“I would say to anyone thinking about freelancing - don't think you have to go all in straight away. I have a part-time job alongside my business for two days a week. Especially as you’re building up work, it’s nice to have some security”.

If, like me, you love hearing about how other business owners are navigating a career change - you’ll definitely want to read Stef’s journey into illustration freelancing.

Following a career in the voluntary sector, Stef retrained in illustration at Falmouth University - and in a short space of time has built up an impressive list of clients including ITV and Upstairs at the Grill.

During our chat, Stef was incredibly candid about the realities of freelancing and happily shared how she’s growing her business and her ‘test and learn’ approach.

We chatted about everything from social media to online learning, to websites (of course!).

On leaving her job….

I had a great job in the voluntary sector, and there was a lot of capacity for growth, but none of it felt right.

During the last couple of years in my job I was constantly asking myself - what’s the next step, what’s the next challenge? But I couldn't see myself in the future of that sector. I had to ask myself, if you can’t see yourself in this career, what do you do next?

And the only thing I could do is go back to the thing I’d wanted to do forever.

I’d always loved drawing at school and university but in the past I couldn't see the pathway to make a career of it.

At the time, I was around a few people who had started working for themselves.

I was increasingly meeting other freelancers. And I watched my brother-in-law and his wife give up their jobs to start a cafe, they just jumped in with both feet! I began to find a model for how being an illustrator could work, and I saved up money to fund an illustration course. Seeing others taking the leap gave me such inspiration and really made me want to try.

On freelancing…

I would say to anyone thinking about freelancing - don't think you have to go all in straight away.

I have a part-time job alongside my business for two days a week. This brings in an income that takes the pressure off. Especially as you’re building up work, it’s nice to have some security - but make sure it works. My part-time job works completely around my freelancing.

It took me ages to realise that I don’t need to start work at 9 o’clock if I don’t want to.

I go to the gym at 8am every day, come home, sort out the house and then start work. I love the freedom to manage my own time.

The working week doesn’t have to be 37.5 hours.

If I can achieve what I need to achieve in less time, the work is still done. Getting away from the formula of what a job looks like - contracted hours, sitting at a desk regardless of what you’re achieving - I don’t put that pressure on myself any more.

I’ve discovered more time in the day.

I still have meetings, but I get to decide what’s important enough for a meeting - what could be an email, or what could be a quick 5 minute phone call.

On being adaptable…

I approached the first year as a test-and-learn.

I didn’t like to say no to work unless it was completely unreasonable so I gave anything a go. Now I can look back and ask myself what I enjoyed, and what was the most profitable. For example, I enjoyed doing craft and makers markets - it was fun to play shop! But with the sheer amount of energy and time that it took, it wasn’t worth it.

Now I know my focus should be on large custom artwork and digital assets.

I’m definitely going down an artist route. I love the problem solving element of illustration. If somebody wants a story told via illustration, I enjoy working out how a picture can tell the story without words. It feels like working out a puzzle.

On marketing….

Instagram has been a good marketing tool.

It’s such a visual platform and it’s a quick way of communicating with my community. But they’re changing the rules and algorithm of the platform so I don't think my work is reaching the same number of people. Social media is feeling increasingly time-consuming.

My business confidence has gone up, just by having a website.

When prospective clients approach me now, I send them the link to my website and it starts the conversation for me. It looks professional, it looks clean - but what’s best, it gives a really good account of who I am as an artist and professional illustrator and what I offer.

It’s easier to relate and engage with a person rather than a product.

The work is often so personal to my clients that it’s not going to resonate with everyone. What resonates more is people connecting to a person - and that’s me, the artist. Now I understand that to engage prospective clients, they need to get to know me, and understand who I am.

On advice to others….

Taking myself away from a structured career has been really eye opening.

If you’ve started thinking you want to work for yourself, trust that instinct. Have confidence in yourself. I wish somebody had said to me ‘give it a go, have confidence in yourself’.

Stef spoke to me following the launch of her new portfolio website. You can read more about Stef’s web design process here.