relocating office so redundancy is on offer. Thinking of going it alone as a freelance print/digital designer or trying to get short term contracts via an agency. Any advice?
Ta
Depends what sort of payoff on offer I'd say.
I'm in content not design, but things seem pretty flat across the board at the moment. Getting work is not easy but not impossible.
6 months pay basically, enough of a buffer I think. Same old story of middle age, unhappy in job, don't particularly want to travel to London every day to do it.
I see it as an opportunity to put up or shut up
The problem you'll face is that a lot of people have done the same. An awful lot of designers have been made redundant and are looking for freelance work
If you're new to the circuit, you'll struggle to get established.
Whereas in the past, if they've a job at short notice, an agency would try a new designer. This would give you the opportunity to prove yourself. This just isn't happening at the moment. Companies have very little work, and when they do need freelance staff, they're pretty certain that someone they've used before - a known quantity - will be available. In the present climate they're rarely wrong.
All public bodies are being prevented from using freelance staff too
You'll also get treated like shit. Because they can at the moment. Booking you for say a weeks work, nest week, then phoning you at five on Friday to say its been cancelled as accounts refused to sign freelance staff off!
To be honest, you'd have to be mad to do it unless you absolutely have too. After all - can you see things picking up any time soon?
Oh.... and pay rates haven't gone up for 5 years+,in fact the're heading in the opposite direction. That's supply and demand for you
Not what I wanted to hear, but I know it's not easy out there. I would hope to get some work from where I am and try to get some work from printshops locally or translation agencies whilst looking for more digital design work
Sound out some potential clients now, it's all about who you know so it might work for you.
But the picture Binners paints is also true of the media industry in general IME.
I would advise brushing up on your digital design skills. Way too many people in the market to get away with knowing a little Dreamweaver etc.
The creative agency I work at does both traditional print and interactive media. I work on the latter side of things. Have seen more and more print jobs changing to interactive media be it, interactive PDF's , email campaigns, microsites etc and we have had more and more social media stuff coming in, Facebook apps and the like.
The amount of work coming in stays roughly the same, we just find the % split of print/online rises and falls.
We have a few freelancers we would always get in touch with first of all, just because you build up a relationship with them, they know how we work and what our clients expect.
Personally I wouldn't want to have to break into the industry as a sole trader now but there is loads of work about.
If you are midlands based and want to send me your info grueller happy to take a look/keep you on file.
come from an interactive training agency but never really learnt the coding side of it. Used to do authorware but then that got cut and we moved into flash. The 2 developers took care of that so I just did the designs and put the content in any external xml, etc.
I am really worried about going it alone, but like I said see it as an opportunity to develop. Don't really want to continue on the managerial ladder in London. Would aim to develop web skills as it's never going to happen if I stay where I am. All development is outsourced.
Cheers Maxray. Around Cambridge so may look you up if I jump
I have a couple of mates that went the freelance route as opposed to employment in a company. The biggest thing I have seen from that is that they have had to become real jack of all trades, remember you wont have that ace programming geek in the corner to get some random jQuery customised/working properly etc.
Good luck though! and yeah if you do, chuck us your details, designers are ten a penny but really good designers are like gold dust!!
Video editor here.
Went freelance maybe 7 years ago.
Best thing I ever did.
Rates too haven't gone up in ALL of that time, but I still managed to half my hours and double my pay.
Managed to rely on my ex-employer whilst I found my feet - I gave them a year's notice and they were still surprised when I told them I was going - caught them with pants down!
The swap has meant that I was able to save like mad - now live in Spain with missus and dog with trails on my door step. Come back to London for 3-4 months a year to earn some cash.
Otherwise, freelance really suits me, I'm my own boss and that's a great thing for SOME people, not all.
If you're the kind that's going to get really stressed by a few months of no work and you're not good with money then I'd advise against.
Otherwise it's a no-brainer.
I'm a freelance / contract design engineer so not quite the same market but since leaving full term employment I've increased my pay and worked on a much bigger / wider range of products, I'd be wary of going back.
14yrs in the same job has equipped me with some skills but I'm really not sure how they measure up on the outside world. People have left and will leave with the move. I don't really enjoy the job, but who does, but adding a commute tips it. Don't want to look back in 6 months and think, b@llo@x I wish I'd done it and been braver. Mid forties, mid-life, mid-management doesn't really appeal. It's having the guts to do it
If you're determined then go for it! I made a good living freelancing for many years. But that was in much happier economic times! If you're working full time then its a nice little earner.
But getting yourself to that point takes hard work. You have to pimp yourself around everywhere. And badger people without becoming annoying. A fine line to tread
Most companies have their regulars and will use them first. You only get a bell if they're not available. But if they're looking at your CV at the time....
I'll guarantee you this. You will not be working 5 days a week in the present climate. Not a chance. Could you survive and pay your bills working only 2 days a week. Unfortunately, that's the reality until you've established a reputation.
Its worth it though if you do. If you're in demand, then you end up turning work away.
Good luck though!
Same story as Binners paints, with one of my staff. She's been a self employed graphic designer for a fair few years. 1 or 2 of her big direct clients dried up, so she started supplementing with agency work, which was quite good regular work for a couple of years. Then things just recently have died a death, she has had to seek part time completely unrelated work, with me. Fortunately, I'm fairly flexible, so she can carry on doing occasional agency work, but she hardly gets any at the moment, certainly not to make a living.
Also, what Binners says about getting taken on for a full weeks work, so cancelling all other potential earning opportunities, only to actually get maybe 2 or 3 days work out of it. I was appalled at this, but she says it's normal practice.
This is Leeds area BTW, things may be more buoyant further south.
I have to make a decision by Monday. I was all set to go for it, now wavering thinking of the wife and kids, etc.
Better to plod through the existing job with a commute not really caring either way, or seize the day. A bit cheesy I know but there must be a better way out there
Factor in cashflow too. If you're self-employed and you're working for companies, once you send them your invoice then it disappears into the black hole of their accounts department. The bigger the company, the longer you'll wait for payment. Worst I had was B&Q who took 6 months! That really got my back up as I'd worked over christmas and new year to pull a last minute job out of the bag for them! Worst out of the lot is apaprently the BBC - who can take up to 2 years. I'm not joking here either!
Not good if you're depending on it. You can end up in the crazy situation where you've been mad busy, you should be minted, yet you're absolutely skint with thousands in outstanding invoices
I vote for 'seize the day'. That's easy for me to say sat here with no wife and kids to support, though. My mrs has a reasonable job so when I took the plunge we still had an OK income. As above some weeks you have a day or two's work per week other times nine or ten days per week. I'm in a different field (exhibition and product design) and get all my work direct either through contacts, fishing emails or my website. I think it would hurt my soul to get involved with agencies.
Freelance here doing technical illustration and flash development.
Binners description is probably the one that I recognise as being being closest to my experiences.
I have waited 8 months after submitting an invoice to get paid for a job.
I have been told "we'll have that project ready for you to start on Monday" 4 weeks on the trot without anything being ready and therefore with not much to do for a month.
I have had to turn clients down due to being too busy and subsequently lost their long term work as they found someone else that could do it.
I regularly work into the early hours of the morning and over weekends.
When you're starting out you'll get the jobs that none of the full time staff wanted to do, either because they are awkward or that the timescale is ridiculous.
Hourly rate has not changed in four years, putting it up would see me becoming uncompetitive in what is a crowded market.
I have had to take crap work for very little money during a period when I couldn't find anything better.
But even given all that I still wouldn't want to work full time in a studio again.
I guess the worst thing is making the decision in the first place. After that you work with what you've got in front of you. Is it the fear of failure that's stopping me or just being lazy and apathetic as it's easier to stay put
or just being lazy and apathetic
I think you have to be honest with yourself about whether your personality would suit freelancing as well.
If you're not really a self-starter then you might struggle.
My decision was made for me by redundancy combined with a rather fortunate offer of a six week project that got me started.
We do have the security of knowing that Mrs mW's wage would cover the very basic outgoings if the work did dry up. Which I guess is one of the things that made it feasible in the first place, if we'd have relied on my wage to get by then I would probably have preferred a full time paye position.
I think it's a confidence thing as well. I've been here so long that I lack the confidence in my work. I know I'm very quick and very thorough with artwork but design is so down to taste that I'm not so sure about that as it's left to me at the moment. I can be more assertive if the money depended on it and some of the previous designers/freelancers work I've seen makes me think I can succeed
I think it's a confidence thing as well. I've been here so long that I lack the confidence in my work. I know I'm very quick and very thorough with artwork but design is so down to taste that I'm not so sure about that as it's left to me at the moment.
I spent a decade in 9-5 design studio employment. Got a (fair) reputation for being fast and reliable, which ended up being a total millstone around my neck.
After being tasked with - and successfully completing - an 18 month project in 3 weeks I realised I was never going to be given creative high profile stuff while there would always be failing projects elsewhere in need of rescuing. Wilted portfolio and battered self esteem wasn't an easy place to start a freelance career from, but I'm lucky to have a good few contacts in various industries for the work to start trickling in.
If you don't have the ability to speak for yourself and sell yourself a little bit it's going to be hard. I'm generally happy to take anyone on in any setting, but I still find it hard to sing my own praises when the moment arises.
Another tricky thing I've found is working alone. Nobody to bounce ideas off, feedback only comes from the client and it's only ever negative and rarely constructive, as of course they only speak up when unhappy. And if you need to do something you don't know how to do, there generally isn't anyone to ask. You're on your own.
Having said that, this year I've earned half what I did in my last year of 9-5, while working about a tenth the hours. Extrapolating from that I could of course earn a decent wage, but I just don't have the business head. I'm living on borrowed time as a result.
But the benefit of not being surrounded by idiots in an air conditioned box, under the watchful eye of vapid HR gibbons has so far made it indescribably worthwhile.
But the benefit of not being surrounded by idiots in an air conditioned box, under the watchful eye of vapid HR gibbons has so far made it indescribably worthwhile.
Good point well made.
jackthedog, wife and kids in that equation?
I would be able to advance my skills if I was on my own out of necessity.
I could take London and think I'll try to generate a sideline in a year but would I feel like working at a screen all night having just got in at 7pm?
Or I take a gamble with some money and see what happens
jackthedog, wife and kids in that equation?
No. GF and I don't live together (nor share any finances, thankfully for her...)
I wasn't really offering an equation. I'm pretty far from being qualified to give advice on a successful and prosperous life...
what sort of work do you do jack?
I'm worried my lack of dreamweaver/html/css skills will stop me getting work.
We had developers to do that. I can design websites as I can appreciate what needs doing, but I'm no front end designer/developer
what sort of work do you do jack?
Graphic design. Experienced in computer game UI design and dev also, but total web n00b. Hate doing digital stuff but increasingly forced to.
New to the boards but have a view on this from personal experience
Id propose asking to a reduction in days - to 3 or 4 a week whilst starting a separate business for yourself
Allot of employers in todays market would entertain the idea - but make sure that you don't end up doing 5 days worth of work in 4!
The benefits to you are 1. Regular stimulus from work colleagues and clients 2. Economies of scale if you'r employer is positive to your ambitions 3. A chance to plan and try-before-you-buy!
Is there no chance of finding another permanent job in 6 months though? Doesn't sound like you're in a nice situation but with a 6 month buffer it's got to be worth taking a shot (looking for permanent roles from Day 1 whilst trying to find agency work as well etc.).
Actually it sounds like you've got in a rut and are not gaining any useful experience where you are - so why not take the money and run and as Fuzzy Wuzzy says look for a better staff job if the freelancing doesn't pan out?
It does sound like you need to get out. And it'd probably do you the power of good. And if you've a buffer then its an opportunity. Get in touch with all the agencies before you do anything. Get yourself out there!
What there are a the moment are fixed term contracts. 3 months or 6 months. If companies are busy they're still reluctant to fill positions with permanent staff. But a 3 month contract can become a rolling one which becomes permanent
I know from recent experience 😀
I can't do anything yet for fear of putting any redundancy at risk but the aim was as soon as wheels were in motion, start looking and calling agencies. My wage reflects 14yrs in the same place so finding a similar job with the same salary looks distant which is why I'm thinking freelance, short contract work. To be honest i'll do anything to put food on the table. Just don't want to cut off my nose to spite my face. Leaving just because I don't like it. I'm sure if everyone did that there would be loads of jobs!
soul searching
6 months redundancy. I'd bite their hand off. If you've been thinking about going freelance for a while then this is about a good a shot as you're going to get. You can always cut your costs a bit to make that money stretch 8-9 months if need be surely?
8-9 months should be long enough to get out there and get some established work. You never know but your old company might want you back as well for a few days to finish off existing work.
That's what I did. I had about £3k in the bank, but resigned so no redundancy pay. Thing is I resigned to go freelance when the company I worked for was super busy. They had me back in virtually full time for 2-3 months after I left - at about 2.5 times my old daily rate when salaried. That was enough to build up a financial buffer.
Regular freelance work with other agencies slowly started to come in and once you're in with a couple of large agencies and they know the way you work the you should see some regular bookings. You could also go for a few direct clients as well? Perhaps offer a discounted rate for the first few days with a new agency - just to get your face known?
Most important thing is reliability. I regularly get the call over some of the other freelancers my main client books because I'm never late and always deliver when I say I will. Some freelancers are surprisingly bad at that so instantly I'm at an advantage and tend to get first refusal on work. Other think to note is that you can never have an 'off day' freelancing. Every day has to be full effort however shit, hungover or tired you're feeling.
Go ahead and do it. Best thing I ever did and still feel sorry for the people at the agencies who work the old 9-5. Not only is freelance money better but you don't have to put up with the same office politics as regular employees. You can end up working some odd hours and some long hours, but at the end of the day if I work overtime then I charge for it. Didn't get that with the 9-5.
Go ahead and do it. Best thing I ever did and still feel sorry for the people at the agencies who work the old 9-5. Not only is freelance money better but you don't have to put up with the same office politics as regular employees. You can end up working some odd hours and some long hours, but at the end of the day if I work overtime then I charge for it. Didn't get that with the 9-5.
You can end up working at an agency that isn't like that too, You don't need to feel sorry for us all 🙂
You get both extremes when freelancing
1. Its great here. I wonder if there are any permanent jobs
2. (usually within 5 minutes of working in) Sweet ****ing Jesus! Get me out of here [b]NOW![/b]. Don't think I'll be coming back here
i'M SURE THERE ARE design agencies that understand and appreciate the creative side of the process. Here it's an afterthought or it's down to individuals working above and beyond to squeeze it in. Costing jobs is usually 7hrs design, 14hrs artwork as a given. i think I can find a better way of working. I work hard and fast and don't mind putting in the hours if it's worth it. But I've been here long enough to know it's never appreciated or compensated.
You sound really down about the place, and they're offering you half a year's pay to leave.
It sounds like it's time to start a new chapter in your life mate.
I agree with jackthedog - sounds like you need out. I walked out of a job years ago because it was depressing me. I had no job to go to, no redundancy payments. I just couldn't stand it any more. I finished there on the Friday, let the agencies know and had my first phone call about freelance work within half an hour.
You never know. Just do it with your eyes open
My eyes are open and I feel like if I can get something to start as soon as I finish it will pick me up. I'm sure someone may come in an have a different view of my job, so maybe I'm the problem as well as the job. I'm prepared to do anything and invest in developing skills I don't have. Hopefully get some work, short-term from employers here. It's a big wide world of design and I've just been in a tiny part of it. Just need to find the rest of it and hope there's work there. Here's hoping
done it. Let's see how it goes. Brave new world, seize the day, etc!
Ta
Best of luck.
Are you intending to work from home or on-site?
Good luck. Sounds like you did the right thing.
Good for you. I bet provided you put the effort in to find the work that in a years time you will look back and think 'how the hell would I ever take a 9-5 job again'. Working for someone else for your whole career is a mugs game. You are now the master of your own destiny. Good luck.
Well done! It's a big step to make, but it's a good one.
I went freelance 3 years ago when we left London (bugger all design jobs in Carlisle at the time) and although the first 6 months were really tough and I doubted why I'd made the decision, I'm now on the verge of going into partnership with someone and forming our own design agency.
I've found the most satisfying work comes from selling myself as a designer working for my own clients, not freelancing for an agency. That way you get to build up relationships and work on much better projects.
Either way, good luck - if you can make it work when times are tough, you'll be laughing when the economy picks up.
Probably working from the corner of my front room to start as I've only got a desktop. Looking into getting a laptop, but not sure about the initial investment and software. still looking for an update for my quark!
Cheers
Best of luck to you fella
From the sounds of your posts you've definitely done the right thing!
Keep us posted how its going!
Make the switch to Indesign ASAP - Quark is dead in the water!
I've got indesign cs5, just do some freelance already and the guy is on quark 8, I've only got 6.5!
so sometimes it looks dated
grueller
Best of luck. Things really aren't great at the moment. I've had my own little graphic design business for the last 14 years and the last 2 years or so have been the worst in recent memory. I went through the last recession in the early 90's and this is much worse for the media industry in general. Money in real terms is dropping and you are now expected to do much more for less. Most of the 'easy' money has or is drying up with clients purchasing more and more associated services themselves (such as print and photography whereby you could make a margin).
The industry in general is static. Clients aren't spending new money and are more cost aware than ever. Small and large design businesses will tend to use freelancers they know and trust and aren't, by and large, seeking new freelancers for their books - we're pushing rates down as a direct result of our rates being squeezed. Likewise clients are doing much the same - stay with the agency you know who's work you like and prices are good.
That said, there are opportunities to be had but there's more designers and companies chasing those opportunities with ever increasing sharp pencils on prices. When pitching for work, you must keep your pencil very sharp and add in a lot of 'added value' to your pitch (account handling, response times, thinking of the client first before yourself etc). Also, just having a great portfolio is no longer enough, you'll need to have a good understanding of marketing, branding and new media as well. Clients no longer see the designer as the slightly whacky person who's a bit 'up themselves'. Clients now demand you to fully understand their brand values and design accordingly. Design styles therefore are now more 'safe' than for a long time and really quite bland - client don't want you to 'play' with their look and feel any more.
Here's the good news!!!
I still wouldn't go back to being employed by an agency. My lifestyle is great all things considered. I'm my own boss, to some degree work my own hours (remembering you now need to put your client first) and still pay my bills and mortgage etc. I definitely work less hours than a few years ago but the plus side is I get to ride more, see more of my family (something that was hard a few years back) and have most weekends free.
Go for it buddy but take it REALLY seriously - there's a lot of competition out there!
think it
feel it
fking do it...
best advice I ever had.
Also read this book... ignore the title, its just a great business book. http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=4+hour+work+week&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=12426031196&ref=pd_sl_9f5rg01gdy_e
But f me times are damned tough right now. really f***ing tough. Not a great time to kick off from a standing start. I am just lucky my business is established... if this was month one, I would close up, and get a paye job.
having said that working for yourself is the best... bloody brilliant. Make an effort, play smart, and taaa daaa there is a finacial reward almost instantly. PAYE... work hard all year, and get an insult of a bonus.
Good on you.
If it works out you'll wonder why you didn't do it 10 years ago.
Make sure you get in quick with an offer to freelance for your old firm. You know what they need, can probably work out how to do it cheaper/better for them from you new freelance position and you'll be doing it on your terms.
f@ck me tell me now:)
If I didn't do it I would be forever wondering. I've been here long enough to know all about 'added value'
just need to apply it to me. Now I just need a website/url/business cards/cv...
Best advice I can give when looking for new business is approach companies and agencies who's industry you know well (even if you don't like it). For example, if you've been working mainly for the cycle industry, approach those companies. Being able to talk to them in their own language makes a huge difference, but I suspect you already know that. Also, keep it local - a lot of our work is from local companies, within a 20 mile radius. Despite this being the modern era of pdf's, ftp sites and so on - people really still do like that face to face meeting and being presented their designs in person. Keep a good number of smaller clients rather than one or two larger clients. Don't get too hung up on having the latest version of this software or that software - not as many agencies as you think are running the latest Mac OS and up-grading to the latest Quark or Adobe CS as you may think. Having a good reliable system is more important. Upgrade every couple of years.
We produce several magazines here so receive hundreds of adverts in from many agencies in any given year. Split is roughly 60% Quark (believe it or not) and 40% InDesign.
Sure you know all this already.
good luck mate!
what tallgavin says about working face-to-face is definitely true from the other side of the fence - I can get loads more achieved in a five minute chat in front of a designer's mac than in a week's worth of emails.
there's no substitute for being able to say "no, I want that more like this" and point at bits - and then make sure you understand each other.
hmm. laptop may be more important then, bugger.
all good advice.
cheers
what tallgavin says about working face-to-face is definitely true from the other side of the fence - I can get loads more achieved in a five minute chat in front of a designer's mac than in a week's worth of emails.
i don't doubt that this is true for most people, but in my case I work 99% of the time from home and have clients that I've not met in person at all. All ways of working can work if you put your mind to it.
[i]i don't doubt that this is true for most people, but in my case I work 99% of the time from home and have clients that I've not met in person at all. All ways of working can work if you put your mind to it.[/i]
I also have clients I've never met so agree to some extent but I wouldn't base a business plan on it though.
I didn't mean working in office together all the time, just that it's really good to meet up when designer is presenting work, to give feedback in person.
Also I can happily work remotely with designers I already know and trust, but with new (or not-so-great) ones a face-to-face meeting really helps make sure that you "get" each other.
BTW - I hate using a laptop for my work (writing and web production) and always use desktop PC if poss. Must be much worse for doing design work on!!
WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE TO OUTLAY STRAIGHT AWAY. what's peoples view on software, buy or inherit where possible?
I didn't mean working in office together all the time, just that it's really good to meet up when designer is presenting work, to give feedback in person.
^ Agreed.
On the laptop front i'd agree that it is a pain to work on by itself, but if finances only allow the provision of one computer then a laptop with external keyboard and secondary monitor makes for a pretty good platform to get you started.
Also on the hardware front, make sure you've got a good system in place for backing up your work. I remember quite clearly when we got burgled and the relief of finding out that my external drive hadn't been taken. At the time, had it have been taken I would have been right royally screwed.
yeah, was going to get a terabyte external drive for backing up on.
Any advice on free project management tools on the mac as well, or is a wall planner good enough
On software, I bought what I needed from the outset, initial startup spend was about 4k. I took the view that it was my trade and if I expected other people to pay me for my work it was only fair that I paid others for theirs.
On top of the slightly morally high horsed approach I think it looks a bit mickey mouse if a client were to notice that you have unregistered/pirated software on your computer. I tend to upgrade to every other release so I went from CS3 to CS5.
I plan to update hardware every 2 years when possible.
Agree with muppetWrangler - MacBook Pro with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse and an elevated stand is what I found best. Option of an effing big cinema display when in the office
there's no substitute for being able to say "no, I want that more like this" and point at bits
Have you ever been punched?
😉
My wife, who is a middle weight designer in London was recently made redundant. tbh she panicked like crazy for a week while she was still employed, but managed to get work every day circa 180-250 perday for 3 months before accepting a perm senior position of two she was offered.
The work is out there for sure.
Any advice on free project management tools on the mac as well, or is a wall planner good enough
I guess it depends how you work, how many projects you juggle at once, scale of projects etc.
For me, I don't use anything more complicated than iCal for key deadlines and a physical notebook in which I write pretty much all my notes as a I go along, and even then the iCal rarely gets looked at as if I'm told something needs to be finished by a certain date I tend to remember it pretty well.
ericemel - Believe me, that's exclusively a London thing. Seems that an even higher percentage of design jobs are migrating south. Agencies have been folding left, right and centre in Manchester. Mine included.
Anywhere outside the South East and its a struggle
Edit: If you need reminding when your deadlines are, you've clearly never worked freelance. Get used to the 10 o clock in the morning phone call "I NEED IT TO GO TO PRINT BY FOUR!!!!!"
That's your new norm. Enjoy.... 😉
ericemel - Believe me, that's exclusively a London thing. Seems that an even higher percentage of design jobs are migrating south. Agencies have been folding left, right and centre in Manchester. Mine included.
Absolutely, I'm working in and around London and it definitely operates within its own little bubble. Very fortunate in that respect.
Have you ever been punched?
The great thing about using freelance vs staff designers is that you never get lumbered with the angry, punchy one who nobody likes working with.
Came close a few times when I was on staff myself though I'm sure.
Designers - noted as they are for their open attitude to constructive criticism eh?
How many designers does it take to change a lightbulb.......?
😆
probably none because there all sat round designing a better one in red.
In the south east, so maybe a glimmer of light there. Hope to get odds bits and pieces from my old place as knowledge of the workings. I know it will be a slog, but what isn't. I'm not looking to create an agency or my own studio just a living for now
None, because "I'M NOT CHANGING A ****ING THING!!!"
😆
Hahaha, very good.
client is king!
client is king!
Only to their face are they.
I shall remind you of that when you're working all weekend because your client forgot about the marketing material he needed for his conference in Germany next week.
The one he booked 3 months ago. But the one he only phoned you up about at 5.30 on Friday. The one you're now trying to pull favours from your print suppliers for
Then he's not king. Then, he's a .........
you waiting on a call binners?
grueller
I wouldn't agree with comments above regarding the laptop etc. This is going to cause some disagreement I know but really you need two work stations. You'll need two desktops (not laptops). Ask any Mac engineer and they'll tell you that a) laptops break down more frequently and b) when they do, they're harder to repair.
You'll need one desktop for your main workstation and a spare one. You can use the spare as a print spooler. The spare needs to have a duplicate of all your applications and fonts etc. If your primary workstation breaks down, and it will at some point...inevitably, then you have a spare to use. This may sound over the top but if you've taken on a contract, with a deadline, you can't miss it. If I were employing your services and i got a call to say "sorry, I've missed your deadline because my Mac is bust", firstly, your not going to get paid and secondly, you may find your client asking for financial compensation. If the client needed that work for something very important, it's not beyond possibility that they may hit you financially. This happened to a friend of mine a few years ago when a job missed the mailing house - he had to pay a couple of grand! Ideally have a third workstation as a file server. I understand finances are tight so in the very least, back up everything to a very good (expensive) external drive, daily.
I'm not looking to create an agency or my own studio just a living for now
I wasn't either, but things have reached the stage where I've got too much on to cope with by myself, but not quite enough to employ someone else. Really excited about it actually - should be lots of fun, and having another designer with a similar work load will be good because hopefully their clients will be quiet when mine are busy and vice versa.
Got made redundant last year - started contracting and freelancing - have had the best years earnings ever so far, almost tripling my previous salary.
The work is out there - especially in the digital industry. Oh, I'm a developer though, not a designer.