Freelancer Focus is (hopefully) a regular feature, where freelance designers are invited to answer a series of questions about themselves and freelancing. This week Bryan Zimmerman (pictured left) is the freelance designer in question. If you would like to take part please read my previous post.
1. Your name?
Bryan Zimmerman
2. What type of work do you do? (design for print, web, multimedia etc)
I am currently involved with web and print. I am also preparing to launch a site of my photography as well as a book of poetry.
3. How many years had you been working in the design industry before you went freelance?
None. I just dabbled, went to school, got a degree and leapt into it head first
4. How long have you been freelancing?
5 months
5. Why did you decide to go freelance?
I needed to unchain all of the ideas caged within my head. It is very hard to do that when you are working a full time job that has nothing to do with design.
6. How did you market yourself (find design work/new clients) in the beginning – (online portfolio/brochure/direct mail/email/phone etc)?
I partnered with my brother who already had a successful design firm.
7. How do you market yourself (find design work) now?
Word of mouth is still the best advertising. All of the work I have done so far has been from recommendations
8. How did you decide what to charge? What was the process?
I did a lot of research on what other designers were charging, and adjusted my rate according to my experience
9. Do you work from home/have an office/work inhouse at design agencies?
From home
10. How do you organise your workload, do you work long hours?
I work long hours, but not in a row. I will work from 3am until 9am, take a power nap, and the go back to work. That is one of the great things about working from home.
11. How much holiday do you give yourself?
Everyday is a holiday when you are doing what you love!
12. How do you keep up to date with what is happening in the industry?
Subscribe to select trade magazines, podcasts and newsletters
13. What about the business side of things, accounting, invoicing, bookkeeping, how do you manage it?
QuickBooks 2007 . . . . . My savior! Oh yea, the accountant helps too.
14. What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to someone starting out freelacing?
If you are going to work from home, make sure you have at least 3 months salary put aside to sustain you. I learned the hard way.
15. Would you ever go back to fulltime work?
Yes. In fact I am pursuing it now as the money coming it is just not enough to cover all of my bills.
16. Any thing else you would like to add?
Draw incessantly! Some of my best designs came from sitting at the park or in my office sketching, and trust me I am NO artist.
17. Where can we see some of your work (URL)?
http://www.bryanjzimmerman.com
Twitter
RSS
5 Comments
working from 3am to 9am – wow, that’s who you call a night owl
I too hope you’ll keep this as a regular feature, Tara.
Bryan, it was very nice meeting you (virtually)
You’ve got an amazing portfolio there. Just WoW!
Inspirationbit,
Thank you for your kind words. It is nice to meet you as well.
Tara . . . Thank you for choosing me as your first “Freelancer Focus”! I am truly humbled.
Bryan
Hi Bryan
Thanks for taking part. Yours was the first I received so it was only fair it was the first posted.
I love these focuses, I just found your blog but I would love more details, like what do you subscribe to, what doyou charge etc…
Hi Alex,
When you say what do you subscribe to, do you mean magazines blogs etc? That would be a good question.
I am not sure if people would be prepared to say what they charge which is why I have left the question more open. There is a future freelance focus participant who has answered that one though.
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[...] designer Bryan Zimmerman put it, in Tara’s excellent and highly informative regular feature, Freelancer Focus on her Graphic Design Blog, “make sure you have at least 3 months salary put aside to sustain [...]