Freelancing as a designer — how to actually start

I spent a full year freelancing as a UI/UX designer — working with 20+ clients across fintech, AI, logistics, e-commerce, and more. I learned most of what I know about freelancing the hard way: underpricing, chasing payments, getting ghosted after three rounds of revisions, and taking on projects I should have said no to.

This session is everything I wish someone had told me before I started.

It's for designers who want to freelance — whether that's a side income alongside your job, or eventually going full-time — but aren't sure how to find clients, what to charge, or how to stop the whole thing from turning into unpaid overtime.

What we'll cover

• How to find your first freelance clients without cold emailing 500 people

• How to price your work — and why you're almost certainly undercharging right now

• The one conversation that determines whether a project goes smoothly or turns into a nightmare (hint: it's before you start)

• How to structure a basic brief, timeline, and payment agreement without a lawyer

• What a freelance portfolio looks like vs a job-seeking portfolio — they're not the same

• How to handle revision requests, scope creep, and clients who "just have one more small change"

This is a practical 60-minute session — I'll ask you where you are, what's blocking you, and we'll build a clear starting plan around your specific situation.

This session is for you if:

You're a designer who's thought about freelancing but keeps putting it off because you're not sure how to start, what to charge, or how to protect yourself when things go sideways.