Freelance vs. 9-to-5: The Honest Truth About Landing a Full-Time Creative Job

On the field in October of 2024. Before I landed a full-time job.

It’s another late night, and I sit here typing out what I hope to be an insightful blog post for you, my friend whom I haven’t met yet. My wife and two kids are sleeping, so I finally have a moment to stop and process some of the million thoughts I have each day. Tonight’s thought is a million-dollar question: Does landing a full-time creative position guarantee happiness?

I come from a life of experimenting with different creative outlets. Art, photography, videography, dancing, singing, writing. In some way, shape, or form, I’ve attempted all of these. Somehow, I ended up starting a small business called Face-Off Media. Since 2020, my videography skills have continued to sharpen through a wide variety of freelance projects.

Fast-forward to July 2025. Gathering all my experience and slapping it onto a resume, I applied to a good number of creative positions in my area. It was an attempt to hopefully land something solid since my wife and I were expecting the birth of our son that December. Honestly, I didn’t expect to hear anything from anyone. So, I embraced the thought of continuing to live gig to gig, as I had been for the previous five years.

Then I got a phone call. That phone call led to an interview. That (super long) interview then turned into a job offer, and before I could blink, I was updating my LinkedIn status from “Self-Employed” to “Full-Time Videographer.” I was over the moon!

Me at my new day job.

Let’s hit the double-forward arrows again until we reach the present day. Ah, yes, here we are. I’m beyond blessed and thankful to have a 9-to-5 that is extremely hard to attain. Especially in Southern California, where someone is either holding up a camera or performing in front of one. The creative position I have is highly sought after.

In my current state, I’m juggling a lot. Job. Side hustle. Family. Hobbies. All these things leave hardly any time to think, especially when my fussy newborn is screaming his lungs out.

Now, I don’t mean to dive too deep into my personal life. My goal is to tie all of this back to helping you gain better insight into what it was like for me to make such a big career change. Let’s get into that now. When comparing the difference between a 9-to-5 and a side hustle, it all comes down to two things: Time and Money.

Always the dedicated photographer at family gatherings.

Time

For me, the term “time is money” has never been more accurate. I’ve been asked a few times now if Face-Off Media could take on projects, and I’ve had to stick to my guns on pricing. Pre-9-to-5, I was lenient in order to build relationships with new customers. However, post-9-to-5, I have to plant myself like a tree. It’s not out of greed, no, not at all. It’s the fact that I have a family whom I enjoy spending my free time with, and if I’m going to accept anything, these gigs have to be worth my time.

Reflecting on my self-employment days, I’ll begin to envy how much time I used to have. I’d have days I could dedicate to growing my business, but now I only have minutes. Hours, if I’m fortunate.

Coulda’ shoulda’ woulda’.

Paige loves this photo.

Money

I’m ballin’ right now. Well, not really, but compared to my former situation, I’m swimming with cash. My bi-weekly paycheck has been a HUGE blessing for our household. Not only are we able to save more, but we have a tad bit extra for spending money. This is a big contrast to life before a full-time job.

For years, I had been hoping and waiting for the next gig, hoping to bring something to the table. More often than not, that hope would turn into panic as I spiraled into a brainstorm about how to make money. In the end, I’d always come out fine, but this cycle would repeat itself weekly or monthly.

The side hustle depression is real.

It’s an odd thought, being able to make purchases and not worry about running out of money. Please, don’t get me wrong, I’m not rich. I’ve just been so used to watching my wallet, and that sort of mindset is still there, so it’s a bit funny when I check my balance and see I can afford more than just a cup of coffee. I can order the breakfast burrito, too, if I wanted.

Because of this, I’ve never cared less that my Face-Off Media bank account is lower than my old standard. I’m not sulking in sadness over a lost gig. It’s not my main source of income anymore.

My set build in progress at work.

The Verdict

So, does a full-time creative position guarantee happiness?

No. But what it does guarantee is peace of mind, and when you are raising a toddler and a newborn, that’s pretty darn close. It traded the stress of "how will I pay for this?" for the stress of "how do I manage my time?" And honestly, that is a trade I would make again in a heartbeat. The stability has brought the joy back to the craft. If I want to book a media day now, I do it because I genuinely want to shoot it, not out of desperation to cover the bills.

If you're out there grinding gig to gig right now, keep pushing, but don't lose sight of what you're actually working toward. Whether you find your fulfillment in the independent hustle or you eventually clock in for that steady paycheck, make sure you're building a life you actually have the time to enjoy.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I should probably try to get some sleep before the baby wakes up again.