It Took Me 4 Years To Find My Niche
I tried it all — Writing, Dropshipping, Graphic Design, Research.
There’s no such thing as a perfect niche.
But there is such a thing as a niche that works for you.
Don’t worry, I’m not trying to sell a 5-step formula to find the best money-making niche out there.
Today we’re driving down memory lane.
It’s a gist of my niche-hunting for the past 4 years and how I ended up where I am now. It’s a long one so fasten your seatbelts and take the buttered popcorn out of the microwave now.
In 2019, I started freelance writing.
I’ve always been an insecure writer.
There are a lot of ideas in my head but I feel like somebody else can write it better than me.
A friend of mine hired me to write 4 articles a week for his affiliate marketing website. In no time, I was writing about vegan cleaning products, best bluetooth speakers, and dupes for Le Labo scented candles.
I was incredibly scared of being judged by how I write.
I’m glad I started.
If it wasn’t for my friend, I wouldn’t have taken writing seriously in the first place.
In 2020, I was dropshipping on Instagram.
I took advantage of the crazy dog parents (disclaimer: I am one).
You won’t find it anywhere anymore, but I was the person behind The Paw Aesthetic. I sold bandanas, leashes, harnesses, glasses, clothes, and toys for dogs. It was crazy fun.
I watched so many YouTubers succeed in dropshipping — how they created a successful dropshipping business in 2 hours, spent zero dollars on ads but still made profits, and earned a billion dollars in their sleep (okay, maybe I’m exaggerating).
And I was there, sitting at home, with a profit of only $47.
It sucked. I failed at dropshipping. I wanted to love it but I couldn’t.
I gave it up but I’m not a quitter. I just know which battles I should keep fighting and dropshipping was my losing game.
In 2021, I moved to the bigger marketplace.
I wanted to get paid for what I do, by people who needed me.
Selling service instead of products.
So I pulled out my laptop, set up my Upwork and Fiverr account, verified my details, and hoped for the best.
The result?
- I got hired to write website articles
- I completed over 14 orders on Fiverr
- I was offered a contract job by a PR agency
Upwork story:
My first writing gig on Upwork was interesting, to say the least. I wrote about stress balls and got paid $20 USD for each 1200-word article. It was interesting because you don’t get many chances to write about something as mundane as stress balls.
I was happy writing, but even happier solving problems.
So that’s when I decided to explore my other love — market research.
Fiverr story:
I offered my ‘clear and comprehensive market research’ services and clients started coming. They weren’t a lot, but they were enough to keep me going (and bills paid).
Because I wanted more, I offered graphic design services too.
I earned over $2,000 USD in 2021 working side gigs on Fiverr. Looking at it now, it’s actually not much. I could easily spend the same amount in a month.
My first contract job story:
I wasn’t getting enough traction on Upwork. I found myself aimlessly scrolling through and collecting dust on my ‘connects’.
Then I found this job posting from a PR agency. I applied for it and was hired a month after.
It was a great opportunity, but it was also demanding.
I was paid handsomely, surrounded by encouraging and intelligent workmates, and had freedom to create a system that supported the company.
I terminated my contract after a year and a half. Crazy, right?
Freedom was in creating a system that supported me. In this pursuit, I had to let go of this job to do something for me and not for anyone else.
In 2022, I was officially a market researcher.
Qualitative, to be exact.
It was a cool tropical morning when I woke up to a new message from a client asking me to discuss an opportunity to work together for long term.
I was like, “Omg. Life loves me right now.”
And life really proved that true.
In no time, I was talking to my new client on LinkedIn and we worked on one of the best market research projects I’ve done in my years of freelancing.
- I worked at my own pace, at my own time
- I was paid monthly, without any Upwork & Fiverr fees
- I was genuinely, incredibly happy
For as long as we live, experiences will flow through us like wind. But there will be certain experiences that’ll change something in us forever.
I knew that,
- I was good in qualitative market research
- I understood how to write
- I’m a freelancer
So, I asked myself: Why not put yourself out there, you know? Probably build in public?
I had a eureka moment.
That’s when I decided to face my fear of being seen.
Here comes 2023.
My first year of ‘being seen’.
- I sent my first tweet
- I started writing on Medium
- I activated Creator Mode on LinkedIn
- I built my newsletter (and sent my first issue, too)
The best part about all this is I found my niche, or niches actually.
I also made sure my niches supported me and helped others.
Qualitative market research
This niche is for my clients. I help them get insights that matter. I’m talking about insights from real people that are so valuable that numbers and statistics can’t grasp this level of value.
Content writing
This niche is for my fellow freelancers. I want to be seen because I want to
- show you the good and bad of freelancing
- help you build a profitable & rewarding career
- create actionable and accessible tools to help you start
It took me 4 years to realize this but I’d say I had a good run.
Like I said, I’ve tried it all (almost). From writing, dropshipping, graphic design, and research.
If you’ve found your niche, congratulations to you.
If you haven’t, everything’s going to be okay.
There’s really no ‘one best way’ to life. All you gotta do is start doing something and you’ll find a niche that works for you.
The trip ends here. Thank you for reading and spending time on this space.
If you enjoyed this story, you’ll love the 7 things I wish I knew before I started freelancing.
