Aseil Amgheib started out in interior architecture, moved into production design, then found her way into branding almost by accident during lockdown. A few cold emails, one very determined 100-day design challenge and a lot of figuring things out as she went eventually led to her building Design Wolf, her London-based branding and web design studio.

We chat about changing direction when the career you worked towards no longer feels right, building a creative business without a clear roadmap, and the confidence wobble that can still show up even when you have a studio, a team and successful client work behind you.

We also get into creative routines, setting better boundaries with clients, learning that most design emergencies can wait until Monday, and what Aseil wants the next stage of Design Wolf to look like.

Find Aseil on Instagram at @‌designwolfldn.

If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe to The Honest Designer Diaries, leave a rating or comment and share it with another designer who might need to hear this conversation.

You can also message me on Instagram at @‌designerinyourpocket_juls or @‌thehonestdesignerdiaries.

And if you’re looking for somewhere to ask the questions that are harder to post publicly, get support with a difficult client or talk things through with other creatives who understand the day-to-day of working in this industry, come and join us inside The Creative Room.

Ross Grubb didn’t plan on becoming a freelance graphic designer. After four design jobs and being put at risk of redundancy four times, three of which ended with him losing his job, freelance started to feel less like the risky option.

Ross is also one of the co-hosts of the Scottish Creative Network, a monthly Glasgow networking event created to help designers, photographers, marketers and other creatives meet without the usual awkward business networking routine.

Find Ross

Instagram: Grubb Creative
LinkedIn: Ross Grubb

Find Scottish Creative Network on Instagram and LinkedIn for details of upcoming Glasgow events.

If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe to The Honest Designer Diaries, leave a rating or comment and share it with another designer who might need to hear this conversation.

You can also message me on Instagram at @‌designerinyourpocket_juls or @‌thehonestdesignerdiaries.

And if you’re looking for somewhere to ask the questions that are harder to post publicly, get support with a difficult client or talk things through with other creatives who understand the day-to-day of working in this industry, come and join us inside The Creative Room.

I’m chatting with graphic designer Bhavini Lakhani about the client red flags we really should trust sooner, especially when we’re freelancing and trying to keep everyone happy.

We talk about what happens when a project starts feeling off before it has even properly begun, from scope changes and last-minute timelines to contracts that are definitely not the NDA they were meant to be. Bhavini shares a story about walking away from a chunky project after a few too many warning signs, and we get into why saying no can feel weirdly terrifying, even when your gut has already packed a bag and left the building.

We also chat about the freelance design situations so many of us recognise, like clients wanting instant access, projects that creep beyond the original agreement, being asked to work at ridiculous times, mates rates becoming a problem, and the guilt that kicks in when you try to hold a boundary.

Guest

Bhavini Lakhani is a freelance graphic designer and the founder of B81 Designs. She works on brand identity and marketing collateral for mid-sized businesses, and has been freelancing for almost 15 years.

Find Bhavini here:
Website: https://www.b81designs.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b81designs
LinkedIn: Bhavini Lakhani

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I’d love to hear what you think of this episode. If you’ve listened and any part of Bhavini’s story resonated with you.

The Creative Room is my private community for designers and creatives who want somewhere to ask the awkward questions, get support with tricky client situations and talk about the real side of running a creative business.

Join The Creative Room here: designerinyourpocket.co/thecreativeroom