One year ago, I walked out of my corporate job and into the wild west of crypto freelancing.

Today I make a living working with top web3 teams, creating content and helping people stay safe onchain. 🛡

Here are 15 things I wish I knew before going full-time crypto in 2024 🧵

🛡️ I teach Web3 wallet safety so you don’t learn it the hard way
📣 Content 
@RevokeCash
 🧠 Educator 
@BoringSecDAO

🗣️ Ambassador 
@ChainPatrol

1. You don't need a huge audience.
Clients come from the right followers, not from vanity metrics.
A tight 4-figure following in the right niche can open every door you need.

2. Your network is your net worth.
Sounds cheesy, I know.
I had already built a bit of a presence before quitting my job, but the real growth came after. Crypto is still small, and those relationships snowball once you start connecting with people.

3. Get paid in stables.
Learn this before the market teaches it to you.
If you're paid in volatile tokens, and they drop 50% overnight, you're still taxed on the full amount.
🇩🇪 readers: That's "Zuflussbesteuerung" and it hits hard if you're not careful.

4. Have an emergency fund.
Freelance life = variable income.
One slow month shouldn't force you back into a 9 to 5.
Your buffer lets you pay taxes, cover surprise expenses, and buy tools without worrying about rent.
Give yourself some financial breathing room. Your mental health will thank you. 🧘‍♂️

5. Aim at least for 1.3 - 1.5x your old salary.
Self-employment means extra costs:
Taxes, health insurance, business fees, pension, and maybe a Chamber of Commerce fee (Gewerbesteuer, IHK in 🇩🇪).
You'll need to earn more than your old salary to cover all the extra responsibilities.

6. Set deadlines.
Yes, even for yourself.
No boss means no structure. Some days, being your boss makes it harder to keep the ball rolling.
For me, fixed dates and self-imposed deadlines are the only ways I keep projects moving forward.
Deadlines create momentum.
Otherwise, you'll lose full days to "just checking X and YouTube for a minute". 🤡

7. Use proper invoicing tools.
Write invoices on time.
Track payments.
Use software that fits your workflow.
If the customer support sucks? That's a dealbreaker. Switch quick. It's not worth the hassle. I already switched my bookkeeping software.

9. Talk to people regularly.
Working from home all year sounds nice - until you realize the only communication all day was text.
It's easy to lose touch. Keep your social life alive.
Even better: Talk to others who are on similar self-employed paths, even if they're not in crypto. Exchanging thoughts helps more than you think.

10. Learn to say 'No'.
You didn't leave your job to say yes to energy drainers (and certainly not wallet drainers).
If a client relationship, sponsorship, or project doesn't align with your values or feels off - walk away.
Trust your gut. You're here to enjoy building your legacy, not recreate corporate stress with your own logo.

11. Get your tax ID situation right.
If you're in Germany 🇩🇪, apply for a USt-ID early.
It unlocks VAT handling, makes you eligible for an input tax deduction (Vorsteuer), and helps with EU invoicing.
I started as a small business owner (Kleinunternehmer). Wouldn't do again.

12. Health insurance & retirement are now your job.
In 🇩🇪, you want to notify your insurer early.
You cover pension contributions yourself.
Wherever you are: Do your research. These things won't sort themselves out anymore.

13. Sell outcomes, not hours.
Whenever possible, sell the result, experience or value you provide. Not your time.
Tracking hours across multiple projects is a fast track to burnout.
I've been there. Build around deliverables, not time sheets.

14. Post platform-native.
I've spent days editing videos that flopped on X.
Meanwhile, threads take hours and get 10x the reach.
If you love video, that's perfectly fine. Just focus on YouTube.
X is thread-first. Treat video as a bonus here.

15. You never start from zero again.
Crypto is uncertain. Clients and tokens can vanish overnight.
But the skills you gain? They compound.
In just one year, I leveled up my English, copywriting, video editing and social confidence.
Even if everything reset tomorrow - I'd still have my skillset.

Bonus: One year out of corporate. I have 0 regrets.
I was afraid I'd look back and wonder "What if I had just tried?"

Not gonna lie, it's hard to show up on some days. But not a single day has felt like work to me in the past year.

Thought about taking the leap? This is your sign.
Thinking about going full-time in crypto? My DMs are always open. ✉

Lastly, want to work Wii Mee? 😉

Over the past 12 months, I've worked with:
RevokeCash
BoringSecDAO
FairsideNetwork
TheReplyGuyAgency (aka kelano_eth)

If your brand needs help with content, comms, or community - I'm one DM away.

8. Good tools save time and sanity.
Your tool stack matters, especially in crypto.
Use a crypto tax platform asap (I use Koinly).
It'll save you days come tax season. Especially helpful when you're paid in USDC but need to invoice in €.
No more digging through charts or awkwardly justifying random numbers to your accountant.