Can I work as my sole proprietor business on Upwork?

[liquidfractal]

Hello,

I'm obviously new to Upwork and wondering if it's possible to work under the identity of my sole proprietor business (i.e., with my business logo as profile image, my business name as ID)?  I understand one can do this with a Client account when hiring, but it's still unclear to me whether or not one can submit proposals and apply for work using an account which is defined by one's business.

I also understand that there may be pros and cons with this strategy (and would welcome any discussions on the topic), but right now I'm wondering if it's possible to do this at all.

Thanks in advance!

[AveryO · Accepted solution]

Yes, Gord! You can do that through agencies.

Agencies are freelancer accounts that can add team members to work on projects together. The agency can have several freelancers in its team. On agency proposals and contracts, the client will communicate with either the agency owner, a Business Manager, or the agency freelancers working on the project. This all depends on how the agency is arranged. 

In addition, agency contracts are paid to the agency itself, not a specific agency member. The agency then pays its members off-platform for the work they perform for the agency at rates negotiated among them.

You can visit Upwork Help to read up on articles about creating and managing agencies. I have added some here: 

• About Agencies
• Create an Agency
• Add or Remove Agency Members
• Agency Profile
• Agency Proposals and Offers
• Agency Contracts
• Agency Finances

Here are some resources you may want to check out: 

• Starting an Agency? 5 Things to Consider First
• From Freelancer to Agency: Is it the Right Move for You?

I hope this helps!

[liquidfractal]

Awesome!  Thank you so much for your time and assistance, Avery!

[liquidfractal]

Upon researching the agency option, I do have another question: if I do create an Agency account, what happens to the current Connects in my account?  Do I lose them, or can I carry them over into my sole-proprietor agency?

Thanks again!

[PradeepH]

Hi Gord,

Thank you for your message. Your existing Connects on your freelancer account can be used to apply for jobs on your freelancer account. You can move to an agency or use them to apply for jobs for an agency account.

Thank you,

Pradeep