrepreneur.
Tom