These days more and more Atlanta professionals are choosing the freelance lifestyle over corporate jobs. Part of this is due to necessity. The unemployment line is stretching longer and longer as companies slim down, right size, streamline, and retrench. Retained employees often work to the breaking point trying to handle more and more responsibilities. Plus, everyone has come to grips with the reality that you can no longer expect to work a lifetime at one place for a pension and a gold watch.

So, many people have gathered all their samples, created a really cool logo for their business card, built a website and have hit the streets as freelancers.

It's not an easy out. For many it's not even a way out as much as a way in, but it is the way that hundreds in the Atlanta creative community are trying to make a living. Students just out of art school are finding it easier than battling a hard job market. Victims of layoffs have found a way
of paying the mortgage. Entrepreneurial creatives
across the city enjoy being their own boss.

I got talent, I got the skills
But I got no way to pay the bills
I have to be a commodity
Because livin' ain't free
I got them low down
freelancer blues

Montse Cunningham was a Creative Director at a graphic design firm. She was working so hard she became physically ill and had to quit. At first, she started looking for another full time job. But as more and more previous employers and friends started calling her to freelance she soon realized she could make a living on her own terms. "Once I realized I had control I knew this was the right move," says Cunningham who has been freelancing for four and a half years. "I could control the guilt and pressure. I could control how much I took on. Sometimes the phone didn't ring and that would scare me, but then it would and all would be better again. " Most freelancers agree: it's the freedom they most enjoy. Like many independent contractors, it's easy now to work out of their homes. It gives parents a chance to be with their kids. It allows some people to go back to school. And freelancers never have to worry about how many vacation days they will have in December.

It can be frustrating. Like anyone who is self-employed there is nobody to lean on when times are slow. In the marketing and advertising profession it is up to the freelancers to market and advertise themselves. Often, this independent breed has to drop off coasters, bake cakes, cold call, send out group emails, go to networking get-togethers, and send off hundreds of pieces of direct mail just to get an interview. Then, when they do manage to get their boot in the door of an agency, design firm, marketing department or back office, the mantra is often, "Well, you do good work. We'll keep you on file and if anything comes up we'll give you a call." Your work goes into the front of the file until the next freelancer comes in and pushes you back farther in the manila folder and in the potential client's mind.

"The first year was the hardest. I think once you get past that first year things start to get easier," states Laura DeGraff, a freelance Designer who tried working both in house and in an advertising agency before freelancing. "At first, I didn't know what to charge people. I had a hard time gauging a project for time and how difficult it would be. I didn't ask enough questions about what the client wanted or time schedules. I had to learn to ask a lot more questions. "

For many freelancers, working for themselves is a huge eye opener. Not many people learn how to incorporate themselves in art school. Decisions have to be made on whether to be an LLC or an S-corporation. You have to choose a name for yourself, one that doesn't already exist. Apples and Oranges Design, too fruity. Superman design, too WB. How about Peachtree Design? Everything else is named that . . . . "Freelancers have to keep track of their business. Expenses, organizing their time and keeping track of invoices are a big part of freelancing," claims Cunningham. "One of the hardest lessons many freelancers learn is how to deal with taxes." When you get one big check without any taxes taken out it's easy to think that what's in the bank is all yours. However, the IRS has a different point of view and at the end of the year, the independent contractor could end up owing a bunch of money that has already been spent.

"I had to learn a lot about budgets and contracts, " says Cunningham. "You have to become very practical with money and save to make up for the times when there's nothing in the pipeline. I think that most people who go back to [working for a company] do it because they can't handle the sporadic jobs. You have to learn how to adjust and be flexible."

There can be a lot of anxiety when there isn't necessarily going to be a paycheck in the mail for a few days, months, etc. Kind of gives you the shivers? As freelance Film Producer, Julie Bitton testifies, "I work three times as hard now that I'm working for myself. People think freelancers just get to sleep late and watch Oprah, oh no honey. You have to go out and find the jobs and work to keep up your relationships. "

Many freelancers also work through creative staffing agencies. These companies often place freelancers and help market their services, but then take a cut of whatever the freelancer makes as a finders fee. "In my opinion, the creative placement agency has a dual role, " explains George Watson of Creative Career Management, an organization that places freelance, art directors, designers, copywriters, web designers, account services people and illustrators. "The main part of our business is placing freelance talent but there's also the support we give the freelancers. A good part of my time is sitting down with the creative and examining the direction they're going in the business. Do they want to move into a different type of career or work with different clients? What are their short term plans? It's a lot of career counseling. "

Photographers, directors and illustrators have always used agents to market their talents. Finding a good agent can be the first step in making it. And the more work the creative gets, the more money the agent makes so they definitely want to see their clients succeed. However, they still can't guarantee work.

"I have 3 reps, but still they only account for I'd say 30% of my work. The rest I get on my own," says freelance Illustrator Bill Mayer. "That's just me though. I have never been able to get over the fear of not having any work at all. There will be a few days now and then when I have nothing due or coming in and I try to relax and work on promotional projects or side projects, but that fear stays with me. "

Often, the weeks when the phone isn't ringing off the hook has freelancers secretly glancing at the job board when they walk into REI or Macy's. Some experienced freelancers learn to enjoy the lull. Many deal with it by doing other side activities such as crafts, woodwork, writing a novel, painting, or other business opportunities. Plus, freelancers have unlimited vacation days. The only problem is making sure the vacation doesn't become permanent.

My portfolio's heavy
I'm feeling kind of mean
Cause there's still no messages
On my answering machine
I got them low down
freelancer blues

Some people want to have it both ways. Tamika Goins works full time as a Media Buyer for Suntory Water Group, while running her freelance marketing company at night and on weekends. "I have to do a lot of lunch meetings and quick conversations on the cell phone, but my clients understand that I'm not their employee and they tend to be flexible." By keeping her database marketing contacts from her previous job, Goins is able to earn extra cash and have the stability of a steady paycheck. "It takes a lot of effort because it's two totally different industries. I'm usually freelancing for business-to-business technology companies which is totally different from the consumer marketing I do during the day." However the time commitment of two jobs can be trying and Goins is also about to start a graduate program at Kennesaw State College. "Sometimes I give myself time to breathe," she jokes.

However, other freelancers are able to choose a little of both worlds through contract work. Laura DeGraff set up a deal with Word One, an advertising agency in Decatur where they give her office space and a certain minimum of hours of work. "It's great. I still have my own clients and there's always stuff from Word One I can work on. Plus, being in an office gives me the ability to bounce ideas off of people and say, Ôhey, what do you think of this'. "

Jon Gordon, a freelance Art Director, keeps his desk at Solomon Says, which guarantees him work as well. "Being able to set up shop here allows me access to all the resources I need to complete a project. It also cuts out a lot of miscommunication between client, agency, and freelancer that you might have when working from home. "

These kinds of perma-lancing or contract opportunities can be great and very financially beneficial as long as they last. However, it's easy to get relaxed in a job, lose contacts with freelance relationships and then if anything should happen, you're back where you started, portfolio in hand, knocking on doors.

So, I sit down at my desk
I hear "You've got mail"
62 different jobs
I'll be busy as hell.
I got them low down
freelancer blues

There is hope, however. It seems that most freelancers out there are busy. "Things are much better for freelancers than they were two years ago, " says George Watson. "The full time job market has dried up, but the freelance market is going strong. " It seems so many agencies have cut their staff so severely that as soon as they get busy they need freelancers to help out. Many freelancers have better contacts through ex-employers and can do the work without having to be on staff.

There are also more resources for freelancers than ever before. The Creative Club has an annual Freelancers Showcase where creative directors can look around and see a good variety of Atlanta's freelance talent. Another professional organization, Freelance Forum is geared distinctly for the freelance professional. They hold meetings every month to discuss relevant subjects such as "how to network in an over networked world" or "how to get paid on time." Plus, there are other professional marketing organizations such as AIGA, Graphic Artists Guild and Women In Marketing who have resources for freelancers.