Freelancing: Things I Wish I'd Known | Freelance Graphic Design

Studio Talk

Jul 21

Last night (20th July 2022) @amber_shipard and I attended a panel discussion about “Freelancing: Things I wish I’d known” brought to us by @theroost_creative and @IXDA Newcastle. Which also turned into an accidental Uni reunion...love that!!

They provided us with a heap of delicious food and a panel of people to chat about what you need to know when starting out as a freelancer - what people don't talk about (like what your rates should be), and what problems could have been avoided with just the right advice. We gained insights relating to all things freelancing and the value we put on it.

Some incredible creatives that provided us with their authentic wisdom included: Kara Sullivan of @gutscreative, Martin Mckenzie of the @businesscentreau, Amanda Kirkman UI Designer at Endeavour Group, Liana Goninon of @luxwasps, and of course the master of ceremonies, Ben Mitchell of @benmitchell.pdf

Any students, new grads, or anyone wanting to connect with other freelancers in the region, maybe give @theroost_creative a follow so you can come to the next event!

My biggest takeaway was that, no matter what stage you're at, we are all trying to figure it out and at the end of the day we want to help our clients achieve solutions to their problems - but we can't do this to our full potential if we aren't looking after ourselves first.

Can't wait for the next gathering of creative people!!

I have been freelancing since my last year of University (2015) but it was in my spare time outside of my full-time job. I have officially been solely freelancing since March 2021 and it’s a rollercoaster but I LOVE every second of it!!

If I think about what I wish I had known back when I was studying, these insights are what come to mind:

Be open-minded and keep learning: Yes, creativity just explodes out of you, but there is more to being a freelance creative than the deliverables you offer - read books, listen to podcasts, and talk to other professionals because you will eventually find out what works best for you when it comes to being a business owner.
It’s okay to not be perfect: You will always tweak your processes, what you offer, and how you package your services, it’s important to be confident in what you do and be open to feedback.
Give yourself room to breathe: Set up clear boundaries, know when you want to work, set days for when you meet clients, and schedule time to not only work on client projects but also work on projects for your business. Maybe don’t respond on the weekend? Setting clear expectations with your clients from the start will limit the pain and frustration on both sides.
Money and systems and apps: Be on top of your expenses, I personally use Xero to do all my invoicing, quotes, and reconciliation of my accounts, but you can find out what you prefer to use, just try it! There are also plenty of Accountants out there who love working with sole traders and can speak our language when it comes to tax time, don’t be afraid to reach out. They love our silly questions!! (Hint: there are no silly questions, we are creatives, and we don’t have to be number wizards). This isn’t new information, there is an app for everything…LastPass to save all of your passwords, Later to schedule all your social media posts, Driversnote to track your kilometers for tax time, Clockify to track your time for projects, Trello to organise your social media content, the list goes on!! And you know what? I may use these apps, but you will find the one that works for you best. Just keep looking and keep trialling!
We are a community not competitors: I learn so much from my fellow designers, if you have the mindset that there is plenty of work out there and we aren’t competing then you will gain a community that supports and encourages you. We are all so different and how we solve problems is unique to us. By valuing and supporting other creatives in our industries, it will not only surround you with like-minded people but increase the awareness about our value as creatives and what we offer.