Reflecting on the shift from agency politics to freelance autonomy over the last five years

I used to navigate endless office meetings and hierarchical approvals just to push a simple project forward. Ngl, going solo removed those layers but introduced a whole new set of pressures around self-motivation and client trust. Honestly, for those who made a similar leap, what aspect of corporate life do you surprisingly miss or not miss at all?

4 comments

4 Comments

nelson.daniel3mo ago

What if we're seeing a whole generation choose uncertainty over soul-crushing bureaucracy? That says something pretty damning about how we've structured work, doesn't it?

nancyhernandez3mo ago

Disagree completely about missing any piece of the corporate structure. Found the endless meetings and approval layers weren't just inefficient, they actively bred creative stagnation and cynicism. The pressure of running my own show is real, but it's an honest pressure tied directly to my own decisions and output, not some manager's mood or quarterly politics. That direct line of responsibility to a client, without a bureaucratic filter, is liberating even on the hard days. Don't romanticize the cage just because flying solo requires stronger wings.

the_laura3mo ago

Remember the hidden toll of solo decision fatigue, @nancyhernandez.

-1

kellyjones1mo ago

You said not to romanticize the cage, but honestly, I miss the structure. The endless meetings were awful, but being completely alone now means every single problem stops with me. There's no team to bounce ideas off of when you're stuck. That direct line to the client is great until you're the only one taking the heat for a late delivery. The corporate filter was annoying, but it also spread the blame around sometimes. Flying solo is freeing but it can be really, really lonely.