2020 has been a wacky year! (To say the least!) Covid-19 has really transformed many industries and the architecture and design industry is no exception. Whether by circumstance or by choice, some designers are having to rethink their career paths. I have had a couple of designers reach out to me asking about what it’s like to go freelance. I decided to put some of these thoughts on paper to share with anyone who may need it. My intent is not to be a Debbie Downer, but to give you a realistic picture of what it requires to start a freelance design business. I have found this career path to be very rewarding, but like most good things in life, it does take some preparation and hard work to make it succeed.
Before I start, I want to say that there are quite a few articles out there on how to start a freelance career that can give you much better advice on the business and financial side than I ever could. Most seem to be written by freelance writers (which makes total sense!) or graphic designers. There aren’t too many (or really any) articles written from the perspective of an interior designer working on the commercial furniture industry that I could find. These 8 things listed below are a great place to start if considering a freelance interior design career.
8 THINGS TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE YOU TAKE THE PLUNGE:
1. Decide your niche and stick to it: Are you going to be traditional interior designer looking for end user clients? A designer who does production work for A&D firms? Furniture Dealers? Corporate Facilities? There are many niche paths- find the one that you love, are great at and want to do every day! It can feel a little scary when you are first starting out to be specialized but it will help to set you apart. You may need to refine your niche as you go and that is OK.
2. Check your state laws: (I’m looking at you California!). Californians are probably well aware of AB5 (the Gig Worker’s Law), but other states, like New York and New Jersey are also considering laws to re-classify 1099 Contractors as employees. Check into current state laws to make sure what you are doing is legal. (Also, on that note, talk to an accountant about whether you can be a sole proprietor or need an LLC. There are pros and cons to both and state laws may dictate which route you go)
3. Start Up Costs: Check the costs of going into business. There are the usual suspects: health insurance, self-employment taxes, business insurance etc. But there is also the cost of equipment and software, which for designers is not inexpensive. If you are running design software, you will need a very good computer- a cheap laptop won’t cut it. You will also need to consider the software itself: Auto CAD, Revit, CET Designer, Project Matrix, Adobe Acrobat and/ or Bluebeam, Illustrator, Photoshop, Yulio, etc. The costs of getting your own licenses can be pretty expensive at the beginning. Every single software has a license that costs something. Also, you need to consider printers, monitors, how will you print large drawings, etc. And don’t forgot- accounting and invoicing software too. It all adds up!
Pro Tip: If you are running CET Designer, they have a page on their website with system requirements, including the graphics card requirements. It’s a great place to research the type of computer you will need, which will most likely be a gaming laptop.
4. Schedule: What kind of schedule do you want to work? What kind of schedule do your clients want you to be available? Try to figure out how your work schedule is going to look, and know that it will probably need refining and changing once you get started. Also, think about how your ideal work schedule will work with your spouse, kids etc. I may be working at home, but my door is closed and locked while I work. My clients deserve my full attention on their projects and yours will too. Another thing to consider… if you are working across multiple time zones- are you comfortable being available at nontraditional business hours? And most importantly- are you disciplined enough to put in the hours needed to meet client deadlines, no matter what it takes or what is going on in your personal life?
5. Rates and Hours: Figure out your rates and how many hours you need to work a week to have this be a viable business. Know that it will flux, but you need to know in advance if this will be worth it financially. And please, please, please, charge what you are worth. If you are an educated designer with experience, do not sell yourself short!!! If someone wants your services for cheap, there is a good chance that it will not be the best working relationship. Know your value and your worth and don’t sell yourself short!
6. Training: now that you are going solo- how are you going to keep your education up to date? You are going to have to be a self-starter on this one. I typically set yearly goals for these topics to keep me on track to always be learning something new. Also, if you are in the commercial furniture sector, you will have to reach out to the manufacturers to find out how you can get product training. It’s doable, just takes takes a more proactive approach than when you are working for a company with an established training schedule.
7. The Loneliness Factor: This is a big one, that you are probably already aware of due to Covid-19 restrictions this year. Really think about if you are OK with working at home without co-workers. Are you really prepared to leave behind the camaraderie of working with a design team in an office? This one has been the hardest for me. I really miss working with people and seeing reps and having a social life at work. But it’s a trade off I am willing to make right now.
8. IT: You will become your own IT person. Are you able to handle that? I’ll be honest, I miss having an IT person in the office. PS- CET Designer Tech Support is seriously the best. :)
It can be hard to jump into the unknown, but nothing is more rewarding than jumping off the proverbial cliff and watching yourself succeed! When I started this over 2 ½ years ago, I had no idea where the journey would take me. I honestly feel like one of the luckiest people on the planet to be able to do what I love for a living on my own schedule. Its not easy, but so incredibly worth it.
If you have any other questions feel free to comment below or email me at valerieethridge@gmail.com..