This will be my personal analysis, based on 18 years of experience running my one-person business. While it may have some universal appeal, I assume that every entrepreneur, even in the same industry, has their own unique experience.

I’d be lying if I said that all 18 years of freelancing were great. I’m far from pretending that everything was always perfect. In fact, anyone who runs a business—regardless of its size and structure—knows that things can be unpredictable.

The simple division into advantages and disadvantages is rather conventional. However, the reality is more nuanced. What may be a disadvantage now can cease to be one over time. Over the course of these 18 years, there are areas that have clearly caused me difficulty, or sometimes even felt like a burden (or as we now like to say, a “challenge”). On the other hand, there are aspects of the freelance life that I value above all else.

So, I’ll highlight the positives where I’ve done well and the negatives where I’ve struggled.

DISADVANTAGES

Solitude of the solo entrepreneur.

I do work with people, but these are typically task-based interactions, such as photo shoots. When I talk about loneliness, I mean the time spent working on the planning and strategy of the business—the things that are often invisible to others. Without me, nothing happens.
There are moments when the knowledge that everything rests on my shoulders becomes overwhelming. This is when fatigue or even burnout sets in. There have been times when I’ve felt stuck, unable to find solutions or muster the energy to move forward. Where do you draw from when you run out of strength, energy, or knowledge?

There are several ways to cope, and I make use of them. I draw knowledge from podcasts, books, and lectures. I can also arrange consultations with a business mentor to work on what’s not working. There’s also a helpful form called a mastermind group, where a small group of entrepreneurs work together to grow their businesses. Or, I can attend various networking events for business owners.
(I’ll write separately about where I go, what I listen to, and what I read to find support.)

So, there are ways to prevent loneliness, but perhaps the most valuable are deep relationships— even friendships—based on similar business experiences. Having someone like that by your side is priceless.

Lack of predictability in orders.

I’ve found that the phenomenon of a ‘regular client’ is extremely rare. Of course, there are times when I work with companies for longer periods, but this doesn’t guarantee consistent cooperation or that it will last for years.

Let me start with the frequency of assignments. When I worked primarily as a reporter, I serviced companies that more or less frequently organized or participated in events—conferences, meetings, trade fairs. Sometimes, I would work with a company several times a month. This predictable rhythm made it easier to anticipate the upcoming weeks.

In portrait photography, the rhythm is different—much less frequent. There are companies I work with for portrait sessions of new team members, but this is typically on a quarterly or semi-annual basis, and the assignments tend to be smaller.
A brand new portrait session might only happen every year, two years, or even three years.
So, every month, I need to attract completely new clients.

Also, it’s unwise to assume that the clients you have now will be there forever. It’s best not to get too attached to the idea of a ‘regular client.’ Why? It’s easy to lose orders in this industry.
All it takes is a change in the marketing department, and the new management may bring in their own contacts. Suddenly, you’re out of business.
(There’s a flip side to this, though—I’ve also followed clients to their new roles, so it works both ways.)

In portrait photography, clients may want to experiment with different styles, so they might work with other photographers to benefit from varying perspectives and techniques.

Photography is often considered a luxury service. When a company starts cutting costs, photography services are often the first to go.

One particularly unpleasant situation occurs when, after years of regular cooperation, a client switches photographers without a word of farewell. Unfortunately, I’ve experienced this. So even a (supposed) good relationship doesn’t guarantee anything.
But perhaps the most egregious—dare I say, exceptionally nasty—situation is when a fellow photographer, a friend even, approaches your client and offers their services, taking your work away from you. Sadly, I can confirm that I’ve experienced this as well.

Inability to scale the service.

My capacity is limited. I can only take on as much as I can fit into the time I allocate for work. I’ve learned to respect my leisure time—no more working evenings, weekends, or holidays. I try not to exceed my full-time working hours.

Years ago, I made the decision to focus on being an author, creating my work personally, and developing my personal brand. This means I don’t hire another photographer to take portraits for me. While this has its advantages, it also means I can only take on a certain number of portrait sessions, which affects my income.
That’s why I don’t negotiate my prices—I’d have to work more for less. Instead, I’ve structured my pricing so clients can choose different levels of service, from a quick session for a single portrait to a full-day session with multiple shots.

There are other ways to scale a business—such as creating online products based on my knowledge and experience, or selling physical products—but with portrait photography, scaling isn’t possible. This is why diversifying your revenue streams is essential. Relying on just one source of income can lead to a ‘no work, no pay’ situation.

Tax burden.

Every solo entrepreneur in Poland, especially those in the craft-based industries or running micro-businesses, knows how disproportionate the tax burden can feel. I’ve experienced this during the lean months when costs eat into my income.
There are more favorable tax systems than Poland’s, and probably worse ones too. But I live here, and I have no influence on the system. It’s frustrating at times when I consider how inadequate the self-employment model feels.

There’s a meme online that says: ‘To prepare for his role as a mental patient, Joaquin Phoenix registered a company in Poland for a few months.’ 😉

BENEFITS

Organizing my time as I wish.

I love this! Each of my days can look a little different. If I have a session, I work the hours agreed with the client. If I don’t have a session, I operate based on the number of commitments related to preparing photos for clients and other professional tasks.
I’m good at organizing myself, so I handle a variety of tasks without struggling. There’s an element of self-discipline, but I also listen to my flow. If I’m focused and productive, I work at full speed. If I’m tired, I take a break—go for a run, have lunch, or decide to finish for the day, knowing I wouldn’t be able to focus effectively.
Sometimes, I take a day off during the week, like going to the mountains.

I don’t make a note of the seasonality of my work, so I don’t face long periods without assignments. Some months are intense, while others are quieter. When it’s quiet, I tackle items from my ‘to-do’ list or write blog posts. I like the variability.

I don’t think I could ever go back to a traditional full-time job. I’m much more suited to independent project work. I enjoy the multitasking, the movement, and also the comfort and focus of working at my monitor.

A sense of freedom in decision-making.

I admit, a strict structure isn’t for me. Knowing that I am in charge of myself and can make my own decisions is a model I feel comfortable with.
Of course, it has its downsides—such as the loneliness of being a solo entrepreneur—but overall, I see unfettered decision-making as an advantage.

Sense of empowerment.

It’s a rewarding feeling to know I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. I’m demanding of myself, more so than many bosses or managers would be.
I’ve learned to take responsibility for myself, not blaming others. If I fail at something, I learn from it and move on. I’ve come to see this journey as an adventure, a chance to change and grow. That’s what happens when your work is driven by passion. I wouldn’t want to spend eight hours a day in a job I don’t enjoy.

The ability to choose assignments and clients.

I’m fortunate to work with clients I’m on good terms with. It’s rare for me to meet someone who feels like they’re from a completely different world.
My ‘blacklist’ of clients is short—only a few companies have made it on there, mostly those who dragged out payments indefinitely. In a few cases, there were severe misunderstandings and we completely diverged in our expectations. However, these situations are rare, and I haven’t had such issues in recent years.
I’m also aware that I don’t have to work with everyone. I can choose not to enter into a partnership if I feel something isn’t right.

I’ve focused on portraiture, even though I have experience in other fields—such as reportage, architecture, and interior photography. Portraiture is what resonates with me most, and it’s what I want to continue developing. While I occasionally make exceptions, my focus remains firmly on portrait photography. That’s a decision I’ve made.

Personal brand development and recognition brings many surprises.

Over time, I’ve become recognized as a specialist in what I do. Portraiture, for me, is not just about the photographs but also the human relationship. I’m particularly interested in the topic of self-acceptance and view people more deeply. I’m also involved in the arts and culture scene.
This has led to invitations to speak at events, participate in discussions, and contribute to the press, internet, and radio. I always happily accept these invitations.

As I celebrate my 18th anniversary, it’s a time for reflection. Not only on my current professional life but also on the journey ahead—an adventure that, I’m sure, will bring many more changes and surprises.

I have a lot going on at the moment, I am processing a lot, and changes are bound to come, because they are already happening. It is difficult for me to clearly define what shape will emerge from these changes. Maybe diametrically different from the present, maybe only slightly altered.

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You can find the texts in this series under the ‘I have a company‘ category. Or click the tag: 18.

It is this December (2024) that the company I founded in 2006 celebrates its 18th birthday. And actually I’m celebrating this birthday, because in the case of a one-person business, combined with a personal brand and being an author, the company is me.
Over these eighteen years, I have accumulated a whole bagful of experience. My business has gone through several transformations, I’ve caught up with crises and doubts, and I’ve also enjoyed a huge number of successes.
In all this time, photography has been my only source of income.
I don’t know if I can count how many people I have photographed, how many events and places.

Of course, a one-person business isn’t just – in my case – about photographing and post-processing. It’s also a huge amount of work: communicating and meeting clients, running the website, social media and the shop, writing the blog, running workshops, dealing with documentation (invoices, contracts, etc.), promo activities, strategy and trying to get away from the day-to-day to draw visions and plans. It’s also personal development, education, new competences.
And a whole bunch of crap, such as servicing my car (which is my work tool, after all), taking care of the studio or running to the parcel machine with a delivery. So it’s not just a crap.

To celebrate my anniversary, I have decided to write a series of texts about how I run my business, what difficulties I have encountered and what goes lightly. Where I get my inspiration from and where I look for answers. What values do I hold dear. What my typical working day looks like – do I even have such a thing as a typical working day. And I’ll probably catch a few more ideas in between. I’m not going to sugarcoat it, I’ve experienced some total fuck-ups 😉 Fortunately, moments of elation and happiness were more frequent.