Read on Twitter
Four years ago I jumped into the world of self-employed life as a designer and never looked back.
It hasn& #39;t been easy process and I did it with making mistakes along they way
So here& #39;s (a thread) of steps I learned the hard way so you don& #39;t have to.
It hasn& #39;t been easy process and I did it with making mistakes along they way
So here& #39;s (a thread) of steps I learned the hard way so you don& #39;t have to.
1. Never leave job security without savings.
If you were like me living in a big city where rent was high you would definitely need some financial backup.
Don& #39;t do what I did and make sure you have about 6 months worth of wages saved.
If you were like me living in a big city where rent was high you would definitely need some financial backup.
Don& #39;t do what I did and make sure you have about 6 months worth of wages saved.
2. Try to build a list of clients first.
When you have a job there& #39;s no pressure to take on bad jobs just to pay the bills. You can be selective and focus on building good relationships with the work you love.
Less focus on money, more on relationships.
When you have a job there& #39;s no pressure to take on bad jobs just to pay the bills. You can be selective and focus on building good relationships with the work you love.
Less focus on money, more on relationships.
3. Get a website online
So many creatives fail here. A social media presence is good but a website is your central hub.
It doesn& #39;t need to be fancy, it just has to work. Show good quality case studies and tell the world why you& #39;re awesome.
You can improve on this over time.
So many creatives fail here. A social media presence is good but a website is your central hub.
It doesn& #39;t need to be fancy, it just has to work. Show good quality case studies and tell the world why you& #39;re awesome.
You can improve on this over time.
4. If you can& #39;t find clients, start with friends and family.
Someone needs your design, ask your friends, your friends of friends, even your parents and tell them you can help by offering some awesome design for a low fee.
we all have to start somewhere and that& #39;s what I did.
Someone needs your design, ask your friends, your friends of friends, even your parents and tell them you can help by offering some awesome design for a low fee.
we all have to start somewhere and that& #39;s what I did.
5. Build your case studies from passion projects
We want to attract the right kind of client right?!
So write down 10 dream clients, select one and start designing logos, websites, improving on the design in that industry. This is how you can start a niche.
We want to attract the right kind of client right?!
So write down 10 dream clients, select one and start designing logos, websites, improving on the design in that industry. This is how you can start a niche.
6. Talk to people
This might sound hard for a lot of us are introverts.
But seriously, ask people you look up to for help. Don& #39;t go straight in for the ask though, introduce yourself first and be nice!
This might sound hard for a lot of us are introverts.
But seriously, ask people you look up to for help. Don& #39;t go straight in for the ask though, introduce yourself first and be nice!
7. Don& #39;t always go it alone
If a project has huge potential and you need to collaborate, do it. You& #39;ll grow quicker if you do and you& #39;ll build a list of contacts to help if you get ill.
If a project has huge potential and you need to collaborate, do it. You& #39;ll grow quicker if you do and you& #39;ll build a list of contacts to help if you get ill.
8. Charge your worth.
When you first start pricing is difficult, there is loads of videos and links to help with this including the @thefuturishere channel.
You& #39;re worth more than you think, make sure you research pricing before you take on a low ball offer of $50 for a logo.
When you first start pricing is difficult, there is loads of videos and links to help with this including the @thefuturishere channel.
You& #39;re worth more than you think, make sure you research pricing before you take on a low ball offer of $50 for a logo.
9. Do your homework.
Seeing others do what they love is great but you don& #39;t see what& #39;s going on in the background.
It& #39;s not all design. You have to understand pricing, marketing, admin, taxes and more.
The list is endless but it does get easier over time.
Seeing others do what they love is great but you don& #39;t see what& #39;s going on in the background.
It& #39;s not all design. You have to understand pricing, marketing, admin, taxes and more.
The list is endless but it does get easier over time.
10. Marketing is as important as improving your kerning skills.
I am yet to master this, I wish I spent more time learning how to market my self and my personal brand than how to perfect the pen tool in illustrator.
Again do your homework here.
I am yet to master this, I wish I spent more time learning how to market my self and my personal brand than how to perfect the pen tool in illustrator.
Again do your homework here.
11. Who are you and who do you serve
Now it& #39;s not a must to know this right away but it certainly helps. Find out who you want to be, what business are you, what do you love, who& #39;s your target client.
If we target everyone, we reach no one.
Now it& #39;s not a must to know this right away but it certainly helps. Find out who you want to be, what business are you, what do you love, who& #39;s your target client.
If we target everyone, we reach no one.
12. Niche
It& #39;s tough to niche starting out because we don& #39;t know what we love yet.
I started in web design, I still offer this but now I& #39;m positioning myself as a brand Identity designer more as I narrow down my services.
Make sense?
It& #39;s tough to niche starting out because we don& #39;t know what we love yet.
I started in web design, I still offer this but now I& #39;m positioning myself as a brand Identity designer more as I narrow down my services.
Make sense?
13. Have fun
If you aren& #39;t having fun it& #39;s not worth it. Don& #39;t take on design for money it won& #39;t end well.
I still have days where I don& #39;t feel myself and my work sucks but that& #39;s part of the process.
But for the most part, I love everything about my job.
If you aren& #39;t having fun it& #39;s not worth it. Don& #39;t take on design for money it won& #39;t end well.
I still have days where I don& #39;t feel myself and my work sucks but that& #39;s part of the process.
But for the most part, I love everything about my job.
14. Tools don& #39;t matter
Don& #39;t get sucked into spending thousands on an amazing desk set-up.
Buy what you can afford and deal with it for as long as you can. Your money would be better spent on online courses or tutorials.
Don& #39;t get sucked into spending thousands on an amazing desk set-up.
Buy what you can afford and deal with it for as long as you can. Your money would be better spent on online courses or tutorials.
And that& #39;s it...
I hope that helps. Feel free to respond if you have any questions on the above.
I hope that helps. Feel free to respond if you have any questions on the above.
