The First Break

Ethan woke up with the weight of disappointment still pressing on him. His phone was clutched tightly in his hand from the night before, and with a quick swipe of his thumb, he refreshed his freelancer dashboard—still nothing. He let out a sigh, pushing the frustration aside as he forced himself to get up and start his day.

In class, he couldn't focus. His mind was racing with ideas—how could he make his profile stand out? Was it the way he described his services? Maybe he needed to upload more samples of his work, but how could he do that without any initial clients? The cycle of doubt was getting to him.

During his break, Ethan dove into freelancer forums, looking for advice from others who had been in his shoes. One recurring piece of advice kept popping up: offer free or discounted work in exchange for reviews. It wasn't glamorous, but it was a way to get the ball rolling. At this point, he had nothing to lose.

That evening, back in the computer lab, Ethan took a deep breath and revamped his profile. He created a simple portfolio—mock designs, a sample article, anything to make him look like he had more experience than he did. He then posted on several forums, offering his services for free in exchange for honest feedback.

Hours passed with no replies. Doubt crept in again, but he reminded himself that this was just the beginning. It wasn't going to happen overnight.

Just before midnight, a notification popped up on his screen.

"Hey, I need a simple logo. Can you help?"

Ethan's heart skipped a beat. This was it. His first chance. Without hesitation, he shot back, "Of course! What kind of style are you going for?"

The client replied with a few details, and Ethan dove straight into the work. He poured all his focus into it, tweaking and refining the design long into the night. When the sun began to rise, he was finally ready. He submitted the logo, his hands shaking as he hit send. He had no idea what the client would think, but he hoped it was enough.

Hours later, a new notification appeared.

"Thanks, man! This looks awesome. Left you a 5-star review."

Ethan's grin stretched across his face. It wasn't paid work, but it was a start. Proof that he could actually do this. And proof that this was just the beginning.