Episode 218: How I Went From Struggling to Sought-After Designer

As a new designer, or even a designer that’s been around for a while, you may feel like you’re struggling to gain the clients you want or provide a memorable experience for your valued clients. In today’s episode, I’m looking back over the last 10 years in business and how I went from struggling to sought-after in my design business. Listen in as I share the steps I took to turn my business into the best experience for my clients while providing results! Today’s episode is brought to you by Brand Strategy School, where I teach the blueprint to my signature process as outlined in today’s episode, to designers create their dream design business and connect with their ideal clients. Inside Brand Strategy School, I’m peeling back the curtain on my signature brand development process I’ve used to transform my business from blending in and barely making it to thriving and crafting heartfelt brands that authentically convert for my clients! ENROLL NOW Launching My Business Wasn’t an Overnight Success When I first graduated from college, was in the middle of wedding planning, and also preparing to move across the country, I decided to go all in with my business. I knew I wanted to offer brand design, but it wasn’t a simple as just putting the offer out there and having the masses of clients roll in. Taking that first step in sharing my business and services was so vulnerable. So of course, I was sad and disappointed when I didn’t book out. I knew that I wanted freedom and flexibility in my business, but also an income. I was saying yes to anything. This meant I was in a constant state of hustling—while making it equate to my worth, not my work. Don’t Hustle for Your Worth In the process of hustling for my worth, I was making it all mean something about me. Learn this lesson from me, your self-worth is not tied to your business. You don’t need to charge your worth. Stop trying to make your work and your worth the same thing. Taking My Business to the Next Level It’s important to find a focus and a passion within your business. In the beginning I didn’t do that. I was learning what I could do and focusing on bringing in more clients. Before I decided to take my business to the next level, I was struggling. Once I decided to find my focus, I started making consistent 6 figures, I retired my husband from corporate work, and began working 12 hour work weeks. Because I know what this looks like, I want to help designers learn how to streamline this. Let’s review what actions led to that traction. Become the CEO, Not the Freelancer I decided to become the CEO in my business, not a freelancers. While this concept of being a freelancer comes with a lot of freedom, in order for some businesses to grow, you have to get out of the freelancer mindset. To get out of that mindset, I had to stop focusing on actions, behaviors, and thoughts that were keeping me in this place of just being stuck. I had to stop focusing on hourly packages as well. Once I stepped into the role of CEO, I realized I could get paid based on my systems and results, not the hours I’m logging. When I chose to step into being a CEO and I focused on creating a really consistent and strategic client experience that delivered wildly profitable results for my c...