Anonymous work gets a bad rap, but it saved my career when I was going from employee to freelancer. Had this agency that kept throwing backend projects at me for their big clients. Never saw my name on anything, but the money was good.
What really opened my eyes was their dev processes. These guys had everything locked down - code reviews, testing pipelines, client workflows. Got a masterclass in running a professional shop while getting paid.
Best part? When their main client wanted to expand, the agency recommended me directly. Became one of my biggest long-term contracts. Sometimes staying under the radar beats chasing the spotlight.
There’s a good discussion covering the contractor angle:
Bottom line - steady income beats portfolio bragging rights when you’re building something that lasts.