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How we started working for ourselves

I often wonder what it took for other freelancers and work-from-home bloggers to get started. It's not easy quitting your day job to work for yourself, but that big step makes for a great story. Apparently I'm not the only one who's curious about this either. Sharon started a group writing project themed "getting our blogging start". So here's our story.

Before I start, this story is the same for both me and Justin, we worked at the same place, quit at the same time and still work together. So when I say me, I mean we (except where I say we).

I was a server at a restaurant for about four years before I quit to work for myself. I always wanted to start my own business, but I was young and didn't know exactly what I wanted to do. After a few years of serving I couldn't take it anymore, and I had to find something else. I also have a problem with authority and I hate taking orders from other people.

In the first seven months of 2007, we started building websites and promoting them. Anything to get some sort of passive income going while we kept our day jobs for money. Things started very slowly, and I got discouraged a few times. "Maybe I can't make a living online after all". It just felt like I didn't have enough time to make websites, promote them enough to make money, and keep working my day job. That's probably why it took me seven months instead of say, three.

At the beginning of June, 2007, we were making about $100 a day doing freelance web design work, passive income on our blogs, and other random computer work. It might not sound like a lot, but working as much (or little) as I want, and getting paid on days I take off, I was satisfied enough to quit my day job! June 16, 2007, I gave my boss two weeks notice and didn't look back. In August 2007, we sold one of our more popular websites for $2,000 which gave us "that feeling". The one you get when you make a risky choice, and you know it's going to pay off.

We built our business on a few picture blogs that grew tremendously in the last year. The income we earned from those blogs gave us the freedom to start growing our real business. Twins of Tech web design and programming. We're still young as far as freelance "work for yourself at home"-ers are concerned, but we're doing well. The first year was so exciting, filled with tons of ups and downs. I can hardly wait to see what the next year brings.

Share your story about how you got your blogging start.

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