Become a freelancer on Unicorn Factory

Whether you are just starting your freelance journey or you have been offering your creative services for decades, if you are a Kiwi freelancer, we would love to work with you. Unicorn Factory was created to make it easier for Kiwi businesses to hire locally!

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"I am so thankful I found Unicorn Factory, it's the best freelancer platform I have used. It's so straight forward and easy to use and I have been connected with so many great people. I wouldn't be where I am without it!"

Rebecca Bradley

Freelance Photographer

“I've been a member of the Unicorn Factory for about six months, and during that time I have secured six different projects. Two of these have led to further work. The clients I've worked with through Unicorn Factory have been high quality and the projects interesting.”

Anne-Marie Emerson

Freelance Editor & Proofreader

“Unicorn Factory has been fantastic for building new relationships with clients. I run an end to end video production service and since jumping on board with Unicorn Factory, I have been busier than ever!”

Tom Groenewegen

Freelance Videographer

"I was quite new to freelance work when I joined Unicorn Factory, so I still had a lot of early-stage challenges with exposure and gaining traction. Unicorn Factory helped me nail those first few critical clients which have, over the last 4 years, helped me to grow into a success."

Bex De Prospo

Freelance Copywriter

“I would recommend Unicorn Factory to any freelancer or small agency owner who wants to find quality clients and get amongst a community of like minded creatives. I love it! and I cannot thank them enough for helping my business grow.”

Brent Dickens

Freelance Web Designer

“Unicorn Factory, has achieved what every other 'freelancer marketplace' is trying to do - which is match agencies and businesses who are ready to hire, and have reasonable budgets, with the right freelancer or team.”

Sam Thornton-Jones

Freelance Web Designer

What is Unicorn Factory?

We help Kiwi businesses find local freelancers

Welcome to Unicorn Factory. We created this platform to make it easier for Kiwi business owners to find and hire local freelance talent.

Freelancer Directory - Unicorn Factory
How does it work?

Our job is simple: Connect high quality clients to high quality freelancers

Once a client has gone through our sign-up and onboarding process there are three ways for them to connect with freelancers

How to get started on Unicorn Factory

Start Your Application

1

Start Your Application

Start by clicking the apply button. Go through the application form and submit it for review.

2

Select the kickstarter plan

Once your application is approved, you will have to opt-in to our Kickstarter plan in order to activate your account. The Kickstarter plan will give you the opportunity to see if Unicorn Factory works for you. It costs $199+GST.

3

Work your first 5 leads

As part of your Kickstarter plan, we will send you five leads. You can apply for jobs on the job board or receive messages via your profile. Once you have received your first five leads, we will reach out to review how it went.

4

Choose your path based on your goals

From there, we will look at your goals as a freelancer and choose a plan that aligns with your plans, the demand for your services and your experience.

Have a question?

Is Unicorn Factory a job-seeking platform?

No, Unicorn Factory is not a traditional job-seeking platform like Seek.co.nz. Our platform serves as a directory connecting businesses with professional freelancers across New Zealand. If you're in search of regular employment, be it part-time, full-time, or contract work, we suggest exploring other resources. Freelancers in New Zealand utilize our site to showcase their professional services and network with potential clients.

As a freelancer eager for immediate work, how soon can I expect to secure paid projects?

Unicorn Factory should not be your sole strategy for immediate work. The time it takes to land your first project can vary, often taking several weeks or months, depending on your field and market demand. If immediate paid work is your priority, proactive outreach like cold emailing or phone calls might be more effective. However, for those committed to freelancing as a career, Unicorn Factory offers valuable marketing exposure to help grow your business.

Can I sign up if I'm just starting to freelance?

Absolutely. We would LOVE to help you close your first deal. For us a big focus is quality of work, so if you have worked on some of your own projects or did work at uni that you can showcase on your site we will factor that in when deciding. We also have a community forum that you will get access to, where you will be able to learn from other freelancers.

How does client relationship management work?

This one is support important. When it comes to negotiating the contract, managing the client and getting paid - it is 100% on you. We do not act as the middle person, we simply find opportunities and forward them to you. What you do with these opportunities is 100% on you. We set up the business like this because we actually want you to build a freelance business that can stand on its own and learning and doing the above listed things is crucial. So, keep that in mind when joining.

Do you offer a guarantee on the set-up fee?

We charge $199+Tax for your first 5 leads. We offer no guarantees that we will get you work. Sites like Unicorn Factory, Upwork and other freelancing platforms are no magic bullet to suddenly getting an influx of work - if anyone says otherwise, they aren't being 100% truthful. Unicorn Factory is simply another channel that might work wonders for you. In order for us to make sure that we attract freelancers to the site that are serious about building their business, we charge a one-off fee of $199+tax for your first 5 leads. We won't charge you again until you have received your leads. After that, we will figure out something that works for both.

How long does the application process typically take?

We review all applications once per month. Typically in the week of the 20th. We will be in touch by email to let you know what is happening.

How does Unicorn Factory differ from other freelancing platforms?

Unicorn Factory has one employee and it is run with the help of freelancers on the site. We put most of our resources into finding new clients. We focus on the New Zealand market only, and we only accept freelancers from New Zealand. We focus on quality of freelancer over quantity of freelancer.

Ready to Start Freelancing?

Getting started is simple and straightforward. Fill out the application in 5 minutes!

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