RemoteRise

Do I need to build a portfolio website before I apply?

No. A simple Notion page or Google Doc with three or four polished work samples is enough for the first six months. Clients want to see that you can do the work, not that you can build a portfolio site. Spend the time you would have spent on a website doing one or two more practice samples instead. You can graduate to a real domain once you have actual paid work to feature on it.

Why this matters when you are starting

Beginners regularly skip this question because it sounds basic, then lose weeks to the consequences. Spending five minutes here genuinely changes how the next six months go. We have written the answer above to be specific enough that you can act on it today, instead of vaguely "useful" advice that does not survive contact with a real client.

Practical next steps

  • Read the answer once, then write down the single change you will make this week.
  • Tell one person — a friend, a partner, anyone — what you decided. Saying it out loud makes it 3× more likely to happen.
  • Check our 14-day starter plan for where this question fits in the broader sequence.
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Common follow-up questions