🎙 Speaker Presentations
Before diving into their insights, let’s meet the panelists.
Audrey is a freelance front-end designer and developer currently based in London. Originally from Montreal, her journey took off in Shanghai, where she first got hooked after attending a Le Wagon landing page workshop. After completing the bootcamp in 2017, she turned freelancing into a full-fledged career.
“I was freelancing so much I didn’t have time to look for work.”
Cecilia is a classical guitarist and historian from Chile who transitioned to tech during the pandemic. After attending a coding bootcamp for women in Latin America, she began working remotely and hasn’t stopped moving since.
“It’s been three and a half years right now… I have lived and traveled and worked as a solo traveler mainly from thirteen different countries.”
Ines is a political science graduate turned freelance web developer. After working in marketing and for Le Wagon itself, she took the part-time web dev bootcamp and embraced a new career path.
“At the end of the bootcamp, it was very clear for me that I wanted to do more coding and make it a career.”
Why freelancing and remote work?
Each speaker shared unique motivations behind choosing freelancing and remote work. For Ines, it was about gaining freedom and flexibility:
“I wanted to have more time to do other stuff than working, like hiking, climbing, and being outdoors.”
Cecilia craved deeper cultural experiences:
“I really need a place that is quiet… but I was really looking for a more local experience.”
Audrey added a practical layer:
“I kind of fell into freelancing… It has allowed me to move from country to country without it taking too much of a hit on my client base.”
Le Wagon played a pivotal role in these transitions, providing both skills and community. “Meeting people that had this kind of lifestyle… showed me that it was possible,” said Ines.
What does a typical day look like for a digital nomad?
Spoiler alert: there’s no typical day.
Cecilia debunked the biggest myth:
“People usually think that digital nomads are always on vacation… but my real life is work. A lot.”
She tries to carve out free time by reserving Monday mornings and Friday afternoons to explore.
Ines agreed:
“There is no typical day… Sometimes I’ll take the afternoon off or a day off. When I have a lot of work, I just work more than a typical full-time employee.”
Audrey, now running a company, notes that flexibility comes with admin:
“Every time I’ve had to move somewhere I’ve had to… legally set up the corporation and then the accounting that goes along with that.”
Finding belonging in a nomadic life
Despite constant movement, the community remained central.
Cecilia emphasized the value of local connections through Le Wagon:
“I have been able to meet Waggoners in Mexico City, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Montreal… It’s always good to know you have some community next to you.”
Ines leaned on Le Wagon’s global Slack and freelancer channels:
“Probably seventy five percent of the contracts I found, I found thanks to Le Wagon… I felt a bit more confident doing them because I knew that the people I would work with knew what I didn’t know.”
Audrey added:
“All the communities I’ve been a part of have been digital… but now that I am here, in the UK, I am actively looking to go to conferences and events.”
Tools, tips, and realities of freelance life
Success as a freelancer requires organization, and boundaries.
Cecilia relies on Google Calendar:
“Maybe it looks like something really simple… but it’s great for your peace of mind.”
Audrey manages everything through Notion and Calendly:
“I track all the projects and their progress… and I try to also just keep a Calendly going so that I don’t have to go back and forth with emails.”
Ines keeps it honest:
“I’m not super well organized… but I use a time tracking software. Even if you have a project paid by project, it’s important to know how much time you dedicated.”
On payments, Audrey recommends contracts and upfront deposits:
“I pretty much always ask for fifty percent upfront and then fifty percent upon completion.”
Ines added:
“There’s always delayed payment… It’s part of the reality.”
Conclusion: advice for aspiring freelancers
When asked to share advice, the panelists echoed a few key themes:
👉 Start before you’re “ready.” Cecilia put it best:
“Sometimes we think we have to be prepared… but you are going to learn that on the way.”
👉 Start with safety. Ines recommended:
“If you currently have a job… maybe it’s good to first find your first contract while you still have a job.”
👉 You don’t need local clients.
Audrey explained:
“My client base hasn’t changed based on my location at all… being a freelancer in tech, you typically have the world open to you.”
And most importantly: lean on community. Whether it’s through Le Wagon’s alumni network or local meetups, the power of connection can’t be overstated.
“It’s a process of learning, making mistakes, learning, making mistakes.” – Cecilia
📺 Check the panel replay here
If you’d like to meet the panelists or explore how you can start your own tech journey, Le Wagon offers free workshops, bootcamps, and a vibrant global network of learners and teachers. Whether you want to reskill, upskill, or simply explore, there’s a place for you.
👉 Ready to take the first step? Book a call with a learning advisor or join one of our upcoming events.
