3 Ways to Build Your Dream Team of Collaborators in 2023

Freelancing doesn’t have to be a solo affair.

In fact, joining forces with other freelancers can actually help you land bigger and better projects, ease your workload, and reignite your inspiration for creative projects. 

If you’re ready to collaborate with fellow freelancers, here’s why and how to build your dream team of collaborators in 2023.

Why teaming up with other freelancers makes sense

There are a number of reasons why it makes sense to partner with other freelancers. But the biggest reason to team up? You can earn more. Some of our top community-submitted scope of work templates are team projects — and they have a significantly higher price tag than solo scopes. 

Another reason to team up is that it helps you cross-sell to clients. Cross-selling is when you propose additional services or deliverables that supplement the project and provide even more value to your client. Cross-selling is much easier to do when you work with freelancers who offer services that complement your own — rather than taking on all of the additional work yourself. 

Finally, it just makes sense to have a team of freelancers around you when you need a helping hand. Growing your freelance business means there may be times when you have *too* much work on your plate and need to pass some along to other freelancers. Or maybe you need to take unexpected time off, but don’t want to miss a project deadline. Being able to tap into a network of freelancers or have a team to rely on can make your life a whole lot easier.

3 places to find freelance collaborators in 2023

If you’re ready to build your dream team of collaborators in 2023, here are three places to find fellow freelancers to work with.

Social media

Whether you’ve been freelancing for a while or are just getting started building your side hustle, there’s no doubt that you’ve followed other independents on social media in the process. Seeing how people run their businesses is equal parts enlightening and inspirational, and the number of entrepreneurs you can discover on social media is endless. 

If there’s someone you follow and admire who you’d want to collaborate with, don’t be afraid to reach out. Send them a quick DM that lets them know who you are and why you want to connect. You never know who may be interested unless you ask!

Community groups

From Facebook Groups to Slack channels, there are countless online communities where freelancers can connect, share tips, and collaborate on current and future projects. And the best part is, you’re probably already active on one of these platforms — you just have to know which groups are best to join depending on what you’re looking for. 

For instance, Wethos’ freelance community includes an active directory of freelancers that you can tap into for projects. Our community also includes a Slack group where freelancers can swap advice and share opportunities on everything freelance and business-related.

Your personal network

After years of honing your expertise — whether at a traditional 9-5 job or as a solo worker — you’ve undoubtedly grown your professional network during that time. Leverage that network if you want to build a team of collaborators that you can rely on to do solid work. 

Ask the people in your network — everyone from former colleagues to clients — if they know of any freelancers they can send your way. You can post on social media that you’re looking for freelancers to team up with, or you can make it more personal by sending emails to a handful of trusted peers. Either way, make it clear what types of freelancers you’re looking for (Copywriters? Social media strategists? Designers?) and what types of projects you have in the pipeline that they could help out with. This ensures anyone who gets referred to you is on the same page before you get too deep into the conversation. 

As we head into another year, having a team of freelancers you can collaborate with is a smart way to take your business to the next level — and these places are an easy way to get started on your search for a dream collaborator.