Well, guess what? I survived my second year as an “independent” graphic designer. And it was really good. I made fewer mistakes while learning even more than I did in my first year. I gained some new clients and grew my relationships with long term ones.
I even (boldly) self-diagnosed my studio as successful.
So here’s a quick review of the key things I learned over the course of 2016. I’m going to expand on each of these in future posts.
Collaboration is King (orrrrr Queen)
A mentor of mine once told me that the single biggest way to grow as an artist is to collaborate with others. This advice is also true for designers, and anyone who works in a creative field. Nothing pulls you out of your comfort zone quite as violently or challenges your perceptions as thoroughly. I think it’s something to continue seeking, particularly as freelancers, because one of the dilemmas that arises from starting off on your own is that you become isolated. And isolation can seriously impair your development.
Especially creatively.
This year I worked on teams large and small, as a leader and as a delegate, on projects as varied as our shared clients. I learned a staggering amount and confirmed, without a doubt, that teamwork makes the dream work. Right, Caitlin?
Be Selective
I noticed something interesting when I was going over my year end numbers over the holidays (for those of you who don’t know this, I’m a big time spreadsheet nerd). My sales in 2016 tripled compared to 2015, while my line items stayed the same. That means I worked on the same amount of projects (roughly), but I made more money. And that tells me that the quality of jobs that I worked on last year increased, which was largely the result of being more selective about which projects I accepted.
As you get busier, you’ll have to make decisions about what you can work on, and where to devote the limited amount of time you have. I suppose it’s a nice problem to have.
Last year I had to say no to some projects to make room for other ones. And that can be extremely difficult, especially because you never know when the job well will dry up. But it’s a risk you have to take to ensure your focus is where it needs to be, and so that you don’t spread yourself too thin. At the end of the day, everyone is better off.
Beware, the Pursuit of Prestige
Last year I tried to grow from a sole-proprietorship into a partnership with a good friend of mine. We spent months planning it via Skype before he eventually moved here, and I was convinced that it was going to be amazing.
But, I was wrong.
Over the course of the year, our partnership dissolved and I ended up back where I started. The organizational structure may have failed, but I look at that trial as an enormous success. It was also a risk that I’m proud we both had the courage to take. Throughout the year I learned an incredible amount about myself and my business, and our relationship remained intact, both as collaborators and friends. In fact, our working relationship is probably stronger now than it would have been as official partners.
Phewf.
There’s a few things that went wrong and several reasons it didn’t work out, but there’s one factor that really stands out for me. After some serious reflection, I realized I was chasing the idea of being a bigger studio, with a team of people working towards the same goals, taking over the city, client by client. It seemed so sexy. Especially with all of the mid-century office decor that furnished my dreams.
I also had this notion that clients would like me better if I had a business partner — that I’d be taken more seriously. To top it all off, a naive utopian vision persisted that we were going to uproot the advertising and design world with a new studio model, including how we paid ourselves. In the end, it was a theoretical concoction that couldn’t stand up to the rigors of intense work, or sensitive egos (mine, not his).
As it turns out, I don’t care about any of those things. Ultimately, what I care about is doing great work with great people, end of story. And I can do a better job of that as a lone wolf, forming and dissolving teams as each project requires.
For now anyway.
Relationships, right?
Through the course of the year, I discovered the foundation upon which the future of my studio will grow, and it happens to be strong relationships. I mean it’s so incredibly obvious, but last year made it clear just how valuable the good ones really are.
From the agencies I work with, to the subcontractors I hire, and everyone in between, trust, honesty, and mutual respect — things inherent to any healthy relationship — are key factors to executing great work, time after time.
That’s why I put the word independent in quotation marks at the beginning of this post. It turns out, I’m not independent at all. I have incredible connections with the people that I work with, and for, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.
Mentorship is a Trip
There’s one last thing that I’ll share that I think startles everyone when it begins to happen. There comes the point when people start looking to you for advice. When you’re a few steps ahead on a shared path, and your knowledge and experience becomes an asset to people looking to avoid the same pitfalls or experience similar gains.
Last year I was able to help a handful of folks along their journeys and it gave me an enormous buzz. Having to overcome a staggering case of imposter syndrome at the outset, it’s quickly becoming a favorite part of the work I do, and I’m excited to grow the role in the future.
Also, teaching is learning. Through instruction, you become acutely aware of your own systems and values. It forces you to take inventory of all the things you access on a daily basis and to audit your perspectives.
So that’s nice too.
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I guess that’s the main reason I started this blog. To share my experiences. To give other people encouragement and insight into the world of freelancing, entrepreneurship, and being creative for a living.
It feels good to do that because God knows I’ve read so many valuable books and articles, watched so many insightful videos and listened to a wide array of talks. I’ve received an incredible amount of support from my community, not to mention my family and friends, to help me get to where I’m at today.
In a way, I’m trying to pay it forward.
So here’s to returning the favor in a small way, and to another successful year of my design adventure.
Talk soon,
Adam
