Why You're Worth It and Overcoming Self Doubt

Have you ever heard the saying, "When you learn how much you're worth, you'll stop giving people discounts"? I've heard it...but it didn't stop me from undervaluing myself or from letting other people undervalue me. As a professional graphic designer it should come as no surprise to anyone, let alone those who hire me, that I charge a fee for my services. Custom design fees are not cheap, but I don't believe my fees are unreasonable, either. But it never fails. A potential client will contact me and say, "I love your work, your style is exactly what I'm looking for. BUT can I get a discount?" These emails would always frustrate me and leave me questioning my prices. Were my prices too high? Was my service not worth the price? Logically I felt like my prices were very accurate to the service I provide. I know any entrepreneur can relate to the rigorous calculations made to come to an end price for our goods and services. So why would someone expect a discount if my services were accurate to what I provide AND they love my work?

Branding to Attract Clients and Grow Your Business

We live in a time of rushing. Rushing around, rush shipping, we've become so impatient that we won't order something if it's not guaranteed next day. That mindset carries over into everything; Eating out – what's quickest? Traveling – which route gets me there fastest? Branding – will I have this tomorrow? We're in such a rush that we forget the most important part – quality! Sure you might get the gift you ordered on Amazon next day, but is it really on par with a handmade gift you could have purchased from an Artisan on Etsy? We've subjected ourselves to the rush mentality for so long, maybe we've forgotten that quality is important. People respond to quality; they notice it, they appreciate it, quality is what makes your brand stand out.

Turing Your Logo Into A Photoshop Brush

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is, "How do I use my logo as a brush in photoshop?" It's a pretty simple concept, but it may be confusing for beginners, so I wanted to create a quick tutorial on how to do that, and how to export your new brush/ABR file from Photoshop.