071: How To Go From Freelancer To Studio Owner w/ Karl Doran
09/08/20 • 70 min
Karl Doran explains what he’s learned by going from freelance motion design to owning his own studio. He describes his process for landing clients without the use of traditional advertising. He also talks about setting clear expectations with clients so that everyone is happy with the results of his work.
Both freelancing and running your own agency have their advantages. There’s a sense of freedom to both, but they come with different responsibilities. My guest on this episode started his own successful agency after years of freelancing. Today, he’s sharing some lessons he learned from this switch.
About Karl Doran
Karl Doran is a creative director and founder of Flow Creative, an animation studio and branding agency in Manchester. His team of eight illustrators, designers, and project managers has created animated explainer films, brand films, and social content for numerous companies and arts and culture organizations.
How can you leverage your network to land the next big job? We would love to hear from you. We are @motionhatch on Twitter and Instagram.
Have you transitioned from freelance to studio work? What’s one lesson you learned from the switch? Let us know on Twitter or Instagram.
Join the Motion Design Client Challenge
Join the waitlist for our brand new course Client Quest.
Follow Karl on Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Linkedin
Thanks for Listening!Podcast music licensed by Big Waves
Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative
Karl Doran explains what he’s learned by going from freelance motion design to owning his own studio. He describes his process for landing clients without the use of traditional advertising. He also talks about setting clear expectations with clients so that everyone is happy with the results of his work.
Both freelancing and running your own agency have their advantages. There’s a sense of freedom to both, but they come with different responsibilities. My guest on this episode started his own successful agency after years of freelancing. Today, he’s sharing some lessons he learned from this switch.
About Karl Doran
Karl Doran is a creative director and founder of Flow Creative, an animation studio and branding agency in Manchester. His team of eight illustrators, designers, and project managers has created animated explainer films, brand films, and social content for numerous companies and arts and culture organizations.
How can you leverage your network to land the next big job? We would love to hear from you. We are @motionhatch on Twitter and Instagram.
Have you transitioned from freelance to studio work? What’s one lesson you learned from the switch? Let us know on Twitter or Instagram.
Join the Motion Design Client Challenge
Join the waitlist for our brand new course Client Quest.
Follow Karl on Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Linkedin
Thanks for Listening!Podcast music licensed by Big Waves
Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative
Previous Episode
070: Why You Can’t Find Consistent Clients
Freelance life can go from feast to famine in an instant. As a Motion Designer, it can be easy to get discouraged when your business is down. Plus, even when you have a project, there’s no guarantee that you’ll have work waiting when it’s done. That’s why I love consistent clients.
In this solo episode, I want to talk to you about what it takes to land clients that keep coming back to you. To be successful in Motion Design you should regularly be engaging in client outreach. It may not be your favorite part of the job, but it’s critical to your long-term success and sanity.
Maker Time vs Manager TimeIn the episode, I talk about two distinct ways to structure your work time, “maker” time and “manager” time.
- Maker Time - Large blocks of time (~4 Hours) used to focus on creative work.
- Manager Time - Smaller blocks of time (
Next Episode
072: The Future of the Motion Design Industry w/ Ryan Summers
There’s certainly a lot of unknowns in the world these days. This is true for the motion design industry as much as anything else. Long-term survival is likely going to involve both adaptability and keeping focused on your priorities.
About Ryan Summers
As 2D creative director at School of Motion, Ryan is busy making courses to help other motion designers move forward in their career. This allows him to keep a close eye on trends in the motion design world and get ready for what the future brings to this industry.
The New Landscape of Motion Design
The world is changing fast. While many of these changes bring new challenges, they also involve new opportunities for motion designers. Ryan shares his observations and predictions for what this means for us. For one thing, remote work is more accepted and widespread than ever. It also presents more opportunities for individuals and small studios which can operate without the massive overhead required by the big studios.
Specialization as a Key Elements of Success
In the crowded field of motion design, it’s crucial to set yourself apart. With all the generalists put there, Ryan sees the importance of specializing in something that shares your unique voice. It may weed out some potential clients, but it will make sure that you work with the right ones in the end.
“There’s great opportunity when the world changes as fast and as all-encompassing as it has.” [5:14]
“That’s the part of every artist’s challenge and every studio’s challenge; You have to redefine yourself while the world changes around or you’ll get lost.” [7:43]
“You have different processes on the creative side based on your needs at the moment. Why shouldn’t you have the same thing business-wise?” [28:49]
- How new trends are affecting the world of remote work [4:30]
- The importance of agility during unpredictable times [10:03]
- Why specializing will not only set you apart but also keep you focused on your passion [18:55]
- What it takes to set your portfolio apart from the competition [24:55]
- Creating long term connections by passing work off to others and having partners [28:36]
- Maintaining your own passions and taking care of yourself as a necessary part of staying in business [35:43]
The business and creative world is quickly changing. Being adaptable and agile in order to avoid pitfalls and take advantage of new opportunities is a must. This means being creative about how you operate your business. Even though how you run your business may need to change, maintaining your creative passions as priorities will give you the drive to keep going.
Just as you cultivate your artistic skills, you need to tend to your own wellbeing. Your work can be a great way to feed your own creative self. However, getting caught up in just the money-making aspect is not sustainable in the long run.
The Motion Designer Client Challenge
Follow Ryan on Twitter
Episode 22: Art School vs Online Courses: The Pros & Cons
Episode 64: How to price your work as a motion designer
Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative
Podcast music licensed by Big Waves
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/motion-hatch-helping-motion-designers-do-better-business-53069/071-how-to-go-from-freelancer-to-studio-owner-w-karl-doran-7682511"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to 071: how to go from freelancer to studio owner w/ karl doran on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy