Why solopreneurs don’t have to chase retainers

And why project-based work might actually be the safer bet

[Photo: treety/Adobe Stock; zhane luk/Adobe Stock]

Anna Burgess Yang is the author of Work Better, a newsletter about the future of work, career pivots, and why work shouldn't suck.

When I first started my freelance writing business, I assumed I should find clients who would put me on retainer. The appeal seemed obvious: steady income for me, predictable working relationship for the client. I even knew how to structure retainer agreements based on my prior roles at marketing agencies. 

But a few months into a solo career, I was willing to take any work that came my way. Which was primarily project-based work, not retainers. I quickly built a business based on ad hoc assignments from many clients, rather than relying on a few. 

The conventional wisdom would say that I was “doing it wrong.” Every solopreneur forum, coach, and freelancer community says the same thing: Lock in recurring clients. But after three-plus years of running my solo business on almost entirely project-based work, I’ve found the opposite to be true. Chasing retainers isn’t the only path to a stable solo business … and it might not even be the best one.

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Thoughts on the future of work, career pivots, and why work shouldn't suck, by Anna Burgess Yang. To learn more, visit workbetter.media.

The case against putting all your eggs in the retainer basket

Retainers feel stable, but they can create real risk in your business. If one or two retainer clients make up the bulk of your income, losing one creates a giant hole. And, depending on your work, that hole might not be easy to fill immediately. 

The “stability” of retainers is often an illusion. You’re dependent on a small number of clients continuing to renew, and the decision might be outside your control. Budgets get cut. Leadership changes. Priorities shift. None of that has anything to do with the quality of your work.

Retainers can also be a harder sell. When budgets are tight, asking a potential client to commit to a six-month engagement is a bigger ask than scoping a single project. That’s how I found myself with almost entirely project-based work. It lowered the barrier to entry: It was easier for a potential client to say yes to one deliverable than to an ongoing commitment. Clients can flex up or flex down how much work they send me, depending on their current needs. 

How project-based work builds a stronger foundation

When you don’t have retainers to fall back on, you’re forced to create habits that actually sustain a solo business, including: 

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