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How I Started Freelancing With Zero Budget - Interview with Rollyn Cañete

March 20, 2019
by Jason Dulay 
Jason is the founder and CEO of Work from Home Roadmap and VA Bootcamp. Aside from teaching Filipinos how to succeed working from home, he likes traveling, playing board games, and drinking coffee.
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How I Started Freelancing With Zero Budget - Interview with Rollyn Cañete #JasSuccess

Watch this #JASSuccess episode as we interview a member of the VA Bootcamp team, Rollyn Cañete!

Hear her story as she bravely took on her path to freelancing, which was a bit different from what she wanted to pursue during her college years.

Get to know how she was able to push freelancing even without a budget, to begin with - which I know most of you are struggling with - the budget to enroll in the paid courses.

But if there's a strong will, there will always be a way! Just like what Rollyn had - a strong will and her BIG WHYs.

In this interview, Rollyn will talk about:

✅ How She Struggled on Finding Online Jobs and How She Stayed Motivated Despite It

✅ The Benefits of Being Able to Work Anywhere While Enjoying Her Single Life

✅ How She Became a Part of Her “Dream Team,” the VA Bootcamp Team

And a lot more..

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Watch the inspiring story of Rollyn Cañete on how she started her freelancing journey, from a call center agent to Online English Teacher to an online freelancer and entrepreneur.

Learn from her life story on how she pursued her dream despite numerous challenges and defeats.

Notable Quotes:

  • Wala na talaga akong other option so nanghiram talaga ako para ma-push ko talaga mag work from home. Nag borrow ako ng money tapos dumiskarte ako kahit hiyang hiya na ako, dami naming utang eh. Kasi I believe talaga na, "Kung ayaw may dahilan, kung gusto palaging mayroong paraan."
  • Nag search ako ulit kung paano kumita online hanggang sa nakita ko yung ad ni Jason na earn 80k per month while working from home at dun na nag-umpisa lahat. Nagsign-up ako agad sa free course at sobra daming kong AHA moments.
  • Nagstalk ako kay Jason at sa ibang lodi sa freelancing tinitingan ko lang pano nila ginagawa yung profile nila at ginaya ko. So iyon, nagkaka client ako dahil doon sa pagsstalk ko, sa mga free courses, sa pagtingin tingin sa mga blog.
  • Masasabi ko talaga na toughest year ko talaga yung 2016 pero naging worth it talaga lahat ng emotional pains, struggles.
  • Sobrang dami kong natutunan doon sa Freelancing Bootcamp. Matagal kong natapos yung course kasi pag may na-learn ako, ina-apply ko agad.
  • Sobrang thankful ako sa VA Bootcamp dahil ito yung naging foundation ko as a freelancer. Kahit free courses lang malaking tulong na to kickstart your freelancing career.
  • For me, sobrang happy ko on how things turned out for me, I get to travel while working.
  • Hindi man ako naging CPA pero being an online freelancer is way much better than the life I've been daydreaming kung naging CPA ako. I'm glad that I also get to achieve time and financial freedom.
  • You can be who you want to be as long as you are happy.
  • Hindi naging madali yung freelancing journey ko pero I learned to be resilient in the most difficult times talaga and I also become financially and emotionally wiser. I was able to learn and explore different niche din and pursue the things that I really love doing.
  • First talaga is learn to save.  Hindi mo alam kung anong mangyayari in the future kaya build an emergency fund.
  • Be wise on how you spend your money.  Even though you're earning 6 or 7 digits na, don't be complacent. Learn to spend your money wisely.  Invest and save it.  Huwag mong i-spend sa bagay na alam mong pagsisisihan mo in the future.
  • Do not put your eggs in one basket din.  Huwag kang mag stick sa isang income lang.  Learn to think of ways to earn multiple streams of income kasi kung mawawala yung isa at least magkakaroon ka ng back up.
  • Focus on what you can control, kung gusto mo talaga mag freelancing hahanap ka talaga ng paraan kahit wala kang pera just like me.  Kung ano lang yung mayroon ka, start from there.
  • Never stop learning, read lots of books and invest in courses.  Kung may budget ka invest ka talaga in courses.
  • Kung takot kang matuto huwag ka ng mag freelancing kasi you really need to continuously learn para maka survive ka sa freelancing.
  • Always know your “why” before your “how.” Alamin mo kung bakit gusto mo ito gawin kasi yan ang magpapalakas at magmo-motivate sa iyo para mag-aral atsaka maghanap ka ng clients.
  • Treat freelancing as your own business and not as a job. You will love freelancing even more kung ituturing mo siya as your own business rather an as a job. Kasi kung job, may boss ka di ba? So, kung business naman, you are your own boss.

Rollyn’s Freelancing Journey:

  • She finished Accountancy and after graduation, she worked for a call center company to earn money so she can save it for her CPA review and exam fee.
  • She worked in a call center so she can easily resign anytime when she will have enough savings to finance her CPA review fee. However, she was not able to save money because of her over-spending lifestyle at that time.
  • She had a successful career as a call center agent and got an early promotion. Eventually, their account was temporarily laid-off two months after she was promoted.
  • While having a lay-off status in her call center company, she attempted to work online to earn extra income while reviewing at the same time. His brother is also working online so he referred her to a Real Estate VA Agency where his brother previously worked.  She passed the interview process but a problem occurred during the client call.  The client complained about the robotic sound on her end. It turned out that the problem is a slow internet connection. So her first attempt of working from home was unsuccessful.
  • She returned as a call center agent to her previous company but she was demotivated because she was demoted. She decided to resign after a few months.
  • She decided to focus on her review to become a CPA and she took the CPA exam in May 2016 without enough preparation, that’s why she failed.
  • She was running out of savings and her family debts started to pile up. Her father got sick and forced to retire. Thus, she turned her attention again to working online.
  • She attempted to work online with an old, laggy laptop with battery defects.
  • She borrowed money from her friends and so she could pay for her internet installation.
  • She started as an Online English Teacher earning only P3,000 per month because she’s not opening a lot of appointment slots and there are times that she wasn’t enthusiastic enough to teach.
  • While searching for jobs online, she saw the ad of Jason Dulay about earning P80k while working from home.  She signed up for the free course and diligently took down notes while watching tutorial videos.
  • She got her first client and later on became her long term business partner through Onlinejobs.ph. She’s a Real Estate Executive VA and also manages her client’s other businesses like Airbnb and trading.
  • She was amazed by the testimonies of VA Bootcamp students. So to enhance her skills and marketing abilities, she enrolled in the VA Bootcamp when she was able to save enough money.
  • She applied for Virtual Assistant position in the VA Bootcamp way back 2016 but she didn’t get the job. Three months after she finished the course, she applied again for Chat Support position and she made it.  Aside from Chat Support, she’s taking in more responsibility in the VA Bootcamp doing more admin tasks, guest coaching and will soon be conducting live webinars in VA Bootcamp’s exclusive Facebook group.
  • She was able to put up several businesses because of freelancing.

Q & A Highlights:

How po? I hope you can help me and guide me.

If you want freelancing just go to the freevacourse.com. Sa giveaway ko rin malalaman mo yung sagot.

Online tutorial po VA Bootcamp?

Yes, it is. Online tutorial siya tapos may website kami where you can access it. Pre-recorded yung classes, pwede mo siya mapanood anytime, anywhere basta may internet ka. You can also watch it using your smart phone or tablet, kung wala ka pang laptop or PC.  May live webinars din kami inside the VA Bootcamp exclusive Facebook group.

Once enrolled gaano katagal ang training?

Depende sa iyo kailan mo siya matatapos, may one year access ka sa lessons. You can do it at your own pace.  Kung marami kang free time, madali mo siyang matapos. Kung may full time work ka, puede mo siyang gawin kung nasa bahay ka na.  Depende talaga sa iyo kung kailan mo siya matatapos.

Ano pa po ang i-freelancing?

Mostly nag-uumpisa as virtual assistant tapos pag nalaman mo na anong skills ang gusto mo i-focus pwede graphic design, may web developer. Depende talaga sa skills mo. May bookkeeper din para sa mga Accountancy.  Video editor at marami pang iba.

May Bootcamp pa rin po ba after election?

Hindi po mawawala yung VA Bootcamp. You can always enroll anytime.

Ask ko lang po, I think two years ago nag enrol ako sa bootcamp nung work from home roadmap. Ask ko lang, kung ma-access ko po ba yung paid course po? Kasi di ko po natapos?

Yes. You can access it at learn.wfhr.io for old students enrolled before July 15, 2018.

Anu po yung niche ni Ma’am Rollyn?

Actually, wala pa iba-iba ako ng niche.  Aside from commercial real state minsan may side gigs din ako sa social media, bookkeeping.  Di pa ako nag fo-focus sa isang niche kasi ini-enjoy ko muna yung mga niche at explore, explore muna.

May installment payment plan po ba yung paid course?

Yes, meron for three payments.  For Accelerated package, kung one-time payment P7,990. Kung installment siya, it's P2,990 for three payments every 15 days. Sa Complete package naman, it's P19,990 and then for three payments na P6,990 every 15 days yung due.

Is there any certificate after the training?

Yes, there is a certificate of completion sa VA Bootcamp.  For Accelerated, there is a certificate for E-commerce.  For Complete, every course you take may certificate din like Bookkeeping, SEO may kanya-kanyang certificate din siya aside sa VA bootcamp certificate of completion.

Need po ba talaga may laptop or pwede rin CP ang gamit?

Kailangan mo ng laptop kung nagta-trabaho ka na.  Sa cellphone pwede ka mag aral online.

I’m already 44 years old, is there any age limit?

Wala po age limit as long may skill ka you can pursue freelancing.

As a commercial real state VA, ano po yung usual ginagawa niyo calling and selling po ba?

Hindi ako masyado ako nag ko-call. Minsan appointment setting, pero more on sa admin ako. I handle the client's email.  Maraming task hindi lang focus din sa commercial real state kasi minsan pinapahandle din ako sa mga Airbnb projects at trading business niya. Ako talaga ang 'go-to' person ni client.

Pa kwento naman ng experience mo sa first client mo and what is the process.

Sa Onlinejobs.ph ko siya nakita. Matagal ang process almost three months kami naghintayan.  Nag-usap kami through Skype. Tapos yun, he sent me a contract and then orientation.

Gumagamit po bang platform si Rollyn?

My first client is from Onlinejobs.ph.  More on direct clients and referrals ako. Isang beses lang ako nagkaclient sa Upwork.

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by Jason Dulay 
Jason is the founder and CEO of Work from Home Roadmap and VA Bootcamp. Aside from teaching Filipinos how to succeed working from home, he likes traveling, playing board games, and drinking coffee.

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179 comments on “How I Started Freelancing With Zero Budget - Interview with Rollyn Cañete”

  12. Follow up - Reason for asking is - perhaps Jason can offer a course for virtual professional which offer advance courses. Sorry for the misspelled “through”, dapat “though re earlier message.

    Reply

  110. Hi. This is my first time and don't have any idea what this is all about. I'm already 61 yrs old and I still want to work. And now this is melenial age and I was behind about all this things. Can you give some ideas how does it work. Thanks and I will appreciate any reaplies

    Reply

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