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5 years ago already, I have started my company and become an independent.
A lot has happened in those 5 years, and I’ve been lucky to experience so much. Even though I’m personally not very good at looking back at my own achievements, I’m still pretty proud that after 5 years I’m still going strong, that I’m able to pay my rent every month, and that I can see growth.
It’s definitely not always easy, and at times it takes a toll on my mental health, but I’m still glad I took the step to start freelancing 5 years ago.
In those 5 years I haven’t just created beautiful videos, I’ve given workshops to young people on creating videos, gave private lessons to people wanting to learn videomaking, made reviews, written an article and more.
How do I see the next 5 years? No idea, I’m already happy if I know what next week will look like
Big milestone đź‘Ź Staying independent for 5 years is no small feat. Consistency & resilience quietly compound over time.
Thanks Abhiram! And definitely!
Appreciate it Jesse! Consistency like that is rare — excited to see what you build next.
This is such an honest and grounded reflection. 5 years of showing up, paying the bills, growing, and still choosing the work even when it’s hard, that’s real success. Congrats on staying the course and creating impact beyond just the work itself.
Thank you so much for your kind words Oluwatoyin!
The network for creativity
Join 1.25M professional creatives like you
Connect with clients, get discovered, and run your business 100% commission-free
Creatives on Contra have earned over $150M and we are just getting started
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One month after launching my new portfolio, I’m redesigning it. Here’s why.
I published a site I was proud of (1st photo). It was visually striking and leaned into my graphic design roots. I followed good practices, but after reviewing the analytics, the numbers proved my approach wrong.
It was a tough pill to swallow, but it reminded me: evolution happens when your brain does the work, not your ego. My design was loud, fighting for attention instead of showcasing the work. So I started over.
I pivoted to a simpler interface (2nd photo). I stripped heavy graphics, shifted to lighter tones, and focused on UI/UX. The goal was a clear structure, letting my projects speak for themselves.
I’m putting the finishing touches on this minimal version.
Design is an infinite process. We test, we learn, we drop our egos, and we iterate.
Love this mindset.
That transition from “visually proud” → “performance-aware” is where real product thinking begins. Analytics often tell a very different story than aesthetics.
Curious what patterns stood out most.
Here's how I got 90K views on LinkedIn in the past week.
I posted every single day, replied to every comment, and focused on two types of content: entertaining and informative.
For entertaining posts, I leaned into 1-liners. They stand out on a platform that takes itself too seriously, and people can't help but engage with them.
For informative posts, I kept it simple: short sentences, straight to the point, no buzzwords, no jargon.
That's the formula: short sentences, real value, genuine engagement. Do that consistently and the views will follow.
52K members reached? Nice! I'd be willing to say engaging with people is a huge component in growth.
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