Freelancing has no map. Here’s how to chart your own path.

Freelancing is a life lived on shifting ground. One day, your inbox hums with possibilities; the next, it sits in silence. It’s a path paved with uncertainty, yes, but also with possibility. For those who step into it, freelancing is less a career than a way of being. It requires an openness to the unknown, a willingness to say yes before knowing exactly how. Whether you’re a writer, designer, filmmaker, or working in any other independent field, freelancing is a continuous process of learning, evolving, and forging meaningful connections.

Guneet Monga knows this well. An Academy Award-winning producer, she carved her way through the industry with persistence and instinct, learning on the job, finding opportunity in unexpected places. For her, freelancing is about stepping in, figuring it out, and letting the work lead you forward. We caught up with her at CultureCon 2024, an annual gathering of artists, creators, and cultural leaders powered by The Art X Company and Festivals From India, where she shared what it takes to build something lasting in a world that offers no guarantees. From navigating uncertainty to building a network, certain themes stood out in our discussion, offering practical, hard-won insights into making a freelance career work. Here’s what we took away:

Building Skills by Saying ‘Yes’
Starting out as a freelancer often means stepping into the unknown. While the appeal of autonomy is strong, success requires more than talent. It demands perseverance and a willingness to embrace uncertainty. Early on, projects may not always be ideal. Some might be low-paying, brief, or even outside your comfort zone. But each experience helps you sharpen your skills, gain confidence, and grow your portfolio. The freelancers who thrive are often those who understand that learning happens on the job and that even small projects can lay the groundwork for bigger opportunities. “”It is an art but one has to learn the art. Put in the time. It is not copy paste. Like we discussed in the panel you cant be a shadow of somebody you have seen. Its a beautiful industry to be part of, but be ready to work hard. A lot of us start as freelancers and for freelancers to sustain, you have to be a self-starter. You have to be optimistic about saying yes to opportunities,” says the acclaimed producer.

The Quiet Work of Building a Network
Freelancing is solitary, but it isn’t done alone. The people you meet, the ones who pass your name along, the ones who invite you in, matter as much as the work itself. “When I came to Bombay, I did all my meetings in a food court at a mall,” Guneet recalls. “I only knew technicians like light vendors and catering vendors, and they introduced me to assistant directors, who then introduced me to directors.. You start building your network.”

You make a connection, follow the thread. You send the email, show up for the meeting, shake the hand, remember the name. While this might sound unappealing to those of us who recoil at the thought of networking. You have to expand the meaning of the word. Networking is not all forced handshakes and transactional exchanges. It is about building a presence, a reputation, a body of work, a name that people trust. And over time, the calls start coming to you.

Learning the ropes through Internships
“Be open to internships,” Guneet advises. “I started interning at 16. I worked on international films, took whatever opportunity I could. I’ve been in news, journalism, video, music videos. Then I found my voice and my work in films. Wherever you can, get out there and get on the floor.”

Internships, paid or unpaid, offer something beyond just a line on a résumé. They are a way in, a chance to observe, to learn, to be in the room before you fully step into the industry. They give you access too, to processes, to people, to the way things actually work. And for freelancers, who don’t follow a single fixed path, these early experiences can help shape the one you carve out for yourself.

Living With the Uncertainty
Some months, the calendar is packed, the checks arrive on time. Other months, the work slows and the inbox stays still. The unpredictability is part of it. Learning to manage these cycles is essential, Guneet hints at this when she says, “There’s no fixed standard starting pay,” says Guneet. “It could range from ₹15,000 to ₹30,000 when you start off. It’s very dynamic, there is no rule. I often struggle with explaining this because there are other industries that will offer you much higher when you begin. But here, the growth is amazing if you have talent and know how to harness it. This is a city of dreams, and you can’t put a number on it.”

The security of a salary doesn’t exist here. Instead, there’s the rush of the big project, the slow inhale of the in-between. You learn to plan for the quiet stretches, to make peace with the unknown, to trust that more work will come.

Always, Always Learning
While finding work is a major preoccupation for any freelancing another constant is to refine your craft, stay curious, keep your senses open to the world around you. This business involves all your senses.

You read. You watch. You ask questions. You pay attention to shifts in the industry, to new ways of working, to what sets great work apart from the rest. The best freelancers know that growth goes beyond honing your skill, it involves seeing more, listening better, stretching yourself and your craft beyond what you already know.

It’s a philosophy that runs through Guneet Monga’s work. Her company, Sikhya Entertainment, takes its name from the idea of lifelong learning. As she puts it, “This business involves all your senses… It is a piece of art that needs education and awareness.”

The Long Game
As the cliche goes there are no shortcuts in freelancing. It asks for discipline, patience, the ability to keep going even when the next job isn’t yet in sight. But for those who stick with it, freelancing offers something rare: creative freedom, a career built on your own terms, the satisfaction of knowing you made it happen yourself.

Start small. Say yes. Follow the thread. Build the thing that only you can build. It won’t happen all at once, but little by little, day by day, a career takes shape. You build something that only you can build. And that, in the end, is the reward.


Also read:
Culturecon returns to Mumbai
Crafting Serendipity where Nitya Iyer of Serendipity Arts Festival discusses her journey in festival programming and production


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