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<\/a><\/p>\nHuffman, the CEO and Founder of GrowthHit<\/a>, knows how to own his lanes. From owning a high-performance agency that focuses on web design and optimization<\/a>, growth marketing<\/a>, and creative services to being a bestselling author of The Growth Marketer\u2019s Playbook<\/a>, he\u2019s truly got his formula for success down pat.<\/p>\n In this article, I\u2019ll talk about Jim’s tips for inspiring innovation and creativity, scaling a business effectively, and I\u2019ll also share how he utilizes his founder\u2019s mindset to lead GrowthHit.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s get to the good stuff.<\/p>\n Table of Contents:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Regardless of where you are in your business venture journey, you\u2019re bound to encounter the standard steps of growth \u2013 from the good to the not-so-good \u2013 especially as you work your way up to things like expanding your clientele or finding your niche (Huffman calls this \u201chorizontal focus\u201d).<\/p>\n But if you happen to still be in the very early stages of building your brand, I\u2019m here to help you attack the basics, and this starts with understanding how you should be self-identifying based on the type of work you do.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re a freelancer or an entrepreneur<\/a>, there are certain terms and conditions to either route. And although everyone\u2019s journey is truly one-of-a-kind, here\u2019s a brief preview of what you should anticipate as you progress down one path or the other:<\/p>\n This is often the most significant milestone you\u2019ll experience as a freelancer.<\/p>\n When this finally happens, it\u2019ll offer a much-needed boost of confidence and establish your credibility in the market. It can also lead to more opportunities and referrals (which equals more money, cha-ching).<\/p>\n As a freelancer, your success often depends on your ability to consistently attract and retain clients.<\/p>\n This may involve building a strong online presence (if you haven\u2019t already, getting started on LinkedIn<\/a> is a mandatory platform to start doing this on), networking effectively, and providing a comprehensive look into your services\/what it\u2019s like to work with you 1:1.<\/p>\n As you gain experience, you may decide to specialize in a particular niche or area of expertise. Whatever your knack is, when you choose to do it exclusively, this decision will help you stand out from the competition and attract clients who are specifically seeking your skills.<\/p>\n As your business grows, you may need to hire additional team members or collaborate with other freelancers to handle increased workload or offer a wider range of services. This could be a strategic move that serves you well; you might be able to scale your business and take on larger projects.<\/p>\n Next, let\u2019s talk about what pivotal moments look like in the life of an entrepreneur:<\/p>\n This is often the most rewarding milestone for an entrepreneur, primarily because it represents the realization of your vision and the first step towards building a successful business<\/a>.<\/p>\n As your business grows, you may face new challenges and opportunities. This could involve expanding into new markets, hiring additional team members, or securing specific funding.<\/p>\n I\u2019d be lying if I said entrepreneurship is without challenges. Along the way, you may encounter setbacks, financial difficulties, or competition. But how you react \u2013 your ability to overcome these obstacles and learn from them \u2013 is what matters most when it comes to long-term success.<\/p>\n At some point, you may decide to be less involved in your business or transition into a new venture. This can be a bittersweet moment, but it also represents the culmination of your hard work and dedication put in over the years.<\/p>\n Now that we\u2019ve covered most of the grounds for both freelancing and entrepreneurship, let\u2019s next review a few benefits and drawbacks of both:<\/p>\n As a freelancer, you have complete control over your income. You can choose how much you earn by taking on as many or as few projects as you want.<\/p>\n This flexibility is incredibly empowering and it allows you to set your own salary\/rates, prioritize projects that align with your financial goals, and enjoy greater autonomy over the work you create.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve probably discovered this perk already, but freelancing offers a unique opportunity for rapid skill development. Because you\u2019re constantly exposed to new challenges and projects, you\u2019re also constantly learning new techniques, improving your existing skills, and staying up-to-date with industry trends.<\/p>\n This continuous learning is incredibly rewarding and can also make you more marketable to potential clients.<\/p>\n One of the biggest perks of freelancing is the flexibility it offers. You can set your own schedule, work from anywhere, and choose projects that genuinely interest you. This freedom can allow you to achieve a better work-life balance and pursue other passions or hobbies.<\/p>\n As a freelancer, you may experience the dreaded: Clients delaying payments. This can cause some financial difficulties, especially if contracts state that payments are Net 30, sometimes even Net 60.<\/p>\n That said, you must have a clear payment policy in place and (regardless of how mean you might sound over email) follow up promptly if you don\u2019t receive payment on time.<\/p>\n Competition looks like a lot of things when you\u2019re a freelancer, so I won\u2019t drag this one out for too long.<\/p>\n However, I will say this: The freelancing market is a highly competitive space, especially in popular fields like content strategy, copywriting, or graphic design.<\/p>\n This can make it difficult to stand out and find clients. To combat these expected hurdles, I propose building an exquisite portfolio that illustrates what kind of work you do and the results it\u2019s produced, get some client testimonials to feature on your website or LinkedIn, and create packages that are tailored to specific opportunities (i.e., if you\u2019re a copywriter, I suggest making a package of social media copy, a package for website and SEO copy, etc.)<\/p>\n As a freelancer, you\u2019ll often find that the expectations of your clients will shift. A lot. Probably more than you\u2019d think.<\/p>\n They may change their minds about the scope of a project, request additional features, or have new ideas that didn\u2019t occur to them initially. This can be challenging and time-consuming, requiring you to constantly return to the drawing board and make edits and adjustments as needed.<\/p>\n Just like Jim, as an entrepreneur, you have the unique opportunity to create a company culture that aligns with your values and goals.<\/p>\n This can lead to a more fulfilling and enjoyable work environment for both you and your team.<\/p>\n Building a strong team of talented individuals can provide you with the support, expertise, and motivation you need to succeed.<\/p>\n Plus (and more on this later), just as Jim has shared, a team that is aligned with your goals and values can help you achieve your business objectives more efficiently and effectively.<\/p>\n Being an entrepreneur allows you to invest in opportunities<\/a>, partnerships, and people that could put you and your company on the map.<\/p>\n By building a reputation for early adoption or risk-taking through the choices you make, both financially and strategically, you can position your company for success.<\/p>\n Starting a business often requires significant financial resources, which proposes several barriers to entry for many entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n Additionally, depending on the industry, there may be numerous regulations and permits that you need to obtain before you can start your business. This can be frustrating and costly, making it more difficult for your company to reach a respective market.<\/p>\n Hiring and managing employees can be time-consuming and challenging, especially on your own. You\u2019ll need to develop effective hiring practices, provide training, and manage employee performance.<\/p>\n \u2026Or you can take Jim\u2019s advice from above and find an excellent employee to do all of this for you. Either works.<\/p>\n As an entrepreneur, you\u2019re going to get used to wearing multiple hats, juggling countless tasks, and working long hours to get your business to where it needs to be. And, you may not notice it weighing on you at first, but you\u2019ll feel it at some point.<\/p>\n This relentless pace could potentially lead to burnout, especially if you\u2019re not taking care of your physical and mental health.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n GrowthHit is a growth team specializing in running growth experiments for businesses. GrowthHit sits at the intersection of web design and optimization, growth marketing, and creative services.<\/p>\n Although the GrowthHit team is small (currently, there are fewer than 50 employees, which is pretty damn impressive), its achievements certainly aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n Thus far, the GrowthHit team has generated over $247 million in revenue, and that\u2019s just from running tests for enterprises nationwide. Some of those companies include Panera, Sephora, WeWork Labs, Tech Stars, and General Assembly.<\/p>\n Those names are only a few out of the 114 businesses that GrowthHit has been able to assist through its radical methods for, as Huffman puts it, \u201cleading with strategy, not execution.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n When it comes to \u201cleading with strategy,\u201d Jim has many guiding principles, most of which are anchored in how, as an entrepreneur, he chooses to approach both organizational leadership and client acquisition.<\/p>\n Here are a few of them that I gathered from his conversation, that I figured would be the most useful and actionable for aspiring entrepreneurs and freelancer folks:<\/p>\n \u201cJunior people can work but they require hand holding,\u201d Huffman told Trends.co<\/a>. And while Huffman\u2019s words may seem harsh, they\u2019re not as cold as they seem once you get to the bottom of his logic.<\/p>\n You see, if you break his philosophy down a bit more, you\u2019ll find that Huffman\u2019s concern is not with, literally, junior employees \u2013 they\u2019re not bad at their jobs or anything \u2013 it\u2019s with the level of work they\u2019re likely to produce at the stage of development that they\u2019re probably at.<\/p>\n \u201cThe right senior hire will do your job five times better and grow revenue [at the same time],\u201d he elaborated.<\/p>\n According to Huffman, senior-level employees will remove problems from your plate because, considering where they\u2019re at in their professional careers, they are skilled at doing so.<\/p>\n Jim revealed one of his close-kept secrets for doing work well: \u201cBuild a one-person sales team off of a tech stack,\u201d Jim mentioned to Trends.co.<\/p>\n If anything, I think this piece of advice may be one of the most important, especially for my freelancers out there. Don\u2019t do more work than you have to, especially if most of your energy should be spent searching for the leads that matter.<\/p>\n Now, in Jim\u2019s case, he uses Zapier<\/a>, Superhuman<\/a>, Qwilr<\/a>, and Mailshake<\/a> to help him work smarter, not harder. Every tech stack looks different based on the needs of the person behind them. However, starting with a CRM may be a good place to start \u2014 I suggest HubSpot\u2019s<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you want the key to controlling work culture, Jim says you should start with the small things, not the big ones. \u201cGet tactical about the habits that make up your culture, then applaud them,\u201d he recommended.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s Jim\u2019s specific guide to making GrowthHit one of the best places possible for his employees to work and, of course, produce quality results:<\/p>\n Plus, he added this gem: \u201cThe best thing that you can do for A-players is hire other A-players that are aligned in their values and reason.\u201d Jim\u2019s perspective demonstrates that building a well-oiled company starts with attention to detail and a commitment to creating a supportive, inspiring ethos that employees can not only follow but witness tangible impact from.<\/p>\n This tenet is directly connected to the previous one. According to Jim, \u201cIf you want A-players, give them a lifestyle you would want.\u201d<\/p>\n Truthfully, you can do this however you\u2019d like. Maybe this looks like paying for top employees\u2019 dinners, or even tacking on an extra remote day to their hybrid work schedule.<\/p>\n However, for Huffman, this looks like \u201cgiving spot bonuses to employees that over-deliver and push the business forward.\u201d<\/p>\n Huffman\u2019s bible for delivering on things like company culture, scaling, and ROI is truly full of awesome takeaways.<\/p>\n\n
From Freelancer to Millionaire Entrepreneur: Key Milestones<\/h2>\n
Key Milestones for a Freelancer<\/h3>\n
1. You\u2019ll land your first client (silent applause).<\/h4>\n
2. You\u2019ll get a steady stream of clients.<\/h4>\n
3. You may (or may not) choose a niche.<\/h4>\n
4. You might start looking for some backup.<\/h4>\n
Key Milestones for an Entrepreneur<\/h3>\n
1. You\u2019ll launch your first venture; you\u2019ll feel totally awesome.<\/h4>\n
2. Your business will pick up some momentum.<\/h4>\n
3. You\u2019ll overcome some major obstacles.<\/h4>\n
4. You may decide it\u2019s time to say goodbye.<\/h4>\n
Freelancing Pros and Cons<\/h3>\n
Pro #1: You choose how the money goes into your business.<\/h4>\n
Pro #2: You get to level-up your skill set.<\/h4>\n
Pro #3: You can do things when you want, how you want.<\/h4>\n
Con #1: You might have some trouble collecting your coins.<\/h4>\n
Con #2: Freelancing is a dog-eat-dog world, which is something you\u2019ll have to get used to.<\/h4>\n
Con #3: You\u2019re going to have to deal with shifting expectations.<\/h4>\n
Entrepreneurship Pros and Cons<\/h3>\n
Pro #1: You can build the work world you want to see.<\/h4>\n
Pro #2: You can lean on a team that you trust.<\/h4>\n
Pro #3: You can make the investments you\u2019ve always wanted.<\/h4>\n
Con #1: Higher barriers to entry.<\/h4>\n
Con #2: You\u2019ll have to hire and, subsequently, fire.<\/h4>\n
Con #3: You might burn out faster than you\u2019d think.<\/h4>\n
What is GrowthHit?<\/h2>\n
GrowthHit\u2019s Playbook<\/h2>\n
1. Hire senior people, not junior people.<\/h3>\n
2. Leverage tech to be a one-person sales org.<\/h3>\n
3. Culture is everything.<\/h3>\n
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4. Embrace results (not hours) and give generously.<\/h3>\n
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