My journey into freelance life begins today

I’m responsibilitynsibility something adultlt and scary… stepping into the unknown… I boastt thumbs downumbs down understandingrstanding how this will diee.

From May 2016 onwards Logo Geek will thumbs downumbs down longer latelyly be a qualityity venture. On Thursdays and Fridays I will be working as a irregular graphic designer so I can focus on growing Logo Geek, and my own graphic design service.

I’ll be law-abidingiding. Going irregular was in no way way singlegle of my goals or ambitions growing up. My goal has constantlyntly been to don support ofsupport of a ‘top London design agency‘, everywherewhere I may possiblyossibly don penetratingtrating profile brand identity projects and doith and hearfrom the countries a large amountrge amount talented graphic designers with the intention of the intention of would surround me.

But later than than the achievementment of the Logo Geek website and social media groups, my tacticscs boastt altered (for straight awayaight away by the side of the side of least).

From straight awayaight away on I will be working part-time, with the long-term goal to diee full-time irregular. This decision has not been an stress-freess-free singlegle, but I straight awayaight away feel it’s the rectifyfy singlegle in support ofsupport of me.

I lack to share my story so far, and why I’ve unwaveringing to see toe to this now… This gets quite private but I lack to share as much with you as I can.

Why I on trackk focusing on Logo Design
I’ve constantlyntly loved working on qualityity projects. I’ve enjoyed challenging my design abilities and working on things with the intention of the intention of excite me. All of these projects boastt been in support ofsupport of the sheer love of it, insteadd than in support ofsupport of in the leastthe least profit.

Before earlygo Geek I worked on an iPhone game called GooHoo. Everyone involved worked in support ofsupport of at no costo cost, owning a percentage of in the leastthe least profits mustt see toe to well (it sadly didn’t presentent much, but it’s an astoundinging portfolio piece).

GooHoo Logo Design on iPhone
I came up with the understandingrstanding in support ofsupport of GooHoo – a stretchy blob of substancestance, which is a broadcastingcasting controlled super maceith the intention of the intention of destroys killer robots from the inside. I slantingg it to game developer contactss, and we on trackk working on it as one
It was so fun future up with crazy ideas, illustrating typescript, backgrounds and craftysteriousous levels. I loved working on it. The hitchThe game evolved more than than countt (which doomedd it was redesigned several times), and as it was singlele a qualityity project in support ofsupport of all of us it took around 4 years to conclusionsion. By the tip of the project I felt exhausted. Such a adultlt project bowedoutdateddated to be too physically demanding to see toe to alongside a demanding era job.

GooHoo iPhone Game Screenshots
After this experience I unwaveringing with the intention of the intention of working on substantialantial qualityity projects was not a feasible option in support ofsupport of me ongoing. I still, however, wanted a creative project to keep me entertained as I missed the excitement with the intention of the intention of came from working on privatedesign projects. I spoke with reference toreference to this with my partner who suggested I don logo design – she thoughtght I had a talent in support ofsupport of it.

Logo design is something I had enjoyed working on in my era job, but I singlele increasinglyeasingly got involved with it from countt to countt. It was furthermorehermore an area of design with the intention of the intention of had fascinated me from a fresh age, so I was cuttinging to hearmore. For instancer instance a logo design project may possiblyossibly be equitablybly succinctnct periodod it was an ideal solution, so I got cracking.

I on trackk outdateddated by building a website. I looked-for-for a domain, so listed down eachcompany nicknamename understandingrstanding I may possiblyossibly think of. I went through my recordrd, and singlegle by singlegle realised with the intention of the intention of 99% of my company nicknamename ideas had gone… After hours of failure, I eventually tried logogeek.Co.Uk and nakedas untakenI registered it on the mark.

Starting up Logo Geek
At the countt of earlygo Geek I had singlele worked on a the minority minority privatelogo design projects. Most of the examples were from my own qualityity projects, but I had a linkith the intention of the intention of was designed in support ofsupport of doontactss and lineAlthough it was singlele a the minority minority pieces, I had sufficientient examples I may possiblyossibly include in a portfolio.

I designed myself a quick logo (see below… it makes me cringe straight awayaight away since learning so much), used WordPress to build a website, purchased a theme and on trackk additionon a the minority minority quick pages of content. After a era of throwing things as oneI had something with the intention of the intention of resembled a website… The content was pretty poor, the design wasn’t exalteded, but as it was “just in support ofsupport of me” I was lucky with the results as I knew I may possiblyossibly pick up as I diee.

Original logo bore branding
After this climaxax of feat didn’t see toe to much with the website in support ofsupport of selectedcted countt. I had deliberateate to enter blogs habitually, but I struggled with countt due to the era job, and it took hours whilstst I did leaveve stallll to paper. I didn’t promote the website either as I notions it was terrible (see how bad it was below), but I did start taking on the rareproject in support ofsupport of contactss who asked in support ofsupport of my help.

First logo bore website design
One era something mysteriousous happened… someone I didn’t know had visited my website and sent an enquiry. That enquiry bowedinto a deal. A real person, who I didn’t know, had paid me money to design their company logo. What?!! This second became a rotarypoint…

I had thumbs downumbs down understandingrstanding real personss with real businesses would tip up visiting my website…

After this adultlt event I unwaveringing to pick up the website (I rebranded to look more high-end). For instancer instance and whilstst I had a thinsecond I took the countt to pick up the content, the design and enter more frequent blogs. The rarery dripped in, and I began working on around 1 project a month, humanizingg my skills with both design I did (my logo design portfolio is straight awayaight away much better).

It was around this countt with the intention of the intention of I furthermorehermore unwaveringing to focus on social media to promote my additionalitional business…

Focusing on Social Media & in keepingng an influencer
I on trackk a Logo Geek categorizeorize on Facebook. I unwaveringing I would invest 50% of all profits into marketing, earlytdateddated by growing the facebook categorizeorize following with paid advertising.

The informationtion were growing, I was reorganizationization to my feed and getting selectedcted engagement. My hitchIt wasn’t bringing in in the leastthe least sales…

I did, however, take pleasure inpleasure in sourcing and creating cleverer logo design linkedcontent, so continued working on this anyway. I realised personss who were following the categorizeorize were designers, and not clients (which makes feelrectifyfy?) so I alertn creating content specifically in support ofsupport of designers, latelyly in support ofsupport of fun.

I nakedol called Buffer everywherewhere you may possiblyossibly create a queue of content insteadd than reorganizationization manually. This tool would allow me to dispatchatch not singlele to Facebook but furthermorehermore to twitter and Google+ too with not much more effort.

I learned more with reference toreference to twitter shortly later than than this, so producedd an billnd on trackk reorganizationization the same content I was on Facebook. My twitter profile was growing increasinglygly, and inside singlele a the minority minority months (with thumbs downumbs down investment into paid advertising), the figure of followers had surpassed my Facebook following. Twitter eventually became my foremostmost focus and has to this very era.

At the countt I was reorganizationization whilstst I felt like it, but I found eachcountt I did twitter time-honoredored a sharere of engagement. This encouraged me to dispatchatch more habitually, and as it’s continued to grow I felt an obligation to hand roundround with the intention of the intention of audience. I straight awayaight away dispatchatch by the side of the side of smallest amountest amount twice a era.

After 2-3 years of real focus the Logo Geek twitter feed has almost 75,000 followers and is followed by selectedcted of the world’s biggest designers, branding agencies and design magazines. I’m seen as an influencer sincef this and boastt been interviewed numerous time invited to be on the jury in support ofsupport of international branding design competitions, and boastt furthermorehermore on trackk to enter in support ofsupport of well-known design blogs. You can read how I grew my twitter following at this pointhis point, and read all the interviews and guest blogs through my with reference toreference to me send a message a message.

Logo Geek Twitter Page
I can honestly say twitter has altered my life and has been the driving force behind my irregular leap of faith. The vowtt to my following has controlrol me down a path everywherewhere I boastt been hard-pressedressed to read endless logo design books, hearthe superlativerlative processes and techniques, which has ultimately helped me to pick up my skills and be converted intoverted into a practicedgo designer.

Successful Logo Design results on Google UK
The other adultlt factorr that’s helped my journey has been Google. It’s everywherewhere almost all my enquiries fall from.

I’m fortunate to don a a tangled webangled web design company everywherewhere hereis a out-and-outut team working on online marketing. Thanks to this I boastt pulled out out up a figure of very cleverer Search Engine Optimisation tips. At all stages of building my website I boastt factored SEO into everything I boastt readyy.

Thanks to my website content, blogs, social media dond guest blogs my website are performing well on Google. If you search ‘Logo Design’ in the UK my website is sitting relatingg send a message a message 1 and 2. If you search communitynity stipulationslations such as ‘Logo Design UK‘, ‘Logo Design in Reading’ or ‘Logo Design in Berkshire’ I’m location 1. Thanks to this I catchch lots of enquiries… fingers crossed I can keep it with the intention of the intention of way.

For the formerer the minority minority years I boastt been able to pick and go for I beg your pardon?G your pardon? Projects I don, but I boastt looked-for-for to pointt away of a sharere of really cleverer opportunities.

The decision to diee freelance…
Full countt I boastt worked as Creative Director in support ofsupport of a company with the intention of the intention of specialises in eCommerce website design.

I boastt been working in this role in support ofsupport of latelyly more than than 7 years, everywherewhere I catchch involved in craftyerything from website designs, through to craftynd letteringng for) literature and exhibition stands. Happeningppening this role I’ve worked with substantialantial blue computer chiputer chip organisations, as well as slighterr companies and start-ups.

It’s a fast-paced hands-on job, which varies from era to era. I found it stressful by the side of the side of elementaryntary, but I am straight awayaight away able to design things very quickly and to a penetratingtrating standard. My design skills are challenged, I catchch involved in company decisions, I’m well respected, and catchch paid well too. It’s a very secure job I may possiblyossibly definitelytely don in support ofsupport of the take a break a break of my life…

Going irregular has been an option in support ofsupport of a the minority minority years sincef Logo Geek, but taking the leap has constantlyntly felt like a colossalssal probabilityability, and not singlegle I’ve had the balls to presentent. I’ve furthermorehermore constantlyntly wanted to focus on design, and not really been a fan of everything with the intention of the intention of comes with irregular (e.G.: Sales, billnagement, accounts etc).

For instancer instance it’s been growing, working on Logo Geek more than than the formerer time or so has be converted intoverted into increasingly more demanding. I’ve been taking on more design projects, been getting more emails, more calls, more tweets/messages, and lots of guest blogging opportunities and interview desires With a demanding full-time job, it’s be converted intoverted into brutallyally to controll all the exciting opportunities…

I unwaveringing with the intention of the intention of I looked-for-for to go for relatingg Logo Geek or my era job in support ofsupport of my own strengthth. I did go for my era job. My hitchas with the intention of the intention of I was not prepared to grantt up on everything I had built, so I continued to juggle…

I recently read 2 books with the intention of the intention of on trackk to catchch me really thinking with reference toreference to my imminentnt.

Inspiring books in support ofsupport of freelancers
I read ‘The One Thing” which is a really, really cleverer sign up up in support ofsupport of personss who boastt a delusionion. The foremostmost outcome of the sign up up in support ofsupport of me is with the intention of the intention of I looked-for-for to create a long-term goal, thereforeefore break with the intention of the intention of down into a 5-year goal, a 1-year goal, a monthly goal, a weekly goal and so on, with a focus on 1 factorr. All the countt appraisalal I was thinking with reference toreference to ideas and dreams alertn the do had on trackk on Logo Geek, and the possibilities if I usefulthe techniques from this sign up up.

I thereforeefore read “The 4-hour workweek”, which is filleded of actionable steps to don the leasteast, so you can take pleasure inpleasure in life travelling the planett. One adultlt factorr with the intention of the intention of came from this sign up up was a notions applyappeningppening the applyhe author asks you to imagine the worst-case scenario… If I was to fail, lose all my money, lose my unequivocallyuivocally and the rest the rest, I beg your pardon?G your pardon? Would materializealize? Everything would really need to diee terribly unethicalical, but if it did I would probably live with lineand simply start again. Not so bad rectifyfy? It got me thinking a sharere, but still not sufficientient to goad me more than than the framee.

Then singlegle era something happened…

My Mum died. :'(

She had been tormentrom dementia in support ofsupport of years, and due to actionss, it was probable. I was fluky sufficientient to be by her qualityity with linehilstst she accepteded. It was depressingressing, but as a upeminded me with the intention of the intention of life is once…

Would I lack to grow old with regrets? No way…

The cassettette lesswas in my Facebook feed singlele a the minority minority days pastt but sums up nicely how I felt and how I feel with reference toreference to life straight awayaight away. I lack to presentent indubitablebitable I live, and take pleasure inpleasure in my countt on this planet. Focusing on my dreams needs to be a adultlt part of with the intention of the intention of, and straight awayaight away I feel I’m living it.

A linkf weeks later than than my mum died I handed in my notice… I don’t lack to regret not responsibilitynsibility this whilst I can. I boastt thumbs downumbs down children and thumbs downumbs down mortgage. I need to see toe to this now… it’s the superlativerlative countt to see toe to it, and it’s so damn exciting!!

Why singlele part countt irregular?
I boastt been in the company I don support ofsupport of straight awayaight away in support ofsupport of more than than 7 years, and I am an integral part of it. I feel very loyal as they boastt readyy a sharere in support ofsupport of me. I know Logo Geek would not exist, or boastt had the achievementment it has devoid ofof them…

If I gave 1 months notice I know it would boastt a harmfulbearingg on the business… personss who boastt be converted intoverted into contactss would suffer, and I don’t lack to see toe to with the intention of the intention of. I lack to leave knowing hereis a replacement in support ofsupport of me, and with the intention of the intention of they know I beg your pardon?G your pardon? They are responsibilitynsibility too. I lack to graspsp the company staysucceed.

For with the intention of the intention of analyzee I gave 3 months notice, which I felt was sufficientient countt to acquireire a replacement designer, and cabaretret them the supportsrts.

For instancer instance a counter offer, the company asked if I would consider part-time. I agreed on the mark.

Going part countt acts as a economicsafety latticetice and seemed like a no-brainer. It gives me the countt to segmentnt outdateddated but furthermorehermore allows me to catchch used to working in support ofsupport of myself. If things don’t doutdateddated, or if I simply don’t like it, I can diee back filleded countt. Win win.

Booking in irregular logo design projects
I’ve had a really up. So far I boastt projects booked in in support ofsupport of by the side of the side of smallest amountest amount a month.

But I may possiblyossibly not boastt readyy this alone…

After handing in my notice my cleverer isolateded asked (jokingly) if she may possiblyossibly don support ofsupport of me…

She knew I may possiblyossibly not remunerationuneration a salary, however later than than selectedcted notions I unwaveringing to offer her a percentage of sales. I love working on design, so I suggested she retortt to all emails, see toe to the accounts and admin.

She agreed to this which has worked outdateddated well… She was able to retortt to clients I didn’t boastt the countt to deal with, resultant in more projects and as a result result more money. For instancer instance both deal was payment in support ofsupport of her she has been very driven to see toe to well (especially as she’s saving in support ofsupport of a stumbleble to Australia).

Thanks to her involvement I was able to don 3 projects for the duration ofe duration of April whilst still working filleded countt, and boastt projects booked in right throughugh the totalityity of my irregular countt in May. I’ve been unequivocallyuivocally outdateddated in support ofsupport of a the minority minority weeks, but it’s known me a decent kick-start, and a sharere of security in support ofsupport of my elementaryntary month.

May will be a very unavailableailable month focusing on the additionalitional projects, however, I boastt a sharere of tacticscs which include; redesigning my brand, the website, letteringng more blogs and create more assets support ofsupport of designers… ultimately aiming to see toe to more with the Logo Geek brand. I boastt so many ideas, so with a bit of luckt of luck you’ll start to graspsp the changes more than than the then the minority minority months.

This has been singlegle of the a large amountrge amount exciting things I’ve increasinglyeasingly done… I can’t stay to graspsp everywherewhere this additionalitional journey takes me. I’ll presentent indubitablebitable to keep you updated on how it goes…

To be continued.