The life of a freelance Shopify developer is a unique blend of technical expertise, business acumen, and client management. Success isn’t just about writing clean Liquid or building efficient apps; it’s about how you navigate projects, manage expectations, and continuously adapt in a fast-moving ecosystem.
Drawing from the hard-won wisdom shared by veteran developers in the “i only speak liquid” newsletter, this post compiles the most valuable “learnings as a freelancer” into a set of actionable tips.
Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned pro, these lessons from the field can help you build a more successful, sustainable, and fulfilling freelance career.
1. Mindset & Strategy: Think Like a Partner, Not Just a Coder
The most successful freelancers act as strategic partners to their clients, not just as temporary coders for hire. This requires a shift in mindset from focusing on deliverables to focusing on outcomes.
- Come Back to What the Client is Actually Trying to Solve: A client might ask for an A/B test, but what they really want is to prove the value of a redesign to a skeptical stakeholder. Asking “why” behind a request can help you propose a better solution and avoid wasted effort on a feature that doesn’t address the root problem.
- Don’t Reinvent the Wheel: It can be tempting to build everything from scratch to prove your coding prowess. However, a true professional knows when to leverage existing solutions. A well-chosen theme from the Theme Store or a reliable app can often deliver 90% of what a client needs for a fraction of the cost and time of a fully custom build. Your value is in knowing which tool is right for the job.
- Accessibility Adds Value: Position yourself as a developer who understands and prioritizes accessibility. This is not just a compliance issue; it’s a reflection of a brand’s values and a way to reach a wider audience. Highlighting your expertise in ADA compliance during scoping conversations can set you apart and justify a higher premium for your work.
2. Project Management: Scope, Time, and Sanity
How you manage your projects is just as important as the code you write. Effective project management is key to avoiding burnout and delivering great work.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for the Time You Need: Rushing leads to mistakes and technical debt. Half the work of a good freelancer can sometimes feel like undoing the damage done by someone in a hurry. Learn to accurately scope your work, build in buffers for the unknown, and confidently ask for the time required to do the job right the first time.
- Know When to Say No: When you’re on a roll, it can be hard to turn down new projects. But burnout is a real and serious threat. Be mindful of your limits, understand your capacity, and learn to politely decline opportunities that aren’t a good fit. A sustainable career is a marathon, not a sprint.
- Invest in Efficient Tools and Workflows: The right tools can be a massive force multiplier. Spend the time to find and master the tools that work for you, whether it’s a task management system like Notion, a communication tool like Loom, or a powerful terminal like Warp. A well-honed workflow adds value and improves your efficiency on every project.
3. Technical Skills & Career Growth: Stay Curious
The Shopify ecosystem is constantly evolving. The freelancers who thrive are those who embrace a mindset of continuous learning.
- Adaptability is Your Superpower: With technology moving this fast, it’s impossible to know everything. The most valuable skill is not encyclopedic knowledge, but the ability to adapt quickly and pull in new, relevant context that you can apply to your work.
- Experiment with New Technologies: The developers with a massive advantage are those who are already experimenting with the next big thing—whether it’s Figma’s MCP, Remix v3, or a new set of Shopify APIs. Dig into new tools before they’re mainstream. Those small bets on your own learning add up to big advantages in your client work.
Final Thoughts: The Freelance Journey is a Craft
Being a successful freelancer is a craft that extends far beyond your technical skills. It’s about the mindset you bring to your client relationships, the discipline you apply to your project management, and the curiosity that drives you to constantly learn and improve.
By internalizing these lessons from the field, you can build a career that is not only profitable but also professionally rewarding.
❓ What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your freelance journey?