Posted February 10th, 2021

? Growth, Goals, Wins & Learnings as a Freelancer

An interview with Matt Cooper, a freelance digital & brand creative with 10+ years of experience. Matt mostly works on all things digital design but is looking to expand into more branding work in the near future.

?‍? As a freelancer what type of growth have you seen in your work?

I’ve seen a massive growth in web and digital design over the past 18 months, everyone is pushing for that unique online perspective.

? As a Freelancer how have you grown personally?

I’ve been freelancing for nearly 4 years now, each year I have seen a growth in work rate and finance rate.

I have gone from reaching out to potential new clients 5 times a year (2017-18) to barely once a year (2019-21).

Once you have that client base of returning customers, you’re set. It’s then up to you to decide if you want to bring in new projects or dismiss projects you’re not happy with.

Financially, I have seen at least a 25% increase in earnings each year.

? What goals have you set yourself this year as a freelancer?

This year, my aim is to collaborate more with fellow creatives/friends and grow my brand and identity portfolio.

Family life is just as important so the less I can work to spend time with them the better.

✅ What steps do you take to make sure you meet your goals?

I think, for the first time in almost 14 months, I will be contacting companies again. I want to work on more branding projects this year so I’ll be making sure to position myself that way when reaching out to new clients.

I also aim to take 2 – 3 holiday breaks/minibreaks this year with my family, providing COVID eases off so we can travel again.

? While freelancing what have been some of your biggest wins?

The biggest wins I have experienced is the work I’ve done going out into the real world. Working on a project from start to finish and then see it go live and perform so well for my clients is amazing.

I’ve worked on some great projects with clients such as Vodafone, Lego, IATA and Duracell. Working with household named brands has been such an amazing experience.

? Have you had any failures along the way that you’ve learnt and grown from?

One thing I have learnt is to make sure your client has the budget to do what’s needed for a particular project and is not looking to cut corners where they can. It’s okay receiving a deposit to secure the project, but don’t work more than needed if the budget is not there or the client insists “they’ll get back to you in a couple of weeks”.

Don’t be afraid to let a client go/part ways, it’s a 2-way street. It may seem a big deal leaving a project at the time but ultimately if it’s not meant to be, it will open the door for a fresh, more exciting project.

Get Social

Big thanks to Matt for taking the time to do this interview ? You can find him on Dribbble, Twitter or check out his portfolio site.

Thanks for reading
Adam – dailydevlinks.