For five years I have been living in South Africa, and for five years I have been working as a freelancer for clients mostly in Germany and Switzerland. On the occasion of my business anniversary, I look back on the last half decade and – considering that I am rather happy with what I see – I might even treat myself to a glass of sparkling wine. Working freelance from South Africa for Europe gives me the opportunity to be flexible and to continue working in my areas of expertise – infrastructure, urban development, and mobility. At the same time I get to expand my range of topics, for example to include coffee, sugar, animal welfare, travel marketing etc. In addition, I keep in touch with my home country and remain up to date on numerous exciting developments, such as the energy and climate transition, the digitalisation of the work, planning and life, methods of public participation as well as new technologies and innovative approaches in communication.

Today, I am convinced that the step into self-employment was exactly the right one for me. But that wasn't always the case.

Beginnings can be difficult, but sometimes they happen just like that

It all started with a call from Berlin, which I answered while walking the beach at Table Bay: Would I be interested in and possibly available to work on a project at short notice and for a limited period? I admit, I felt flattered to be asked, but I still requested some time to think about it. Because back then, I had a different plan. I had just emigrated to Cape Town and wanted to take some time out to explore my new surroundings. Then I wanted to look around the local job market. The goal was to find a permanent position. At the time, I couldn't really imagine working independently. But the project was exciting, I knew I would be working with a great team, and I was only really needed for a few hours a month, at least at first. So I accepted - and just like that, my new professional life had begun.

The customers came, but keeping in contact was not always easy

Over the course of the next few months, the initial once-off support in one project turned into a recurring involvement. At the same time, a chance encounter resulted in a second client. My network continued to grow, and other partnerships soon followed. As pleasing as this development was, the collaboration between South Africa and Germany was somewhat bumpy at first. Thanks to internet and e-mail, as well as phone calls via WhatsApp or Skype, it was possible to keep in touch with my direct contacts. However, video calls with several participants, digital conferences or online workshops were still in an infant stage back in 2019. Therefore, real integration into projects was difficult and rather than like a team member, I sometimes felt like a lone fighter in a (geographically) remote position.

Crash course in administration and questions that keep coming up

In addition, there were administrative and legal uncertainties resulting from my intercontinental business model. This involved issues such as work permits, invoicing from abroad, turnover and income tax obligations, social security contributions, business registration, etc. All of this in addition to the usual questions all self-employed people are faced with, e.g.  hourly rates, costs, pension provision, service portfolio, income security, capacities and, of course, work-life balance.

In the meantime, I have found solutions that work well for me and can be adapted if necessary. The issue of work-life balance was finally solved by the addition of my first – and only – employee: my dog Bodi. Since his integration into our household and my business in July 2021, he has taken on the role of office and time manager. He takes his job seriously, and no union representative could be stricter about taking regular breaks and sticking to after-work hours, as well as getting enough exercise on our everyday walks.

Far away, but due to corona suddenly back in the middle of things

The first year as a freelancer flew by. I came to terms with my remote status, learnt to organise my working day, enjoyed my new freedom, but I also missed the personal interaction with colleagues. And then came the coronavirus pandemic - and with it the digitalisation of the working world. Suddenly, the technology for full virtual collaboration was not only available, but it was finally being used by all employees in German companies, administrations, and organisations. The somewhat forced push towards digitalisation permanently changed all areas of business. For me, it significantly improved collaboration with European partners. Likewise, I spent a large portion of my working time in 2020 and 2021 supporting the organisation and smooth running of digital events - from specialist workshops with around 20 experts to conferences with well over 1,000 participants, which I helped to oversee as a (co-)moderator or in which I was otherwise involved live and “on air”. These were exciting times filled with new challenges regarding methodology, technology and content.

The return to “normal” is changing my work again

After the pandemic, digital collaboration in project teams is the new normal, and it works well. The "lone wolf feeling" of my first year seems to be a thing of the past. However, events with an external audience have experienced a noticeable shift back to the "real" world, especially in the past year. For me, this means fewer opportunities to actively participate in events. However, I am far from feeling redundant. The way I see it, supporting colleagues and clients from behind the scenes is no less important nor less interesting than being on site. And I am proud of every event, information tour or exhibition organised and successfully carried out by the teams I work with - whether I was there in person or not. Moreover, the shift in this one area of business brings with another advantage. It frees up capacities for me to focus on strategy development, content creation, writing and editing, which I enjoy a lot. What is more, fully or partially digital (hybrid) events continue to take place and offer an opportunity for me to get once again fully involved. Likewise, it is not out of the question that I will be travelling to Germany for client events from time to time. In fact, there are already plans for this.

Crystal ball and coffee grounds: Looking ahead to the next five years

Speaking of plans: I have quite a few. Over the past five years, advanced training and furthering my own professional education have fallen to the wayside a bit. Now is the time to take action and make sure that not only my advice for customers is always up to date, but also my own expertise. This concerns technical aspects, such as the use of AI in communication or visualisation techniques, but also technical topics in Germany and South Africa, which might increase my chances to also gain a foothold in the communications industry here in the fairest cape. With this in mind, "learning Afrikaans" is also high on the list, and has been for a while now, but so far progress is limited. I would also like to pass on my own knowledge and experience more often. The "Writing Workshop", which I have held several times, could be a starting point for other formats and other topics. Writing is a matter close to my heart. I am firmly convinced that good texts are more important now than ever, especially in times of (moving) images and AI. I enjoy experimenting with different types and stiles of text and would like to expand my portfolio of writing genres.

Will I still be working as a freelancer in five, ten or fifteen years' time? The answer can not be found in a crystal ball, nor will coffee grounds be able to tell. Right now, I cannot imagine returning to a permanent position any time soon. However, I would never say "never", but rather “it depends”. In any case, I remain open to whatever the future holds.

Last but not least

In an anniversary speech – which is exactly what this blog post is – one thing must not be forgotten: to thank all those who have made this anniversary possible: by hiring me, by working with me, by supporting me in many different ways. My special thanks go to:

• Johanssen + Kretschmer Strategische Kommunikation GmbH, with whom I have been closely associated for seven years - first as a permanent employee, then as a freelancer - and whose telephone call on 7th January 2019 set everything in motion,
• Klaus Lintemeier, who has also been supporting and inspiring me for seven years now, and to whom I owe the world's steepest learning curve,
• FAIRTIQ AG for numerous exciting assignments and an introduction to Swiss German,
• KCW GmbH and Center Nahverkehr Berlin for frequently challenging me to translate legal acumen and technical details into comprehensible texts,
• V-Formation – Agency for Visual Communication, which I have come to appreciate both as a long-standing partner and as a client,
• Hillert Media and Breakout Moments, specialists in film and events, from whom I continue to learn and whose creativity never ceases to motivate me,
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Systeminnovation mBH (GESI) for the deep dive into data... and all the things you can do with it,
• Bunicoffee for expanding my range of topics to include my favourite drink,
• She is a Rider for publishing my motorbike texts,
• Helena Lindner,, whose passion for graphic design fits perfectly with my passion for good writing,
• Uitsig Animal Rescue Cape Town for allowing me to support their tireless commitment to animal welfare through communication,

and all other clients and partners.

Now there is nothing left to do but to I raise my glass and toast: not to myself, but to the great people and innovative organisations that I have had the privilege of working for and with. Here is to you ... and to the next five-plus years.

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Picture Credit: Own Photo