[ShirsenduK]

For every one good freelancer there are 100 crappy freelancers. The way you go up is via reputation. No better way than working with clients. When you have no reputation you start at zero when you have reputation you can command your price. If you want to start at a high rate prove yourself on GitHub. The gurus might not have been gurus when they started. 😊

[danieltillett]

This. I think good freelancers forget how many bad freelancer there are out there poisoning the waters. Before you can charge like a professional you need to be able to prove you are one.