Scaling my Design Business: Creatively Targeting Financial Freedom.

Question

Hello everyone,

I’m new to The-Dots and excited to dive into the wealth of content available here.

Here's a bit about my background: When the first lockdown started in early 2020, I worked for two years as a low-earning freelance designer. At 19, this was manageable since I had few responsibilities or commitments. In 2021, I landed my first full-time design role at a finance consultancy, where I gained valuable experience in typesetting and layout for foreign languages. Leveraging these skills, I secured a position as a Senior Designer at a large manufacturing company. Here, I lead a small team of designers and take on freelance work during weekends for extra income. Over the past few years, I've self-taught a wide range of creative skills, from graphic and motion design to people management. Although I'm in a senior role for my age and earn a decent living, I feel I haven't truly excelled.

This feeling seems common in the design industry, where many creatives believe they've only 'made it' when they can earn a full-time living from freelance work. With this in mind, I have a few questions:

1. What is the best lead generation tool for a graphic designer?

2. What advice would you give a young professional aiming to succeed in the freelance world?

3. What was the most impactful decision you made to advance your creative career?

Thank you in advance for your insights.