Freelance to Freedom: The Roadmap for Creating a Side Business to Achieve Financial, Time and Life Freedom
Reviews (427)
Freelance to Freedom: A Game-Changer for Those Wanting a Better Life
I was a struggling entrepreneur when I found this book and philosophy of life. Vincent taught me WHY I struggled. I was NOT an entrepreneur at all. I was a freelancer. Once I got a hold of that simple fact, it set me free to apply my natural gifts of creativity, strategic planning, and analysis toward my FREELANCE goals. - I dug in deeper on paying off our family debt, having paid off $17,000 since beginning this book in 2016. - I optimized my freelance cleaning biz to work 1.5 days for the same income I used to earn at 5, thus moving me from Phase II to Phase III of Vincent's 5 Phases. I am so close to Phase IV right now and enjoying the smallest fruits of freedom! - I have better health, better relationships, and less stress in my life so I can be more present for my wife and 5 kids. This book is not meant to be read, rather STUDIED and APPLIED. Here are my favorite parts of the book, hopefully Vincent won't mind the quotes - "Every day of my life has been today. Not yesterday or tomorrow; not the past or the future. It’s just today. And if you make today better than yesterday, the past will be quickly forgotten and the future will become incredibly bright." "Lincoln told the group that having an independent livelihood was at the center of the American Dream. That the only reason to work for someone else was to get your feet under you, figure out what people needed, and then go set up shop for yourself. He wanted you to create a life of personal sovereignty, liberty, and unmatched freedom. It was almost insulting to work for someone else for an extended period of time." I truly believe this book should and will hit the national best-seller list because it is a unique hybrid of Dave Ramsey's "The Total Money Makeover" and Tim Ferris's "The Four-Hour Work Week". Plus, I love Seth Godin's work and he endorsed this book personally. That was another reason why I wanted to read it so bad!
Don't read unless you want solutions
I was busy, and I didn't have the time to sit down and read another debt solution book/self-help book when I got this, but I made the mistake of opening it to see if I thought it would be any good. Several hours later, I was nearly through it, growing excited at the hope it gives to anyone who truly wants the freedom being out of debt gives. As I read the gripping tale of Vincent and his wife dealing with anxiety and frustration of debt, a growing family, and limited job opportunities, my mind returned over and over to Henry David Thoreau’s well-known quote, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country . . .” How many people go through life day by day with no real hope of ever getting out of the rut life has become? Zig Ziglar used to say a “rut is just a grave with the ends kicked out.” The simile is apropos, for so many give up and live that life of “quiet desperation.” Vincent and his wife found their way out of that desperate lifestyle. Easy? No. Nothing in life of any value is. Doable? Absolutely, and even better than just telling their story of getting out of debt—including their mortgage—in only four years, he tells us how we can do it, too. By each of us becoming a photographer? No. We must discover our own gifts and abilities that have been sublimated to the 40-hour workweek (Is there such a thing anymore?) and then put those gifts and abilities into practice and live lives of discipline. Or as Dave Ramsey so aptly phrases it, “Live like no one else, so that later, you can live like no one else.” I’m more than familiar with the principles Vincent laid out in this book, but I learned much from him. His storytelling draws you in, and before you know it, you’ve absorbed another lesson, and you have to set the book down and ponder for a bit. If you are looking for a magic solution to debt and a life of ease with no discomfort, don’t bother picking up this book. However, if you really want to find a way to live the life you’ve always dreamed of, you will learn much here.
The book that has been missing about getting out of debt has finally been written, and it's excellent
Vincent Pugliese offers a perspective in "Freelance to Freedom" that has been missing in almost all books about getting out of debt. Where most other books talk about the mechanics of getting out of debt, with budgets and spreadsheets and quantitative methods, Vincent shows a glimpse of how to actually DO these things, and how he's done it with his own family. Vincent takes you on a journey of financial freedom that begins with WHY, and leaves no important question unanswered. One of my favorite quotes from the book is "The key to financial success is not your income, it is your intensity. But the key to success in life is your health and your relationships. I can’t emphasize enough to not lose sight of that." This is something that, while I am on my own journey to financial freedom, is at the heart of what I'm trying to learn and apply. And the best part of this book is the power that can be unlocked by APPLYING what you learn from Vincent. This is one of the most practical, applicable financial books I've ever read.
A fun, fiscal autobiography to help you overcome your own debt issues!
Spoiler alert number 1: There's a happy ending, great lessons learned and he shares them all in-easy-to-digest steps. Spoiler alert number 2: Make no mistake, if you are in any significant debt, then you have a lot of relearning and bad habits to overcome. We are all the result of our own decision making, for good or for bad. Let's face it, we can all use some help, and who better to learn from than someone who has faced self-made disasters at every turn, but actually learned from his mistakes. What Vincent has written is basically a fiscal autobiography where the lessons aren't saved for the end, they are on every page, in the form of personal, sometimes funny anecdotes. More importantly, he presents a step-by-step formula for success, modeled on his own experience. Now a successful, award-winning photographer and business coach, he was once on the fast road to oblivion. As a teen, his know-it-all attitude led to constant frustrations and bad choices. Like many of us, he struggled with direction in life until he finally found his passion – photojournalism. But, as he shows, you can't live on passion and credit cards! When circumstances (expanding family, job frustrations, home improvements, etc) started to weigh down his ability to enjoy life and get ahead, he and his wife were forced to reckon with their relationship with money. To get out of debt, you have to do a major gut check and commit to breaking bad habits. And his short book lays it all out in easy to follow steps. There's no sales pitch here, people. No overnight success. Truth be told, the deeper your hole, the more digging out you're going to have to do. But it is so worth it and Vincent makes the journey a little less painful!
Be Ready to Take Action
I really enjoyed this book because the author adeptly mixes in the tale of his journey from being a working stiff to becoming a business owner while offering concrete advice about developing the freelance and entrepreneurial mentality. You won't get detailed info about a particular business or niche, but this book isn't about that because it is applicable to many kinds of businesses. The takeaway from Vincent Pugliese's book is that to be a successful entrepreneur you need to identify a path to success, prioritize the tasks needed to get you moving along that path, and build relationships. Perhaps my favorite nugget in this book is Vincent's hour of giving back--every day he spends at least an hour doing things for others because relationships, gratitude, and support are so important. I knocked one star off my rating because the manuscript could have used a closer copyedit (some grammar and style errors bugged me) and a tighter line edit (some of the storytelling meanders too much). But these are quibbles. If you are seeking inspiration and motivation to get off your ass and build something, you'll get a lot out of this book.
Practical motivation!
After reading this book, you will be motivated! First, you will be motivated to simply get out from the bondage of debt. He shares his story and then shares how it is possible for anyone to get out of debt. But they first must be motivated, which Pugliese certainly does. They he motivates you on how to get out from a job that one dislikes but thinks is needed for financial security. When one realizes that it is not real security, that securing your own future in your own way is the only way then one can become truly free to do as one sees fit. Pugliese certainly motivates you to do that. He shows how he was able to become truly financially free, and how you can, too. With financial freedom comes freedom to spend YOUR time the YOU choose, not how an employer or anyone else chooses. What a motivating book!
Absorb this book and reset your family 's course to freedom
Vincent Pugliese’s Freelance to Freedom will be the best book you buy and absorb this year. Freelance to Freedom will lead you to reevaluate where you invest your time and spend your money, and help you to think through intentionally designing the future you want to live. It will then help you to take action and pursue your desired future. You will likely see yourself as Vincent and his wife Elizabeth wake up, transform their thinking and pursue a better life. You’ll experience first hand their family’s financial mis-steps, the upstream struggle against what is considered normal, and the victories and setbacks they experience on their journey to freedom. Vincent does not hold back. He details the struggle he and his wife had coming to terms with each other and with their financial reality. He makes the pathway to freedom clear by revealing the tough work, mindset shifts and overcoming cultural resistance it took to gain their financial freedom. Vincent reveals the real undertow of our cultural acceptance of debt as normal, and their battle against the attitudes of their friends and family. Debt may be normal, but it is not the pathway to wealth and freedom. Vincent and Elizabeth’s experiences make for a powerful model to follow for your financial independence. Their struggle will inspire you to lay aside doubts of “can we do this?” and replace your uncertainty with determination to change the course of your family for the better. Be prepared to take notes and answer the thought provoking questions sprinkled throughout the text designed to help you move forward. If you take the time to “work" and not just “read” this book, you will be richly rewarded. It is clear as you read Freelance to Freedom, Vincent has your interests at heart as your mentor and coach throughout these pages. He wants you to evaluate where you are and then help you move forward from debt to freedom, taking control on your terms with clear, reachable objectives. This book will be a blessing to you and your family. Read it, absorb it, do it. - Rick
The practical guide to success and freedom!
Vincent Pugliese does such an amazing job at sharing his families story. He does this with inspiration and practicality. You would think this is going to be like any other entrepreneurial book and just get you hyped about making money. Well I was pleasantly surprised!!! It starts out with his story of getting out of debt, and the power and freedom that can bring. It is amazing to me that he started there, and it really opened my eyes to pushing harder to financial freedom, not just more income. In this book he showcases sacrifice and dedication. There were moments when I laugh, when it made me think, and when I could feel his and his families pain. Vincent not only writes about amazing things like giving back, he lives it! I have had the privilege of following him online and he is a man of action. He is always helping others grow and does it so sincerely. This is the handbook that should have been written a while ago! It took an amazing family to live an amazing story to be able to help us all out. I highly recommend you read it and share it with others. I will be buying a bulk order to give away. That is how much this message resonated with me.
Awesome personal story that is relatable to the everyday person on an entrepreneurial journey
Are you searching for a reference that will help you on your entrepreneurial journey? Wondering what the difference between being an entrepreneur and freelancer is? Look no further. Freelance to Freedom is the answer to many of your questions. Vincent Pugliese takes the reader along his very personal journey of becoming a successful freelance photographer. He shares his dreams and goals. Better yet, he shares his fears, his worries, his concerns. The book offers valuable information such as how to obtain health insurance, retirement savings, and taxes. Those key items we all look for in our employers to provide for us. Information not often written about in the majority of self-employment literature. From the moment I started reading, I was pleasantly surprised that I found I was lost in the author's story. It was like watching a film. A young kid who thought he knew it all to realizing he had to do something with his life and taking control of his destiny. The love he has for his wife and sons is felt with the drive he has to provide for them. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who desires a honest guide to becoming a freelancer. I would also recommend this book for those seeking motivation in starting a small business. His honesty is refreshing.
Come on in; the water's fine!
The Puglieses went from working shifts around the clock at a daily newspaper to living a life of freedom that most people only dream about. Author Vincent Pugliese says, "Neither of us had any business sense, and we obviously weren't awesome with money" at the beginning. But all that changed. At age ten, Vincent Pugliese tasted entrepreneurial life as he delivered newspapers and performed odd jobs, including dressing as Santa Claus. As an adult, he and his wife amassed the typical albatross of debt, and when their first child came along, they decided they had to achieve a debt-free lifestyle. It wasn't an easy ride, but they did it together and came out wealthy on the other side. Vincent helps others do the same thing. I love the conversational tone of this book. It's like I'm having coffee with a friend and listening to him share his story and lessons learned. One of the best quips from this book: "Get comfortable being uncomfortable." Why would he say that? Winners do the things that others aren't willing to do. The author chose to miss out on something he'd wanted his entire life, just to keep from derailing their journey. It paid off beautifully. Would you trade a year of exhaustion for a lifetime of freedom? If you have the guts to ignore the naysayers and delay gratification, join us in the land of time freedom. Begin your journey from freelance to freedom, and look out for the brown M&Ms along the way—something you'll understand after you've read the book.
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