Thomas Im – How To Actually Make Money On Upwork

How to actually make money on Upwork

Here’s What You Get:

WHO IS Thomas Im (Thomas Im – How To Actually Make Money On Upwork)

Thomas Im

• Online entrepreneur and SMMA (social media marketing agency) owner from California.

• Has done 130+ jobs and over 3,400 hours on Upwork.

• Founder of TBI Media, a digital marketing agency.

• Previously ran an Amazon FBA business before focusing on freelancing and agency services.

Core Idea of the Program

The course mainly teaches the “Upwork Middleman Strategy.”

Instead of doing freelance work yourself, you:

1. Find clients on Upwork

2. Sell services at a higher price

3. Hire cheaper freelancers to do the work

4. Keep the profit margin

What the Course Typically Teaches

1. Picking Profitable Services

Focus on services easy to outsource:

• Graphic design

• Video editing

• Social media management

• Web design

• Copywriting

These services have large freelancer supply on Upwork.

2. Upwork Profile Optimization

How to create a profile that attracts clients:

• Niche positioning

• Portfolio setup

• High-converting service description

• Pricing strategy

Goal: look like an agency rather than a freelancer.

3. Winning Clients With Proposals

Training usually includes:

• Proposal templates

• Job filtering strategy

• How to apply fast to new jobs

• How to qualify good clients

This increases chances of landing contracts.

4. The Outsourcing System

Once you get a client:

1. Hire freelancers on Upwork or other platforms

2. Manage them as a project manager

3. Deliver final work to the client

Your role becomes:

• Client communication

• Project management

• Quality control

5. Scaling to an Agency

Advanced stage includes:

• Hiring long-term freelancers

• Building a remote team

• Managing multiple projects

• Turning Upwork into an agency business

The idea is to transition from freelancer → agency owner.

Claimed Results

According to promotional materials and reviews:

• Possible $10k+/month using the system.

• Low startup cost.

• Requires mainly sales and management skills.

Criticism / Challenges

Some reviewers say the model is harder than advertised:

• Upwork fees reduce profit margins (10–20%).

• Clients often prefer hiring freelancers directly.

• Freelancers may bypass the middleman later.

• Managing 40+ projects may be required for $10k/month.

Who the Course Is For

Best suited for:

• Beginners who want to start an online service business

• People with sales or client management skills

• Those who prefer agency/middleman models over freelancing

Not ideal for:

• People who want passive income

• Those who dislike managing teams

Summary

Thomas Im – How To Actually Make Money On Upwork teaches how to turn Upwork into a client acquisition platform for an outsourced agency, where you focus on landing clients and managing freelancers rather than doing the work yourself.