People ask me why I freelance instead of taking a full-time role. The short answer: I build better software this way.
The longer answer has to do with how I think about work. I like solving problems, picking the right tools, and shipping things that actually matter to the people using them. At most companies, that takes a backseat to meetings, process, and politics.
The freedom to say no
Freelancing lets me choose the projects I work on. That means I can say no to work that doesn't interest me, and yes to the stuff that does. Every project I take on is one I genuinely want to build.
That sounds like a luxury, but it makes the output better. When you care about what you're building, you write better code. You think harder about the architecture. You don't cut corners because you're watching the clock.
Direct impact
When a client hires me, there's no middle management between us. I hear the problem directly, I build the solution, and I see it go live. The feedback loop is tight. If something needs to change, we change it. No tickets, no sprint planning, no waiting for approval.
This speed is something most teams struggle with. I've seen startups with 5 engineers move slower than one focused developer with clear requirements.
The trade-offs
It's not all upside. There's no safety net. No PTO, no benefits, no guaranteed paycheck. You have to find your own work, manage your own time, handle your own taxes. Some months are busy, some are quiet.
But I'd take those trade-offs over the alternative. The ability to do meaningful work, on my own terms, with people I actually want to work with — that's worth more than a steady paycheck and a Jira board.
The bottom line
Freelancing isn't for everyone. It requires discipline, self-motivation, and a tolerance for uncertainty. But if you're the kind of person who cares about craft — about writing code that's clean, building systems that scale, and shipping things that work — it's hard to beat.
I'm not going back to a 9-to-5. Not because I can't, but because this is where I do my best work.