Freelancing

Business Card Templates / 11 Apr 2022

What to Put on a Business Card: 8 Creative Ideas

What to put on a business card? It’s a tricky question. A business card that contains just the right information (and a stellar design) will grab attention and help you stand out. It’s the thing that makes someone else remember you, or your pitch.

Even in the digital age, a business card is a popular–and necessary networking and communication tool. Having a great business card provides legitimacy to your or your business, it’s a quick and easy way to exchange information, and can provide ways to help promote your work.

What you put on your business card says a lot to others. Here’s a guide to what to put on a business card, with plenty of creative ideas to help you get started.

CV & Resume Templates / 4 Apr 2022

10 Skills Every Designer Needs on Their Resume

Even if you aren’t actively looking for a job, your resume is an important piece of your digital portfolio. From sites such as LinkedIn to personal portfolio pages such as Behance that showcase your work, glimpses into your design career are everywhere.

You want to control that message to ensure that you are putting the right vibe out there about who you are, the work you do and why (quite frankly) you are a rock star designer. And while a stellar portfolio is a great way to start that conversation, your resume is equally important. It should highlight some of the skills that aren’t as apparent from looking at a few marquee pieces.

As a bonus, every example resume here is a template from Envato Elements. Visit and download usable graphic design assets to boost your resume design today!

Freelancing / 10 Jan 2022

10 Biggest Worries of Freelance Designers (And How to Prepare!)

Whether you are new to the gig economy or have been doing it for a while, there are some common worries that almost all freelance designers share. While knowing you aren’t alone isn’t enough to alleviate all those fears, it can help to know many of your fears are common.

As someone who has done freelance work for the better part of 15 years, I can attest that some of these worries never go completely away. They do ebb and flow over time and you do learn to deal with them more effectively.

Here’s that list of worries with a little practical advice to help you manage common freelance concerns.

Freelancing / 1 Apr 2021

10 Things Freelance Designers Should Not Be Doing

Working as a freelance designer is amazingly rewarding, but also hard. After more than 10 years of working in a solo space, I’ve learned a lot of things. (Some of them the hard way.)

This post is designed to help you avoid some of the mistakes that many of us have made on your path to a strong freelance career.

We always talk about the things you should be doing. Today, we are diving into 10 things freelance designers should not be doing.

You can thank us later!

Freelancing / 8 Feb 2021

How to Diversify as a Creative Freelancer

If the last year has taught us anything as freelancers, it is that diversification is a good thing.

Different income streams can help mitigate losses in other areas and provide multiple avenues for leads and new work. And while most of us know we need to diversify, are you actually doing it?

Getting started with new projects or income streams does take some work and planning, but it can be a worthwhile investment in yourself.

Let’s look at some ways – and things you can do – to diversify yourself as a creative freelancer.

Business / 12 Feb 2018

20 DIY Projects to Improve Your Freelance Office

A creative workspace is good for your creativity. That’s why companies such as Apple and Google have open and innovative workspaces. While you probably don’t have that kind of budget, there are some great DIY projects you can take on to improve your freelance or home office!

So grab your hammer, paint and creative thinking to make your workspace somewhere you’ll want to spend most of the day. Some of these projects take a few minutes, some a few hours, or some a few weeks or months. But it’s a great starting point for some creative thinking!

Business / 5 Feb 2018

5 Ways to Network as a Remote Freelancer

One of the toughest areas of working as a freelancer is that there’s a sense of professional loneliness. Most of your work days are spent alone in a home office. While local networking opportunities exist, they may not be geared toward the creative industry. You need to get out!

You need to meet more creative workers. You need to develop a method to network as a remote freelancer, to create relationships that will help you grow in your career—and keep from feeling like you work on an island!

Business / 29 Jan 2018

30 Tips to Be More Productive in 30 Days

Whether you work alone or as part of a large team, everyone is looking for ways to increase productivity. You’ll feel less stressed and get more done each day. Let’s see just how much you can change in 30 days—you’ll be amazed.

So how do you do it? First, changing any habit takes practice. Doing something one time doesn’t make it part of a new routine. You have to do it repeatedly; make it part of who you are. Here, we’ve got 30 tips to help you be more productive 30 days from now.

You aren’t going to do all of these things at once. Start with one or two, once they are part of your embedded routine, add another change and slowly build until you are feeling like your most productive self. Good luck!

Business / 6 Dec 2017

Are You a Good Designer or a Great Designer? Here Are the 10 Signs

Some people are better suited for certain jobs than others. Skills and personality traits combine to make you good—or great—at your job. When it comes to design, do you know where you fall? Are you a good designer? Or a great one?

The answer might be both. Between good days and bad, and projects that rock and ones that leave you ragged, one of the things that will help you be a better designer all the time is awareness of characteristics that great designers have in common.

Business / 30 Nov 2017

Challenges Every Freelance Designer Will Face in 2018

A new year is looming ahead, which comes with new challenges, even for the seasoned freelance designer. As you look back and celebrate the wins of 2017 – as you deservedly should – it’s time to think ahead to what’s in store for the new year as well!

There seems to be a shift again in trends and technology that could present challenges (and opportunities!) for designers in 2018. Here’s a look at some of the curveballs that might come your way. And how to be ready for them when they do.

Business / 13 Sep 2017

How to Start Small & Scale Up a Design Project

Sometimes the hardest part of starting a new design project is… getting started! The best way to tackle a new project is to start small and scale the project up as you go.

Think about it in a series of small steps that build into a final product. This concept can make projects easier to manage and help you build a more predictable timeline as well.

The ability to scale is important because a lot of projects aren’t do-it-and-forget-it; websites, in particular, evolve and change over time. Not sure where to start? Here are some practical tips for graphic and website design project management so you can scale as you go.

Business / 28 Aug 2017

How Much Should You Charge for Design Services?

It might be one of the most asked questions among freelance designers: what do you charge clients?

There can be so many variables in setting rates that you can stick to, and you have to make a choice between hourly and fixed options. Either way, a good pricing strategy can help you get the clients you want and earn a solid income from freelance work.

After you figure out pricing. Which is a challenge for almost anyone!