Last week, Jack and I sat down to discuss something I rarely talk about in detail: the start of my freelancing career and how I got to where I am today.
We decided to film our conversation so we could share it with you. You can watch it below ⬇️
In this podcast, we talk about my journey from charging $7.99 for illustrations to running a full-time design business with clients investing $15,000 in my design services.
We also discuss the early challenges of pricing, social media's role in building my brand, and how incorporating brand strategy helped me attract high-paying clients.
But, if you don't have time for an hour-long video, here's a breakdown of the main points we covered:
My Journey as a Freelance Designer
When I first started freelancing in 2019, I didn’t really have a business—I was just a graphic designer taking on small projects on the side while working my full-time job. My main motivation was to make a little extra money, so I started doing low-cost illustration work for around £7.99. It wasn’t much, but it got me started.
The Challenge of Pricing and Confidence
One of my biggest hurdles was figuring out how to increase my rates. I was hesitant because I didn’t know how much my work was worth and struggled to charge what felt like fair prices. Eventually, I started putting together packages that offered more value, and gradually, I found my confidence to charge higher rates.
Diving into Brand Design
During COVID in 2020, I had extra time from being on furlough, which I used to dive into brand design, something I was excited to learn. I created passion projects, built a portfolio, and began posting my work online, mostly on Instagram and later on YouTube. These platforms helped me find clients and allowed me to showcase both my work and personality. Consistently showing up on social media helped me grow an audience and develop a personal brand, which became essential for my business.
The Shift to Full-Time Freelancing
Once I matched my full-time income through freelancing, I took the leap and left my job to freelance full-time. At that point, I was already seeing momentum build as I continued to raise my prices and refine my services. Creating a website with an inquiry form helped me filter out serious clients from casual inquiries, which made my workflow smoother and allowed me to focus on quality projects.
Adding Strategy and Offering More Value
With time, I wanted to provide more than just logos. I started learning about brand strategy and slowly added elements like mood boards and client questionnaires to my process. Each little addition allowed me to charge more and feel more confident in my services. Eventually, I incorporated full brand strategy sessions, which set me apart and allowed me to solve bigger problems for my clients. This change helped me justify a higher price point and led me to charge over £1,000 for projects.
Growing My Brand and Taking on High-Ticket Clients
With a growing social media following and a refined client process, I was able to raise my rates to £5,000, £10,000, and eventually £15,000 per project. My social media presence helped a lot here because it gave me social proof, so by the time clients got on a call with me, they already trusted my expertise and were familiar with my process. I was no longer selling myself, I was simply showing them how I could help.
What I Learned Along the Way
Looking back, I’ve learned how crucial it is not to compare yourself to designers who are further along in their journey. Focusing on my own growth and building momentum without worrying about perfection helped me more than anything else.
I hope you found my story helpful 😊
Chat next week,
Abi.
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