Keeper Community Spotlight: Addison Freeman

by
Paul Koullick
Updated 
August 2, 2024
Icon check
Reviewed by
Tax guide
Keeper Community Spotlight: Addison Freeman
Summary:
Videos on this topic

Contents

The Keeper Community Spotlight series highlights awesome freelancers using our business expense tracker, their stories, and advice to others.

Addison, thanks for being here! So, how did you get into freelancing?

Thanks for having me! To begin, I spent years as a full-time employee first in IT Consulting and then at a web development firm. I hated the bureaucratic aspect of a traditional 9-to-5, but I always loved to build and to create. Freelancing has given me the space to do it on my own terms, as a part of a lifestyle I really enjoy. 

And you’re also part of a traveling band?

Yes! I’m a musician and the cellist in a four-person folk music band, The Riverside. We’ve been traveling across America for the past two years with a pretty rigorous touring schedule, so it has become a huge part of my life. All the while I kept up my freelance programming on the road.

Wow, what a combination. How do you manage both of those?

Community Spotlight:

Well, it can be hectic. I generally do my development work in the mornings, and music gigs in the evenings. Sometimes one of those will spill into the other, though, and I'll have to take a work call from the back of the van, haha. 

How do you find clients?

I started off using online marketplaces for new jobs, but today most of my work comes from repeat clients. It’s so much easier and less of a hassle to work with people you already trust. Then when billing and contracts come into play I’d rather not risk it with more unknowns.

{email_capture}

Any advice for others trying to break into freelance web development?

Well, two things: the first is to find a niche. Mine, I’ve fallen into, is doing chrome extensions. I’ve gotten pretty handy with WordPress and anything involving JavaScript too but there are a lot of people building websites. If you can become really good at something unique then you’ll become the go-to professional for that service.

The second is to value your own time. I started off charging far too little and it sent a signal to my customers that my time wasn’t valuable. Since raising my fees, I feel like the work I’ve been doing has also become more interesting and I’ve been treated more like a thought partner along the way.

Let’s talk about taxes. How were you dealing tracking expenses before Keeper?

Yeah, it was hit-and-miss. For a while I was trying to use Quickbooks but it just wasn’t for me. It was just a lot to get acquainted with. I have a very specific need - I just want to keep track of expenses. I don’t have a complicated payroll or inventory like a traditional business. All of the products I used were overkill for my needs, and time-consuming.

I feel like I’m in this middle ground. It’d be good to have a bookkeeper, but it would be expensive and probably overkill. I just remember thinking, “I need something simple.”

{upsell_block}

How would you describe Keeper?

It does one thing — tracks expenses — and then it gets out of the way. It’s not another app to constantly check in on. It’s an easy interface — text messages — that doesn’t require too much babysitting. It’s like hiring a bookkeeper without all the hassle. They have so many useful tools like their free 1099 tax calculator.

{write_off_block}

Thanks so much for being part of the community!

Absolutely. I appreciate what you’re doing to make the freelancing lifestyle more enjoyable and manageable. Thanks!

Want to read another community spotlight? Here's Brandons.

Paul Koullick

Paul Koullick

websitetwitter-link

Paul Koullick is the co-founder and CEO of Keeper. He's committed a decade of his career to the consumer tax industry, and has been quoted as an authority on taxes in U.S. News & World Report, Vice, Forbes, and others. Paul holds an A.B. from Harvard University, and loves jogging and chess.

Estimate tax saving

Over 1M freelancers trust Keeper with their taxes

Keeper is the top-rated all-in-one business expense tracker, tax filing service, and personal accountant.

Keeper Community Spotlight: Addison Freeman
Keeper Community Spotlight: Addison Freeman

Over 1M freelancers trust Keeper with their taxes

Keeper is the top-rated all-in-one business expense tracker, tax filing service, and personal accountant.

Keeper Community Spotlight: Addison Freeman
Keeper Community Spotlight: Addison Freeman

Over 1M freelancers trust Keeper with their taxes

Keeper is the top-rated all-in-one business expense tracker, tax filing service, and personal accountant.

Expense tracking has never been easier

Keeper is the top-rated all-in-one business expense tracker, tax filing service, and personal accountant.

Get started
Free Resource
I’m a self-employed ...
Lyft / Uber driver
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Actor
Adult entertainer
Airbnb host
Amazon Flex driver
Artist
Athlete
Attorney
Audio engineer
Beekeeper
Blogger
Brewer
Car rental provider
Caterer
Chauffeur
Chef
Childcare provider
Chiropractor
Cleaner / housekeeper
Commercial painter
Community manager
Computer technician
Construction contractor
Consultant
Content creator
Costume / fashion designer
Customer support specialist
Delivery driver
Dentist
Designer
Dog walker
Doula
Electrician
EMT
Esthetician
Event planner
Exterminator
Farmer
Financial advisor
Firefighter
Florist
Hairstylist
HVAC technician
Insurance agent
Interior designer
Ironworker
Janitor / custodian
Lab technician
Landscaper
Lifeguard
Loan officer
Lyft / Uber driver
Machinist
Makeup artist
Marketer
Massage therapist
Mechanic
Medical biller / coder
Model
Mover
Musician
Nail tech
Notary / signing agent
Nutritionist / dietitian
Oil / gas contractor
Online seller
Personal concierge
Personal trainer
Pharmacy technician
Photographer
Physician
Plumber
Pressure washer owner
Property owner / real estate investor
Railroad contractor
Real estate agent
Recruiter
Referee
Salesperson
Security guard
Social worker
Sommelier
Streamer
Sports coach
Tattoo artist
Teacher / tutor
Therapist
Trader
Travel nurse
Translator / interpreter
Truck driver
Veterinarian
Virtual assistant
Web developer
Wedding planner
Welder
Writer
Yoga teacher

At Keeper, we’re on a mission to help people overcome the complexity of taxes. We’ve provided this information for educational purposes, and it does not constitute tax, legal, or accounting advice. If you would like a tax expert to clarify it for you, feel free to sign up for Keeper. You may also email support@keepertax.com with your questions.