Back in 2019 I had to pick between a steady retainer or chasing my own projects

A local agency offered me a 20 hour a week retainer for social media work, which felt safe. The other option was saying no and trying to build my own content strategy packages from scratch. I took the retainer, and it paid my rent for a year but also ate up all my creative energy. Looking back, I wish I'd used that time to build my own thing, even if it meant a leaner few months. Now I'm trying to shift back to my own services, but it's harder to find clients. Has anyone else gotten stuck in a comfy retainer that held them back?

3 comments

3 Comments

kaih9424d ago

That safety net becomes a cage real fast. It pays the bills but steals the time you need to build something better. Getting out is always harder than staying in.

lunag3024d ago

Sometimes that cage is the only thing keeping you from a free fall. It buys you time to figure out the real plan.

spencer_davis25d ago

Ugh, the safety net tax is real. That steady cash makes your own hustle feel optional until it's not.