Podcasts about freelance designer

From Nervous to Thriving: Discover how Alina Sanchez-Lopez transformed trade show nerves into a $12,000 freelance triumph!Ever walked into a trade show feeling completely out of place, unsure of how to approach potential clients? That was Alina—until a few key mindset shifts and strategic moves changed everything. A casual chat at Magic turned into a game-changing $12K project, reigniting her passion for design and proving that in-person networking can lead to massive freelance success.In this episode, Alina pulls back the curtain on how she overcame the initial awkwardness, what she said to grab a brand's attention, and the smart strategies that helped her stand out in a sea of fashion pros. She also shares how she navigated the leap from corporate burnout to freelance freedom, creating a career that gives her both flexibility and fulfillment. Whether you're gearing up for your first trade show or looking to refine your networking skills, this conversation is packed with insights you can apply right away.If you're new to freelancing or have been at it for a while, click play now to learn how to confidently network at trade shows and turn conversations into paid design work!About Alina: Alina is a Freelance Designer & Consultant dedicated to helping small brands discover their unique identity, transform ideas into standout designs, and create fashion with purpose. Specializing in eco-conscious activewear and streetwear, she combines innovative design, technical expertise, and a passion for sustainability to bring bold ideas to life. Her mission is to empower clients to build impactful and distinctive fashion lines that inspire and resonate. Connect with Alina:Visit her websiteEmail her at: alina.sanlop94@gmail.comFollow on InstagramConnect on LinkedIn Sick of being tied to a desk and want more freedom in your day, snag my free training: How to Freelance in Fashion (even if you're terrified you don't have all the answers) by clicking here.

TODAY'S CONFESSION: “Why do people act like freelancing is this easy way out and we should all quit our full time jobs and start raking in the big client projects. It's hard af' The Episode About Freelancing: https://pod.fo/e/257f19 Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can't ask? Submit your creative confession here — ⁠https://brandyourbrain.net/confess⁠ Visit the Website — ⁠https://brandyourbrain.net/⁠ Sign up for the designer newsletter for all guts no jargon social media advice, tips and entrepreneur stories to your inbox (& you'll gain access to a vault full of freebies which is pretty cool imo) — ⁠*https://brandsbyrobin.myflodesk.com/peihdth3lu*⁠** Get Designer Resources — ⁠https://brandyourbrain.net/resources⁠ Podcast Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/brandyourbrain⁠ Robin's Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/brandsbyrobin/⁠ Work with Me — ⁠https://brandsbyrobin.com/services⁠ Don't forget to rate the podcast, and hit the follow to keep up with new episodes.

In this episode, we dive into the unique challenges and incredible strengths of freelancing as a neurodivergent individual. Join us as we catch up with Niamh Coughlan, graduate from BA Fashion Design Technology: Womenswear, ahead of the launch of her second collection which embraces her values of inclusivity, sustainability and heritage. From managing focus and energy to leveraging creativity and innovation, this conversation is packed with practical tips, personal stories, and strategies to help neurodiverse freelancers thrive. Whether you're navigating ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or any other form of neurodiversity, this episode offers insights on building a career that works with your brain, not against it. Tune in for thoughtful perspectives and actionable ideas to shape your freelancing journey on your terms. • Check out NE Coughlan: https://necoughlan.com/ • Find out more about Access to Work: https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work • Learn more about the Disability Confident Employer Scheme: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/disability-confident-campaign • Learn more about LCF Graduate Futures: www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/london-c…/graduate-futures • Email graduate.futures@fashion.arts.ac.uk for a full audio transcript.

In this insightful episode, we catch up with Niamh Coughlan, graduate from BA Fashion Design Technology: Womenswear, two years after stepping out of the classroom and into the industry. From the highs and lows of navigating the freelance world whilst also employed, to the unexpected twists that shaped her career path, Niamh shares an honest reflection on life post-graduation. Now a Freelance Designer with her own apparel brand, she'll talk about the challenges of comparing herself to others, keeping momentum when you're self-employed and how her dreams have evolved. Whether you're a student aspiring to make your mark or a professional looking for a fresh perspective, tune in for candid advice, lessons learned, and inspiration for your own fashion journey. • Graduated between may-June 2023? Find out more about Graduate Outcomes: www.graduateoutcomes.ac.uk/about-survey • Check out NE Coughlan: https://necoughlan.com/ • Learn more about LCF Graduate Futures: www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/london-c…/graduate-futures • Email graduate.futures@fashion.arts.ac.uk for a full audio transcript.

In this episode of Brand Your Brain, myself and Frankie Harry are talking all about loneliness as a freelance designer Submit your Creative Confession here - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brandyourbrain.net/confess⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Connect with Frankie! https://www.instagram.com/byfrankieharry/ https://www.byfrankieharry.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuk3DwUFiTja0HcY3KtCfg Watch Frankie's Youtube Video: https://youtu.be/jzxYdP3oPgA?feature=shared Visit the Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brandyourbrain.net/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Sign up for the designer newsletter for all guts no jargon design business advice, tips and entrepreneur stories to your inbox (& you'll gain access to a vault full of freebies which is pretty cool imo) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brandsbyrobin.myflodesk.com/peihdth3lu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Get Designer Resources - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brandyourbrain.net/resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Work with Robin - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brandsbyrobin.com/services⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Podcast Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/brandyourbrain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Robin's Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/brandsbyrobin/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Apply to be a Guest - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brandyourbrain.net/guest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Don't forget to rate the podcast, and hit the follow to keep up with new episodes.

Every Graphic Designer dreads the mistakes that could derail their career. But what if you could see those pitfalls before falling into them?This week on The Angry Designer podcast, we're taking a hard-hitting look at 25 surefire ways to destroy your Graphic Design career, and how you can avoid them. In this episode, you'll discover:- Why centering all your text and using too many trendy fonts can make your designs unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.- How being arrogant and making unsolicited changes to client brands can quickly alienate your customers.- Why inconsistency is the enemy of good branding and how to maintain a strong, cohesive look.Packed with real-life anecdotes and practical tips, this episode will guide you through the minefield of graphic design blunders. From understanding the importance of clear messaging to the dangers of ignoring constructive criticism, we cover it all.By the end of this episode, you'll have a clear roadmap for avoiding career-killing mistakes and turning potential disasters into opportunities for growth.Stay Angry our Friends –––––––––––Want to see more? See uncut episodes on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/theangrydesigner Read our blog posts on our website TheAngryDesigner.comJoin in the conversation on our Instagram Instagram.com/TheAngryDesignerPodcast

Ever feel like you're drowning in tasks, both personal and professional, as a freelance designer? You're not alone. In this episode, I share how hiring and outsourcing can transform your business and your life. From hiring a cleaner or nanny to taking on a design assistant, I'll show you the steps to move from solo freelancer to thriving business owner. Discover the freedom and growth that comes with building a team and the tangible benefits it brings.   You will learn: How outsourcing personal tasks can boost your productivity and mental well-being. The steps to transition from a solo freelancer to a business owner with a team. The benefits of hiring in your design business, including increased efficiency and financial growth. Practical tips for identifying tasks to outsource and finding the right people for your team. How to overcome common challenges in letting go of control and managing a remote team.   Grab a cup of coffee, your notes, and get ready to redefine how you run your design business! Aventive Academy's Resources: Free Client Portal for Designers: https://aventiveacademy.com/client-portal/ $12k Client Attraction Masterclass: https://aventiveacademy.com/attract-clients-workshop/ Join My Weekly Newsletter: https://aventive-academy.ck.page/0fc86a336f The Wealthy Client Blueprint: ⁠https://aventiveacademy.com/wealthy-client/ 12-Week Business Program for Designers: https://aventiveacademy.com/profit The Creative CEO Accelerator: https://aventiveacademy.com/accelerator

Ever feel like fate has a crazy twist in store for you? Courtney Osborn sure did, especially when she got fired the same day she signed up for a webinar about freelancing. Delving into her journey from a toxic corporate job to launching her own fashion freelancing business, Courtney shares how she battled through emotional abuse, HR letdowns, and panic attacks. Amidst initial challenges and imposter syndrome, she's found validation in every paid invoice and learned to celebrate those small wins that keep her going.About Courtney:Courtney Osborn is a Freelance Designer based in New Jersey. She studied fashion at the University of Cincinnati school of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP), focusing on Product Development and Marketing. The internship requirements at DAAP set her up with real world experience designing for department stores Kohl's and Bonton, and brands like Fossil and Garanimals. She spent 12 years in the corporate retail sphere before transitioning to freelancing full-time in 2023.Connect with Courtney:Visit her Website: courtneyosborn.comEmail at: courtney@courtneyosborn.comFollow on InstagramConnect on Linkedin  SFD in NYC early bird tickets on sale now! Click here for more deets! sewheidi.com/NYC

Submit your Creative Confession here - ⁠⁠⁠https://brandyourbrain.net/confess⁠⁠⁠  Visit the Website - ⁠⁠https://brandyourbrain.net/⁠⁠  Sign up for the designer newsletter for all guts no jargon design business advice, tips and entrepreneur stories to your inbox (& you'll gain access to a vault full of freebies which is pretty cool imo) - ⁠⁠https://brandsbyrobin.myflodesk.com/peihdth3lu⁠⁠  Connect with the confessor! - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/by.madi.mae⁠ Get Designer Resources - ⁠⁠https://brandyourbrain.net/resources⁠⁠ Work with Robin - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brandsbyrobin.com/services⁠⁠⁠⁠  Podcast Instagram - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/brandyourbrain⁠⁠  Robin's Instagram - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/brandsbyrobin/⁠⁠  Apply to be a Guest - ⁠⁠https://brandyourbrain.net/guest⁠⁠  Don't forget to rate the podcast, and hit the follow to keep up with new episodes.

Let's talk about some important soft skills needed to run a successful freelance design business Got a question or topic you'd love to see discussed on the podcast? Submit it here! - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/Ft9C8BGw6dvc48XC7⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get the Your Brain Online Workshop for only £9 - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brandsbyrobin.com/your-brain-online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for the bi-weekly newsletter for all guts no jargon social media advice, tips and entrepreneur stories to your inbox (& you'll gain access to a vault full of freebies which is pretty cool imo) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brandsbyrobin.myflodesk.com/y6da8yrhnh⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out all the resources - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brandsbyrobin.com/resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/brandsbyrobin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.tiktok.com/@brandsbyrobin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pinterest - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.pinterest.co.uk/brandsbyrobin/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apply to be a guest - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/qrpr7mcLkFL7vNge9 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brandyourbrain/message

Text us your questions, and we'll address them in the show!In this episode of Earning by Design, I will tackle a common question from freelance designers: Should you charge the same as an in-house designer? Join me in this episode to discover the differences in expenses, responsibilities, and expertise that should justify higher rates for freelance designers. Learn why it's essential to value your skills appropriately and gain the confidence to set prices that reflect your true worth. Additionally, I'll share my insights on serving global clients in today's increasingly virtual world. Discover how the shift to online meetings has opened up new opportunities for freelance designers, allowing you to expand your client base across different countries and time zones.This episode is packed with valuable advice and practical tips to help you navigate the complexities of pricing and client management in the freelance design industry.CONNECT WITH ME! Website: https://4thecreatives.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/4thecreatives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4thecreatives/

In this episode of Jar of Genius, host Russ Perry is joined by Brett Williams, Founder of Designjoy. Together, they unpack the secrets behind building a successful solo venture, the challenges of innovating within a saturated market, and the future of design entrepreneurship. Discover how Brett combined the benefits of traditional agencies and freelancing to create a one-man agency that offers affordable and reliable design services, as well as the impact of AI on the creative industry.

In today's episode I am joined by the wonderful Pearse O'Halloran, a freelance designer and creative powerhouse behind Loom Graphics! Join us for a very witty, very entertaining and very honest conversation about the power of no!! To begin we laugh and learn about Pearse's origin story,  from creative awakenings ignited by a 90's army canvas bag to the evolution of his craft from a bustling Glasgow city to the serene Scottish isles.Then for our hot topic segment Pearse and I get personal about the struggles and triumphs of freelance life and uncover the importance of self-worth. Pearse offers his wisdom on the transformative power of "no" – a simple yet scary word that many of us are reluctant to use. He also shares insider tips on nurturing freelancer-client relationships and talks about the necessity of setting boundaries.To wrap up the episode, Pierce enlightens me in the 'Movie and Pie' segment, praising the virtues of a mac cheese pie paired with an adrenaline-pumping movie pick from the 'Mad Max' saga. Which one you ask? Well you've just have to listen and find out

In this episode, Eva and Danielle talked about the mistakes they made during their careers and what they learned from them. They emphasized the importance of putting all project details, including rates, in writing to prevent any misunderstandings. They stressed the need for contracts and deposits to secure the project and explained why it is essential for freelancers to diversify their client base. They also cautioned against taking on projects outside their area of expertise. What mistakes have you made during your career that you would like other freelancers to learn from?

Our guest today, Benjamin Llewellyn joins me to share his winding journey from graduating with an architecture degree to becoming a freelance illustrator and background artist for animated television shows. Though architecture and illustration seem different, Benjamin finds his architectural background gives him an edge in creating realistic environments and backgrounds. He enjoys the constant variety and creativity of freelance work. See Ben's work here: https://www.vagabondsketchbook.comHighlights:Benjamin's journey from architecture school to working odd jobs before breaking into animationBuilding a portfolio and networking to make connections in new industriesThe Challenges and Rewards of FreelancingThe Art of Background Design in AnimationThe Power of Storytelling in DesignEmbracing your inner "weirdo" rather than a traditional career pathCheck out OOA's other podcast Redlines ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Flexibility is key when it comes to freelancing. In this discussion, Eva and Danielle share their different approaches to managing their time and how they estimate and prioritize their projects. They also reflect on whether flexibility is an innate ability or one that can be learned. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the significance of setting boundaries to succeed as well as the importance of recognizing when to be flexible and when not to be.

In this episode of The Profitable Graphic Designer Podcast, I chat with Tim, a solo business owner who turned his design venture from zero to nearly half a million dollars per year in just a few years. Before Tim shares his tips and tricks, we start with an intro to his background and journey into freelancing. We talk about how Tim got his initial clients without a portfolio, exploring the strategies that kick started his success. Then, we discuss niche selection, uncovering Tim's insights on finding a niche and standing out. The conversation turns to pricing challenges for designers, with Tim sharing his evolving pricing strategies. We also explore the role of marketing and personal branding, as Tim talks about the techniques that attracted clients and built his brand.   Scaling as a solo designer is tough, and we dive into Tim's journey in managing workload and quality. We talk about considerations around hiring or outsourcing and the importance of quality control. Tim shares wisdom on effective time management for handling multiple client projects.   As we look into Tim's entrepreneurial mind, we discuss diversifying income beyond client work, exploring online courses and products. Tim shares his future goals for his design business, offering insights into potential scaling and pivots. For budding designers, Tim wraps up with advice and a list of books, courses, and resources that shaped his approach to design and business. Tune in for a practical episode with real-world experiences and insights from a graphic design success story.   You will learn: Strategies for getting clients in the early days with no portfolio or reputation. Insights into niche selection and standing out. Evolution of pricing strategies for designers starting out. Marketing techniques and personal branding for attracting clients. Tips on effective time management and maintaining quality as a solo designer.   Tim's Bio: Tim is a ux designer, web developer, and the founder of FreelanceGPS.com, where he coaches how to start and grow successful freelance businesses. Resources: $12k Client Attraction Masterclass: https://aventiveacademy.com/attract-clients-workshop/ The Wealthy Client Blueprint: ⁠https://aventiveacademy.com/wealthy-client/ 12-Week Business Program for Designers: https://aventiveacademy.com/make-money The Creative CEO Accelerator: https://aventiveacademy.com/accelerator

How often do you find yourself stuck in a comfort zone, oblivious to the opportunities that lie beyond? Today's episode takes an inspiring dive into the journey of Erika, a once bartender now a flourishing marketing entrepreneur. She has skillfully blended her customer service skills with a fervor for visual marketing to not only build her career but also lend a hand to aspiring freelancers. Erika's story is a living testament to the power of life experiences in shaping our strengths - it's about shaking off the mental shackles and daring to dream. Imagine a world where you could shed draining clients without losing your footing. We have an enlightening chat with a freelance designer who shares the power of such a decision. The conversation unfolds the importance of moving beyond the comfort zone and embracing the potential of social media as a networking tool. We delve into the basics of starting a business and the benefits of gaining experience from small beginnings. Our guest leaves us with a powerful notion - taking risks and welcoming new experiences isn't just an option; it's a necessity. Lastly, we tackle the subject of rejection. The often-dreaded word that has a profound impact on our confidence and success. We share personal journeys of dealing with rejection and how it has helped shape us. Our guest unveils her unique business that fosters female entrepreneurs by creating freelancing opportunities. The narratives of our clients' victories underline the crucial aspect of daring to let go and chase opportunities. As we wrap up, we leave you with a hopeful message, a call to arms to face rejection, build resilience, and ultimately 'do the thing'. So, join us, share your burning questions and inspiring stories, and let's take this journey together. (00:02) Discover Passion, Build Successful Business (08:18) Learning From Freelance Client Experiences (16:31) Overcoming Rejection and Building Resilience (27:57) Do the Thing Podcast

Imagine being excited about a new job, only to find out that your employer is deceitful and manipulative. That's the reality that Zuhara Miriam, a marketing and PR expert from Kenya, faced when she took on a job with a fraudulent employer. This episode serves as a cautionary tale, and a reminder to always be vigilant when entering into any employment agreement.We navigate the treacherous waters of employment contracts gone awry, delayed payments, and the subsequent resignation. Listen to Zuhara's harrowing experience of working under Catherine, a boss who not only delayed her payments but also created a toxic workplace culture. You may find yourself nodding along, recognizing similar experiences. Or, you may be shocked at the audacity of some employers. Either way, you're in for an enlightening conversation about work ethics, honesty, and transparency.Lastly, we delve into the repercussions of a toxic leader and how that can leave deep scars on a team. Zuhara's story serves as a stark reminder of the struggles that many face in the PR industry. Despite the challenges, she remains hoWelcome to Season 2, where we embark on authentic and unfiltered conversations about life, relationships, society, and more. Our opinions are solely our own and don't represent professional advice. It's just our perspective, so form your conclusions. Heads up, this podcast may contain adult content and explicit language. Let's dive in! Buzzsprout refer a friend! Grab a $20 off when you sign up! With SiteGround's Click-and-Install WordPress, we're leaving manual setup in the past. Our podcast is powered by the seamless one-click installation and WordPress Starter wizard. Choose from pro designs, add contact forms, online stores, portfolios – all automated, no tech stress. Say goodbye to mundane setups and hello to a stunning podcast platform. Dive into impactful discussions without the technical hassle. Launch your podcast website effortlessly.

In dieser Episode von ECOM SECRETS offenbart Daniel Bidmon alles über seine Vergangenheit, wie er es vom Freelance Designer zum Unternehmer geschafft hat und was der wahre Grund ist, warum er heute das macht, was er macht. Sichere dir jetzt ein kostenloses Exemplar von meinem Buch: http://ecombuch.de/ Wenn du Fragen an Daniel Bidmon hast oder möchtest, dass er und sein Team dir bei der Skalierung deines Unternehmens helfen, dann vereinbare jetzt dein kostenloses Strategiegespräch: www.ecomhouse.com Daniel Bidmon & sein Team zeigen dir, wie du das Marketing für deinen Online Shop so aufbaust, dass du profitabel auf 7 bis 8-stellige Umsätze skalieren kannst. Mit Facebook Ads, der richtigen Kundenansprache und weiteren Methoden um erfolgreich zu wachsen. Vereinbare jetzt dein kostenloses Strategiegespräch: www.ecomhouse.com

Is having a website worth it? Where should you create your design website? Where should you post your portfolio online? If you're serious about building a freelance design business, find out why you should have your own website.

#157 Thinking of going out on your own as a freelance graphic designer or web designer? Find out the pros and cons of being a full-time freelancer versus employee and some points to consider before working for yourself full time.

#155 Learn how to work more efficiently in Adobe InDesign with these time-saving 10 tips about features that most graphic designers don't use. The more you know InDesign, the easier it is to incorporate accessibility into the layout process too.

#152 A design brief, or creative brief, helps you get more respect and be seen as an expert as a designer. Find out how to write a creative brief and how it helps not only you but the designer-client relationship and the design process.

Ready for your free 1-1 consult? - https://www.profitabledesigner.com/schedule/Follow me on Instagram for daily Instagram story updates, and a more "behind-the-scenes" look at what I'm up to - https://www.instagram.com/profitabledesignerThanks for watching!- Patrick

Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is  Kelly Molson, Founder of Rubber Cheese.Download the Rubber Cheese 2022 Visitor Attraction Website Report - the first digital benchmark statistics for the attractions sector.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website rubbercheese.com/podcast.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned in this podcastCompetition ends July 31st 2023. The winner will be contacted via Twitter. Show references: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miloft/https://thebusinesscreative.com/ Mark Lofthouse is a themed entertainment creative and digital designer. During his 16-year career within the themed entertainment industry he's had the opportunities to work with theme parks, heritage sites and leisure facilities across Europe - creating fantastical experiences that wow audiences. His background spans varied roles from operations management of theme parks and head of business for a manufacturing business right through to the lead creative for scare mazes - this combination of creative and operational knowledge has helped him carve out a varied career that now sees him working with the biggest names in theme parks!The Business Creative are a Creative Agency specialising in entertainment experiences that connect an audience to a brand, in a real life environment. Transcriptions: Kelly Molson: Welcome to Skip The Queue, a podcast for people working in or working with visitor attractions. I'm your host, Kelly Molson. Each episode, I speak with industry experts from the attractions world. These chats are fun, informative and hopefully always interesting. In today's episode, I speak with Mark Lofthouse, an Immersive experience specialist. We discuss the career path Mark took to work in the sector and the four pillars you need to succeed as a creative designer in the theme park industry. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify and all the usual channels by searching Skip The Queue. Kelly Molson: It is so good to have you on the podcast. I feel like we've been talking about doing this for ages and we're finally here. Welcome. Mark Lofthouse: Thank you so much. Yeah, it does seem like it has been forever ago, doesn't it? Actually, that we started talking, but we're here, life is good. That is all we can ask for. Kelly Molson: Exactly. And we're going to have a good chat and good things are going to come from it. But first, I need to ask you some icebreaker questions. So what ingredients would you go for in your perfect sandwich? Mark Lofthouse: You know what I'm a bit of a fan of? I like chicken, but spiced chicken. I love a bit of cake in my life, so I'd have that. I'd have jalapenos on it, turkey, bit of lettuce, some onions, a bit of chorizo, if they've got it. Yeah, but that's like my perfect sandwich. And lots of chipotle sauce. The Southwest chipotle sauce is like to die for. It's my favourite thing ever. Kelly Molson: I love it. Mark likes a bit of hot stuff there. Yeah, you had me at chorizo. Not going to lie, you had me at chorizo. All right. Okay, good. If you could enter the Olympics for anything, what would you be Olympic level at? And when I say anything, I'm saying, like, the Olympics could be, like you could be like the Olympic baker or like, the Olympic complaining champion. What would you be like Olympic level at? Mark Lofthouse: I think I'd be like maybe jumping to conclusions. I think something like napping. Do you know what I think? Genuinely think that would be the best Olympic sport ever, wouldn't it? Kelly Molson: Olympic level napping? Mark Lofthouse: Yeah, because you know what, I work that much and I'm always on the go all of the time when I have a nap, I feel like I'm the best person ever at napping. So I think I genuinely would be the best at that. I'd win gold. Kelly Molson: Are you like one of these people that a nap anywhere? If I said to you, now you can go and have a 20 minutes nap if you want, you'd be like, yeah, I've done. And 20 minutes later you'd wake up, because it would take for me if someone gave me 20 minutes nap. I'd be like, oh, I've got to think about that for a while. And then I'll lay down. But I might look at my phone and then I might get a five minute nap out of that 20 minutes. Mark Lofthouse: Yeah. If you give me the opportunity to go and have a nap because it doesn't come around very often, I will be very good at that. I'm a very efficient napper. Kelly Molson: Okay, good. I like that. Efficient napper. Olympic level napper. Mark Lofthouse: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Gold medal. Kelly Molson: All right, final icebreaker. I would like to know what your favourite visitor attraction is. It's a really horrible question that I ask people who come on a visitor attraction focused podcast, but I'm intrigued to know what yours is. Mark Lofthouse: Right, I have two kind of contrasting ones. I'm always a fan of theme parks and specifically Fantasy Land in Germany is probably my favourite. And I think it's because it's quite hard to get that true immersive, which obviously that word is batted around so much, but to get that true escapism feel is really difficult to come by. But the park seems to do it seamlessly and I think I've always been such a huge fan and in admiration as well, of what they managed to achieve. So that is one of them. But I also love going to kind off the beaten track places that you think, you know what, let's give it a go, let's go and try and do it. And then it becomes one of the best places to visit. Mark Lofthouse: So one of them, as much as it's a visual attraction, it's kind of a natural attraction as well. So the fairy pools in the Isle of Skye, now, it's becoming more and more popular because of Instagram, but it's literally just a little ravine that comes through off the mountain with water coming through it. And it was the best day out I've ever had. Literally spent the entire day jumping in and out of natural pools and waterfalls. And honestly, it was just the best visitor attraction I've been to. But it was such a natural setting. It was completely natural. Wasn't man made at all, apart from the car park, that was it. And it was just the best. So if you're ever in the Isle of Skye, you have to go and do it. Kelly Molson: That sounds absolutely a bit of me, Mark. What an amazing place. Mark Lofthouse: Yeah. And the photos that I've got are just the best as well. I love them. I love looking back at them.Kelly Molson: Instagrammable moments it is all about. Oh, good. All right.All right. I like that. Okay. Your unpopular opinion I'm going to feel. Mark Lofthouse: About for saying this, and my connections on LinkedIn, please don't judge me for saying it. My unpopular opinion is that I'm much more excited about the products and experiences that Universal are creating over Disney. I know that it is quite controversial. So, again, this is kind of splitting hers because I love both of the companies, but I think from a proposition point of view, that the level of detail, the type of attraction, type of experiences that Universal are working on as a creative team. Not just in the park, but now they're opening this Halloween Horror Nights experience in Las Vegas, where it's nowhere near their park and the new park that they're opening in the States as well. I think it's just so exciting for that company. They just seem to be growing and growing and opening new avenues of business. Mark Lofthouse: And I think I love Disney, and that is an understatement. But I'm so much more excited about what Universal are putting out there at the moment. But it is an incredibly unpopular opinion when you voice that because there is such this tribe mentality between Universal and Disney. But there we go. I've said it. It's out there. Kelly Molson: All right, listeners, we need to know what your opinion is on Mark's. Are you agreeing with them or is this an unpopular opinion? Tweet us and let us know. Brave man, Mark, for the industry that you work in, brave. Mark Lofthouse: I probably just shot myself in the foot there. Kelly Molson: Maybe a tiny bit, but tell us what you do. Mark Lofthouse: I kind of a jack of all trades when it comes to visitor attractions and themed attractions, really. So, by heart, I'm a creative. I've been based in this for about 16 years now, working as a freelance creative for theme parks, heritage sites, leisure facilities. And that will be anything from coming up with marketing material, graphic design, digital design, right through to project management, event management, and overseeing creative concepts for them specifically in events, primarily. So, yeah, I've been doing that for 16 years now. So it covers such a wide variety of things to do. So one day I might be working with the Business Creative, who's an amazing creative agency who I work with a lot, and coming up with kind of concepts for Haven and Tui and these kind of leisure facilities. Mark Lofthouse: But then the day after, I might be working on a terrifying horror attraction in the USA, coming up with a branding, coming up with the proposition and what that is. So it's so varied, the work that I do, but I'm kind of an operational mindset in a creative body is the best way to explain it. Kelly Molson: It's a really weird combination. When we first got into contact, I kind of very much saw you as like a designer, like a graphic designer kind of thing. And I was like, “Oh, well, I can really relate to some of the stuff that you do because that was my background as well”. And then when we started talking, I was like, gosh, your role is really complex and quite unique in what you do. Mark Lofthouse: Yeah, absolutely. I think I've kind of just collected skills over the time that I've been working. So it's things from I've been a digital designer for a company and that's all I did. I created Decks, I did graphic design for companies and then the job I got after that was the operations manager of a theme park. So it's just that leap and that jump is really hard to explain to people. But I've got quite analytical mind and I've got quite a, like three put is my thing at theme park. So always having to look at efficiencies, especially in operations. So it was really weird for me to take the leap from creator to go, “do you know what, I'm going to go and do that”. And I just did it. Mark Lofthouse: I took a leap of faith, did it, thought I could do it, and it turned out really well for me. And it was such a I learned so many skills by doing it that it's kind of second nature now. So I've got a kind of desired skill set, which is operational mindset, but somebody who understands creative, who also understands the operations of it. Because it's the same with many companies where you have these incredible creative people who work there but it's really hard for them to understand how their creative idea can actually form a live experience because it's so different to go yet that works creatively on a piece of paper or on a computer. But then to actually go, well, that won't work because the corridors are too narrow to have that amount of guests passing through it and things. Mark Lofthouse: Whereas I kind of do all of it from beginning to end, which is a lot of work. But no, it's really good. It's just things that I've started to pick up and do and it's just kind of second age of doing now. It's just what I know. I don't know how to do any different apart from do that really it's brilliant. Kelly Molson: And I love talking to people about how they take their skills and how those skills kind of form their wiggly career path. What we're going to talk about today is about developing a creative career in theme park industry. And we're going touch a little bit on the mindset that you probably need for that as well. So my creative career started at I was at school. I had to pick what I wanted to do for my GCSEs. There was a media studies module that I was like, "Oh, this is really interesting for me". So there was an element of design. I was always kind of like into art very much on the kind of design, like the graphics and kind of illustration side. So there was a graphic design module, there was a photography module. There was like a media studies module. Kelly Molson: So I guess it was like really early filmmaking and things like that and all of those things. I was like, "Yeah, this is great". On from my GCSEs, I then focused on graphic design. So went to the local college, did my BTEC National Diploma. And then after you did that, I could either go and do the HND which was you apply to go to university or back then, this is quite a long time ago. It wasn't as difficult to get junior designer roles without those qualifications. So you could kind of, “What do you want to do? Do you want to go and do another couple of years at Uni or do you want to go and get a job? Kelly Molson: And I chose to go and get a job and kind of then my career went blah, blah, and we can talk about that another time. How did you with your mixed kind of bag of skills, how did you kind of start your creative career? Mark Lofthouse: It's really scary how similar we both are. So I in school was the same, got to buy options. I'd always since being a child, I've been obsessed with theme parks, always. And it always takes back to I always remember going to it was when Morecambe Frontierland was open, so we're talking early 90s. And I've got such strong core memories from that time going to theme parks. We used to go there quite a lot. Every summer we used to head over that way to the lakes and I've always been obsessed with it, so I always knew when I was in school I wanted to get involved somehow. Don't know how, I couldn't even predict how that was going to happen, but I was going to be involved. I was determined. Mark Lofthouse: I knew I was going to be involved within the themed attraction industry specifically. Don't know how, but I got to choose my options same as you pick graphic design, because I knew I was all right with the computer, I knew what I was doing, kind of found the way around. I did my entire coursework. Everything was on a theme park, branding theme park, obviously branding a theme park, currently park, marks park, collateral and that type of thing. I did really bad in my GCSE, I will admit. I didn't do the best. I didn't knuckle down when I needed to. I didn't spend the time regrettably. I wish I would have, I wish I'd have kind of focused more now, but I'm not hugely academic. I like to learn through experience and I do think it's just a mix, isn't it? Whether you're one or the other? Kelly Molson: Well, yeah, it is. And actually it's okay if you don't do that well in your GCSEs. And I think what we're going to talk about proves that it's absolutely okay to not do that well in your GCSEs. Mark Lofthouse: Absolutely. I've got two cousins at the moment and they're kind of going through that struggle, go with the like, “Oh, we did really well, but we can't find this and that and the other”. I'm like, everything works out. Everything happens for a reason. Everything works out. I'm a firm believer in it. Set school didn't do the best. And then I was like, right, I'm going to go to the local college. I did media production, funnily enough, and it was during them two years that I realised I hated it and didn't want to do it anymore. I finished, I got my coursework, but I was in that weird time there where I went, “What now what do I do? Where do I go? I didn't want to go to university”. I said, I'm not academic, didn't want to go. Mark Lofthouse: But what I had been doing, kind of simultaneous with the college work, was I got in touch with a company who produced Halloween attractions, because I love theme parks, I love Halloween events, halloween is my favourite time of year. So I got in touch with a company who was kind of prevalent in the UK, and they still are, called Atmosphere Scare Entertainment, and they just produce Halloween events primarily for clients all over Europe. And I got in touch with them and I became a performer for them for one Halloween, which was literally me sitting in some sheets, jumping out of people. That's my extent of performance. Everyone's got to start somewhere. Mark Lofthouse: But I got hooked and I got hooked into seeing visitors reactions to something that you'd worked on, something that you did and how you interacted with that, and I got really hooked in it. So I then got my qualifications, left college and then just started working with the company more and more. So it became I was a performer for the first year and then I had a bit of design work the year after. Bit more, bit more, and eventually ended up scaling up to I was working freelance for them, but I was the  Deputy Creative Director of the company by the age of 21. Kelly Molson: Gosh, wow. Yeah, that's a great turnaround from someone a minute ago was like, I did really badly in my GCSE. I'm Deputy Creative Director by 21.  Mark Lofthouse: The only thing that got me there was well, it was two things. And it was that undetermination. I knew I was going to do it. I enjoyed doing the work I was doing, I don't know, the same as everyone. When you enjoy doing something, you put more of yourself into it. There's a really beautiful Greek phrase called Meraki, which is to put yourself so much into something that it becomes part of you. And it's kind of just a philosophy I've always run with and I love the idea of it. So I kind of just scaled up with the company and that was kind of it. And that's how it happened. I left the company in 2017, I think it was where I became the event manager of a safari park, just because I had kind of event background and knew what I was doing. Mark Lofthouse: And then I had the opportunity after two years to go to Dreamland Margate to look at operations and have a look at guest experience. And I moved all the way down to Margate, lived in there for a season until the end of 2019 and then came home and the inevitable happened in February. So what happened to themed attraction? Isn't sure. What happened to entertainment? It just ceased to exist, obviously, when the pandemic hit. So I became the business operations manager of a manufacturing business, which I never thought I'd do, which was manufacturing hand sanitising liquid, which as you can imagine during that period was a very difficult job to be in. So, yeah, I did that and then that kind of leads me up to where I am now. Mark Lofthouse: I started working with the business creative a year back, looking after sort of the operations creative operations, and then now I'm a creative partner with them. So I develop the concepts, I work on branding, I work on decks, proposals, that type of thing for them, and help them kind of get into new business avenues, which themed entertainment, Immersive Entertainment, Immersive Theatre is primarily one that we're looking at. So that's kind of a little bit of a whirlwind tour of me. Kelly Molson: Gosh, I love that. Yeah, that's been really wiggly, isn't it, if we're talking about a wiggly career. What I liked is that one of my questions was going to be, did you always think that you would work in the sector, but obviously from a really early age you were quite focused on that was going to be your thing. And I think it's really interesting because a lot of it's not. It's definitely not what I did. I didn't ever think I thought I wanted to be a designer and I'd love to be a graphic designer, but I never actually pinpointed a specific sector or a specific role, even within graphic design. And it's interesting how something that you've focused on can really define where your career goes. Kelly Molson: But even if you don't, actually, you can kind of come to it a little bit later with the skill set that you gain along the way. Because if I look back now, if I hadn't worked in all the different roles that I had, I probably wouldn't have made it to running my own agency because I wouldn't have had the kind of variety of skill set that I needed to kind of do that, and I wouldn't have seen all the different ways that certain agencies run and how they operate to be able to get to that point. Mark Lofthouse: Definitely. I think you can't learn enough. You can always absorb, you can always take advice, you can always work on yourself. And I think you don't know who you're going to bump into along the way. Like, there's some clients that when I was 17 and 18, doing graphic designs from my laptop on my knee when I was watching TV, like, we've all been there. Some clients I met there are now just incredibly huge companies who are doing entertainment around the world. And I think you don't know who you're going to bump into. You've just got to make sure that you're presenting your positive, happy, good, self and reliable to work with. Because, trust me, the person you meet when you're 17, you don't know where they're going to be in ten years. Mark Lofthouse: They could be owning the biggest company on earth and you don't know. And I just think it's so important to make sure that any connections that you make, you try to keep them good. You try to keep a good connection with people, because you definitely meet people who you would never expect to see them again. But actually, they probably hire your services again in the future, or you might hire those. So it's so key, I think, just absorb and learn everything you possibly can from people. And so important. Kelly Molson: Yeah. So it's not just about what you're learning, it's about the connections that you're making along the way as well. That's really important from asking for feedback and asking for support from people. What I wanted to ask is, what kind of support did you get along the way? So you spoke really highly of your kind of ex manager that really supported you into that role at a considerably young age to be in that role. What kind of things did they do to support you on that journey? Mark Lofthouse: I think a lot of it was belief that actually they just believed in what I was doing. They believed that I could do that for the company and help them as well. And I think a lot of the time they mentor me. So actually, when I was designing things, when I was 19, 20, before I started getting more involved in it, I designed things a certain way, like, for example, a Halloween attraction, I'd be designing it and I'd think it was the most terrifying, scary thing ever. And it just wasn't realistic and feasible to deliver at all. And actually, I learned so much from them putting a helping hand on my shoulder and guiding me through that process and going, “Actually, if you change this way, it'll work, because this and this.”Mark Lofthouse: And I think having that mentorship from people and it wasn't just him. I've had it kind of through my life, and I know I've been fortunate to have that with people. But I think if you put yourself out there and say, “I need guidance, I need help,” the good people will come through and help you with it. And absolutely, I think we all work in this quite niche and small industry, and I know that there is competition for seeing companies, not a lot, but why not help people in need? And I think we've got this new generation of amazing artists coming through the ranks at the moment who have got a really good tech mind as well. And I think we need to nurture what they have. They've got this mindset that a lot of us don't have. We need to nurture that talent. Mark Lofthouse: We need to grow with it and help them out because they'll help us learn as well. I think it's just this whole learning circle that you might be helping someone, you might be, I was getting help at a certain age, but actually, then when I started to go back to say, but why are you doing it that way? And I kind of questioned, then he learned from me that way as well. And I think it's really key that actually it is a learning circle where if you question things as well, it really helps. And I think to kind of answer your question, I have been very fortunate. Mark Lofthouse: I know that I've had this kind of support throughout my career with people in so many different wide variety of industry, but it's about reaching out and connecting with them because how do they know that you need help? How do they know that you're there? You can't have this fear at all about connecting with people. And I've noticed, especially with on LinkedIn, people who are just coming out of university, people who are just going into university, they'll reach out on LinkedIn and say, "Can I have help with this?" Mark Lofthouse: Or "I didn't really want to ask, but can we just have a call?" And I was like, "Yeah, absolutely, go for it." Because I was in that position once and I think we all were. Mark Lofthouse: We've all had somebody who helps us in bad situations and I think we need to put that back out there because there's this kind of disconnect at the moment and it needs to go. We all need to help each other as much as possible to navigate the murky waters that we're currently in. Kelly Molson: Yeah, you're absolutely right. You've just reminded me of something that we spoke about when Danielle and Ross from Drayton Manor were on a few episodes back in. Danielle, she was super focused and she always knew that she wanted to work in the attraction sector, but she told a story about how she just basically just connected with everyone and anyone and everyone that she thought she could on LinkedIn in that sector and just asked them, just ask them for support. " "Can I come and do this for you? Can I come and do this? Or have you got any jobs? I'm really good at this. Help me." And I think that took me back a bit because I was like, it's absolutely the right thing to do. But how many, I think she was 17 at the time. How many 17 year olds would do that now? How many of them would put themselves out there to actually do that? And I think it's a good message to promote because somebody will help you. Of ten people that you contact, a couple of them will come back to you, right? That's a really good response rate and you will get that next step further along towards what you're trying to achieve. Mark Lofthouse: What's the worst that could happen? They ignore your message. Kelly Molson: Exactly. Mark Lofthouse: It's not the end of the world. You want to see my LinkedIn. If I want to connect with someone, or if I want to find out something or see if there's any collaboration efforts, I message every single person I want to connect with. Because why not? What is the worst that can happen? Someone's going to go, “Not today”. Doesn't affect me. Kelly Molson: It's what the platform's for connecting and chatting? Yeah, I've just done exactly the same. So a couple of weeks ago, I sent out about 30 DMs to people, all people that I'm connected with, but we've just never spoken. And I'm like, "Why have we never spoken? We should like, let's grab a virtual coffee." I've got calls booked in with, like, 15 of those people. I mean, shout out to the other 15 people who have ignored me, but, you know, that's fine. Like, what's the worst that can happen? They don't come back to you. People are busy, like, they're not always going to respond, but you might just hear at the right time with the right person. I've got a brilliant oh, my God, I've got a brilliant case study of that. Kelly Molson: So when we first started this podcast so we started this podcast in the middle of 2019. We did the first episode and that first season ran until, I think it was a thing, until the February March of 2020. And then were like, "Oh, my God, the world has ended. What is going on? Is anyone going to listen to a podcast without visitor attractions?" They're all shut and I was like, "no, actually, do you know what? People need something now. They need something uplifting, actually. If I can get people on that are willing to talk about the exact experience that they're going for, now, this is perfect, right? That's going to help loads of people.” Kelly Molson: And the people that I reached out to, genuinely, I was sending emails going, oh, God, I feel sick sending that email. They're going to look at it and go, who the h*** are they? Like, why would I go on your podcast? Everybody said yes. Honestly, everybody said yes. I messaged Lee Cockerel, the Ex VP of Disney on LinkedIn, and said, "Listen, just massive fan. We've got this podcast. Would you be up for chatting on it? It would mean the world to us." And he was like, "Yeah, absolutely." I could not believe it. Couldn't believe it. So you just take a chance. Mark Lofthouse: Do you know what? I think the fear of the unknown is worse than the fear of clicking send on a message and you need to get over it. Everyone does. And I think I've been in that position. I was. Like, "Oh, my, I can't connect with that. Imagine you're at Disney." That is, just say no.  And I think putting yourself out there is so important. I think there's obviously little tips and tricks that you can do on LinkedIn, but I do think you just need to put yourself out there and I think people will more than likely help and I think everyone's going to somewhere. And I think my advice for people starting in the industry wanting to get into it is connect with people, chat with people, ask for 10 or 15 minutes of their time. Mark Lofthouse: It's not a lot to jump on a call and if people say no, that's absolutely fine, move on to somebody else. I'll just do what we do and copy and paste the message and send it to loads of people. I'm joking. I don't really do that. Kelly Molson: I personalise all of my messages, Mark, thank you.  Mark Lofthouse: I do. Kelly Molson: You've defined that you have 4 pillars that you think you need to succeed in the industry. And I really want to talk about this. So we've got mindset, hard work, creativity and feedback. And we've talked a little bit about feedback, but I do want to come circle back to that. Can you kind of just talk us through those four pillars and explain kind of what you mean about those and why they're important for succeeding in a creative role in the theme park industry? Mark Lofthouse: Yeah, absolutely. I think we'll start with mindset. Let's face it, we're kind of in a doom and gloom place at the moment, where you read the news, you're in this dark place with the news, all you see online is social media, people representing themselves a certain way. You compare yourself to them. I think, especially in a creative world, you've got to take yourself out of your ordinary life, mindset wise. So if you're coming up with ideas, you're coming up with creative concepts. Forget everything that you know, forget everything that is going on in the world and just put yourself out there with it. I think it's so difficult as well. We all go through bad spells with our mental health, don't we? You think, nothing's getting done, I'm facing that brick wall. You will overcome it. Mark Lofthouse: And I think it's so easy, especially in the creative world, that when you get to a mental block, you can get really defeated by it. You think, I'm just not very good at this. I just don't know what I'm doing. I can't get over this. I've had it a couple of times with some storylines that I've been trying to write, some narratives that I've been trying to write, and it just won't come out. I know what I want to get to, I know where I want to get to, I can't get there. And then I had this kind of brainwave I used to get in really dark mindsets where I was thinking, “I'm not good at this anymore, I'm just going to give it up, I'm going to go, I'm working a supermarket, something, I just don't want to do it anymore”. Mark Lofthouse: And actually, I got into the mindset of, “Put it down, walk away, come back in ten minutes”. And it really helped me. And I know it sounds ridiculous, I know everyone's going to be thinking, well, obviously, but when you're especially when I was freelance, if I walked every ten minutes, I saw that as pound signs above my head, that was time gone, that was money wasted. But I was probably losing more money sitting there getting aggravated at my computer, staring at a blank screen than what I would be if I come back in ten minutes, refreshed, had a drink, had something to eat, and I was in a better place. So I think from a mindset perspective, if you're not feeling it that day, creative work, that's fine, just do something else. Mark Lofthouse: If you're not feeling creative, why not start working on an Excel sheet? Because a lot of the time, I find specifically for me, if I'm not feeling creative, I need to do something operations wise, or I need to do something finance or something that separates, exactly that. And even if you're literally doing something that is completely relevant, it's not actually anything that you should be doing. It really helps you separate yourself and then you get back straight into it. So I think from a mindset perspective, it's to analyse where you are. If you're not feeling it, go away for ten or 15 minutes, go back to it, otherwise you're going to waste a lot more time by sitting there doing that. Does that make sense? Kelly Molson: Yeah, absolutely. Great advice. Mine's always just get outside. It feels like you get like that brain fog where you feel like nothing that you're doing is heading you in the right direction that day. So mind is always like, yes, get away from the desk, stick your head outside, take the dog out for a walk. If you happen to have a dog and a cat.Mark Lofthouse: That's literally what I do. I've got a dog, I take him out for 5-10 minutes just around the block, or I get the lizard out and play with I'll show you the lizard a bit, but I've got a lizard and I get him out and play with him in the front room. I just use something to separate myself. I know that sounds like euphemism. It is, genuinely. I'm just going to put that.  Kelly Molson: Pet podcast - we had Matthew on with Bug the Owl last week. Now we've got Mark and his bearded dragon. I've obviously put something out in the universe about guests with strange pets. Mark Lofthouse: We need more animals in our lives. Don't we need more animals? Kelly Molson: I totally agree, Mark. Yeah, good one. I love that. Okay, so hard work. Next one. Mark Lofthouse: It's not easy if you want to get involved in the creative world, it is not easy. And I'm not going to sell this under any illusion that it's an easy task to do. You're going to sit in an office, draw a couple of bits, and then you go home and get paid a lot of money. That's not how it works. I'm quite transparent as a person. I'm more than happy to tell people that because I think I was naive when I started, especially graphic design wise. I thought, it's great. I can sit at home. I can just do a couple of designs per week, and I'm done. That's not how it works. It really isn't. And I learned that quite quickly. Mark Lofthouse: And I think a lot of some people coming into this industry that I've met kind of are under either that illusion or under the mindset of, this would be great. I'm just going to be creative, and I'm going to have fun with work. Yes, it is fun, but there's a lot of hard work you need to put in. I think when I was starting out especially, it's really hard. Y You can prove that, you can write things. You can prove that you are good at customer service. How do you prove that you're creative? It's a really hard one to do. And I think when I started this, I started originally when I was 15, 16, when I started putting myself out there a little bit. But when I was 16, I used to think, "oh, this is fine. People are just going to believe that I've created". And it was a genuine mentality that went through my head. I was like, this is going to believe it. Yeah, this is going to know that isn't the case at all. Mark Lofthouse: And I think I had to put myself out there so much that I ended up doing fake case studies, not representing that they were real, but just to show what I could do. So I put together some propositions for attractions. I did a lot of concept artwork. I ended up spending so much time that I became a full time job for a little bit that I was just putting myself out there on a piece of paper, because how else are you going to get a buy in? Mark Lofthouse: And I think that's a lot of people kind of forget that with companies that they're purchasing your services. It is a business transaction, in essence, as well. So they've got to believe that you can do what you can do. If you went to Pesco and it was an empty wrapper and you took it out and you just had to believe that there was a sandwich in that, for example. Doesn't work that way, does it? You've got to prove that you can do what you can do. And my recommendation to anybody getting in it is spend time to work on your portfolio, spend time to work on creative concepts. Nobody might buy them. Mark Lofthouse: I still, to this day, work on things what are just kind of a labour of love process, that I work on them because I like the idea, I want to get it out my brain, I want to get it on paper because you never know where it's going to be. I had a couple of years back, I sold some skirma's concepts to a client that I had when I was like 18 and it took that long for them to get signed off, but they've eventually they've happened and they've been produced. But my emphasis is expect to put a lot of work in to get where you want to because it's not an easy process. Mark Lofthouse: And I think a lot of universities, a lot of kind of educational programmes will kind of instil the mentality a little bit of when you leave here, it'll be easy to get a job and you can do this, that and the other. Sometimes the harsh realities, that isn't the case sometimes. You've still got to put the effort in, you got to work so hard to get yourself out there and prove that you can do what you can do. Otherwise it's so hard, it's competitive to make it. You've really got to put yourself out there and put the effort into it as well. Kelly Molson: Yeah. There's a big thing about being noticed as well. Earlier when I said about back when I was deciding what I wanted to do and do I go to university or just try and get a junior job?  Kelly Molson: I went down the junior job route because just felt that suited me better at the time. But competition was still really high for junior jobs because you didn't need the qualifications back then. They weren't as rigid about needing a university qualification. But then obviously the competition was a lot higher because there were more people going for those jobs and so you've had to put a lot of hard work in to even stand out in that part of the process, let alone like, what your portfolio looked like. Exactly like you, I spent so much time on my portfolio on projects that weren't real because I had to prove that I could do that role. But the first part of it was actually getting the interview in the first place, so you had to put in a lot of hard work about how you were going to be noticed. Kelly Molson: What did your CV look like? In the end, I'll have to dig it out. I'll put it on Twitter, but my CV was like I wanted to be a packaging designer, so my CV was like the little mini boxes of Kellogg's, the special pack, what were they called? The pack that you get. So mine was one of those, but like the Special K, because obviously K for Kelly. So I did this special K box that had all of my information on it, but in the style of this little box of cereal. And then I put some cereal in it, put my covering note in it and popped like a gift in it as well, which sounds great, but then I got a few messages from people going, "Yeah, that just got battered in the post. And basically we opened the box, broken bits of cornflake everywhere." Okay. At least I made a statement right when you opened it. Mark Lofthouse: Yeah, at least you got in touch. I think that's such a key point, though, isn't it? That actually, it's so competitive nowadays and I think I really feel for people trying to get in it. Don't get me wrong, I still find it difficult to kind of get some of them jobs off the line, or especially with the business creative as well. There's so many agencies that people are looking at using it's competitive to get these jobs, isn't it? We're all after the same pot of money from a client. In essence, it is difficult. And like I said, under no illusions do I want to make it sound as though you can just get one of these jobs by people believing in you. I think it's really key to put the effort in and I think it'll help you as well develop as a person. Mark Lofthouse: When you talk about interviews, this is a true thing. I used to do fake interviews, so I used to get people that either relatives or distant relatives. It wasn't people that could throw me off or anything. I used to do fake interviews and things because how else are you going to get that experience? You can't, and those little tiny things, just get in touch with someone and say, “Could you set up a fake interview with me and you and ask me questions?” Because it's so different. Being in a scenario where you're faking it with friends and family, you're having a bit of a laugh, but actually sitting there, having that meeting with somebody and having that interview is so difficult. It's not a fun task, is it, for anyone? Mark Lofthouse: So I think even doing fake interviews with things like just relatives or people that you may just know of and things, it's so important to get that experience because how else are you going to get it otherwise? Kelly Molson: Yeah, that's really good advice. Yes, good. What you said about all these things, it's all about building your personal brand, is it? It's all going into, like, how much effort you put in is what you're going to get out of stuff. All right, cool. Third pillar, creativity. Obviously, if you are trying to develop a creative career in the theme park industry, you need to have a level of creativity about you. But what do you mean specifically about this pillar? Mark Lofthouse: So, as you said, it's quite a key one, isn't it, to be a creative you need to have creativity. But I think what comes with it is exploration, research and doing so we can all have ideas. Every single person on Earth is creative to some extent. People can hone into that better than other people can, but everyone's got creativity inside them. It's so key to actually go and explore and do things and research and get other people's opinion on your creativity. Because I think we've all been there, where we've gone, “Oh, this is brilliant, it's a great idea”. And then someone else has looked at it and gone, I don't have a clue what you're talking about. I don't get it at all. Mark Lofthouse: We've all been there and I think even I remember reading an article online and it was from an imagineer, and they were saying that actually sometimes that they've done it where they've gone, this is a brilliant idea. And all the team members have looked at it and gone, what on earth is that? I don't understand it at all from guest perspective. So in terms of creativity, it's about honing the creative skills that you have listening to and it kind of leads us onto the next one. But I think listening to feedback, getting that influence from people, but also going visiting attractions, going visiting places, absorbing everything from your surroundings and taking home key aspects of what was exciting about that. So think of the horse racing, for example. What can you take home? How did that make you feel watching that? Mark Lofthouse: What was it about the experience that excited you about it? Or equally, walking in a forest somewhere you feel a certain way and it's really key to understand those feelings that you have and what causes them, because that helps your creativity along the line. So, like I said, we walk in the dog. I sometimes feel really calm and I don't know why. And then I'll kind of try and work out why I feel so serene. I feel really calm because if you ever want to embrace that in any of your creative ideas going forward, how do you get that feeling across? So then I think it's because I've just looked at this and it was brilliant. I've listened to this and it was the sound of birds and above and the leaves rustling together and you've got to absorb everything to be a creative. Mark Lofthouse: I think you've got to just take inspiration from every single place that you can possibly get it from. And I think that's what is about a pillar to being creative. It's not to be ignorant and just believe in your creativity. You can always learn something, you can always get inspiration from other places. And it's really key to remember that, to just remember to spend time to focus on why you feel a certain way. If you enjoyed something, why, what caused it, how long did it last for? Why are you wanting to feel that again? How can you do that for other people? And it's just about creative owning on that creative. Does that make sense? It's a little bit of a waffle book. Kelly Molson: No, it's brilliant advice. I totally get it. When you said about if you're putting yourself into a certain state, that level of calmness, understand what it is that's making that happen, because then you can apply that to the other experiences that you're designing. That summed it up perfectly for me. Mark Lofthouse: I think it truly is the only way you could do it. I think, as creatives admittedly, I'm the same. Sometimes I think, "oh, this is brilliant, I'm on a roll." Now step away and come back and read what you've just wrote, because I've done it a couple of times. I look at it and go, “I haven't even got a clue what I'm talking about here. What on earth? What is happening?” And then I've thought it's because it's got no feeling down. I've just been writing down an idea because it sounds good, but what would I feel like if I was stood there? What would I see? What would I do? What would I hear? What would I smell? And it's really key to think about all that because then you can go, right, fundamentally, this is why that creative idea did not work, because it didn't have any basis to work. Mark Lofthouse: You've got to come up with all of these little idiosms and little ideas to think of why things have got to work in the future. But it's so key as a creative, I think sometimes we can all rely on just our creative brains going, yeah, I know that works from the past and all this works from the past. Think of something fresh every time you do it. Think of a different approach and put that feeling in there as well. Kelly Molson: And then our final pillar is feedback. So you touched on this a little bit earlier about asking for feedback. I think being open to the feedback that you receive is quite important as well. Right. I think there's definitely well, I mean, maybe I don't know. I don't want to be generalist about this, but I think that there has been kind of two mindsets about graphic designers. You often come across some graphic designers and can be a bit precious about what they've done. Kelly Molson: Like, we've all met them, Mark, many of them are my friends, and you spend an awful lot of time on some of these things. Sometimes you can be a bit precious about what you've done and you get some negative feedback on it and it can be soul crushing at the time. But I think you've got to be open to the feedback that you're receiving because you can always make something better. Mark Lofthouse: Absolutely. And like I said before, you can always learn from people as well. And it's so kind of key to remember that. I think there's two things, especially as a designer, you either go down the art route, where actually a lot of the work that you're putting out there is just your personal work and you want to just share your creativity and your art. In that case, you've got to remember that everyone has an opinion and they will earn it. That's number one thing. And I think the second one, if you're working for a client and a client comes back with feedback that you do not agree with, you've got to remember they're paying you. At the end of the day, they're the client. You might not agree with their comments, but you've got to take them on board. Mark Lofthouse: And I think we've all been in that position doing commercial design, whether that is a themed attraction, themed experience, or whether that is a graphic design or art, whatever that may be, where we've got feedback and just looked at it and gone, “You don't know what you're talking about.” Which is fine. They're not meant to. They're showing their opinion and saying, this doesn't work for me because of this reason. And they might not have your background in graphic design, they might not have your background in themed attractions, that doesn't mean their opinion is less valid than yours. And I think it's so key. I went through a phase where any critical feedback I got, “I was like getting the hoof over it.” But you know what? It didn't do me any well because I lost clients over it. Mark Lofthouse: I have clients that I loved working with that wouldn't use me again because of that phase that I went through. But I needed to go through that phase to get into the phase that I'm in now, which is take any feedback on board. That's fine, take it on. Because everyone has an opinion. And actually, what some people bring back, even if they're not qualified, so to speak, in what you do, I bet they've got some good ideas that actually you go, yeah, that's really good to work with. I think one way I always work with clients to kind of assist from the feedback point of view. And I know the business creative do it really well. Is it a collaborative approach with working. Mark Lofthouse: So at the beginning of the process, you will speak with a client and get their ideas on board at the beginning of it. And I think it's really good because then you get the buy in from the client as well. They'll say, "We like this colour, we like this design, we want this feeling from it." But by doing that, you get the basis of the client working with you at the beginning and not you working for them. And it's really key. I think creativity and collaboration go hand in hand. You need to have that collaborative effort, otherwise it becomes a dictatorship of creative beliefs. And that's not what anything should be. You should be working with a client on a collaborative level to say, “Yes, I'm working for you, but we're working together to get this outcome and that's where you need to be.”Mark Lofthouse: Whether that's graphic design, whatever is themed attraction, immersive experience. But by getting on board at the beginning of that process, you alleviate any of the pressure issues with the feedback along the way because you're working with them to develop these concepts. And by doing that, you're eradicating anything really contrasting towards the end of the project or any sign off periods that you have. Kelly Molson: Yeah, great. Mark, great advice. I think we've all been in the position where we have taken some feedback from a client before and taken it away, probably pulled her hair out, felt like we wanted to argue, but then had a little word of ourselves and gone, “Okay, well, how can we work with that?” And it's about evaluating every situation that you're in where you're receiving the feedback. And like you say, there are going to be elements of the nuggets from that feedback that actually will be really positive and we should talk about. But I think there is what you said earlier is absolutely right. You do have to take a step back and go, the client is paying for this. Ultimately we are in a commercial contract here and so how far do you take it? Kelly Molson: But I do think that there is always scope to push back if you genuinely think that the feedback that we received is going to have a negative impact on the outcome and the objectives that the client wants to achieve. So I think it is worth stating that, but you are absolutely right. There has been times in the past where you kind of forget that actually someone is paying for this and we really need to do the right thing here. Mark Lofthouse: Like you said as well, I think that when I talk about the collaborative approach, obviously that isn't just the beginning of a project that's through it. And by collaboration that does mean pushing back on certain elements as well. And that is part of a collaborative team. You aren't just say yes to everything, or no, full stop. You work with a client to say, "Okay, I'll get your idea, but how about if we did it this way instead?" So you still get your creative position in right? You still get the extent of what you want from a creative delivery, but the clients getting the product that they want and it's so key to kind of work that way. I used to be kind of critical with feedback. Mark Lofthouse: I used to, like I said at the beginning, think, “You don't really know what you're talking about. I know as a designer, I know what I'm doing. I've done this countless numbers of times. I know what I'm doing.” But sometimes people just need explanation as well as why have you come up with that. And sometimes you'll read an email and emails are the devil's work. And I will always say that, because you read much more into an email than you should do. Everyone does it, but you'll get feedback. And instead of looking at that and going, "Oh, what do they mean by that? Or is there any way that I can explain myself that you start to type back furiously". Don't do it. Always walk away from an email. And it's only in probably the past year that I've started doing it more. Mark Lofthouse: I'll get an email, come through and I think, I don't like the tone of that. I don't like this, that the other. And then I got, right, walk away from it. I'll come back and then go, “Actually, the tone is absolutely fine, I was overreacting.” Because you're not prepared to get that email coming in. So you're always on the back foot, you're always expecting the worst because you can never read what anyone's going to say. So I think with that as well, if you get any sort of feedback along those lines, try and jump on a call, try and jump on a Zoom call, try and jump on a Team's call, whatever that may be. Because seeing people's facial reactions as well really helps in terms of understanding where they're coming from with things. Mark Lofthouse: And you can obviously explain it a lot better. But, yeah, in terms of feedback, make sure you're getting the feedback, but also feeding back on that feedback to yourself to think, "Should I respond? Do I need to respond that way?" No, always have feedback on the feedback. That's what I think. Kelly Molson: I love it. And such good advice. Right, great. We've covered the four pillars. Mark, we're coming towards the end of the podcast. I've got two more questions for you. One, other than email is the devil's work, what would be the one piece of advice that you would like to share with anyone who really wants to start their creative career in theme park industry? Mark Lofthouse: This one is a bit controversial, but never fall in love with an idea that you have. So I learned this a long time ago now, when I first started, especially Danny Scare Mazes and Halloween events, because it's what I love. I absolutely adore into these type of events. I really fell in love with the ideas that I was creating and I just put my whole self into it and I thought, this is a brilliant idea. And some of the clients that I was working with didn't think that. And it hit me hard, really hard. And I think you have to obviously believe in what you are putting forward. Mark Lofthouse: I'm not saying that you've got to believe in the product that you're positioning to a client, but do not fall in love with it where you can't take this criticism on board because it hits you very hard. It's. Like getting punched in your stomach, isn't it, when you fall in love with an idea and then someone comes back going, “I really don't like this.” And you've really got to assess yourself with it. You've got to position yourself in terms of, yes, I believe in the product, but also it might not be right for other people because other people have different opinions, they see things from a different perspective. So I think, yeah, never fall in love with your own idea is probably a key one for me. And it's something I've stuck with for years, since learning that lesson long time ago. Kelly Molson: Learn it the hard way, Mark, but a good lesson to learn. Great, thank you. Right, we always end the podcast with a book that you'd love to share. So something that you love that you're really happy to share with our audience. What have you got? Mark Lofthouse: Yeah, so I've actually got it. I've got it behind me. I'll move my head. But it's the Immersive Storytelling book and I think it's been covered by so many people, but it is brilliant. It's written by an ex imagineer. I think, actually, she's still a Disney imagineer named Margaret, and she walks you through her vision of how to tell a story correctly in terms of an immersive environment. And it's just so well done, because she doesn't just say, it isn't a case study, this is what I do, this is how I do it. Because you can't do that storytellers, all tell stories in a different way. But what she does is tells you her philosophy of how to think about storytelling in an immersive environment. I literally got through neenoff the full book in an evening. It just engrossed me straight away. Mark Lofthouse: It's brilliantly written, really friendly approach to it, but I can't recommend it enough. It's called Immersive Storytelling. And it's brilliant. I really recommend it to anyone. Kelly Molson: Amazing. Great book. We have not had that one recommended on. We have some really good book recommendations recently. Listeners, as ever, if you want to be in for a chance of winning that book, if you head over to our Twitter account and you retweet this episode announcement with the words, I want Mark's book, then we'll put you in the draw and maybe you could be the lucky recipient of it. Mark, it's been so good to chat today. Thank you. I feel like we've got a really similar background, so we should definitely chat again at some point about our horror stories of feedback and client feedback and falling in love with projects that clients should love and then they hate. Mark Lofthouse: Thank you so much for having me on as well. I think it's so good just to chat with people about what you do and about how you sort of think about things. I think we're all guilty, aren't we, of just going, “Oh, I work doing this and carrying on with it.” But it's really nice, actually, sometimes just to open up about where you started and hear other people's stories as well. So thank you so much for thinking of me and I really appreciate being on here as well. Kelly Molson: No, you're very welcome. It's been a great chat and we're going to put all of Mark's contact details in the show notes, so if you want to have a chat with him about any aspect of this, which he's really passionate to, talk about it. So if you're starting out or you happen to be a client that's looking for creative work, then you'll be able to contact Mark with all of these details in the show notes. So thank you. Mark Lofthouse: Thank you. Kelly Molson: Thanks for listening to Skip the Queue. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review. It really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned. Skip The Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. You can find show notes and transcriptions from this episode and more over on our website, rubbercheese.com/podcast.

As a graphic designer, you may run into a situation where the client wants more than one of your designs. Should you provide the design free? Should you charge for the additional design? Find out what to think about and how to figure out how to price it.

“When someone interacts with your brand for the first time, it's literally a first impression.” Sydney Michuda is the owner and creative lead behind Super Creative, a design and branding studio based in Milwaukee. With a nearly decade of design experience under her belt, most of which has been focused on branding small businesses, she's most at home when working with passionate, like-minded creative entrepreneurs. Whether it's designing for brands large and small or educating fellow creatives, Sydney's always game to make something super.   Questions and topics include: How Sydney got her first set of clients. Sydney's process for onboarding clients and how she's improved it over time.  How Sydney defines “brand” and brand strategy. Brand heart Customer personas Competitive analysis Brand voice  The importance of maintaining consistency with your brand identity. The key differences in creative work when doing a rebrand. How to measure the success of your work as a creative professional. Is making the transition into a freelance role the right move for marketers who've been laid off this year? How marketers can collaborate better with their coworkers on the creative side of their departments. And more! Say hello to Sydney via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydney-michuda-5146435a/ Find Super Creative's Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/supercreative.co/ Connect with me via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennysoto/ Learn more about design and creative production from other content Sydney is featured in: Adobe Live Part 1 - How Do I Design my Brand Identity - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4em99bfceM Adobe Live Part 2 - How to Create Custom Color Palettes and Layouts - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzR9d3z4UqA Funemployed Interview - Going freelance during a pandemic - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABVfRpadBY8&t=1s

Graphic designer Adrienne Johnston shares how she went from being stressed out and overworked in a $60k-a-year creative business to working less and without stress making more than $200k a year by focusing on presentation design in PowerPoint.

Want to know what my maternity leave ACTUALLY looked like? In this episode the BrandWell Podcast, my COO, Lauren Stinner, shares how she climbed the ranks from junior designer to COO in a short amount of time and how her interim position during my maternity leave turned into a full-time job. Tune in to hear from this unbelievably gifted 24-year-old.For show notes, head to www.brandwelldesigns.com/thepodcast/episode86.Follow BrandWell on Instagram.Save 50% off your first year of Honeybook using this link! 

#144 Raising your prices as a freelance graphic designer is vital for a viable, profitable creative business. Find out when you should raise your rates, how to raise them, how much to raise them and what to do if clients react negatively when you do.

Hey all! In this episode I'll be sharing the ins and outs of how I created this podcast and keep it going. Recently, the community on IG said they wanted to hear how it's all done - so here we are!

Hey all! This episode we're gonna be taking a look at the benefits of sharing your prices on your website as well as how to make this happen when you have different rates for different clients/projects.

#142 Want to make $100,000 a year as a full-time freelancer? Find out what I did and what you can do to make 6 figures as a self-employed freelance designer, even in your first year of freelancing full time. Also find out what to do before you do it.

#138 Getting content from clients is definitely high on the list of complaints from graphic designers. Find out 12 ways to motivate your clients to get you content, so that you get projects done on time and profitably.

Forget those "find your purpose" pdf worksheets that get forgotten about as soon as you hit save and get back to the day job – this episode will help you figure out what really drives your business so you can transform it from ticking along to truly thriving.Matt Saunders, former freelance web designer and creator of the Freelance Business Builder, shares how finding his vision set him on the path to building a successful and scalable business.We discuss:What happens when you have a clear business vision – and what happens if you don'tHow to figure out what your purpose *actually* is (not the one you think you should have)How a shared purpose can reduce client conflicts and make pitching easierHow to make decisions that keep you moving in the right direction.Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.comSay hi to Matt:Freelance Business Builder: https://mattsaunders.uk/course/fbb LinkedIn: Matt SaundersTwitter: @MattSaundersUKWebsite: https://mattsaunders.uk/ Say hi to Louise:Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.LinkedIn: Louise ShanahanTwitter: @LouiseShanahan_Website: thecopyprescription.comAsk a question for a future episode at: memo.fm/15/Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.

#134 Sarah Masci of Day Rate Mastery joins me to talk about how graphic designers can increase their profitability by charging day rates instead of hourly rates or value-based pricing and how she went from charging $50 per hour to $10k months working less.

#129 Hear how Kelly Irvine went from being an in-house graphic designer to a freelance textile designer, creating exclusive prints for the fashion industry, and how she makes passive income with her designs in online stores at Spoonflower and Society6.

Jarvis Moore is back! In under 2 years, he's moved from graphic design freelancer to working with LinkedIn as a Senior Product Designer on the Design Systems team, all with no degree. Additionally, he's helped found Black UX Labs, a platform that helps connect Black UX Designers with job opportunities as well as resources and support to thrive. https://findblackux.com/ He's also mentoring and teaching, as well as hosting his podcast Just Kickin' It for fellow sneaker fans. Follow him on LinkedIn for updates on everything he's doing, or to reach out with any questions! linkedin.com/in/jarvismoore1016 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shatter-and-rise/message

How to position yourself in the market and set your rates can be one of the biggest challenges as a freelancer.  If you can't describe your services, process and value in a way that resonates with clients, you'll struggle to charge the rates you'd like.Maybe you know you're undercharging, or you want to move away from using an hourly rate that you KNOW isn't working for you, but you just aren't sure how to sell your new pricing to your clients.In this episode, I chat to Samantha Anderl and Andrea Wildt, who are the founders of Harlow. Harlow is an all-in-one freelancing tool to provide the resources, templates and workflows that you need to run a thriving freelance business.In our conversation, we cover:The pitfalls freelancers can fall into with pricingHow to demonstrate the value you bring to a clientWhy you should set project rates than an hourly rateWhen you should (and shouldn't) compare your rates to other freelancersHow consistent messaging and a compelling story can help you charge more.Resources on pricing:https://meetharlow.com/guides/freelancer101/how-to-figure-out-your-pricing/https://meetharlow.com/blog/when-to-raise-your-freelance-rates/https://meetharlow.com/blog/how-to-discuss-freelancer-fees-with-your-clients/Say hi to Samantha and Andrea:Harlow: meetharlow.comTwitter: @MeetHarlowLinkedIn: HarlowInstagram: @meetharlowFacebook: MeetHarlowTikTok: @meetharlowSamantha's Twitter: @SamanthaAnderlAndrea's Twitter: @thelittlestfleaSay hi to Louise:Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.LinkedIn: Louise ShanahanTwitter: @LouiseShanahan_Website: thecopyprescription.comSupport the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.

Kieron Lewis, a freelance graphic designer from London, specialises in Branding, Editorial Design, Social Media Marketing and Graphic Design. Kieron is also an experienced public speaker having spoken at Adobe MAX as well as a host on the Adobe Live Series, Creative Pro and Create Leicester and at numerous universities and colleges where he shares his wealth of experience and knowledge. Over the years, Kieron has successfully implemented several self-directed and client-based projects, ranging across digital and print. One of Kieron's most recent projects was a collaboration with Harper Collins and Harper Inspire on Still Breathing: 100 Black Voices on Racism, 100 Ways to Change the Narrative in which from cover to interior, Kieron designed the entire 300 paged hardpack publication. This publication focuses on 100 Black Voices from across the British community. Everyone featured has voiced their lived experiences to help us set up a true conversation about racism in Britain. Those featured include Beverley Knight, David Lammy, Kwame Armah and Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin. Episode 3 includes:·      Speaking with your inner self and empowering your next move·      Creating a routine that works for you and your creativity·      Making every client your dream client·      The power of social media for a freelance designer·      Creative projects that spark sincere conversations·      Being proactive and retaining your authentic voice

How do you build a thriving freelance design business that stands out in the busy web design or graphic design market? Today we're joined by Elizabeth Averyanova, an architectural designer, digital course creator, business coach, online entrepreneur, and world traveler. She's built an amazing boutique design agency from scratch and will share her journey from an unemployed architect to a multi-six-figure freelance designer!   Podcast Outline: [0:42] Introduction to Elizabeth Averyanova and the topic of building a thriving freelance designer business - Elizabeth describes her journey from an unemployed architect to a multi-six-figure freelance designer. [5:45] How hitting a wall can lead to new opportunities, flexibility, and freedom you'd never have imagined [7:42] How to fit into the busy freelance design market, given the high volume of designers - the importance of finding a niche where you can serve a particular type of client. [9:36] How Elizabeth niched down - the strategies she used to figure out her audience and specialization in web design and branding design. [11:18] The importance of targeting an audience you're interested in that has opportunities - some examples of how Elizabeth strategically chooses clients. [12:34] Main skills required to start a design business - examples of the crucial design skills and the business skills freelancers need. [14:31] The 3 C's - how competency, character, and compatibility contribute to positive client relationships and communication. [15:41] Recommended design tools - some examples of key tools to master when beginning a design business. [16:55] Elizabeth's thoughts about WordPress and other tools - some advice and recommendations from a web design standpoint. [19:15] The power of niching down - how to get clear on what you do and don't do so your ideal clients can find you. [20:16] Pricing and packaging design services - recommended strategies for designers and thoughts about hourly vs. fixed packages. [22:40] How hourly is often the best starting point, but set packages eventually become more ideal - advice for communicating to clients when using hourly pricing. [23:36] How pricing is a progression - encouragement that it requires trial and error but will be refined over time. [25:22] Retainer services that designers can offer - examples of retainers, VIP Days, and multiple streams of income that help avoid feast or famine. [28:34] How to get to know Elizabeth and her business better [29:30] How to learn more about Freelance University   Resources and tools discussed in this episode: Freelance University  Kajabi Specialist course  Pricing Your Freelance Services course    Learn more about Elizabeth Averyanova: Free Resources: Free List of 175+ Services You Can Offer As A Freelance Designer:   Connect with Elizabeth:  Instagram:  Personal Website:  Her Branding & Design Studio Website:    Resources and Tools Upwork  PeoplePerHour  Guru.com Instagram  Shopify  Adobe Creative Cloud  Figma  WordPress  Squarespace  Wix  Kajabi  Showit 

Show notes: Melissa is the Founder and Creative Director behind Branch Creative Co. Design has been a passion of hers for years—from her early days (before even turning double digits) when she would put together the “family newsletter” using Microsoft Paint, to her first real job as a designer at a large print shop...she has always loved this industry! She started her company back in 2009 as a side hustle while working full time as the Creative and Communications Manager at the Sioux Falls Convention & Visitor's Bureau. As her family grew, she was blessed to be able to grow that side hustle into a full-blown design studio! Since then, she's built a team of contracted design associates to help her manage the day-to-day client work, allowing her to focus on what she loves the most—working with businesses one-on-one to bring their passion and purpose to life through a strategic branding and design process. Her home studio is located in Brandon, SD where she and her husband have two daughters and one cute little pup named Finn. Fun fact: she is also Co-Owner and Director of Marketing for Severance Brewing Co. located in beautiful downtown Sioux Falls, SD!   Here's what we covered on the episode:   Melissa's Passion for Design + Starting Her Freelance Side Hustle  How we met through Michelle, who told me that melissa would be a great guest for the podcast  Melissa shares that she went to school for design and has always had a passion for it — after graduating, she worked at a print shop and then moved into the creative and communications manager position for their local visitors bureau  While working full-time, Melissa started doing freelance design on the side, and by the time she had her second daughter about 8 years ago, she was able to go full-time into freelance and build her own company  At the print shop, Melissa worked as a production designer and shares that she learned a lot about the print industry and how to prep different files  Melissa missed working with clients on projects, so she applied for the creative and communications manager position at the visitors bureau, where she got to do different event promotions and design advertisements — this is where she met a lot of her first clients as a freelancer  How Melissa was focused on her full-time job and building relationships through it so one day she could branch off and do freelance  How Melissa wasn't ready to go full-time into freelance yet, so she worked part-time as a designer at a digital marketing agency for a couple of years and shared what was great about the agency was that they didn't offer print services, so they were able to refer clients to her   The story of how Melissa was able to lean on the relationships she already had to get the opportunity to leave full-time work, go part-time while starting to build her freelance business  Melissa's Transition to Full-Time Freelance + Building Her Business  Melissa says to lean into the relationships you do have, don't be afraid to call the people you know or meet up with them, and says, even if you don't get the job or opportunity right away, you are planting the seeds and nurturing those relationships  How Melissa was open about her goals and intentions to eventually go full-time into freelance with the digital agency and how her services and the digital agency's services aligned really well, so there was never a lot of competition  Before going full-time on her own, Melissa had a new client who was going to replace her income from her part-time job  Melissa shares that she used to charge $50 - $60/ hr for freelancing and was doing it about 15 - 20 hrs a week  How Melissa was naive in thinking that it would be 100% blissful joy working from home as a mom of a 3-year-old and a newborn and says that the transition was harder than she thought it would be  The biggest thing Melissa learned during her transition to working from home full-time was that she needed help with her kids so she could focus, serve her clients to the best of her ability and build her business the way she wanted to  To show people she was successful, Melissa thought she needed to build a team and have a brick and mortar store for people to see her studio — up until November 2020, that was still her goal, and she had hired additional designers and a business development manager   The Shift in Melissa's Business + Implementing The Brand Process In December 2020, Melissa's grandfather unexpectedly passed away from covid, which hit her hard and left her feeling very unmotivated for a few months     In the first quarter of 2021, Melissa lost two of her biggest clients due to them hiring her position full-time, in-house, her business development manager had found a full-time opportunity, and one of her designers decided to take a full-time position with an agency and her other designer was going on maternity leave soon      How this shift in Melissa's business helped her reenvision how she saw the growth of her company and through a string of events, Melissa came across a new coach, Lydia Kerr, who had started a program called, The Brand Process Melissa shares that she's been working with Lydia through her coaching program for about a year and that it has completely transformed her business — Melissa learned that she could offer a very solid brand process and charge premium pricing for it   Melissa feels that she can now approach brand strategy as a designer and as a business owner because she's owned her own business for 12 years and now has the brewery  Now that Melissa has The Brand Process, her vision for her studio is not a brick and mortar; it's not a big team, but she shares that she still has an associate designer who helps her with the day to day, hourly design work for her clients  Melissa's focus is on all the brand and web clients and says that she only takes 1 - 2 a month because it is very hands-on and intense — they spend several weeks talking about their brand strategy before jumping into design   Melissa shares the deep dive into brand strategy she does with clients and shares that the work being produced with this new process is so much better and intentional, which her clients appreciate   Helping other business owners is Melissa's passion because she is one herself and says that she loves diving deep into their brand strategy and being able to help them with the design after  Before The Brand Process, Melissa was doing logos, web design and says that the majority of her work is what she calls ‘hourly work' — she wasn't sending proposals or quotes for each little project her clients had; they would email her whenever they had design needs, and she'd bill them hourly Melissa's business name, Branch Creative Co., comes from being an extension of her clients' team  Since making the shift in implementing The Brand Process, now Melissa still takes care of clients through hourly work, but she's not out seeking more hourly clients anymore and is a lot more strategic and picky with who she works with for small hourly projects  Melissa walks through how her process works now; she starts with brand strategy, moves into the logo design, and after the logo is approved, they work on any marketing collateral they might need and finally move into web design  Implementing The Brand Process has given Melissa so much more freedom because everything is scheduled out on the calendar, and she knows what to expect; It's also given her more control because once her slots are filled up, she's telling people that she is booked out until a certain date, which she's never been able to say before  Last year, Melissa's goal was to get her process dialed in, which she did; her goal this year is to automate parts of her process, like client onboarding, and says she is working with a Dubsado specialist  Melissa shares that clients work directly with her for the most part during the process, but her assistant designer will jump in and help with initial logo concepts and will then build out all the logo files once the logo is ready  Another system Melissa has heard about and is thinking about implementing into her business is the Logo Package Extension for Illustrator that will name out and save different logo files for you  2021 was a year of transformation for Melissa's business, so this year, she will be focusing primarily on personal things and trying to implement automated systems into her process  Pricing Approaches - Then vs. Now Before having The Brand Process, Melissa thought in terms of hourly rates for her logo design package and shared that she was charging around $100/hr After implementing The Brand Process, she increased her prices by 200% but realized after talking to her coach and other designers that it is so much more than just an hourly  Hourly rates are the easiest way to charge clients, but the flawed aspect of it is the more experience you get, the more efficient you get, and the less you're going to get paid  Another form of charging for design work is by value pricing, which Melissa explains is basing your price based on how much value it will bring to the client — but that could be different for each client, so Melissa doesn't think it is the most transparent or fair way to charge  Through The Design Process, Lydia taught Melissa a blended approach where you take into consideration your hourly rate, the value it's going to offer the clients, and your experience as a designer  Now, Melissa has a base price for brand strategy, a base price for brand strategy + logo design, and a base price for web design and says she can add additional collateral pieces to each package if the client needs  For Melissa's life-long clients, she still charges hourly but, going forward, she will use the blended pricing approach for her brand and web design projects  How Melissa doesn't see herself as a freelancer anymore but as a studio owner and creative director instead  The story of how Melissa named her business Branch Creative Co. because she wanted to take her name out of it and because she sees herself as an extension of her clients' teams  Melissa shares that she doesn't do all the marketing for clients when it comes to ad buys or marketing plans; they are the branding and design branch when it comes to the overall marketing efforts  The biggest thing Melissa has learned in the last 10 - 15 years is to trust herself; she used to compare herself to others, but through working with more designers and executive-level businesses, she realized that she actually does have a lot of experience and knowledge  To any creatives out there, Melissa says, don't be afraid to lean into what you have and what your talents are and to live fearlessly with that because you can take your business further than you probably ever thought you could  Connect with Melissa on her website, branch creative co.com  Links mentioned:   Branch Creative Co Website    The Brand Process   Connect with Melissa on Instagram    Connect with Melissa on Facebook Like what you heard?  Click here to subscribe + leave a review on iTunes. Click here to download my Sales Page Trello Board Let's connect on Instagram!

I had a conversation recently with fellow designers over how we refer to ourselves. This conversation started when one designer asked another why they referred to themselves as a freelancer? We then talked about the impression and stereotypes associated with the word freelancer. In the end, the designer acknowledged that it was in their best interest not to use the term freelancer anymore when referring to themself. And it would be best if you did the same. Stop calling yourself a freelancer. Why you should stop calling yourself a freelancer. There's a stigma associated with the term Freelance or Freelancer. In episode 17 of the Resourceful Designer podcast, I discussed how calling yourself a freelance graphic designer could hurt your business. I shared a story of when a company approached me for an in-house position. I turned them down, but I shared the name of a designer I knew would be perfect for the job. The company's CEO later told me the designer I told them about had all the right qualifications. However, The title she used on her resume was Freelance Graphic Designer, and they were looking for someone more serious than that for the position. She didn't get the job because she listed herself as a freelancer. I know it's crazy, but it's true. You see, the term freelancer is popular among designers. When I was in school, my classmates and I talked about how great it would be to be a freelancer. But outside of our sphere of peers in the design industry, the term freelancer is not as familiar. Or maybe I should say it's not as “prestigious” as we like to think it is. The term freelancer is akin to being quick and cheap, which reminds me of episode 71 of the podcast Good Design, Quick Design, Cheap Design. Pick Two. For many business people, freelancers are people you hire if you want something done fast and for a reasonable price, not necessarily if you want something designed well. For this reason, I tell designers who work for themselves to stop calling themselves freelance designers and instead say they run a design business. Even if you only do it as a side gig. In an article titled Stop Calling Yourself A Freelancer, author Andrew Holliday says that a company commands more respect than freelancers. And that freelancers are perceived as commodities. Meaning they're interchangeable. If you need a quick design job, hire a freelancer. In the future should you require more design work, you could hire the same freelancer, or you can hire someone else. It doesn't matter because freelancers are interchangeable. Anyone will do. And usually, the cheaper, the better. Hiring a freelancer is kind of like purchasing fuel for your vehicle. You know that all gas or petrol stations are basically the same, so you pick and choose where to fill up based on price. That's how many business owners perceive freelancers–as commodities. However, if you want a partner to help you develop your brand and marketing assets, someone you can work with long-term, then hire a design company, even if that design company is just one person. Holliday made another interesting point in his article that freelancers often fight for hourly work. Whereas companies typically get paid by the project. And therefore, your earning potential is much higher if you refer to yourself as a business owner and not a freelancer. But don't take his or my word on it. Earlier this week, I posted a poll in a large entrepreneur community where I'm a member. It's a community made up mostly of solopreneurs to mid-size business owners. In other words, the type of people you want as design clients. Here's what I asked. Who would you prefer to hire for design work: A: A graphic designer who runs their own design business? B: A freelance graphic designer? I know. It's a trick question since both answers are the same, but I wanted to see what people would say. Two hundred four people responded. 176 (86%) chose A: A graphic designer who runs their own design business. Compared to only 28 (14%) who chose B: A freelance graphic designer. What's even more interesting are the comments on my poll. Aren't they the same thing? But if I had to choose I would pick A. It sounds more professional. I would hire a freelance graphic designer. I'm just starting out and don't have a large budget and option A sounds more expensive to me. If I knew exactly what I wanted and just needed someone to implement it for me I would choose B. If I needed someone to help me develop new ideas I would choose A. Isn't hiring a freelancer kind of like hiring an employee who doesn't actually work for you, so it's less paperwork? I think the difference between the two is confidence and trust. I could trust that a design business owner is competent and knows what they are doing because they took the time to start a business. I know they'll be around for a long time should I need them again in the future. I wouldn't feel the same way about hiring a freelance graphic designer. I have a background in design, and I choose A. Most freelancers I know are only doing it until they can find a full-time job. And there were many other comments just like these. And they all came to a similar conclusion. If you want someone cheap, someone you can tell what to do, and you're not interested in building a working relationship with them, then hire a freelancer. However, if you want someone knowledgeable, someone who can help you solve the problems you're facing, and someone reliable who will be around for a long time, hire a designer who runs a design business. I think these people make my point for me. Stop calling yourself a freelancer. Let me simplify it. Let me simplify it by creating another distinction between a design business owner and a freelancer. If the projects you work on are for someone other than the person or company paying you, you are freelancing. For example, if an agency contracts you to work on projects for the agency's clients, you are working as a freelancer. They may or may not have in-house designers, but they need to hire you to fulfill their commitment to their clients. It doesn't matter if you work directly with the client or deal with someone at the agency as a go-between. If the end client is not the one paying you, then there's a good chance you're freelancing. However, if a client hires you to do work for them and pays you directly for your services, you are not freelancing. You are running a design business. Take my Podcast Branding business, for example. Podcasters hire me to design their artwork and websites. That's not freelancing since the client is paying me. But I'm also the designer for a large podcast agency. This agency sends their clients to me for their podcast artwork. In this case, I'm working as a freelancer for the agency since they pay me to create artwork for their clients. Another thing to consider is if you charge fixed, project-based or value-based pricing, then you are running a design business. Since freelancers typically charge by the hour. And finally, If you don't plan on ever being employed or working for a boss. Then you are running a design business. It's up to you. In the end, you can call yourself whatever you want. It's your career, after all. But I hope I've given you something to ponder. I know I was surprised by the response I got from the poll. I figured Design Business Owner would prevail over Freelance Designer, but I didn't know by how much. And if those who responded are the people who represent our ideal design clients, then why not heed what they are saying. Call yourself a freelancer if you want. But if you take yourself seriously and, more importantly, if you want others to take you seriously, then why not drop that moniker. Stop calling yourself a freelancer.

Freelance graphic designer and creative lead at Freelancer Magazine Angela Lyons joins Louise to talk all things learning. Keeping your skills fresh is essential if you want to stay on top of the latest industry trends and do the best possible work for your clients. And let's not forget the strategy, finance and marketing skills we need to build a sustainable business. It's a lot to fit in! Listen in to hear:How Ange has been using #Write52 to record her journey as a 'forever learner'The mentorships and courses that have had the biggest impact on Ange's business over the last yearHow to avoid shiny object syndrome and figure out what courses you really needHow to budget your time and money for learning (incl. Louise's £1 rule of investing!)Mentioned on this episode:Freelancer Magazine: https://www.freelancermagazine.co.uk/#Write52: https://www.write52.com/Google Digital Garage: https://learndigital.withgoogle.com/digitalgarage/Enterprise Nation: https://www.enterprisenation.com/HubSpot Academy: https://academy.hubspot.com/The Marketing Meetup: https://themarketingmeetup.com/Hannah Williams: https://scribbleinc.co.uk/Penny Brazier: https://the-mighty-pen.co.uk/Carla Frank: https://www.carlafrankcreative.com/International Magazine Centre: https://internationalmagazinecentre.com/Say hi to Ange:LinkedIn: Angela Lyons1Twitter: @AngeLyonsDesignInsta: Ange_LyonsWebsite: www.angelalyons.comSay hi to Louise:Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.LinkedIn: Louise ShanahanTwitter: @LouiseShanahan_Website: thecopyprescription.comIf you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. All donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated!

Gio Marcus is copywriting mentor who teaches high-converting copy to entrepreneurs who want to reach millions and make millions. Gio's copywriting clients are guests of Oprah, Marie Forleo & Sir Richard Branson; regularly featured on major TV shows and magazines, stars of their own Netflix documentaries, and winners of Oscars nominations. Between them, Gio's clients have written over 35 New York Times bestselling books, translated into 190 languages. She lives in Berkeley, California.   Here's what we covered on the episode:   How Copywriting + Design Work Together  How Gio and I met in 2020 working on a landing page for a client together and how we've stayed in touch ever since  We talk about the process of working together and how you should connect with other creators during projects because you never know what kind of relationships might be born or what you could learn about their craft that goes hand in hand with yours  Gio shares that she really wanted to write for a living and decided to write websites in 2008 but didn't know what copywriting was and felt like she was making it up as she went along  How Gio fell in love with marketing and discovered digital marketing where she realized she couldn't just write copy, she had to think about how the words would look on the page Gio has a huge love and respect for designers because the design can change the whole meaning of the copy, and she loves to see how those two work together on a page  How some creators, whether on the design or copy side, think that their part is more important than the other, and I love that Gio is a creator that wants to mesh the copy and design together well  Gio believes that you can't have design or copy without the other and because people rely on visuals, the design is so important, and the copy help supports it   UX Design in Copywriting + Working with Clients  Gio explains that UX design is about making the text really easy for people to read and consume by having headlines, boldface copy, or breaking up the text into smaller chunks which are all things she learned very early in copywriting  UX design has become more important, Gio says, because people are quickly scrolling on their phones, you need to know how to give the information to the scanners who just want the main ideas and how to give it to the people who want a little more information  I share that when I write copy for my sales pages, I always give it to a copywriter to look through because sometimes it can be a lot to look at the same page constantly during a project  When working with clients, Gio first likes to get all the background information -  that might be through doing research on her own or having her clients answer questions  Gio says one pitfall to being super close to your business is that you might think, for example, that the pain point is a certain thing, but it turns out people aren't willing to pay money for that to be solved, so it helps to have someone as an outsider to the business come in and give clear feedback Overtime Gio has learned to ask bold questions and be more daring, which is important for copywriters, but she also says it is important for designers Copywriting Tips for Sales Pages + When to Build a Sales Page  When it comes to writing copy for your sales page, Gio suggests using a template or going off someone's copy that you love and respect, but be mindful that what works for someone else might not work for you    Gio suggests working with a messaging expert because what works for a larger company vs. a smaller company/brand is not going to be the same and gives us an example to show that  It can be good to look at other copy and sales pages for inspiration, but Gio says to make sure you aren't copying what someone else is going through - it's really important to go through the process yourself to come up with those creative ideas Writing your first draft of copy and then getting feedback from a copywriter can be super helpful because sometimes when you're so close to it, it's hard to bring that outside perspective   Another suggestion Gio has is to do some kind of inner work, whether it's through meditation or affirmations, whatever works for you that will help you through creative blocks Gio explains that for most people, it makes sense to have a professional sales page designer come in when they have a solid offer that they've tested  Because it can take a while to build a sales page, you don't want to put it off Gio says  I touch on how I think it's important for people to build a sales page after they have sold and proven their offer  Gio says that if you're doing a version of an offer that you've done before and you want to have something to show to people, creating even a simple sales asset like a Google Doc is beneficial  The purpose of a sales page is to make sure it's easy for our customers to buy from us by making sure the offer is clear, the messaging speaks to them, the copy outlines the offer, and that the interactive process is also smooth  Gio shares that she likes circling back with people after having an initial call with them so they can have a few days to decide if they're going to move forward  How having something simple is better than having nothing at all when it comes to copy assets  Gio's Copywriting Mentoring Business + Building Credibility  Many years ago, one of Gio's clients introduced her to some other people which contributed to her landing some big clients, along with the strong reputation she had built over the years   Gio explains that she put in a lot of work into learning and studying everything  about copywriting and marketing -  people started to notice that she really cared and wrote copy that converted  How Gio was able to build her business on referrals and how that works for design too, because you become known as someone who puts out quality work  Gio says there is no shame in asking for referrals and that there's always room to go after your dream client that could help catapult your business and give you credibility  Sometimes money is not the most important thing, sometimes it's about building and using your credibility - Gio shares an example of how she did extra work on a project for the credibility  For a long time, Gio didn't flaunt her credibility, which held her business back, but once she started owning the caliber of clients she was working with, it allowed her to raise her prices so she was able to do the best quality work for clients  As a business owner, you have to learn how to take care of your clients and yourself  Gio's Revenue & Reach Mentorship is for online business owners who need their copy written for a lot of different business assets - the program takes them through each asset and helps them apply what they're learning about copywriting to these assets Whenever you're more visible, your copy pops, you get more direct responses to your copy, and you apply UX copy design techniques, your business will completely transform  As creatives and business owners, Gio says we have a chance to impact so many people, and being able to write copy is the key to unlocking that How Gio weaves UX design into what she teaches for copywriting because it's so important to understand what your audience wants and how they like to consume information  Go to Gio's website to connect with her and check out her blog - she encourages everyone to look at her copy for inspiration and to see what's working right now in the world of copywriting and marketing  How it's important to connect with people who are in a similar field to you because you can get inspiration, understand how your fields complement each other, and then you can refer each other   Links mentioned   Gio Marcus Website    Gio Marcus Blog    O.M.G.! 5 Copy Lessons For a High Converting Sales Page   Like what you heard?  Click here to subscribe + leave a review on iTunes. Click here to download my Sales Page Trello Board Let's connect on Instagram!

Our guest is Jesper Svenning a Danish UX designer and researcher.  In this interview we learn how a mentor can help you grow. Jesper shares his story of how he became a freelance designer and then compares the freelance design scene in the US and Europe. After that we learn about the 3 things you have to keep in mind if you want to work as a freelance designer. As freelancing isn't the right choice for everyone. Jesper tells us about his research experience and why he loves working with developers. He also explains why you have to sometimes feel uncomfortable when testing a product. Another topic is the influence of design on our lives. Does working as a designer relate to being better as a human?  Jesper shares his controversial thoughts about testing, brainstorming and forcing creativity. We also learn about the boring aspects of design work that many people forget. In the end, Jesper tells us about the problem with the distribution of wealth and some things we can do to deal with it. https://www.hotairindustries.com/ 

This weeks guest is Michael Penda. He is a freelance graphic designer working under Penda Design. You may know him as @peanutfreepanda on IG. During this episode we talk about: -his recent move to full time freelance and what the hustle was like building it while learning more and working fulltime. -his route to graphic design and how it took a turn down marketing and advertising drive. -some creatives who are inspirational to him @ollymoss @gardnerdesignusa @doubleacreative-the situations where he accepted projects and let the creative brief slide, and what he learned from doing that. -the project he was a part of for a band, how it came about, and why he is so proud of it. That and so much more! I had a great chat with Michael and the guy had a fantastic ask it forward question!Also in this episode I talk about the free virtual conference, Citruspace, coming up on October 17th. Featuring Hank Washington @iam_hank, Will Paterson, and Purple Rock Scissors. Get your free ticket HERE!!

This week's guest is Anthony Petrie also known as @zombiebacons. He is a very talented freelance designer and artist out of Los Angeles CA. During this episode we talk about:-design work on toasters + garbage cans.-dunkaroos and other nostalgic awesomeness.-collecting Koolaid + Marlboro points.-a couple of posts on his Instagram and the stories behind them. -why this COVID period of time right now is the most challenging time he has experienced in his career so far. -his time working in house at Nickelodeon while growing his freelance business. -a special project that he gets to be a part of nearly every year and why it is one he is proud of. After having so many past guests tell me about this gents awesome work, I was glad to finally be able to get him on the show! You'll dig it. @zombiebacons