What Can Help You Become a Successful Surface Pattern Designer in 2025

12/31/24 • 10 min

Happy New Year! In case you did not achieve your goals last year or are not feeling as confident about your ability to become successful this New Year, I've created a new Design & Shine podcast episode to help you get into a more empowered and positive mindset. In this episode, I share my beliefs about what it REALLY takes to become a successful surface pattern designer and artist:

What successful people have in common that helps them become and stay successful despite setbacks and hardship
What people who fail have in common
Questions to ask yourself that can help you continue working even when things go wrong in every way possible
The number one trait that you need to have in order to become successful
How to deal with failure, pick yourself back up from it, and keep going! (and details or exactly what I do when I fail at something!)

Listen to this episode if you want to make this New Year a better year for your surface pattern design business as well as your mental health as an aspiring artist!

What successful people have in common that helps them become and stay successful despite setbacks and hardship
What people who fail have in common
Questions to ask yourself that can help you continue working even when things go wrong in every way possible
The number one trait that you need to have in order to become successful
How to deal with failure, pick yourself back up from it, and keep going! (and details or exactly what I do when I fail at something!)

Listen to this episode if you want to make this New Year a better year for your surface pattern design business as well as your mental health as an aspiring artist!

Previous Episode

Will AI Replace Surface Pattern Designers?

If you're like many surface pattern designers I know, you may be worried about the impact of AI - will it replace us? Is there any way to compete with it? Will we lose business because of it? You're not alone if you're worried - this is a super hot topic at the moment, so I wanted to come in this week on the Design & Shine podcast to share my views on it. I'm hoping I can reassure you with a fresh perspective on:

The impact of AI on the surface pattern design industry - how will it change how designs are made and sold - or not!
How we can use AI to our advantage and why I believe we should be using it.
How some designers I know personally are changing how they create their artwork because of AI
And the one priceless element and advantage humans have that AI will never have!

If you feel worried about the impact of AI on your surface pattern design business dreams and goals, this episode is for you!

Next Episode

The Importance of Diversifying Your Income as a Surface Pattern Designer

Are you relying on just ONE source of income? If so, it's fair to say you're taking a risk - the past few years with all that's happened in the world have definitely taught us that! Things like:

The unpredictable nature of industry trends, especially with the shift in technology and the introduction of AI
Uncertainty in the world (with things like the 2020 global pandemic!)
Economic downturns and the rising cost of living

So in this week's episode of Design & Shine, I explore why diversifying your income as a surface pattern designer is a good idea for creating a sustainable and thriving creative business. I help you explore how diversifying can safeguard your business and provide greater financial stability, creative freedom, and growth opportunities - and I share some ideas on how you can do it! I cover:

Why diversification reduces risk and future-proofs your design career.
A variety of income streams to explore, including licensing, direct-to-consumer sales, digital products, teaching, and collaborations.
How to get started with small, manageable steps toward diversifying your income right away.

Tune in for practical advice and inspiring ideas to help you build a more resilient and rewarding career in surface pattern design!