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lenaellis
Community Member

Meet Featured Contributor Mark F

Meet our Community Featured Contributor Mark, a software developer from Kansas who doesn't like crowds but ironically loves Walt Disney World! Mark thanks for all of your contributions here in the Community. 

 

markf.png

 

What is your first name?
Mark

 

What job category do you work in?
Software Development

 

When did you begin using Upwork?
I created my account just over a year ago on July 4th, 2018. I had lost five different potential projects in the same week and was really in need of some work. I had honestly never considered it a viable option for me until someone on Quora convinced me to try it.

 

Tell us a little about yourself and how you got started Freelancing, or running your business online?
I had false started working freelance in 2010 after my second client offered me a “real” job and I took it because I really liked the team I was working with. Six years later they laid me off. After a mourning period, I called my favorite recruiter on the way to lunch and told her that I really did not want to work FOR anyone anymore. She said that they do not get many 1099 jobs, although as it happened, they had one just that day but they wanted Java (which I don’t do). 

By the time I had finished lunch they changed it to .NET (which I do do). 

 

What do you enjoy the most/least about working online, Mark?
I am, by preference anyway, an introvert so I find it surprising how much I miss co-worker interactions. I find myself talking way too much to people who just want to cut my hair or whatever and get on with their lives. I used to make fun of my dad for being like that.

I really enjoy the freedom to do whatever I want; when I want. For example, my wife works for a large cinema chain so I can see any movie I want for free, pretty much any time. I often go alone though because when I am free most people are at work.
Just a few weeks ago I spent the last day before my kids went back to school doing whatever they wanted, which mostly consisted of playing Astroneer. I really appreciate being able to do that.

 

What was your most successful project/contract?
Really my most successful project ever was finished just two days before I was laid off. Just four months before it had been shown to all the employees of the company, touting it as that year’s most important technological achievement and I had turned to my friend who had worked on it with me and muttered these immortal words “I guess they can’t get rid of us now.” Irony.

It was a great project and I did great work on it and it taught me many important lessons. I really want to bring it up because it reminds me exactly what the free part of freelancer means to me.

 

Do you have any advice for other users on Upwork?
I believe mindset is really important and my preferred mindset is that I own a business that caters to other businesses. We have to both market and sell our product and we have to give serious consideration to who are customers are, and, perhaps more importantly, what customers we do not want.
I think starting out you should make it a point to study how Upwork works (not just the rules but that is very important) and then figure out how to make it work for you.

 

We want to know at least two fun or interesting things about you 🙂
I am crazy about Walt Disney World. I hate crowds, heat, and other people’s noise so it makes no sense that I would ever want to go there. What I end up doing is planning the trip to an insane extent, just so that I can avoid crowds, heat, and other people’s noise. One could argue I could just save myself the trouble and not go and the most rational explanation I can give is that I enjoy checking out of reality. But if I am being honest, it may just be that I am in an imaginary competition for the best WDW vacation and believe I am winning.

I have not done a lot of international travel but one of the countries I have been to is Lebanon, which, I guess, is unusual. I was there the day the Israeli’s finally left and, as my flight out was the next day, was really worried they were going to bomb the airport as a parting gift. I had a great trip but I was ready to head home. One of my regrets in life is backing out of going to Egypt from there because I would have been going solo.

Untitled
11 REPLIES 11
wendy_writes
Community Member

Mark, you are one of the most appreciated contributors to the forum. Your comments are always worth reading 'cos they're a marvelous blend of wisdom and subtle snark.

 

Upwork is more than lucky to have convinced you to don the cap of Featured Contributor.


Wendy C wrote:

Mark, you are one of the most appreciated contributors to the forum. Your comments are always worth reading 'cos they're a marvelous blend of wisdom and subtle snark.

 

Upwork is more than lucky to have convinced you to don the cap of Featured Contributor.


Thank you very much!

 

Didn't take much, I am very needy.

LOL  Smiley Very Happy

"I find myself talking way too much to people who just want to cut my hair or whatever and get on with their lives."

Haha!

 

Congratulations, Mark.

"Certa bonum certamen"


Mark F wrote:

Wendy C wrote:

Mark, you are one of the most appreciated contributors to the forum. Your comments are always worth reading 'cos they're a marvelous blend of wisdom and subtle snark.

 

Upwork is more than lucky to have convinced you to don the cap of Featured Contributor.


Thank you very much!

 

Didn't take much, I am very needy.


Yeah I got the feeling you lobbied for it mercilessly.... 

mtngigi
Community Member


@florydev wrote:

Wendy C wrote:

Mark, you are one of the most appreciated contributors to the forum. Your comments are always worth reading 'cos they're a marvelous blend of wisdom and subtle snark.

 

Upwork is more than lucky to have convinced you to don the cap of Featured Contributor.


Thank you very much!

 

Didn't take much, I am very needy.

 

 

I like to think Upwork saw my comment about making the "Featured Contributor" announce a link, instead of making us search for it. Didn't quite recognize that photo of you, but when I did, I clicked and here I am. Thank you Upwork.

 

Now, on to more importants comments:

 

"By the time I had finished lunch they changed it to .NET (which I do do)".

 

When anyone uses the phrase "do do" ... it makes me laugh.

 

That's it, congrats Mark ... over and out.

florydev
Community Member


Virginia F wrote:

@florydev wrote:

Wendy C wrote:

Mark, you are one of the most appreciated contributors to the forum. Your comments are always worth reading 'cos they're a marvelous blend of wisdom and subtle snark.

 

Upwork is more than lucky to have convinced you to don the cap of Featured Contributor.


Thank you very much!

 

Didn't take much, I am very needy.

 

 

I like to think Upwork saw my comment about making the "Featured Contributor" announce a link, instead of making us search for it. Didn't quite recognize that photo of you, but when I did, I clicked and here I am. Thank you Upwork.

 

Now, on to more importants comments:

 

"By the time I had finished lunch they changed it to .NET (which I do do)".

 

When anyone uses the phrase "do do" ... it makes me laugh.

 

That's it, congrats Mark ... over and out.


I will literally do anything for a laugh.

 

I frequently don't recognize photos of myself because in my mind...I have hair.


Mark F wrote:

Virginia F wrote:

@florydev wrote:

Wendy C wrote:

Mark, you are one of the most appreciated contributors to the forum. Your comments are always worth reading 'cos they're a marvelous blend of wisdom and subtle snark.

 

Upwork is more than lucky to have convinced you to don the cap of Featured Contributor.


Thank you very much!

 

Didn't take much, I am very needy.

 

 

I like to think Upwork saw my comment about making the "Featured Contributor" announce a link, instead of making us search for it. Didn't quite recognize that photo of you, but when I did, I clicked and here I am. Thank you Upwork.

 

Now, on to more importants comments:

 

"By the time I had finished lunch they changed it to .NET (which I do do)".

 

When anyone uses the phrase "do do" ... it makes me laugh.

 

That's it, congrats Mark ... over and out.


I will literally do anything for a laugh.

 

I frequently don't recognize photos of myself because in my mind...I have hair.


LOL
How are you doing? Many queries?

I hope they don't have you so busy that we have to do without you in the forums.

 


Maria T wrote:


LOL
How are you doing? Many queries?

I hope they don't have you so busy that we have to do without you in the forums.

 


Not bad at all really.  I just pass them all on to Petra.

faysalhasan59
Community Member

I'm really inspired after reading the post regarding the "Featured Contributor Mark". I wish for him to achieve more success in the future. And got some tips from here that will work for me. Smiley Happy

d8591d8e
Community Member

Yes I saw him ,he is great contributor in upwork blog

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