I know, I know. That's kinda a weird thing to hear from someone who makes their living with graphic design.
But the longer I've worked with businesses, the more I've realized that most of them don't actually need another freelancer. They don't need another person to add to the list of people they have to manage. They need one creative person they trust.
Running a business is messy. You don't wake up on Monday and decide it's "graphic design day." One week you're updating your website because you launched a new service. The next week your social media feels stale. Then you're ordering new signage, planning an event, updating your menu, or finally getting around to filming those videos you've been putting off.
Creative work has a way of popping up everywhere, all the time.
I've been lucky enough to see that from both sides. Before freelancing, I spent five years at a creative agency working with businesses across all kinds of industries. Before that, I ran my own e-commerce business, which meant I was the designer, photographer, marketer, customer service rep, shipper... basically everything.
I know what it's like when every decision somehow ends up on your desk.
That's probably why I don't really call myself a graphic designer anymore. I usually introduce myself as a creative partner, because that's what I actually enjoy being.
I want to be the person you can Slack and say, "Hey, can we update this page?" or "We've got an event next month, can you help us figure it out?" or even "I have an idea but I'm not sure if it'll work."
Those are my favourite conversations.
The funny thing is, the best work almost never starts with a giant creative brief. It usually starts with something small. A website tweak turns into a better homepage. A product launch turns into new photography. A social media post turns into a bigger conversation about the brand as a whole.
When you've worked with someone for a while, those connections start happening naturally.
You stop having to explain your business every time a new project comes up. I already know your brand. I know your audience. I know what's worked before and what hasn't. That means we spend less time catching me up and more time actually making things.
I also think businesses underestimate how much time they spend managing creative.
One freelancer designs the website. Another shoots photos. Someone else edits video. Then there's a copywriter, a developer, maybe someone running social media. None of those people are doing anything wrong, but someone still has to keep all of those projects moving in the same direction.
I'd rather just become part of the team.
I love getting to know how a business works. I like noticing the little things. The homepage that doesn't quite tell the right story. The restaurant that has an incredible atmosphere in person but doesn't capture it online. The packaging that's beautiful but doesn't match the website anymore.
Those little observations are usually where the best ideas come from.
If you're a growing business in Calgary, chances are you don't need someone to make you a logo and disappear.
You probably need someone who's happy to stick around. Someone who's excited to help build your brand over time, solve problems as they come up, and become the creative person you don't have to think twice about calling.
That's the kind of business I'm trying to build.
Not a freelance business.
A partnership.
