Navigating Success in the Freelance World

What role does experience, connections, and credibility play in successful freelance?

Written by Andrea Tabaniag

There are 1.5 million registered freelancers in the Philippines across all industries (PIDS, 2025). With each one telling their own stories through their unique styles and mediums, it becomes daunting to join the world of freelancing. But three notable creatives navigated the ups and downs and emerged successful. 

In the CMP industry, what defines a person’s success? Is it the myriads of experience they collect over the years? Is it building a wide network of connections that will continuously direct you to new opportunities? Or is it the credibility in their work that elevates them above the rest? 

Junessa Rendon: Experience

Freelance beauty and commercial photographer Junessa Rendon believes that her experiences mainly shape her success in the market. As someone who began her career in freelance graphic design, Rendon had to find a different source of income during the pandemic. She then shifted to freelancing product photography, then fashion photography, and finally ended up in beauty photography, despite being a self-taught photographer.

“I would say experience is one of the most important things that you need to hone as a creative if you want to make it in this industry, because if you don’t spend time really refining your skills, and you don’t invest in what you need to learn to better yourself as a creative, what are you going to do?” Rendon shares.

Part of Rendon’s success is also attributed to the connections that she has made in the industry. She especially appreciates the guidance of her mentor, Nico Valenzuela, who assisted her in getting collaboration opportunities with brands such as Nikon Philippines, Henry’s WPPP, and Nanlite. However, Randon recognizes the downside that if you are not born into a good network or an affluent school, you really have to climb your way to the top in terms of connections.

Rendon believes that the credibility she has built over the past years are simply a byproduct of her experiences and connections, and it does not necessarily define her success as a freelancer. 

Ennuh Tiu: Credibility

Ennuh Tiu is also a freelance photographer who specializes in portraiture, fashion, and narrative storytelling. She began her photography journey as a hobbyist back in 2010 after graduating from university. She especially loved lomography, which is a style of photography that does not necessarily follow the technical standards of photography. 

“So with my first film camera, that’s when it really shifted that this is something fun, and this is something that I see myself doing for quite some time, because now it’s for me. It’s a way for me to express myself creatively and not to fulfill someone else’s idea of what a good photograph should be.” Tiu shares as she looks back on how she felt constrained as a photographer back in college.

With her unique style and freedom of expression, Tiu started earning from her photography after the pandemic. To her surprise, her clients trusted her vision so much that they began to recommend her services to other clients as well. This is why, as opposed to Rendon, Tiu considers credibility to be the most important aspect to her personal success. “When you’re talking about longevity in the industry, it really should be more about the credibility and the experience than the connection. Mas-touching na someone believed in you enough to pitch you to a client. But at the end of the day you need to seem credible for them to recommend you,” Tiu shares.

Sofia Paderes: Connections

On the other hand, connections shaped the success of freelance graphic designer Sofia Paderes. Even during her undergraduate days, she had already started doing freelance work in graphic design and illustration. After she graduated from UP Diliman as a Visual Communication major, Paderes received a lot of referrals from her friends, classmates, and family members. The most impactful moment, however, was when a friend referred her to the Fat Kid Inside Studios, which is where Paderes has been working since 2020.

Aside from strong connections, credibility also matters to Paderes. The more you get to work with others, the more credible you will become. For Paredes, word of mouth has done wonders for her career, so much so that she has never had to use freelance websites to get more opportunities.

Paderes also shares her thoughts about the influence of experience on a person’s success in the creative industry. “I learned from a friend that you don’t always have to be experienced to do projects, because usually tatangappin lang niya and he’ll learn how to do it while he’s in the middle of doing it. I’m not saying that’s what everyone needs to do but in a way, it’s an encouragement for creatives also that you don’t always have to be experienced, it doesn’t have to be the  number one requirement to enter the creative industry.”

Despite the differences in the rankings of the three freelancers, all of them agree that success in the CMP industry is also achieved through good character. “If you’re not willing to learn from people who are offering to help you out, you won’t get very far. If you’re in the industry, connections, credibility, and experience won’t work if you’re someone who doesn’t work well with people,” Sofia Paderes shares.

To Junessa Rendon, staying grounded in humanity is also important on the road to success. “It’s easy to forgo authenticity for the sake of getting more accolades or getting more clout. It’s so easy, and then you lose your humanity in the process. So just stay true to yourself. That’s why you should have a good grasp of who you are, especially the longer or the deeper that you go into this industry.”

You can find the featured creatives and support their work through the pages below!

Junessa Rendon – Beauty and Commercial Photographer

Ennuh Tiu – Portraiture, Fashion, Narrative Photographer

  • Instagram: @ennuhchew

Sofia Paderes

  • Instagram: @sofia.paderes

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