Years ago I worked with a high-priced consultant who stressed the importance of his testimonials page. I thought it was way too long (printed out it came to 60 pages!) but he always emphasized how many of his clients read every single word. He knew they were motivated to contact him (and pay him) based […]
FOR DESIGNERS
The best products and services to run your online business
I get asked all the time about what tools and services I use to run my business. While I’ll often test out new services and products, I’m a firm believer in using well-supported software. I’d rather use the industry standard rather than a fly-by-night new app or software that may not be in business next […]
The Guac Metric – 7 ways to increase your revenue so you can always get the guac
Somethings are universal. Like Chipotle It doesn’t matter if you’re vegan, paleo or keto. It’s a place pretty much everyone can agree on (unless you’re intermittent fasting…) A few weeks ago, I was sharing some tacos with a friend who just launched her fitness studio and is struggling to make ends meet. As we unwrapped […]
Designing a cohesive marketing campaign
As a designer, one of the things I create often are materials for marketing funnels. (A marketing funnel is all the steps or stages your prospective client or user takes on their buyer journey through conversion). Recently I launched a new funnel for Elena Brower for her Essential Practice Cleanse. Want to follow along? You […]
A designer’s take on implementing GDPR on your site
This note is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. I am not a lawyer, but I will binge an entire afternoon of Law and Order episodes. Especially the old ones. Man, I miss Lenny. That said, I am not responsible for any changes you make to your site or your […]
New client red flags – how to avoid crazy projects
In several of the online designer groups I’m in, I see a lot of complaints about working with bad clients. Or complaints about how long they have to work with someone. Or asking for canned scripts for how to break up with clients. Why are so many people getting to that state of desperation? Why […]
Tips from a designer on building a creative business
I’ve officially made it 40 turns around the sun. So I made a list of 40 lessons I’ve learned running this business. May it help you with your own creative business. And I’d love to hear your rules of the road – feel free to hit reply and let me know what rules you live […]
How to avoid burnout – practical tips for creatives
Are you so over everything to do with your business? You think everyone else has it all figured out and you’re silently suffering. You’re “living the dream” of running your own business and you’re hating it. Maybe you’ve got plenty of clients and you’re making money – but you’re just not inspired anymore. Or maybe […]
In defense of running a service-based businesses
Sometimes it can feel as though everyone but you is making an app, an online course or building a membership site (and totally raking it in). Maybe you’re at a loss as to how you can create something like this for your business. Or maybe those options just aren’t the right fit for you. There […]
How to get more work for your design business
Every week I get emails from designers looking to get more clients. And almost everyone fits in one of two scenarios: 1. FEAST OR FAMINE CYCLE: Maybe you’ve been totally booked (and overwhelmed with work) for months and haven’t done outreach or marketing in ages. But now your projects have ended and you’re in freakout […]
Lessons from 10 years of running a solo design business
10 years ago this week I flew the coop. I left my job as a software developer and started my own business. Not gonna lie, there’s been a LOT of ups and downs. And some things haven’t changed. I still work at home. I still work barefoot. And I still do my best work really […]
What to do if you don’t have any new projects lined up
Recently I’ve had a few amazing designers reach out to me in a panic – they’ve been knee deep in client work the past few months but don’t have anything booked for the rest of the year. Has this happened to you? Hunkered down in client work, launching projects for other people – when you […]
9 lessons in 9 years running a design business
I never thought when I started my business that I’d still be working for myself (and still loving what I do). I’m so honored to work with amazing clients and challenging projects that make a difference in this world. I’ve collected 9 tips from some of my hardest lessons – I’d love to hear from […]
What to do when you think you’re not good enough
I’ve been mentoring and talking with designers for the last few years – and when I survey my audience about what they struggle with most in their business, three answers pop up the most. The most common responses? the fear that they don’t know enough the fear that they’re not credible enough to promote (and […]
What to do when you lose your main source of income
Recently an old work colleague reached out to me – after several years of super high profitability doing niche-specific work, his core client suddenly stopped getting new projects .. and as a result, so did he. After years of not connecting with others, now he was trying to re-engage with his network to get new […]