Stop Chasing Projects. Start Building Wealth.

I used to freelance, so naturally, I used to think like a freelancer.

I’d land a project and feel like I was on top of the world. After busting my ass for two months, the project would be near completion, and I’d be back to selling again.

The cycle continued … sell → build → sell → build.

Often, there were gaps after building and before a sale came through. Really, the cycle was more like … sell → build → (0-4 week gap, during which I was stressed and freaking out) → sell → build → (another potential gap).

Sound familiar?

That rollercoaster crippled my confidence and led to occasional temporary lapses of sanity. During the gap, waiting for a sale to come through, I didn’t know if I could cover rent, run out of money, or sometimes, pay myself. I survived, and even made a few bucks.

But I realized that I was largely getting lucky. Projects seemed to materialize somewhat close to when I needed them. I was only funding my lifestyle, not building something bigger.

I got tired of chasing the next project. Of chasing the money.

It was exhausting.

That all changed when I got serious about shifting to monthly recurring services, with it, monthly recurring revenue (MRR). And I never looked back.

I’ve heard all the counterpoints. Cash up front gives you more working capital. Projections are based on deal flow, not revenue type. MRR churns just like project revenue. Clients don’t want to pay monthly for something that’s already built. But all these arguments fall apart when you think like a business owner instead of a technician.

You want more cash? Great, so do I.

But I also want to sleep at night knowing next month isn’t a giant question mark. MRR smooths out cash flow, stabilizes your business, and makes planning hiring, marketing, and growth easier.

What’s great about MRR is that you stack up the wins. You build a foundation. Plus, you’re giving clients what they want. They don’t want to be sold over and over again. They want to be sold once and serviced over and over again. Give them what they want, and you get what you want. Win/win.

Project work? It’s a hit of dopamine and some cash. Then it’s gone. You’re back to square one with no visibility.

MRR is VERY attractive to buyers; project revenue is not even close. Build MRR and create value. Create something you could sell one day, if you want to. In contrast, project-based agencies are worth very little. Why? Because there's a giant unknown in your revenue source, and they require constant selling. Buyers, especially smart buyers with deep pockets, realize that sales may not materialize, just like when I freelanced.

This is about your sanity. And with it, the sanity of potential buyers of your agency. MRR fixes so many issues, not just in your agency, but also in your life.

With the right contracts and retention systems, you’re no longer selling your time or pushing project after project. You’re building a repeatable, scalable machine. A business someone else could buy, run, and grow.

You can either chase one-time wins or you can build a legacy.

I hope that helps.

~ Erik