But did she get that business from elance or from other contacts?
I signed up for elance, looked at a few projects, and found myself seriously undercut (and I don't want to compromise on quality or bid on projects over my head).
If I do get some projects at what I believe is a correct market rate (and it's not very high), it probably won't be thanks to elance (which looks like a great website, don't get me wrong).
She got clients through other means... primarily by writing e-books that demonstrate her value and expertise. The e-books serve as a sales tool for her freelance services -- but they also generate a nice monthly income.
Joanna (my wife) stays far away from sites like eLance, because those tend to be the places where cost-conscious people go to find freelancers. The heavy focus on pricing (by both buyers and sellers) on eLance makes it challenging to sell yourself based on other benefits (like writing copy that actually converts).
I signed up for elance, looked at a few projects, and found myself seriously undercut (and I don't want to compromise on quality or bid on projects over my head).
If I do get some projects at what I believe is a correct market rate (and it's not very high), it probably won't be thanks to elance (which looks like a great website, don't get me wrong).