Hi my name is Fred

Growing up listening to my brother's favourite metal and rock music influenced my musical tastes a lot.  Every day after school, I was immersed in the music he blasted as an aspiring drummer wanting to start a band. Although learning guitar initially felt like extra work after long school days, in time I grew a passion for it,  asking to take lessons and earning my Rochschool grade 8 in guitar by age 14.

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Even when my brother has moved on, my passion for music led me to study sound engineering.  During my studies, I had the opportunity to work as a guitar roadie for an indie band and travel with them.  This opened my eyes, that work didn't have to be confined to an office.  So I began freelancing on platforms like Fiverr and Airgigs, offering recording, editing, and online music lessons.

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The income has been modest and unpredictable. I remember my first $8 Fiverr order - write a 2-minute script! I felt exploited but did it to build up my profile and ranking on the platforms.  Since then, I've learned firsthand both the ups and downs of freelance creative work.  This inspired me to start this blog - a place for insights and community, where we can gain knowledge and avoid exploitation in the freelance world.

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Technology has brought huge opportunities, like collaborating globally during school.  But the advancement of generative AI also poses threats to us, with our work potentially turned into data and mimicked without credit.  My hope is this blog can be a space to explore how to collaborate with, not combat, these technologies.  Because I believe that if we learn to work together, creativity can flourish.  

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Whether you're a creative, athlete, or just found this site by accident - you have a place here. Let's share our experiences and perspectives on the journey ahead. There's so much we can learn together as a community!