Deciding to become a full-time freelancer was definitely risky. Not only did I abandon a steady job and a comfortable salary, but I moved across the country to a city where I didn’t know anybody. I was living off a small savings and had very few clients, so it felt like a huge risk to start freelancing so abruptly. The first few months were rough, but I wanted to prove—not only to myself—but everyone back home that I could do it. I remember eating ramen while talking to my mom on the phone, like, «I’m doing great! I’m working on logos and stuff,» and I was actually working on my own logo. But if there’s one place to be when you’re a poor freelancer, it’s Portland. Mary Kate McDevitt.