Going freelance before you feel ready with Rachel Cartledge | EP 002

In this episode of The Honest Designer Diaries, I’m chatting to Rachel Cartlidge, a freelance graphic designer and illustrator based in Edinburgh. Rachel left university thinking she had her next step sorted. She had a junior designer role lined up, had signed for a flat, and was away travelling before she was due to start. Then, two weeks before her start date, the role fell through. So we chat about what happened when she came home and had to start figuring things out quickly. Rachel talks about reaching out to agencies, studios, small businesses and creative directors, trying to find freelance work while still applying for junior roles, and slowly building confidence as she went. This is such a good chat for new designers, recent graduates, freelancers, design students, and anyone trying to work out where they fit in the design industry, especially when the route they thought they were meant to follow doesn’t quite go to plan. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to The Honest Designer Diaries 01:45 Meet Rachel Cartlidge 05:32 When the junior designer role fell through 10:00 Finding those first freelance projects 11:57 Building a personal brand as a new designer 16:08 Passion projects, film-inspired branding and finding your style 23:21 The reality behind the opportunities people see online 27:57 Rejection, comparison and putting yourself out there 32:05 Advice for new designers and graduates 34:54 Where to find Rachel online Find Rachel online: Instagram: @‌rachcartdesign LinkedIn: Rachel Cartlidge Connect with me on Instagram | TikTok | LinkedIn | YouTube | Substack I’d love to hear what you think of this episode. If you’ve listened and any part of Rachel’s story resonated with you, send me a message on Instagram at @designerinyourpocket_juls or @thehonestdesignerdiaries. I really hope you enjoy the chat. And because The Honest Designer Diaries is still a brand new podcast, it would really help if you could follow, subscribe or leave a 5* rating and review wherever you’re listening. If you’re watching on YouTube, liking the video and leaving a comment helps more designers find these conversations too. And if you know another designer, creative pal, student, graduate or freelancer who might enjoy this chat, please send it their way.