What are your hot-picks for starting your freelance career?
Unfortunately last Friday, I was hit with the news that my role was being made redundant. I've had an incredible two and a half years with my current agency and the time there has taught me so much and opened up amazing opportunities. So it is both gutting and disappointing to wave goodbye to everyone there in this manner.
But, there is always a bright side. This situation has given me the opportunity to review what I want to do next in my career. The world is my oyster, as they say. I have worked non-stop across the creative industry for over 8 years since finishing university in 2015. Time spent in agencies, in-house, and working with hundreds of unique businesses, both small and large, from Hull to Tokyo. I have been designing and creating constantly even since before then, all the way back to the mid 2000's. So, what do I do with that knowledge? What's next?
I have always dreamt of launching my own creative business, and now I have a breadth of knowledge across industries, businesses, and media, I have decided to make that dream a reality! It's strange to be so excited after receiving such gutting news only a week ago, but such is life! We do with what we have, and make the best of every situation. I have to take this opportunity and throw my all into something I have long dreamed of doing. www.nighthawkstudio.co.uk is my new baby. But, like parenting, it's apparent that winging it until you get it right is the way forward.
With all of that being said, I'm not one to claim I know everything and I love to learn. So, to all my freelancers, business start-ups, and solo workers, what are your hot-picks when it comes to launching? What made you look back and think 'that's obvious now' or 'I wish I had done that sooner'.
I'm all ears!
Replies7
- @Anna Negrini Great advice, thank you!
- @Anna Negrini Well Said!!!
- One thing I would suggest is that emails, linkedin etc are easy to ignore. Sometimes the old fashionable way of just picking up the phone and asking to speak with the CD/Studio Manager opens doors.Finally don't expect a recruiter to have your best interest in mind they work for the client and you are just one of the products they sell.
- @Brian Grant said it all!I'd add (in random order):- Have 6 months savings in place because it might take time to earn money- Be a nice person to work with: this can make the difference between you and another freelancer- Be aware of the loneliness/isolation- Being good at your job is not enough: you need to promote yourself, look for work, make your work understood, sell it and make sure you'll be paid and there's not shame in chasing money- You'll fail sometime for sure, but it's not the end of the world- Distinguish sense from nonsense (in feedbacks, briefs, etc.)- Admit mistakes- You have the power to say no: to work or people you don't believe in, if you think your workload is too much or the deadline impossible for you and your wellbeing- The importance of dialogue: with the clients or people you're working with- You'll have very busy times and others with no work- Last but not least, know your worth
- Hey Will,I still feel like a newbie at freelancing but it’s coming up to 4 years now and it feels like it’s finally picking up pace.My main advice would be to stay in touch with ex colleagues who you enjoyed working with - you never know where they might end up and might need a freelance graphic designer. This has been very much the case with me, 50% of my clients is through either friends or ex colleagues, so savour some of those relationships :)Good luck!
- Hello Will,This is a great question and I’ll highlight a few important areas below.CREATING OUTSTANDING WORKHaving an outstanding portfolio will open up so many doors for you and enable you to get work without needing to chase and do lots of outreach to build relationships. It also helps if you can develop a niche that makes you stand out from others in your area and this will also allow you to charge more for what you do.BEING PROFESSIONALSmall things can make a big difference, so things like making it easy for clients to deal with you will help you out a great deal. Organising your files, getting your invoices to clients on time, getting the right copy and resources for your work, following up with clients if they forget something, etc. This is something that is overlooked by many creative people. Also you can use happy clients as testimonials to get more clients. That helped me to grow initially and they would also refer me to their inner circle when they were pleased with my work.GETTING PAIDYou want to have some type of staged payment schedule i.e. 50% upfront and 50% on delivery or another arrangement that reduces your risk of not getting paid for your work. You do not want to be in a position where you have completed the work for a client and you are chasing payment from them.GETTING CLIENTSIf you have to use outreach to get clients then try to make sure that your work clings with the type of clients that you are trying to attract. so do not use insurance projects if you are trying to attract streetwear brands. And if you do not have a portfolio of ideal clients then create test projects to demonstrate your skill in how you would approach those type of clients.PAYING TAXESWhen going freelance it will be your responsibility to pay taxes each year, so when you get paid make sure that you are saving a significant portion for taxes when they are due. You may need to get an accountant to help you if your situation is complex.OUTSOURCINGBuild relationships with other creatives and experts so that you do not become overwhelmed. There are risks to working with other people so start with small low risk projects until you can trust them in the long-term.HAVE FUNGoing freelance is amazing and I have been able to travel the world and work with the most amazing clients in the world because of it. The truth is that not everyone is cut out for it and for long periods I had to work long hours and miss out on holidays while I built my reputation. That is a situation that many will not like so think carefully about the life that you want to live.I hope that helps.Good luck!!B.
- Congrats! And great topic! As I'm one feet still in my full-time job and one feet "picking up every gig that comes my way" - I wish I had some wisdom to drop. I don't. Hoping to hear from veterans!
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