How to Start A Career In Design: Tips for Beginners

How To Get Your First Graphic Design Clients

The video discusses how freelancers can transition from trading time for money on freelancing platforms to achieving financial, temporal, and locational freedom. Chris suggests that marketplaces like these are only enough to keep freelancers from starving, but they are not enough to get ahead. To escape this cycle, freelancers should establish their worth in the market by calculating their effective hourly rate and average monthly income. Then, they should identify an area they are passionate about and become an expert in it. By doing so, they can create a portfolio that only showcases their skills and target a specific audience. Lastly, they should research relevant hashtags and offer their services to industry-related podcasts, YouTube channels, or similar platforms to get their name out there.

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Host: Chris Do
Producer: Mark Contreras
Cinematographers/Editors: Stewart Schuster, Mark Contreras, MOCS Media
Typefaces: Futura, DIN, Helvetica Now, Calibre, Knockout, Champion Gothic

[gabemarusca]

4 minutes of pure gold 🟨The full episode? Pure platinum ⬜ Thangs again Chris for the opportunity to have you on the show.

[sofianealloui]

I couldn't watch the whole podcast the last few days, so thanks a lot guys ♥this video comes at the right time

[munezstudio]

Can't stop loving your visions, the way you teach, is something awesome!!!

[abie]

Such clear and very helpful advice. Thank you Chris!

[lisacox]

Brilliant! The content from The Futur does not fail to impress me, inspire me, and drive me to be better. Thank you again.
P.S. I luv it..."I'm You're Logo Boy"...I can't even :)

[RinkeshBist]

Mad stuff Chris! This radically challenged my way of approaching the work. Thanks for sharing it!

[nadaah]

Chris is always dropping banger after banger and this is full of wisdom Godamn

[dronmoarigato]

What an insight... Thank you so much Chris... 🤝🏼👍🏼❤️

[liamcookestudio]

Great video such a wealth of very good advice in a short amount of time.

[tylindenthaler]

I love these white board sessions!!!! They are so helpful, I watch them before work everyday. They put me in the right mindset and thinking differently. Thank you! I have a question for you Chris, is there anything I can do to be apart of your whiteboard sessions? I have some questions that you haven't covered yet, I believe your perspective would be very impactful to a lot of business owners. Much appreciation for you and your teams work.

[nikitaagrawal]

If gold was digital, it would be this!🙌🙌🙌🙌

[gownat]

Thank you so much! Is it applicable for designing you tube thumbnails and social media post? I want to get into that niche!?🙏

[Seiness]

I'm curious, what happens in non-US markets? I feel like smaller markets might not have as much of a niche, many smaller European countries for example don't really have a booming comic book market. In general, it seems like they prefer generalists over specialists as well. Would you still choose to specialize in a market like that?

[HeightAboveSeaLevel]

What if someone uses these crowdsourcing platforms briefly to gain some work experience then pivots to what you mention here - does that sound like a solid plan?

Some clients, companies, etc. won't even give you a slither of time without at least a year of experience.

[atlasanomalous]

How do you decide on the niche you want to focus on? I have been trying to figure this out, what seems like my whole life already. Every time I explore an area in which I think I might be able to focus and specialize either the entry costs are too high in time or money, or I for some reason lose all confidence and drive after a few months of failure. How do you hold on and keep working at something for free when you are hungry, drowning in debt, and your loved ones are all wondering when all this free work you do while neglecting them is going to finally payoff?

[markusrockstroh]

All of a sudden I wanna be that Comic Logo Boy 😂 Well… actually in my own niche 😅

[crehmenti]

What if said designer doesn't/can't see/call himsellf one?

[nicholasbazarow]

This guy is like a rocket scientist . But more annoying without a rocket. And isn’t a scientist .

[diversetribe]

Let’s discuss being a seasoned Black American designer, and how to get work in an industry that pretends to be beyond racism…

[keithsweatshop]

God bless you Chris. This advice was godsend! 🎯🏌️‍♀️