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contentproserv
Community Member

Should I start an agency?

Hello everyone,

 

I have some questions about how to use Upwork to integrate into my business model.  I've searched for this type of info but I'm still not 100% clear on it...so I would appreciate any help or feedback that anyone can give.

 

My daughter and I have started a content business.  Our agreement is that I would own the business and handle all of the business details.  I asked her to come on board because she is a published blogger that has expertise in topics that I don't.  For example, I can write on music and B2B stuff for management but she writes for several well known wedding websites and has her own lifestyle blog.  The intent was to open up the scope of what the business could deliver to clients.  The arrangement is that she will be an independent contractor for me.  I would do the searches for leads, submit proposals, etc...that is, I'll get the work and pass it on to her if she'd do a better job on the topic than I would.

 

From an Upwork standpoint I would like to brand ourselves as our company name and have me do all of the proposals.  The only way I can see that happening is to create an agency with me as the owner and her as one of the freelancers (she would be the only one as I have no intent of expanding...at least for now).

 

The problem that I am seeing is that Upwork seems to be more "personal" based in that clients want to interact directly with the freelancer doing the work.  I've read a million posts and articles elsewhere where clients say they avoid agencies like the plague.  That's disappointing as it seems like just the stigma of having "agency freelancer" assigned to our individual profiles will turn people away.  I have no intention of being unethical and projecting that I will be doing the work for a client when she will be.  Her portfolio is awesome but well-branded to her name...so it's not like I would place those examples under my own profile.

 

Has anyone out there run into the same situation?  How did you handle it?  Am I making any sense?!?

 

Thanks in advance - looking forward to some guidance from the pros here on the forum!

 

Best regards,

Jerry

2 REPLIES 2
AveryO
Community Manager
Community Manager

I think you are on the right track, Jerry. If you think you and your daughter have the right skills and experience for the job, you should be able to show that on your proposal. 

When sending out proposals as an agency, you have the option of sending the proposal on behalf of your agency freelancer; or your agency freelancer applying for the job post itself. You may read more about agency proposals here.

 

On this link are other help articles that will hopefully help you get started as an agency.


~ Avery
Upwork

Thanks for the reply.

I guess my biggest fear is that of clients hating agencies. Sure, I can spin a proposal any way I want...but if a client won’t even consider an agency then aren’t I just wasting my time? Do clients have the ability to filter out proposals from agencies where they don’t even see them?

Thanks
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