Design Domination

#78 Hear how Jake Albion pursued his passion of a creative career despite being told it might not be possible because of his color blindness, how he became more driven by his disability and turned it into an advantage, and how he got into accessibility.

#77 If you use WordPress for your website but don't take security measures, potential clients may leave your site because of a warning, or they may not see your site at all. Find out how your unsecure website is costing you business and what to do about it.

#76 Graphic design is all about solving a problem and communicating. But those efforts fall short when you don't consider accessibility and how potentially 20% of your client's audience cannot access information because of design or file setup issues.

#75 So many designers are afraid to call themselves an expert. They lack confidence, and that creates a snowball effect in their business: not charging enough, losing out on work and more. Find out how to squash self-doubt and own your expertise.

#74 Graphic designer/fine artist Melvin Thambi joins me to talk about pursuing design and fine arts, how he got his work to be exhibited, how hearing "no" led to him achieving his dream and what advice he has for non-U.S. designers looking to get U.S clients.

#73 Find out how color affects branding, how to use color strategically and what to consider when choosing colors to get winning color strategies. Also learn a bit about color theory, color accessibility and color meaning.

#72 Do you respond to prospects right away? Do you send them a price or your hourly rate when they inquire? Do you lack confidence when dealing with prospects? Find out what your reply to prospects says about you and how to change their perceptions.

#71 Do clients often point out that you missed some of their edits in page proofs? I've got a bulletproof process to help you manage client revisions to design proofs that will help you save face and save time and will make for an easier revision process.

#70 Dealing with late-paying clients and collecting on late invoices is a huge pain. If clients often pay you late, it may be a symptom of a bigger issue. Find out how to deal with late-paying clients and how to avoid them in the future.

#69 Most designers don't know about accessibility or have misconceptions about it, such as thinking it will hinder their creativity or that it doesn't apply to their clients. Find out 9 myths about accessibility and why you and your clients should care.

#68 Find out pros and cons of using your personal name versus a business name, 8 tips for a good business name and what to do after deciding on a creative business name. I share what went into naming my businesses and what I'd do differently with one.

#67 Find out the importance of paper choice in the design process, the different types of paper and finishes, how to choose paper for a print design project and some ways you can incorporate paper into the design process for added creativity.

#66 Victor Ramirez did so well on Upwork they featured him on a billboard in Times Square. Learn how to make money on Upwork as a freelancer, how he made $7700 part-time in less than 2 months, mistakes he made early on, what he learned, tons of tips.

#65 I share 23 pro page layout tips for print, digital documents and the web. Find out how to polish your page layout skills, so you have more professional-looking and reader-friendly pages. Also find out some accessibility and usability tips.

#64 Emily Cohen joins me to dish out brutally honest business advice, including things that hold creatives back in business, why the solopreneur model is unsustainable, misconceptions designers have about their websites, how to reach out to prospects and more

#63 Hear the challenges that led Melinda Livsey, The Futur co-host, to go from designer to brand strategist, why she no longer does design work, how she builds trust with clients, questions she always asks during a consultation that position her as an expert.

#62 Find out why muralist Debbie Clapper transitioned her career from graphic design to fine art, how she pursued her passion and how it changed her life. If you've ever thought of pursuing fine art as a career choice, you definitely don't want to miss this.

#61 Ian Paget of Logo Geek joins me to talk about his logo design process, how to set yourself apart from other logo designers, how he presents his work, how to get less pushback from a client on your designs, books he recommends, the tools he uses and more.

#60 Website accessibility overlays and plugins aren't the answer to accessibility and ADA compliance, despite being touted as an easy, automated solution for web designers and developers and their clients. They present a plethora of problems.

#59 It's vital to know how to manage your freelance business during the COVID-19 crisis, and any crisis for that matter. We need to learn from this and stay level headed, focused and innovative to help our clients and our own businesses.

#58 The Brand Doctor Henry Kaminski Jr. joins me to talk about how he leveled up his business and stopped competing on price. He also shares business breakthroughs about branding, focus and values.

#57 Find out several overlooked places graphic designers can find clients—online and offline—that can help you based on your industry and clientele. Are you overlooking any of them?

#56 Find out ways to protect your freelance business and income from catastrophe—disability, long-term illness, an emergency, disaster, theft, liability issues—and how to minimize their effects.

#55 Tom Ross of Design Cuts and I talk about digital products—figuring out what to sell (fonts, templates, etc.), how to price it, their submission process and more. Get tips to help you get an edge on your competition in the creative products marketplace.

#54 We're always told we should set goals to be successful. But do you avoid setting them because you don't see the point or you're afraid you won't achieve them? Do you ever look back and think, "I should have done this or that"? Learn how to set goals.