In September 2017, I left my safe, full-time design job to go out on my own as a business owner. It is now 5 years later and here’s a few things I’ve learnt along the way.

It has been a rollercoaster since then, but honestly, it’s the best thing I could have done. This is just a short article about my graphic design career and things I’ve learnt since leaving full time work to venture out on my own. 

A bit of background, I am a graphic designer in Brisbane with 14+ years industry experience, specialising in brand identity design, packaging design, graphic design of all sorts and everything in-between. I am by no means discounting my full time jobs as they have helped shape me as a designer and helped get me to where I am today. During my employed and contracting years I have gained so much insight into what I enjoy doing and have become better at branding and packaging design through learning from others in the workspace. 

5 years ago I got to a stage where I felt like I needed to go out on my own, I was freelancing after my 9–5 job every evening and realised I had enough clients to do this thing on my own. The thing that made me take the leap was when a large client contacted me and because I had a full-time job I had to turn them down, it was then I realised I was ready to take the leap and start working directly with clients.

Here’s a few things I’ve learnt since leaving my full-time job to become a freelance graphic designer and then a business owner.

1. It’s not easy, but that’s what makes it so rewarding.
2. Once you take the leap things will work them selves out, don’t worry but have a stash of savings just incase.
3. You may not have as many holidays but your days will be filled with flexibility and creating your own schedule
4. You will find fulfilment in seeing your clients succeed, you will be so much more apart of your clients businesses so it will feel like you win every time a client has a win.
5. To never stop learning, it’s important to continually educate yourself and learn more skills to hone your craft and run your business more efficiently.
6. Having my own business has helped me connect with my clients and create brands that work for them and their growth strategies, I understand the process better and what they’ve been through.
7. Create some clear goals and a business plan otherwise you may never get to where you want to be. I love a good anaology and I’ve always learnt that not having goals is like driving without navigation. There’s a good chance without navigation you could take the very scenic route and never end up at your desitination.
8. Find an office space with like-minded people, away from your home, this might not apply to everyone but has been a game changer for my productivity and mental health. After Covid I went back to an office, which then flooded in February and I quickly realised it is crucial for me to have an office space.
9. Never stop marketing and putting yourself out there, share your product, share your work and do it often. I admit I haven’t always been the best at this but I try, and this EDM is a great example of me trying!
10. Get all the right systems set up, as early as possible. When choosing your platforms think about where you see the business in 5 years, with growth in sight make sure you choose the right platforms that can grow with you. A few of mine are Asana for project management, Harvest for time tracking and invoicing, Xero for accounting and Active Campaign for my newsletters and CRM.
11. Photoshoots are also daunting, here’s one I did in August 2020, right after the first Covid outbreak and right before I was a bridesmaid for my friend’s very stressful “Covid wedding”. Having a suite of photos either of yourself or your product will make it so much easier to market your business.