"My mother has been an OFW since I was a child. We grow together with my sister with little guidance from my mother and I do not want this to happen to my future children."

This has been the motivation of Louie for jumping into freelancing.

He's working on getting his Aircraft Mechanic License.

Then her ninang referred him to the VA Bootcamp.

(Salamat ninang!)

Since then, he never stopped.

And right now, he's making P50,000 as an SEO guy.

Why SEO?

Let's find out on this replay as Louie shared his challenges, as well as the perks he's enjoying right now as a freelancer.

Let's watch Mr. Luis Carlo Dinio's story, as an Aspiring Aircraft Mechanic who enjoys time, freedom, and balance as SEO. At a very young age, he finds his work-life balance as an SEO and Aircraft Mechanics while having fun. 

Notable Quotes

• Worth it talaga siya (VA Bootcamp Course) lalo na pag totally newbie ka!....most likely ang labanan kasi sa freelance is skills. Kung may ma-add kang skills, magkakaroon ka ng magandang value, and you can offer a lot. 

• Malaking tulong talaga sakin ang Guided Hustle Challenge.

• Dapat you think like a business owner na ino-offer mo din yung service mo. Hindi ka dapat typical person na mag stay lang sa formal interview. You most likely consult like a business owner, na dapat ikaw ang nagko-consult.  

• Madami pong opportunity...wag ka lang mag focus sa Upwork, "Think outside the box".... 

• If you have a plan, huwag mo na patagalin, just do it!. 

• Sa business kasi before you judge, kailangan mo muna sya i-test, analyze, optimize, then try again.  Hanggang makuha mo talaga yung kiliti ng client. Nung time na yun, madami din akong rejection bago ko nakuha yung strategy na yun.

• Ang kagandahan po kasi sa online is flexible. At yung goal mo naman kasi is to reach the expectations of client and the other flexible hours pwede gamitin sa ibang tasks. Time management and discipline. 

• As an intern, just keep going, baka next time kayo na din ang i-interviewhin dito.

Journey to Freelancing

• Started mid-2019 and had no idea about freelancing and work from home opportunity. 

• After graduating, he had difficulty getting jobs and at the same time, he was studying for his license as Aircraft Mechanic. 

• Her Ninang, recommended Coach Jayson Dulay and enrolled in V.A Bootcamp. That is the start of his freelancing journey. 

• They had a problem with their property in Palawan, and he took charge because his parents are OFW. He took care of their property, and at the same time, studied his licensing and freelancing. 

• He was managing their property documents and at the same time studying his licensing. At night, he goes to a computer shop to learn the course. That time, he felt tired and decided to stop learning V.A Bootcamp and just continued his licensure examination.

• He finished his licensing in 2020, but the pandemic came. So, he decided to go back to learning V.A Bootcamp and pursued freelancing. 

• He had difficulty penetrating clients to Upwork because of competition and having lack of experience. But the Guided Hustle Challenge helped him a lot.  

• He landed his first freelancing client by using R.O.P.E and A.I.D.A method that he learned from the VA Bootcamp Complete Course and that very first client led him to other clients through referral. 

• He is now an Aircraft Mechanic who also enjoys time freedom and a balanced lifestyle as an SEO Freelancer. 

Q&A Highlights

Mukhang masaya ka na ata sa freelancing....Why are you still balancing becoming an Aircraft Mechanic and at the same time being a freelancer? 

As an Aircraft Mechanic, much better na ma-sustain ko ang experience. Experience..as back-up lang po sya pero hindi po talaga sya totally goal. Ang goal ko po is mag provide ng work. Kasi nag o-observe po ako na madaming talents na mga Filipino pero sadyang mapili lng po talga yung mga companies...kasi ang iba talagang sa interview  gusto nila perfect, pero hindi mo naman talaga makikita sa interview ang potential. Gusto ko makapagtayo ng agency...at goal ko din magtayo ng e-commerce store. 

Are you able to showcase yourself in freelancing?.... Are you able to shine and display your skills? 

Noong time na nag i-interview ako, madalas ako talaga yung nag-tatanong, kasi ayoko ng masyadong formal na parang templated. Pero hindi mo talaga kasi maipapakita ang gusto mong gawin... at hindi mo rin talaga matatanong kung ano talaga yung gusto niyang mangyari, like ano ang problema niya at anong kaya mong i-offer na ikaw talga ang the right person.

Could you tell us more about your experience sa part na you tried to apply in Upwork pero hindi ka satisfied?

Pansin ko madami na silang (client) experience. Ang tactic ko kasi sa interview, ay turning the table. Pero minsan dahil expert na din yung client...mahirap po talaga at madami din silang choices at iba't ibang lahi din. Mababa lang po ang chance so  nag think out of the box nalang po ako. Sa una talaga mahirap, pero kung gusto talaga may paraan para magkaroon ng work. 

Papaano ang effort?...Mas ma-effort ba ang mag hanap ng direct client kaysa sa papasok ka sa platforms, or is it better? 

When I was a newbie, nahirapan po talaga ako sa direct client. Ang ginagawa ko po ay cold email... kumukuha ako ng scrap like lead generation. Yung iba minsan nakaka disappoint...walang reply... pero kapag nakakuha naman po talaga ng client talagang sulit. 

In balancing your time, your life as an aspiring Aircraft Mechanic because you still want your license, and at the same time being an SEO, how are you able to manage your time? 

Nung nagkawork na ako as SEO, nag lay low na ako sa Aviation kasi yung work ko mababa talaga yung sweldo.  Focus ko muna ang online marketer. Kasi gusto ko na rin po yung work tsaka mas comfortable then controlled mo po yung time mo. Nababalance ko yung time ko as SEO tapos may experience pa po ako as Aircraft Mechanic. 

At what point in your career did you decide that SEO is your niche? 

Tina-try ko po tlaga ang gusto ko. Trial and error ako, kung gusto ko ba tlaga.... Tina-try ko, then parang nahihirapan ako. Kasi ako, as Aircraft Mechanic technical po talaga kami. Nag start po ako sa SEO as Virtual assistant and from time to time nade-develop. Ang laking tulong dahil na-absorb din ako ni Sir Jason as SEO Intern. 

Pagdating sa pag babalanse ng work life, How do you prioritize? 

Pinaprioritize ko talaga yung sa SEO kasi yun tlaga ang pang-survival lalo ngayong pandemic. Enjoy na po talaga ako sa freelancing kasi flexible nga po ang work at anytime pwede ka kumuha ng client basta depende sayo kung paano mo siya i-time-management. and the best is discipline para hindi ka ma-overwhelm sa work. As much as possible may daily goals and weekly goals. 

Gaano kahaba ang feeling mo bago mo ma-achieve ang goals mo? 

Kung gusto kong ma-reach ang goals ko, I do small steps ahead/small goals.  Lalo ngayong pandemic. Dahan-dahan, kasi ayoko din masyado akong ma-overwhelm.