Randy McCabe left Google to become a freelancer. The specialist assures that he became 100 times happier and in five years he earned more than $1 million on Fiverr. How did he do it?
Randy McCabe left Google to become a freelancer. The specialist assures that he became 100 times happier and in five years he earned more than $1 million on Fiverr. How did he do it?
Due to stress and lack of flexibility, Randy, a 36-year-old marketer from Seattle, quit his corporate job and found balance in freelancing. McCabe shared with Business Insider four strategies for successfully transitioning from corporate work to freelancing.
Randy worked at Google for almost two years, starting in 2016 as an account manager. The staff, he says, were friendly, the directors encouraged growth, and the on-site gym and free food were fantastic. But when his position was outsourced, there was an opportunity to consider joining other teams. And instead, the man resigned
He found a new job, then gradually started working as a freelance digital marketing specialist, and later started his own digital marketing agency.
Working in companies caused Randy stress. After Google, he joined cybersecurity startup Skybox Security as Digital Marketing Manager. But the rigid schedule from eight to five left little room for flexibility in personal life.
When a man was preparing to launch a big project, he found himself staying in the office late night after night and continuing to work from home. Urgency and deadlines from management made Randy feel constantly tied to work. He was stressed, knowing that asking for time off might upset management.
Eventually, he switched to freelancing when he noticed other internet marketers working on the side. F
Randy started freelancing on Fiverr in 2018. He liked the platform, because it gradually gave him the impetus to develop his business, keeping the main work at the beginning. It took about a year to get going, and within a year and a half, Randy made his first $100,000 on Fiverr.
When COVID started, the man was fired along with the entire marketing department from Skybox. «Fortunately, I built strong relationships with clients on Fiverr, which gave me the confidence to make the transition to freelancing full-time,» says Randy.
One of the most difficult challenges in transitioning from corporate work to freelancing was the uncertainty of a guaranteed monthly salary, he says. «However, once I switched to Fiverr full-time, I was consistently achieving over ~$300,000 in annual sales,» shares the marketer.
After six months of freelancing, Randy also launched a digital marketing agency called Exo Agency.
Currently, he is still working with Fiverr and an agency. «It was one of the best decisions I ever made,» says the man.
He singled out four helpful freelancing strategies that helped him earn seven figures in five years on Fiverr.
Define a niche. With a background in marketing and experience at Google, Randy decided to focus on providing services for setting up and managing Google Ads campaigns for small businesses. He delved into understanding customer needs to differentiate himself and grow revenue on the platform.
Demonstrate skills and experience. Randy has created a comprehensive portfolio of works. One of the projects he included in his portfolio was a marketing campaign that resulted in a 30% increase in sales of a client’s product. The inclusion of this campaign in the portfolio proved creative abilities and showed the direct impact of the specialist’s work on increasing the client’s income.
Promote your services. To promote himself and his Google Ads and SEO services, Randy created a Photoshop poster that effectively demonstrated the value of his services. «I’ve included the Google Partner badge in Google Ads, showing that I’ve met all the requirements for performance, ad spend, and certification,» noted the specialist. This has led to an increase in the number of requests and revenues from the services provided through the platform.
Stay organized. Randy ensured he met all deadlines and delivered high quality work using a project management tool. «I actively use Google Sheets and Google Calendar in my daily work to meet all deadlines and pay special attention to each project. This level of organization and attention to detail allowed me to take on additional projects and ultimately increase my freelance income,» says the former Google employee.
Randy says he’s 100% happier now than he was before because he’s self-employed. «I have better control over my schedule and can balance work and personal life more effectively. I decide when to take a break and take care of myself without feeling guilty or worrying about not being available to my clients. I also have complete control over the amount of work I take on, allowing me to focus on customer service and results. As a result, I am not only more productive, but also more satisfied in my personal life,» says the specialist.
