Nash had just finished breakfast when his phone buzzed with an email notification. The familiar groan welled up in his chest. Another assignment? Maybe more spam? But instead of the usual flood of deadlines or junk, the subject line caught his attention—Freelance Project Inquiry. He clicked on the mail.
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Subject: Freelance Project Inquiry
From: Evan Blake
Hello Nash,
I came across your portfolio and was really impressed by your work. I'm looking for a freelance developer to create an automation script for my e-commerce business. The goal is to streamline data entry and automate inventory updates from suppliers in real time. If you're interested, let's set up a call to discuss the details.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best,
Evan Blake
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He blinked at the email, reading it over twice just to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Someone had actually reached out to him? For real? That had never happened before.
He stared at the screen, still unsure. Could he actually do this? The thought of turning it down didn't even cross his mind. But then again, what was the catch?
Just as he was starting to second-guess himself, a notification popped up.
Equinox-00: "Freelance opportunity detected. Response time affects client interest. Recommended action: Reply professionally and schedule a call."
Nash sighed, rolling his shoulders back. He was still half asleep, but this could be his shot. No time to waste. He typed out a reply, trying to sound confident, even if he wasn't entirely sure what he was doing.
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Subject: Re: Freelance Project Inquiry
From: Nash Daniel Pierce
Hello Evan,
Thank you for reaching out. I'd love to discuss the project further. I'm available for a call today at your convenience. Let me know a time that works for you.
Looking forward to our conversation.
Best regards,
Nash Daniel Pierce
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He hit "send" before he could rethink it. Seconds later, another notification pinged.
Nash didn't have time to think about it. He'd already sent the email. Now, he just had to wait.
An hour later, his phone buzzed again. Evan had scheduled a call for later that afternoon. Nash took a deep breath and spent the next few hours brushing up on e-commerce automation. He wasn't a pro, but he wasn't about to let that stop him.
Equinox-00: "Professional Communication Boost: Enhanced clarity and persuasiveness in written and spoken interactions."
At exactly 2 PM, his phone rang.
"Hey, Nash, this is Evan!" The voice on the other end sounded warm and friendly.
"Hi, Evan." Nash could barely believe how steady his voice sounded. "What's up?"
Evan got straight to the point. "So, I run an online store, and managing inventory manually is a mess. I need a script that can pull data from my suppliers and update everything in real time. Do you think you could handle that?"
Nash was quick to respond. "Yeah, I can definitely do that. I'd recommend Python, probably with some web scraping and API integration, depending on how your suppliers share the data."
"Perfect. I was hoping for something efficient. How long do you think it'll take?"
"Given the scope, I'd say about a week to develop and test everything."
"Great. And what are your rates?"
Nash felt a flicker of hesitation. Was $275 too much? Too little? Was he underselling himself? But before he could stress over it, another ping came through.
Equinox-00: "Suggested pricing based on market rates for beginner freelancers: $250 - $300."
"Okay," Nash thought, "That seems fair."
He took a breath and said, "For a project like this, my rate is $275."
"Perfect, that works for me. Let's do it."
No haggling? No awkward silence? That was easier than he expected.
"Great. I'll send over a contract, and once we've got that sorted, I'll get started."
"Sounds good," Evan replied. "Looking forward to it."
The call ended, and as soon as it did, a new notification popped up.
Equinox-00: "Freelance Optimization Skill Unlocked: Enhanced ability to manage projects, set rates, and handle clients efficiently."
Equinox-00: "Task Accepted. Progress tracking enabled."
Nash stared at the screen for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest. Was that really it? His first real gig, paid, and he'd handled it all without falling apart. Maybe he was starting to get this freelance thing.
He leaned back in his chair, feeling a rush of relief and excitement. He might actually be good at this.