Watch another inspiring #JasSuccess interview as host, Anna Soriano, interviews another successful VA Bootcamp and road to 100k Masterclass student, Leah Futalan.

Leah took a break from freelancing last January 2018. She was too overwhelmed with her new-found skill in social media and having multiple clients. She fired 4 clients then and decided to take a step back.

In this #JasSuccess episode Leah talks about her freelancing journey and;

✅How long it took her to step out of her comfort zone
✅What she did to overcome her shyness and take a bold step to leveling up
✅How to manage a freelance team and outsourcing

And a lot more…

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Notable Quotes:

• Do not work hard, work smart.
• Because sometimes we go crazy chasing dollar, chasing our goals, we forget why we are doing that thing, why we do that in the first place.
• Like how from not knowing anything, observing other people and so I got the courage, kasi what important is to set goals on yourself pero wag nyo akong gayahin na over greatly para maging long yung hours.
• It's possible to earn 100K a month pero wag nyo patayin yung sarili nyo.
• You should let go of your limiting belief like for me I didn’t know my way of computers but I erase that mentality because I have to earn for my family, for my kids and then like I'm super honestly ignorant but now I did technical support and also doing coaching for an agency owner.
•  Your network is your net worth.
• If you want to excel in freelancing button, you have to step up in freelancing, you have to level up and get out of your shell.

Leah’s Journey to freelancing

• She went to exclusive schools for girls.
• Went to University of the Philippines and took up Business Management.
• They had family business in Toledo Cebu (School Owner).
• She stayed in the family business for 9 years.
• By 2014, Leah was already married with 2 kids.
• By June 2014 their family business was being sold.
• November 2014, her uncle told her about freelancing work but she declined to join because she doesn’t know how to use computer.
• By February 2015, her uncle offered again the freelancing job and that was the time she accepted the offer and started the training.
• She started earning with 2.50 dollars as a starting salary.
• She works for more than 70 hours per week then go through a hundred hours a week.
• She got promoted after a month and got a raise of .50 dollar for her salary.
• January 2018 after attending cousin’s wedding, it looks like it was her biggest call for a break, she fired her 4 clients because she doesn’t feel happy anymore and for her to take care of her family and health.
• From January to May 2018, she quit her online job for a while.
• At the present, she has own business with Honey, the Social Collaborative, and they outsource another task. She can now manage her time, earning a lot but not killing herself with hundred hours in a week. It’s like don’t work hard, but work smart.

Question & Answer Highlights

How did you get started or what are you doing before you went into freelancing and how did you get started and find out about freelancing?

As to what my life was before freelancing and that how my life experiences shaped not only my personality but the way I behave in general I was done and until recently, I was the epitome of a lurker, a lurker is a person who lurks in particular like in the internet or in a group or a chat group then I just look on what people say and then I don’t participate that’s why the title of this segment  I chose is “A low-key Freelancer", I'm not comfortable grabbing much attention to myself, like I don’t comment I don’t engage much basically I just observe everyone else. I’m sure a lot of people can also relate to that like on your 60,000 members I know that only a few participate but they just saw the post and not to. Basically, to what shape me to that kind of person but from preparatory until senior high. I went to STC which is an exclusive school for girls here in Cebu and that time it's one of the best schools in Cebu probably still is but there are a lot of schools. That’s my background from an exclusive school for girls and then in college I went to UP, took up Business Management primarily because my parents had a business and then it only made sense for me to take up Business Management so that I could help them with their business so like it's for 9 years, I stayed and managed our school and then when my parents sold it out, I was honestly thankful because I couldn't see myself taking over my mom as a school director, I mean me meeting with high ranking government officials, from DepEd and that talking and making speech in front of a large crowd that's not me. So, I was relieved that we gave up that business. By June 2014, I just stayed at home not doing anything. I was just taking care of the kids and all but by November 2014 my Uncle Dennis told me about his online world and online work via Upwork but I was just like I am not good with the computer so NO thanks, because in school we had a computer technician, we had a computer teacher and assistant so I could just delegate work to them, I never thought that I would land into this job.I didn't know the possibility to build  working online. Back in 2014, I declined an offer to work online but then by Feb 2015 they asked me to join their company again and working with them and then at that time I had two nannies for my children for work filling gaps so despite the fact that I was very ignorant and do not know anything I had to say yes. Because after all, it was my aunt who was a team leader in that online work so I was assured that she won't scold me if I screwed up.

Did you feel a lot of pressure to make a lot of money?

In the first few months, I don't feel it yet but I just feel overwhelmed that after working for 9 years finally I had a break but then reality hits me and that's when I say "Oh my God ang mahal ng Pediasure” dapat  I have to find a work and that day they told me that job opening. Sabi ko I really don't know how to. Hindi ako marunong sa computer talaga but they said we're going to train you, I accepted that. And the good thing about being referred that even I didn't work in a call center, technically don't have any skills. So, it's being referred so that I will surely get the job. I spoke with manager in a minute and I got hired via Upwork and the rate was 2 dollars and 50 cents per hour but I'm so so happy with that I mean, imagine earning dollar while just stay from home and you don't have to go abroad to earn dollars so that was already a big deal for me, it was like a lifesaver.

You're very happy earning home?

Oo naman, parang pwede pala mag work parang ganun. Most Business Management graduate from UP, they go to banks  as bank tellers or whatever or sales rep which is hindi ako masyado, I'm not inclined to that kaya I did apply to any work first before that and then I got this online thinking like they told me to explore such thing as online work. I thought it was  a scam initially 'coz that's the common thinking of people on it. 'Coz it's online, like is that MLM? or parang mga ganun. That’s what happened when I got that job it's for Customer Support oh di ba eh CS agad but wala akong background sa call center, but I had a week to go through that training videos and then I religiously review that one because number one, I was not familiar with Gmail, ganun kalala yung level ko, parang ganito pala mag email. I wasn't fond of using Skype as well so yung communication with the international is Skype, group chat may ganito pala, and then most especially I was doing full support and I wasn't used of talking to foreigners to Americans parang "Oh my God!" nakakatakot to. So, I was really that bad I was a total newbie and to think I was like 3 years ago so I'm like a living testimonial of that you have just to watch those videos, go through the training and you will make it in this online world. Just everything computer.

How much did you earn in one month on your first job?

I was earning 2 dollars and 50 cents and it was with unlimited hours so there came a point that I wasn't maximizing yet, I was working from 70 to 80 hours per week. Actually that's normal in that company, but then if you will come to think of it 2.50 dollars times 70 hours that's already 175 dollars oh malaki na sya di ba for someone who doesn't know how to use Gmail right?

You're doing the project management of the tasks. And you're still focusing in social media?

Virtual Assistant with specialization on support on social media so that's why we came up with a Social Collaborative, that's the name of our team of  freelancers. I don't want to call it agency kasi hindi naman agency it just like a team of freelancers lang.

Would you categorize yourself as an introvert?

I am an introvert but you have to start making a decision, you should let go of your limiting belief like for me I didn’t know my way with computers but I erased that mentality because I have to earn for my family, for my kids and then like I'm super honestly ignorant but now I did technical support and also doing coaching for an agency owner, another thing is you have to be mindful and you have to set a goal and then a concrete bond like for me hindi enough yung goal na ma reach ung 100K a month so dapat with limit sa 40 hours lang, like to find a way to make that process.

Yung time na nagka sabay-sabay yung client mo and halos wala ka ng tulog, how much are you earning a month?

Nung nandon pa yung SAS ko tsaka E-Comm mga 150 to 160 dollars. Pero walang tulog yan from Monday to Saturday.

How many months po dapat matutunan ang isang skill po?

It depends, like sa social media it has so many updates going on like maraming platform. It takes a lot of time but you can learn it in a month.

What can you advise to a newbie or audience are watching or to an aspiring freelancer?

First is, set a goal for yourself. Know or determine why you're doing, or what you're doing 'coz like me diba over akong chasing ng dollar, hindi na naging balance yung life ko. So, your goal has to be concrete and specific so you'll have a time for your family. Second is yung network mo. It's important 'coz you'll have support, you will get ideas. Also, learn how to eliminate and how to automate your task.