- Evan Fisher is a freelancer at Upwork who creates advocacy platforms for startups.
- He has earned over $1.6 million since joining the job platform.
- Fisher shares his secret to starting a freelancer.
Behind almost every million-dollar startup, there is a Elaborate pitch deck That persuaded venture capitalists to bet on the founder’s idea.
Making a solid pitch deck takes a lot of work and modification, something Evan Fisher is well known for. This Atlanta freelancer specializes in pitching platforms, especially for venture-backed startups. He told Insider that one of the common mistakes founders make is following templates too closely.
“Every business’s story is different,” Fisher said. “VCs love to give founders a mentor, but unfortunately many founders take it as a boon and just fill in the gaps.”
Fisher, 34, wasn’t always a slideshow guru. He worked as an investment banker for six years, entered consulting, and then lost his job in 2017. He needs to find a job immediately to continue supporting his family. Fisher came across Upwork, a platform that connects freelancers with companies looking to outsource tasks. He created a profile and started working as a marketer and consultant.
In total, Fisher received more than $1.6 million in payments on Upwork, Insider confirmed with documents. Although he declined to name the startups he has worked with, some of his promotional materials have helped the company secure funding from major venture capital firms such as SoftBank, Andreessen Horowitz and Tiger Management.
“One of the things that surprises me is the level of clients you’ll get on Upwork,” Fisher said. “I’ve been in touch with people who are absolutely superstars in their fields and I never thought I’d be working with.”
As an extension of freelance, he started his own company, Unicorn Capitalin 2018 and an investment fund, minimum capitalin 2020.He also provides freelance advice his YouTube channel.
Fisher doesn’t expect his business to take a hit if the economy slumps slow down The once abundant supply of venture capital has become more competitive. According to The Wall Street Journal, some tech startups have found it harder to get venture capital. But Fisher isn’t worried about his clients. He said he thinks they may need his services now more than ever.
“In a competitive market, VCs don’t stop investing,” he said. “Founders just have to work harder and smarter to get the attention of top investors.”
Fisher shares the secrets of his successful freelance career and how he used Upwork to grow his business.
Find a major and stick to your standards
When Fisher started using Upwork, he could do almost anything, creating business plans, financial models, Excel tasks, and PowerPoint presentations.
Over the years, he has noticed that many founders need to raise capital by telling their stories through effective and engaging publicity. So he focused his attention on business plans and promos.
Building a niche helped Fisher grow his business, and he estimates he has created more than 1,000 pitch platforms since then. He also said he maintains a high standard for every client he takes on and every job he delivers.
“You’re the only one who can make the rules of the job,” he said. “When you establish your principles, you are in control.”
Yesterday’s price is not today’s price
One of the benefits of using Upwork, Fisher said, is price acceleration, which he describes as the ability to increase rates as you get more work done. For example, when he first used the platform, he charged $300 for a PowerPoint presentation.
He set the interest rates low in the first place so he could get a job and build his portfolio. Now that he has a lot more experience working in top companies, he can charge more. Today, he doesn’t accept any job for less than $15,000.
“You’re able to accelerate yourself so fast,” he said. “Even with people I spoke to four or six months ago, that price is no longer what it is today.”
get those 5 star ratings
Just as customer reviews are a major selling point when shopping online, freelancer referrals on Upwork are the best way to build your reputation. It’s all about delivering high-quality work, Fisher said.
“If you do it well, your customers will rave about you,” he added.
Ultimately, a five-star rating allows more customers to seek you out, rather than having to sell yourself to them.
“You’re going to see business grow exponentially,” Fisher said. “When you build a reputation for yourself, it gets noticed and you see huge benefits.”
