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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.
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:
- Consistent marketing. I post on LinkedIn, nurture referral relationships, and stay visible because I’m always on the lookout for my next project. I can’t afford to go quiet for three months and hope the work shows up.
- Pipeline management. Retainer-dependent solopreneurs often stop marketing once they’re “full.” Then a client leaves, and they’re scrambling. (I’ve seen it happen many times.)
- Client diversification. With more clients at any given time, losing one is rarely catastrophic. Losing one project out of six is manageable. Losing one retainer out of two is stressful.
I maintain all of these habits even when I’m busy. I have to trust that my next project is on the horizon—so I have to do the work to make sure it is.
Project-based work doesn’t mean more hustle. On the contrary, if you build repeatable systems, it means that finding the next project isn’t a crisis every time. Doing these things is just part of running your business.
Prioritize the habits that keep your income stable
None of this is anti-retainer. Some solopreneurs offer services that naturally lend themselves to ongoing work or long engagements. If retainer clients are part of your business, that’s great.
But I’d encourage you to maintain your marketing and pipeline habits as if those retainers suddenly don’t renew—because that’s always a real possibility. The solopreneurs who build sustainable businesses are the ones who’ve built the habits to keep a steady stream of work coming in.
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