So you want to become a freelance graphic designer but don’t know where to start? Whatever stage you’re at in your design career, you’ve probably heard that going full-time freelance takes a lot of hard work, time, and energy. On the flip side, being able to run your own business, on your own terms, can be the most rewarding feeling in the world.
But, before you simply leap into freelancing full-time, you need to have a plan. How are you going to find potential clients? How will you build your audience and market yourself on social media? How does your design work stand out from the rest? Are your design skills up to par or do you need more practice? Most important of all, are you sure freelance life is right for you?
That was a lot of questions… but we’re here to help you figure it out! To guide you on your journey to building a thriving freelance career, we’ve rounded up a list of five podcast episodes jam-packed with advice, resources, tips, and everything you need to know before jumping in headfirst.
Learn from some of the most successful freelance graphic designers in the business, and hear the stories of other creatives who took the next step in their careers and became their own boss.
1. The Don’ts of Running your Own Design Business
Podcast: The Deeply Graphic Designcast
This episode is part 1/2 of how to run your own graphic design business. Listen in to learn everything you shouldn’t do when it comes to your online portfolio, setting expectations for new clients, and much more.
“Whether you’ve been running your own design business for years, or if you’re just in the process of considering it, this episode is for you. Listen as the gang breaks down some of the most common mistakes designers run into as they get their creative business off the ground, as well as common mistakes they can make for years into their run.”
2. Hop, skip, & jump into freelance with Lauren Hom
Podcast: Dribbble’s Overtime
Overtime hosts the talented Lauren Hom, a freelance designer and letterer based in Detroit, Michigan. Lauren has built a booming freelance career for herself. She’s landed huge clients like Google, Starbucks, TIME Magazine, and shares her journey in this episode. Don’t forget to check out her Dribbble design portfolio!
“Passion project aficionado and hand lettering artist, Lauren Hom, joins us on Overtime to chat about the success she’s found by doing the work she loves. She also shares some sage advice on freelancing and how she quit her advertising art director gig to work for herself. It doesn’t have to be a big jump—there are steps you can take to move the mountains closer and make it more of a hop.”
3. Finding Your Passion & Turning it into a Business
Podcast: Logo Geek
We love Dina Rodriguez because she’s brutally honest, charismatic, and she’s all about helping other creatives succeed in their careers. In this episode, Dina talks about how she launched her own business and built up her social networks and following through creating unique, quality work.
“In this episode of the Logo Geek Podcast, Ian Paget chats with Dina to find out how she found her passion, and how she turned that into a business, diving in to find out how she started her business and the steps she’s taken to make a massive success of it. This is an inspiring story worth listening to, with a lot of fantastic advice and insights from a professional designer, and a successful business owner.”
4. How to Go from Full-Time Job to Freelance Designer
Podcast: The Design Brief
The Design Brief podcast exists to inform and equip you for your career and business in graphic design. In this episode, host Ben G Kaiser dives into the plethora of listener questions he receives about going full-time freelance!
“So you want to make the jump from full-time agency work or in-house designer to launch off into your own full-time freelance gig as a graphic designer. This is a question I get A LOT… “Ben, I want to start my own freelance gig, but I don’t know where to start. I don’t know how to get clients. Should I just launch off right now — sink or swim?” Depending on your current circumstances I want to dive into these questions and help you build your road map.”
5. Full-time Job to Freelancing
Podcast: The Honest Designers Show
Join the four hosts of The Honest Designers Show for a healthy dose of brutal honesty about what it takes to transition from a full-time gig into freelance. Walk away with some actionable advice to apply right now on your path to freelance.
“In this episode, we talk about how to transition away from a full-time job to become a freelancer. This can be one of the scariest things to do as a creative, but ultimately, one of the most rewarding. Today we look at tons of key tips for easing this transition, from not burning bridges with your employers, to communicating your dreams with your loved ones.”
We hope you enjoyed our list of podcast episode recommendations and that you feel more confident on your journey to building a thriving freelance business in graphic design. For more recommended podcasts, check out our curated list of 10 podcasts for every kind of designer.
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