Dear freelancer, Design is serious business

I started my creative career as freelancer, really those days where interesting, but then the need to open a creative studio became inevitable. My experience as a freelancer has taught me that though money sometimes does not drive the best ideas, good design is also not free. Running your business as a freelancer attracts overheads as well, you have internet bills to pay (being in design business without good internet is a sign of no business), transportation and promotional costs, electricity bills and in an environment like Nigeria, you have to fuel a generator with unsubsidized fuel, so while you are thinking of that great idea, It is important to understand basic tips to keep the Naira flowing in, or perhaps, the Dollars.



• There's no free in freelance. While you will be ready to free projects your works out there, it is important that to let the client understand the value of what you are giving them even if they are not paying for it. Free projects are inevitable as sometimes they could turn out to be the most rewarding, but it is also important to communicate the worth of your skill.
• Don't cheapen yourself by jumping at every paying project. The truth is that the project is paying doesn't mean it is worth your skill. Taking project strictly for money instead of creative opportunity turn out to be bad experiences.
• Good design is not cheap, cheap design is not good.
• Be proffesional, know your onions and perhaps, your tomatoes if needs be, put yourself in the position of the client, no one is ready to pay a premium for a poor servive.