Dec 9, 2022Member-onlyLogos: 4 Tests for an Objectively Good LogoA close friend of mine recently asked if I’d review a logo they were considering using for their brand. Logos can be stressful. They’re the face of the brand. They’re an identity. Done right, the logo will be how customers connect with, share, and remember the brand. Logos can take…Graphic Design6 min readGraphic Design6 min read
Published in Branding101·Feb 8, 2021Member-onlyDesigning for Dyslexia10 Web Design Tips Everyone Benefits From — An estimated 10% of the population has dyslexia. That’s 32.9 million Americans and 764 million people worldwide. Researchers suggest the numbers could actually be much higher, many people simply go undiagnosed. Either way, we know there are hundreds of millions of people with dyslexia. We also know dyslexia is not…Visual Design5 min readVisual Design5 min read
Nov 11, 2020Member-onlyUX Writing: The Magic Formula for Conversion7 Simple Steps to Increase Web Conversion — Websites with great conversion rates, have one thing in common — at their very core, is great copy. I am a big advocate of copy first web design. A beautiful website, with bad copy, is a bad website. But an ugly website, with great copy, is a great website. …Marketing5 min readMarketing5 min read
Apr 30, 2020Member-onlyWeb Design: How To Finish Projects On TimeIf you’re a freelancer, or even an agency, and you’re struggling with scope creep, frustrated clients, or timelines dragging on with your web development projects, the first thing you should look at is your process around copywriting. The copy is one of those things that seems so simple. After all…Web Development6 min readWeb Development6 min read
Published in Branding101·Apr 19, 2020Member-onlyGraphic Design: 16 Illustrator Shortcuts to Speed Up Your WorkflowMac & PC Keyboard Shortcuts For Beginners — I know, I know — keyboard shortcuts sound so nerdy, and you’re a graphic designer, not an IT Director, why should you learn keyboard shortcuts? There are two really good reasons a graphic designer should learn keyboard shortcuts to speed up their workflow: 1. Shortcuts keep you in “The Zone”. When you’re in your creative zone, your…Adobe4 min readAdobe4 min read
Published in Branding101·Mar 19, 2020Member-only7 Tips for Surviving Coronavirus As A FreelancerIt’s Time To Take Control — Last year, I wrote about how to recession-proof your freelance business in hopes of helping freelancers prepare for an inevitable recession. Recessions are to be expected….a global pandemic sending the economy into freefall and countries into isolation is much less expected. …Freelance6 min readFreelance6 min read
Published in Branding101·Dec 30, 2019Member-onlyWhy So Many Websites FailThe 3 Things Every Website Needs To Thrive — You just built a website for a client, and everyone is thrilled it’s done. The nuances of UX/UI, SEO, and copywriting were more than the client, or maybe you, expected. Likely, a few too many cooks got in the kitchen and things got awkward. Maybe timelines were delayed, or additional…Web Development6 min readWeb Development6 min read
Published in Branding101·Sep 26, 2019Member-only7 Ways to Recession-Proof Your Freelance BusinessCan You Survive The Upcoming Recession As A Freelancer? — Rumor has it, we’re heading into a recession. Economist are torn between whether or not it will happen in 2020 or 2021, but either way, no one seems to disagree it’s going to happen. For many millennials like myself, we’re still wearing our scars from the 2008 recession, but are…Freelancing5 min readFreelancing5 min read
Published in Branding101·Apr 15, 2019Member-onlyWill Robots Replace Designers?Not The Good Ones — Here’s Why. — When I was pursuing my degree in graphic design, my advisor strongly urged me to consider a degree in print production — claiming it was more stable and had more job opportunities than design careers. …Design5 min readDesign5 min read
Mar 6, 2019Member-onlyWhen To Break Up With Your Client3 Reasons To Leave A Client And How — Whether an agency or a freelancer, most careers begin by taking on a lot of work for little pay. Without a strong portfolio to start, many clients are taking a risk to work with you; as a result, you cut the price and raise the expectations, hoping for either a…Freelancing7 min readFreelancing7 min read
