Pavel Koshelev of Russia has been a freelancer for more than a decade. He tried the corporate lifestyle and the 9 to 5 job but realized he wanted something more. A feeling most freelancers know all too well. This feeling inspired him to launch a career as a freelancer.

Today, Pavel works within the web development, web marketing, and system administration niches. Given his background and expertise, it’s easy to see just how much of a whiz with technology he is.

Keep reading to learn about Pavel’s freelance journey and his advice for new freelancers in the interview below.

World Meet Pavel – Our Featured goLancer …

Interviewer: When did you start freelancing? What’s your story?

Pavel: I have been freelancing on a full-time basis since 2005/2006, but I’ve always worked on a freelance basis for most of my life.

I tried working in an office for big companies, but I didn’t like it. I finally decided work full time as a freelancer.

Interviewer: What do you like most about freelancing? What was different for you about freelancing than working for these big companies?

Pavel: With freelancing, I enjoy the ability to communicate with people around the world. I can work and travel and I am not tied to a single place. I like the fact that freelancing is not just a job, but it’s also a way of life. I can work my own hours, and I enjoy working later at night.

Interviewer: A fellow traveler, we see a lot of those on goLance. That’s cool. Do you travel a lot?  What has been your favorite place that you have traveled to?

Pavel: Yes, annually. My family and I leave home for two to three months at a time. Traveling by car to Europe is fun. From my home, it’s about 5,000 kilometers (or 3,106 miles) away.  My favorite place is Prague.  I’ve also seen some really cool places, such as the highest road in Europe at 2,802 meters (or 9,192 feet), which I was able to drive through with my family.

Interviewer: As a freelancer, how did you first hear about goLance?

Pavel: I was one of the first people to start working at goLance, and I’ve been working there since the site began running when I helped with testing. Behzad, who is one of the goLance employees, recruited me. I now work 100% for Response CRM on web development, marketing websites, and system administration.

Interviewer: What does that all entail? What are some of the problems that you solve for Response CRM on a daily basis?

Pavel: It depends on what is asked for by the head of the company. Regular tasks involve making websites for Response CRM clients that allows their clients to read about a product and then buy it.

My other tasks include converting Photoshop Documents (PSD) to Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), and coding websites. I also fix Application Program Interface (API) bugs if they appear. I resolve any server issues that may happen too. The website and the servers have to work together like a Swiss clock.

Interviewer: How did you learn all of these skills?

Pavel: I started learning these tools through trial and error in 2000. At the time, I worked as a system administrator and then moved into web development. I gained all of my experience through work processes.

I like to understand how things work, so it was natural for me to keep learning.

Then I left the corporate world and started freelancing. Now, year after year, I learn more skills and become an even better freelancer.

Interviewer: What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a freelancer?

Pavel: Don’t play computer games too much, work hard, and always learn something new. Never say that you can’t do something. Learn how to do it.

Interviewer: What about your family? What do they think about your freelance work?

Pavel: They are very supportive. My wife also freelances and freelancing is a way of life for us. My daughter is just learning about the freelance world and wants to become a freelancer as well.

Interviewer: You’ve been freelancing for awhile, do you work as a solo freelancer or do you work as a team?

Pavel: I currently manage a team of seven people. I also work 24/7, so I work around the clock. When I started getting so many tasks that I couldn’t handle them all at the same time, I started managing and building a team.

I started hiring freelancers, trained them, helped them, and pointed them in the right direction. In order to help my team save time and help my clients save money, I referred multiple tasks to team members when they could complete those tasks faster than I could.

Interviewer: Any final thoughts for aspiring freelancers?

Pavel: Don’t give up. Be available for work. Do your best.

Why Did We Pick Pavel As The Featured goLancer?

Pavel Koshelev is a website developer and system administrator based in Russia. He has been freelancing for over a decade and he’s an avid traveler. He was selected as the freelancer of the week because he lives life to the fullest. We meet so many freelancers interested in launching their career so they can have time to spend with their family, friends and travel. Pavel is a perfect example of the freelancer dream turning into a reality.

Where Can You Hire Pavel?

Drop Pavel a line by visiting his profile on goLance.