A podcast for creatives, freelancers and business owners hosted by the founder of Alyssa Nguyen Design studio—Alyssa! A self-taught designer gone freelancer and now studio owner, Alyssa shares real, no B.S. advice on being an entrepreneur and designer with the mission of helping you reach your goals! Expect snackable episodes full of actionable steps and authentic experiences from someone who started from nothing (and really, we mean nothing...she started it with $20 in her bank account and in her 3rd year of undergrad!) Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
The Design Diaries podcast is an absolute gem for anyone interested in design, entrepreneurship, and running a small business. Hosted by Alyssa, the podcast delivers a raw and authentic look into her experiences as a brand designer. With each episode, Alyssa provides valuable tips, inspiration, and insight that are relatable to both aspiring designers and established professionals. Her transparency and work ethic are truly admirable, and it's clear that she genuinely wants to help others achieve their own design goals.
One of the best aspects of The Design Diaries podcast is its relatability. Alyssa's down-to-earth nature makes it feel like you're having a casual conversation with a close friend. She speaks from personal experience and shares the highs and lows of her journey in such a genuine way that it resonates with listeners on a deep level. Whether she's discussing freelancing, running her own design studio, or navigating challenges in the industry as a woman of color, Alyssa's honesty is refreshing and inspiring.
Another great aspect of this podcast is its practicality. While many design resources focus solely on theory or showcase high-profile designers with prestigious backgrounds, Alyssa breaks down barriers by showing that you don't need a design degree from an elite art school to succeed in the field. She shares tangible advice on freelancing, starting your own business, and finding creative happiness. This practical approach makes The Design Diaries accessible to anyone passionate about design regardless of their educational background or experience level.
If there were any downside to The Design Diaries podcast, it would be helpful if episodes were released more frequently. Every episode leaves you wanting more because of Alyssa's engaging storytelling and valuable insights. However, considering her busy schedule balancing school, design clients, and now hosting this podcast, it's understandable why episodes may not come out as frequently as some listeners might hope.
In conclusion, The Design Diaries podcast is an exceptional resource for anyone interested in design and entrepreneurship. Alyssa's transparency, relatability, and practical advice make this podcast stand out from the rest. It's a true testament to her passion for helping others and creating a supportive community within the design industry. Whether you're an aspiring designer or a seasoned professional, The Design Diaries is a must-listen that will leave you feeling inspired, informed, and ready to tackle your own design goals.
Instagram is always changing, and it feels like as soon as we figure it out, it's been updatedagain. But fear not —I've got you covered! The Design Diaries is BACK — In this episode, I'm breaking down thesix key strategies you need to know to grow your brand, connect with your audience, and actually enjoy the content creation process, all based on what's worked for me and what I've learned the hard way. From why quality matters more than consistency, to how micro-selling can help you land clients without feeling sales-y, this episode is packed with practical advice you can apply right away. Plus, I share my personal approach to using Reels, structuring your portfolio, and making sure your profile reflects the best of what you offer.Time Stamps[00:00] Podcast Returns! —Why I took a break and what's coming this season.[01:00] The Ever-Changing Instagram Game – Why your strategy needs to evolve.[02:00] Quality > Consistency – How to balance posting frequency and value.[06:00] Show, Don't Just Tell– Why portfolio work matters more than ever.[09:00] Reels Strategy – Picking the right style for your personality & audience.[14:00] Repetition is Key – Why posting about your offers once isn't enough.[18:00] Micro-Selling 101 – How to sell without being pushy.[24:00] Your Profile is Your Portfolio – Making your feed work for you.
Brand designer Alyssa Nguyen shares 3 strategies for booking clients after a slow period in your business that helped her go from slow quarters to booked out 2 months in advance. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/atnndesign/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/atnndesign/support
Brand design studio owner & designer Alyssa Nguyen shares why professional liability insurance is essential for creatives and some tips on how to get it and what to look for. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/atnndesign/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/atnndesign/support
Brand designer Alyssa Nguyen talks 3 key things to consider when approaching growth strategies for any part of your design or creative business. These tips will allow you to make actionable steps towards building a sustainable growth plan that won't overwhelm you. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/atnndesign/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/atnndesign/support
Guest speaker and Business & IP Lawyer Ivy McNeill joins us to discuss legal strategies for assessing legal risk and avoiding legal issues. We discuss questions to ask your clients to minimize your chances of trouble and questions to ask a lawyer when considering hiring representation as a brand designer. This episode will help you understand what a designer-attorney relationship can do for you and how to take the first steps with forming one. You can sign up for the FREE questionnaires that Ivy has provided us by opt-ing in to our mailing lists here! You'll get: The Legal Checklist for Brand Designers: 8 Key Questions to Ask Your Clients Lawyer Up: The Brand Designer's Guide to Hiring an Attorney These resources are only free and available to our listeners for a limited time, so sign up now before it's over! Make sure to follow @legallyivy on Instagram and our studio profile @atnndesign for updates on our upcoming workshop: The (Must-Have) Legal Workshop for Creatives Check out more of Ivy below: Follow her Instagram: @legallyivy Work with Her: Canary & Hedge Website Listen: Heistish Podcast --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/atnndesign/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/atnndesign/support
What types of projects should I put in my portfolio? How many? What do I put on my about page? What do I put in the case studies? I'll answer all of these questions and more to help you build the best graphic design portfolio possible. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/atnndesign/support
Figuring out if a client will be hard to work wit, if a contractor will be reliable, and if a coach will be worth it is hard! Here are 3 red flags that I look out for in each to maximize my chances of a good match. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/atnndesign/support
Let's talk about finding a design style! In this episode, I break down the difference between a design style and a design aesthetic and then share my journey with finding my own. I'll tell you all about my strategies for figuring out your signature and give you 3 tips to start. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/atnndesign/support
Let's talk about how lonely it is to be a self-employed creative...and then let me give some tips for finding community when you work by yourself! It's so important to take the time to connect with people in our industry, but it can be hard to figure out when, where, and how to do it. My best tips are in this episode! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/atnndesign/support
"What am I missing???" I know it's stressful leaving for the holidays not knowing if you've done *everything* you were supposed to, so here's a checklist of things I recommend doing at the end of the year to help you prep for the new year! In this episode, I'm talking accounting, improvement, planning, marketing, and more, so give it a listen and let me know what you think! This is the last episode of season 2, so leave us a review and DM us on Instagram to let us know what you're thinking of the podcast so far! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
I spent HOW MUCH?? I spent almost 40k this year, and in this episode, I break down all the categories for my expenses and tell you exactly how much I spent and on what! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
It's a little early, but I'm sharing some of the goals that I have for the new year! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
In this episode, I'm giving you my top 5 tips for optimizing your content for TikTok because YES it's completely different from Instagram. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
In this episode, I'm sharing my best 3 tips for avoiding burnout to plan your year more intuitively and give yourself a break. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
I'm covering my tips for figuring out how to budget yourself as a self-employed freelancer or creative! I discuss tracking expenses and income and figuring out how to pay yourself! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
In this episode, I cover how to decide if a course is going to be worth your time and money and how to go about deciding if one is right for you! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
In this episode, I asked you, my listeners, to submit some struggles that you need help with for this new advice column-style episode "Dear Diary." I'm giving advice to 3 different submitted situations: saying no to working with friends and family; holding yourself back from starting a business; and struggling to balance work and life as a freelancer without a formal schedule. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
I'm listing the top 5 sections that I always look for in a contract that I highly recommend you have in yours! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
I'm talking through 4 major legal mistakes I've made in my business and giving you the tips and honesty to help you avoid making the same ones! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
I'm talking about the progress I've made with self-perception, productivity, self-worth, and achievement as someone who struggles with feeling satisfied! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
I'm talking all about the steps I took to rebrand my studio and tips for making it *easier* for you! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
I'm sharing my biggest 3 tips for how to approach large business changes like restructuring, scaling, etc! We're talking figuring out what to change, how to find a solution, and how to approach executing it. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
I'm talking all about what it's been like taking a mental health break from the business and how I'm approaching getting back into the swing of things! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
With all the content I've been putting out recently over Instagram, Close Friends, TikTok, this Podcast, and now my YouTube, I've been struggling with the question of whether or not I'm sharing too much and how to deal with that uncertainty. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
I give a lot of advice on what to DO, but now I'm trying to show you what NOT to do through sharing my regrets and things I wish I knew when I was growing and starting out. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
I'm covering early termination as both a client and a creative: when to know, how to do it, and how to cope! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
What brands do you hate? Do you have anything cringey to admit? I ask my friends @bymatthewmiller, @helloimwilda, and @m.b.i.r.d some juicy questions that you sent us in a long, candid, and fun conversation! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
In this episode I'm talking Imposter Syndrome and some tips on how I've dealt with it over the years! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
This episode covers some tips for what to do once you've decided to increase your rates! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
It's time for season 2! We're officially back and ready for a whole ton of exciting episodes! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
In this episode, I cover key things you need to consider when starting to develop passive income streams and how to make them with minimal extra effort from you! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
I'm getting a lil juicy today and talking about 4 trends that I think are TOXIC in the creative community! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
I cover my top 5 things that I keep on the lookout for when meeting potential clients to avoid possible nightmare situations! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
In this episode I share my best tips for managing client feedback like how to disagree with feedback & how to get the best feedback possible! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
In this episode I cover my best advice for approaching tense or awkward client situations and I go through 5 client scenarios, talking you through my recommended approach for dealing with them: 1. Client Trust Issues, 2: Scope Creep, 3: Late Payments/Feedback, 4: Mismatched Vision or Negative Interactions (aka Terminating a Project), 5: Working with a Friend --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
WTF do you do when you feel like someone has copied your designs? In this diary entry I tell you about my experience with people taking my work and how I feel about the debate between copying and inspiration + a mini rant on the "be original" narrative! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
I share my tips and methods for using Instagram in a sustainable and natural way to grow your business! Instead of giving you the classic algorithm tips, I'm sharing ways to view Instagram as a community tool to help you grow without the extra effort. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
I'm sharing my top 5 things to consider and implement into your project experience to maximize client satisfaction and get you some good reviews! I talk systems, strategies, and things to consider when building your workflow. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
We're talking strategies and methods for attracting clients that align with your business! I'm sharing some tips and things to consider that will help you attract your dream clients sustainably over time. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
In this episode I talk about the scary moment when you decide to start being the spokesperson for your business on social media and how it's not all rainbows and butterflies! I talk about being anxious about hate, becoming an influencer, and how to balance marketing with personal comfort. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
We're talking about how to price yourself in a way that's right for you and what's comfortable! I discuss how I go about pricing my services and suggest ways to think about how to structure yours. I don't cover any particular numbers, but rather I talk about how to think about your own comfort level to customize your pricing structure in a way that makes sense for you! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
In this episode I cover my best advice, like real advice!, that I wish I had been told when I first starting out. I cover a variety of topics like pricing, service offerings, passion projects, and more! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
In this episode I share realistic and simple steps to improve your rest-work balance! Instead of just telling you to rest and practice self-care (like what does that even mean these days?), I give you my actual tips that I use to help relieve anxiety, burnout, and more. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
Your niche and target audience are one of the main pillars of your business' foundation! In this episode I cover ways to thoughtfully find your niche and strategically find your audience while also having a bit of fun! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
In this episode I get vulnerable and talk about an unpleasant but real experience that I had in my week...breaking up with a client and getting talked down to in a meeting. I talk about the experiences of dealing with both and what I learned from them! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
Welcome! Get to know me, your humble host, by learning about my unconventional journey into design and how I started freelancing, designing, and opening my own studio. I share my experience going through a MAJOR career change and following my passion. It's nice to meet you! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
In this episode I outline my best tips for starting a creative freelancing career or business! I include tips for laying the foundation of your business to set you up for success and I also cover my top 5 admin essentials to get the ball rolling! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atnndesign/support
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