Seriously... Free-lancing is harder work than any job you've ever had. You have to be able to handle the work you take on as well as doing the accounting and bringing in the sales. It's just not feasible for most people without really working your ass off.
And then what do you get? You certainly don't have a business, because it's unsellable as such, and it doesn't exist if you walk away. What you have is the most time-consuming job possible. You didn't even get rid of your boss... In fact now you've got more bosses.
Speaking from almost a decade of freelance experience, I'd suggest you either get some partners or get a job.
Alright... In case you're going to do this anyway (I probably wouldn't have listened to me either):
Assuming you're doing web development, market yourself to web-design shops as a way to enhance their client-offerings. They get all kinds of coding jobs that they can't do and routinely turn down. If you get in good with a few of those, they'll effectively do all your marketing for you after that, as well as manage the end-clients.
I'd second that. If you are going out on your own, be a contractor, not a freelancer... i.e. find big companies who will pay you $80+/hr for 40h a week on an ongoing basis. The overhead and "bench time" (time between jobs) is more expensive than you think.
yeah + don't even think of taking work you won't be able to finish on time. Its just plain rude and you are going to piss off whomever you deal with.
I wasted almost a year with my last freelancer because he took on a project, and never finished. Thankfully I had a late fee stipulation in the contract, so after new year's, I get to sue the guy for breach of contract to get the money he owes me. (Good thing I worked at a lawfirm during college, so I know exactly who to talk to, instead of going to the yellow pages and getting someone mediocre)
The messed up part, is that the guy could have finished the whole thing within 1 month if he tried...but instead he chose to waste everyone's time.
Seriously... Free-lancing is harder work than any job you've ever had. You have to be able to handle the work you take on as well as doing the accounting and bringing in the sales. It's just not feasible for most people without really working your ass off.
And then what do you get? You certainly don't have a business, because it's unsellable as such, and it doesn't exist if you walk away. What you have is the most time-consuming job possible. You didn't even get rid of your boss... In fact now you've got more bosses.
Speaking from almost a decade of freelance experience, I'd suggest you either get some partners or get a job.