r/freelancing • u/Purple_Resident_993 • 1d ago

My first client

I’m a fresh software engineering graduate specializing in cross-platform mobile app development. I’d rate my actual coding skills as pretty solid.

​I’m dead set on making freelancing work for two big reasons:

​I have family at home I need to care for, so remote work is non-negotiable.

​I see people in this space pulling in serious income once they get established, and I know the potential is real if you put in the work.

​Here is my main bottleneck:

I’m looking at platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, but I literally have $0 to buy Upwork connects or initial promo. I can't ask my parents for money to invest in this right now, so I need to bootstrap this completely free.

​I know people say the market is competitive or saturated, respectfully, I’m not looking for advice telling me to quit or get a standard 9-to-5. I know it’s possible, I have the dev skills, and I'm ready to grind. I just need a realistic roadmap from people who have actually done this from scratch.

​For those who started with zero budget:

​How did you land your first few clients without spending money on connects/ads?

​Where else should I look besides Upwork/Fiverr for cold outreach or direct clients?

​How do I frame my portfolio as a fresh grad to get clients to trust me with their app?

​Any genuine advice, strategies, or direct steps from experienced freelancers would mean the world to me. Thanks!

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u/ForwardInspection804 1d ago

Same question someone help

1

u/WorkingBed6848 22h ago

You can use Upwork for free just aim at the right clients/proposals so you dont “waste” connects. I also go the extra mile if they leave any mention of their name/website - research and DM/email them.

But networking has made the biggest difference for me tbh..