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LEARNING FROM FAILURE
Kristina Ingersoll
February 18, 2019
Looking for Advice!
Designers alike! I need advice. I’ve been in the freelance business for a year now, but it’s been very recent that I’ve started really pushing my own services versus using platforms like Upwork. You know, the sites that take 20% commission…
I love working from home. I absolutely love it. I am my own boss. Having that freedom to choose how I want my day to go is just awesome. But being in freelance also means I’m not working around others quite as much, if at all sometimes. So that designer-to-designer insight just simply isn’t there. On top of that, I’ve only ever worked in a department with one other designer, and I managed that intern. Other than a classroom, I really haven’t had much guidance or experience in working in teams, which I think partly contributes my lack of knowledge when it comes to pricing out and breaking down projects.
When I go through Upwork, it is very rare that I need to use Milestones as I would much rather get paid hourly or for the one-time project. Also…how do you break a project up by milestone? Yeah, I really don’t know a lot when it comes to that kind of thing, but as a designer, it’s pretty critical. The same can be said for pricing. I’ve gotten a rough idea of what I need to charge for certain things, but I often forget that I’m at a point where the quality of my work is more valuable than the time it takes to complete the project, simply because it doesn’t take me long anymore to complete projects.
Clients always ask, “How long will it take you to do this project?” And then they base the project budget on that answer. Well, it makes sense to the client to do it that way, sure. But it’s a terrible practice for designers. It wasn’t until a former teacher of mine from Webster University told me that it could take me twenty minutes to make only 3-4 web icons, but that doesn’t mean I should undersell my work because of how efficient I was. (This was the same teacher that graciously paid me $75 when I invoiced him for $30…yeah, yikes.)
So pricing and project breakdown are two things I need to learn. I mean for pricing, how in the heck do people have it figured out? What do I charge for a logo? Do I charge for revisions? How many revisions? The tricky part is, it’s all tailored to the designer. If you have a GREAT eye for design but it takes you much longer to finish projects, you’ll have to adjust as different clients value different work ethics. One client may find timing important, while the other is expecting a much higher-quality piece at a more relaxed pace. Or, perhaps you’re asked to create something “unique!” and “awesome” within a tight deadline. Either way, as a designer, it’s expected of you to meet these criteria. But what the hell do I charge?!
So all-in-all, I’m just looking for advice. Also, if any designers out there would like to connect, I have a Facebook page that I encourage all designers and like-minded creatives to join! It’s a hub to answer questions specifically like these and more!
Kristina Ingersoll
February 12, 2019
Giving Credit Where Credit is Due
I’ve sat down and tried to rewrite this post probably about four times now as I get Blog #2 ready, but every single time I type WAY too much, and include probably way too much information.
In short, what I really wanted to make this week’s post about was other people. It is because of other people that I have the opportunities that I have now and I could not be more thankful to be where I am at. Seriously, I am 23 years old and working on my own schedule, working on my own business. If it weren’t for the friends who have thought of me and thrown my name into the hat, I might not be right where I am. Sure, a lot of what I have done can be thanks to me. I’ve put in a lot of hard work over these last four years and it hasn’t been until recently that it’s really started to show. But it's the people who have helped me get my foot in the door that I owe the thanks to. Thoughtfulness can go far further than one might think!
Thank you Charlie, for helping me land a badass Marketing position right out of high school. That opportunity gave me a new confidence to move forward with and it offered me many different skillsets to learn from.
Thanks to Molly, the girl in glass who randomly turned around one day and started talking to me about sports. We immediately clicked on the matter and when you found out I loved hockey, it wasn’t just a week later that I was in an interview at the former Scotttrade Arena that is home to the St. Louis Blues. (I got it, by the way. THAT internship was definitely one of the cooler things I’ve done.)
Thanks to Brendan, who threw my name in the ring for an unofficial Blues Podcast as a design intern. Because of you, I now work under PJ who gives Blues-related work every now and then.
Thanks Terry, you introduced me to my first client in law enforcement, and thanks to that connection, my two speeding tickets weren’t nearly as daunting as I imagined they were going to be. (I know, I have a lead foot.)
Thank you to Amy, nearly every time you hear about a graphic design position, you notify me. And that is really stinking cool. And lastly, thanks Jessica. You led me to an opportunity that I hope will last a lifetime. You tagged me in an Instagram post for Dot Da Genius, famous musician and engineer for HeadBanga Muzik Group. When I got the notification, at the time he was looking for graphic designers. Now, I’m helping him and HeadBanga Muzik Group get their music together by handling some scheduling and bookings to keep things organized and prep for the new year. Thank you all and to so many others who have thrown work my way. Not every opportunity has worked out, but I am thankful for each and every person that thinks of me.
Kristina Ingersoll
February 9, 2019
So, I’m starting a blog.
A short blog, don’t worry. I don’t have THAT much to say. But I do have some things I think are worth voicing, hence, the reason for this wretched blog. (I don’t like blogs if you can’t tell.)
Enough about blogs. So to kinda jump into what I am doing and what I am trying to achieve with this weekly posting is as follows:
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Stay Top of Mind
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Raise Awareness
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Actually Help!
For starters, I really want to create a space for designers to benefit off my content and not just posting personal stories and designs. This might include a place to ask for advice, find helpful tutorial videos, and possibly even one day, selling my own stock photography and icons. Secondly, I simply just want to raise awareness about my freelance business and show off my skillset. Remember, the end goal of all of this is essentially: more clients! So the question begs: What can I do to help your business grow? I want businesses near and far to see my business and be sold on it from my website alone. And third, yes, I actually want to help! Ideally, I would love for this to be a spot where designers from all over come together and collaborate. Designers from anywhere can share their own stories, experiences, and advice. I believe growth lives within every single person we meet, but it's those go-getters who really know what it means to take the lead.
I also want to share my experiences with those willing to listen. The past couple years of my life have been extremely different from what I ever imagined they’d be, both in my personal life and my career. I am excited to start sharing my story thus far and my journey moving forward. I have a lot of big things in the works and I’m making big moves, and at the end of the day, I’m just excited to finally be more open about what goes on in my usual day-to-day as a freelance graphic designer and badass marketing nerd.