The ultimate guide to (finally) starting your own design business

Maybe you’re still only dreaming about starting your own design business.
Or perhaps you’re doing a few side-jobs in your free time hoping to start a design business full-time.
Maybe you’ve just started your design business but need a bit of a boost to take it to the next level.
Wherever you are in the process of starting your own design business, this post is for you.
(And if you want more than just these 10 tips, check out our favorite and most helpful articles on starting and running your own business. You should also subscribe to our newsletter and we’ll send you tons of stuff to help you build a design business.)

1) Understand your situation

No one is ever 100% ready to start their own design business with absolutely no risk, all reward.
Business just isn’t like that.
(After all, I started my design business almost by accident when I got laid off and had to start hunting for work.)
Some life situations, however, reduce the risk. For example, it’s less risky to start your own business if:

• Your household or family isn’t completely dependent on your current income for stability.
• You’ve got savings or other income you can use while building your client base.
• You’re already working a full- or part-time job and can continue to do so until you don’t have time for it.
• You’ve already got clients you’re working for in your free time–and even better if they’d like you to take on more projects.

More on freelancing part-time: Don’t hate freelancers with full-time jobs
To find more long-term clients, read: 3 Easy ways to turn one-off projects into long-term clients
How risky is your situation?
Remember: many businesses don’t really get rolling until years 2 to 3, so be prepared to need another source of money in the early days of starting your design business to ensure you can pay your bills.

2) Identify your motivation for starting a design business

Are you starting your own design business for the right reasons?

• Why are you interested in starting your own design business?
• What’s motivating you to strike out on your own?
• Are you passionate about your design business idea?

By understanding what you want to get out of starting your business (i.e. more time with your family or the ability to simultaneously work and travel around the world), you can determine what type of design business is right for you and take steps to ensure you start a design business you love.
Read more on loving your business and staying motivated:

• How to turn your day-to-day struggle into a creative business you love
• How to stay motivated when solo business has got you in a rut
• 7 Signs you’re approaching business burnout & how to save yourself before it’s too late

Most entrepreneurs will tell you:
Starting and operating any business (successful or otherwise) is stressful, time-consuming, and a lot of hard work. A lot of hard work…and persistence, and dedication, and long days and nights, and weighty decisions you can’t pass off to anyone else.
But it also means a flexible schedule, a measure of control over your own financial security, additional vacation time, no commute, limitless growth possibilities, the ability to say no to a client or project, and a thousand other wonderful freedoms.
(While I get to take far more vacation days than I ever used to at my 9-5, I also put in my fair share of 50+ hour work weeks in order to keep my clients happy and afford the extra time off.)
Simply put: work hard…play hard.
And if you don’t have the discipline to apply yourself to your work when the comforts of home beg you to procrastinate each day, being an entrepreneur may not be for you.
More on working from home:

• How to avoid distractions when working from home
• How to make your home office a sanctuary
• My top tips for making the most of working from home
• 8 tips for freelancing from home without ignoring your kids
• Where to hold client meetings when you design from home

3) Inventory your skill set

This is one of the toughest questions to answer honestly, and it’s one many successful veteran creative entrepreneurs still evaluate themselves with:
“Do I have the skills to compete with other professionals in my industry?”
If you’re unsure, check out Dribbble, Behance, Etsy, SmugMug, or wherever professionals in your industry post or sell portfolio pieces. How do your best pieces stack up?
If you’ve still got improving to do (and really, who among us doesn’t?), don’t fret.
Both Ferrari and Kia are profitable car companies, and while your current skill set may only allow you to charge Ford prices or retain Mercedes-level clients, you can always take classes, study tutorials, and hone your skills to move up to that next level.
Pro tip! Ask three trusted sources to give your their honest opinions on industry professionals’ work versus yours.
More on finding the right skills to build your design business:

• Build your design business by supplementing your design skills