Nowadays it’s common for people to have more than one job or income stream. Having a side-hustle allows you to have more freedom and control in your career as it’s not your only source of income - but how do you go about choosing one? And how do you get started? Today’s guest has a popular Etsy store selling stationery as well as a successful career in motion design. In fact, having a side-hustle allows her to be pickier over the kinds of clients she works with. Find out how you too can start your own side-hustle to complement your motion design career. About Mary Hawkins Mary Hawkins is a freelance motion designer, animator and art director. She joined our Mograph Mastermind last year to help her to get clarity on the kinds of clients she wanted to work with and because she was suffering from a massive case of burnout. As a result, she has gone from being an in-house freelancer to an independent freelancer and she now gets to work with clients such as charities as well as broadcast designer clients. How to start a side-hustle as a motion designer Mary has built up an extremely successful Etsy shop selling voting-themed stationery - she’s made 12,000 sales in the past 4 years. She credits her success to having such a niche store. Mary makes products for volunteers to write postcards to voters. Writing postcards to voters was a new idea back in 2017 that has become increasingly popular, which is how Mary Likes Postcards was born. She paid $300 to get lots of printing done back in 2017 and has been running the business ever since. She’s never had to take out a business loan, or invest more money into it and even during a bad year like 2020, it still manages to pay for her family’s health insurance. How to choose a side-hustle if you don't know where to begin Although Mary was happy in her career, the really interesting jobs would often get sent to a big agency in NYC rather than be kept in-house. As a result, she wasn’t spending much of her time at work actually designing, but she’d always find herself doodling designs at her desk. Therefore it came as no surprise to Mary that her side-hustle incorporated something that was a pain-point in her career. However she’s a designer, not an artist, and she knew she needed to create something with direction that people wanted. When she designs for her store, she is always thinking “who’s going to like/buy this?” “What is the emotional response going to be?” As a motion designer, you have a very specific set of skills so when choosing a side-hustle you should stick to things that you’ll enjoy doing and one that makes use of your skillset.  Some of the best ways to make money through a side-hustle as a motion designer would be teaching based content - 1:1 coaching for other designers or teaching YouTube tutorials. You could also make money digitally, such as creating and selling an online course or make and sell templates, printables or fonts. You could also create a print on demand business, where you print designs on tote bags, cards, pins or other physical products but you only create the product once the order comes in.  The key benefit of this is that you don’t want to have an inventory of stock. However, Mary’s business requires an inventory of stock, which of course takes up space and costs money to buy upfront but she says allows her business to be more profitable. The difference between a hobby and a side-hustle Mary sees her side-hustle as a micro-business. A side-hustle is not something that you do full-time, or for anyone but yourself.  It’s also a business that doesn’t require your attention on a full-time basis. There’s also a difference between a side-hustle and a hobby. For example, if you are a designer who is making a short film, you’re an artist rather than someone with a side-hustle - as your primary goal is not to make money. Having a side-hustle will make you a better motion designer Mary says that having a side-hustle has allowed her to be a better organiser, a better planner, and a better marketer Each of these skills, in turn, has allowed her to be a much better motion designer.  The pitfalls of having a side-hustle  One of the key downsides of having a side-hustle is the pressure it puts on you when it comes to time-keeping and organisation. Having a side-hustle, even a small one, will undoubtedly take up a lot of your time. When you’re a “yes person” like Mary, who loves to say yes to many projects at once, you can find yourself stressed and overwhelmed with a never-ending to-do list. There are also copyright issues when it comes to designing and selling work online. Running two different kinds of businesses also means that tax and accounting can become more complicated. Should you sell products on Etsy, Amazon or Faire? Amazon requires sellers to jump through a lot more hoops than other platforms. They also take a large chunk out of your earnings, however, everyone is on Amazon as it’s such a well-used company. Etsy is a smaller marketplace but people seem to respond to the handmade element of businesses better due to the nature of the product.  Faire is a similar platform to Etsy but for wholesale buyers.  It might be better for you to have your own website rather than sell with a platform - it depends on the product you are selling. There are all sorts of marketplaces out there, you just have to search for them. But ultimately, your side-hustle has to be something you’ll genuinely enjoy doing and something that people want and will pay for.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general guidance only and discusses the legal position in the UK at the time of publication unless stated otherwise. You must take legal advice and not rely on the information provided in this podcast before taking action. We do not update our podcasts and therefore, past podcasts may not reflect the current legal position. There are 5 million self-employed people in the UK and if you’re listening to this episode, it’s likely you’re one of them. If you’re a freelance motion designer you’ve probably heard about the IR35 tax law - but what does it mean for you and the way you do business? In today’s episode, you’re going to find out. About Andy Chamberlain Andy Chamberlain is the Director of Policy for The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE).  IPSE is the only non-profit organisation in the UK providing support to independent professionals and self-employed people in the UK. What is IR35 and does it affect me as a freelance motion designer in the UK? IR35 is a term used to describe two sets of tax laws that stop what is known as “disguised employment”.  This is when an individual acts like an employee and is treated like an employee but they disguise that employment by portraying themself as a limited company rather than an individual. By doing this, both the individual and the employer who is hiring them essentially pay less tax - however, it’s illegal and a form of tax evasion. IR35 will only affect you if you’re an individual operating as a limited company. If you are a sole trader, it does not apply. So what is changing with IR35?  As it stands, the government is changing the way that IR35 works in the private sector - moving the responsibility from the individual receiving the payment to the end client. The issue with this is that now many individuals are having to pay tax like an employee even though the company they work for gives them no employee benefits. As an employee, when you get paid, the amount you receive has already had the tax and national insurance deductions taken out of it. Under new IR35 rules, the same will now happen for self-employed people. This is making companies less likely to hire self-employed people because they don’t want to spend time putting them on their “books” and making tax deductions if they won’t be with the company for very long. Therefore they are now advising self-employed people to work under an umbrella company that will make those tax deductions for them instead. This is because if they pay someone through their payroll, they have to make employers national insurance contributions which is an additional 13.8%. Umbrella companies also don’t want to have to pay the 13.8% so they say to the individual “we need you to reduce your day rate so that we can afford to pay your employers national insurance contributions.” So who benefits from this new system? The only person who is really benefiting from this new system is neither self-employed people nor the end client - it’s the government. Rather than waiting a year for a self-employed person to submit their tax return, they are now able to gather a lot more tax from self-employed people more quickly. End clients are now worried - because if they say that IR35 doesn’t apply to a contractor they are working with and carry on paying them their gross pay as before, HMRC can approach them at a later date and they will be held liable. Because IR35 is so complicated, many end clients are choosing to put all self-employed workers under the IR35 rules rather than risk being penalised later on down the line. Does IR35 apply if I am a sole trader? IR35 only applies if you are a self-employed person working as a limited company and not if you’re a sole trader. Historically end clients have preferred to work with people who operate under a limited company because it mitigates their risk. For example, there are some laws that apply whereby if a sole trader didn’t pay the correct tax, the person who paid them could be liable.  If you currently have a limited company and are concerned over the implications of IR35 on you and your freelance business, you could consider dissolving your limited company and become a sole trader, provided your clients were still happy to work with and pay you on that basis. There are benefits and drawbacks to being a sole trader or a limited company. Ultimately, only you can decide what is best for you.  Am I inside or outside IR35? Andy explains that for employment to exist, you need to have each of the following: Personal service - one individual required to do the work themselves, they cannot send a substitute. If you feel you can send a substitute to do your work, this is one of the key ways in which you could dispute an IR35 claim. Mutuality of obligation - is the end client obliged to provide the contractor with work and is the worker obliged to accept that work and do it? Contractors are able to turn down work, whereas employees are obliged to carry out any work they are given. Control - how much control does the individual have over the work they are doing? If you are an employee, the employer has the right to control your work. However, if you’re a freelancer, you are largely able to dictate your own work and the way in which you produce it. If you can prove that any one of these three elements does not exist in the end client relationship, then IR35 does not apply to you. What should I do as a freelance motion designer to prepare for this? Andy advises freelance motion designers to consider what factors distinguish them from paid employed inside the companies that they are currently working with. If you are unsure whether IR35 applies to you or not, you can use the Check Employment Status for Tax tool (CEST) on the Government website, print out the results and show them to your client. Small company exemption rules The rules we have covered so far in regard to IR35 tax rules only apply to end-clients who are medium or large in size. Small companies don’t have to make these considerations under the small company exemption rules. A small company has to meet two of the following three criteria: The company has less than or equal to 50 employees The company has less than or equal to £10.2 mil turnover Less than or equal to 5.1 million on their balance sheet Protecting yourself with a Statement of Work Contract A statement of work is a type of contract that sets out the set deliverables and milestones required for you as the contractor to carry out the work. Payment is then on delivery of those milestones. If you have a contract like that then it makes it very hard for anyone to claim IR35 applies to that written contract, so long as the work carried out matches what was in the contract. A Statement of Work Contract could be a great way to carry on working as you have been with no IR35 implications. If you’re unsure about your existing contracts, consider paying to get them independently reviewed. Andy finishes off the episode by answering some frequently asked questions that have been submitted by Motion Hatchlings, so make sure you listen to the end to see if you...

Do you use LinkedIn as a way to get direct clients? If you haven’t previously considered using this awesome platform, then this week’s guest might just persuade you. About Marc Lawrence Marc Lawrence spent 20 years working in the corporate world - starting out as a motion designer and moving upwards to eventually have a leadership position in his company. But ultimately, Marc found himself at a crossroads when he faced redundancy in his job. The commute to work was becoming increasingly difficult and despite loving his job and the company he worked for, he felt that a change was well overdue. How to make the transition between being employed and going freelance Marc decided that he would like to specialise in creating motion graphics specifically for social media. Despite having no experience running a business, no professional network and very few peers in the industry, Marc was determined to make freelancing a success. He started his freelance career by becoming a Motion Hatch Mastermind student. This helped him instrumentally with branding himself, setting up a website and figuring out the practical steps for attracting the kinds of clients he really wanted to be working with - which in his case was working with direct clients. How to utilise Linkedin to get direct clients Marc soon found that LinkedIn was a brilliant platform to form real connections with people. Though Instagram is also a great platform for motion designers, he believes it’s better suited to those seeking work with agencies than work with end clients like himself. He started connecting with established creatives in different fields - motion design, graphic design, copywriting and more - and asking if they would be willing to have a quick, 30-minute Zoom call with him.  Much to his surprise and delight, almost everyone he contacted said yes.  Marc says that consistently engaging with people on LinkedIn - liking and commenting on their posts and being genuine in your comments - is one of the key ways to ensure success on the platform.  He also says that the best piece of advice he was given in regard to how to craft posts on LinkedIn was “write as though you’re talking to someone in a pub.” He says that the minute he took a step away from the dry, corporate posts he’d been writing before and became more personable, people started to respond and engage. How do I make sure my posts perform well on LinkedIn? Marc has experimented with posting at different times but he finds that posting first thing before 9am seems to give his posts more traction.  Similarly, many experts recommend trialling posts that are published around lunchtime at 12-2pm and dinner time after 5pm. Ultimately, how well your posts perform depends on your audience and what time they are online. You should spend some time trying different times and seeing which consistently perform well with your audience. Other ways to drive engagement on LinkedIn include asking questions in your posts, posting external links in the comments of your post rather than in the main body of text (LinkedIn doesn’t like links that take people away from their platform), tagging relevant people in your posts, and creating a poll to find out your audience’s thoughts on a topic. How do I make my posts stand out on LinkedIn? As amazing as your animations may be, Marc says that there is a window of opportunity that motion designers are not taking advantage of.  One of his most popular services is creating animated written testimonials for clients - something that historically has only really been done in static, image form.  This is something that you can easily create from your own testimonials as well. Pick out the best bits of the text, make them kinetic, pick out a nice background and you have a quick, easy way to display the testimonials that are attention-grabbing and unique to you. Case studies are also a valuable form of content. Take your audience down a journey from when the client initially got in touch with you, to the end result animation. If you can include tangible results and data as well as the actual animation, this puts you in an even more favourable position for potential clients. Marc decided to offer one of his first-ever clients a discount on the package in exchange for 12 weeks of analytics data from the Instagram images. With this, he was able to show potential clients that what he produces gets brilliant results. After 12 weeks of posting animated content on Instagram, the client’s revenue increased by 198% and their engagement by 500%. Also don’t forget to put your contact details in your LinkedIn bio and make your headline stand out. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step - Lao Izu As nerve-wracking as it can be starting on a new platform, or one that you have but rarely use, the first thing to do is gather the confidence to post something (our Social Media Guide can help with this!) It can be hard putting yourself out there - but the more you do it, the easier it will become. Marc says that the worst thing that can happen is that people aren’t interested in your post - and to bear this in mind whenever nerves, anxiety or imposter syndrome get the better of you. Do you have a LinkedIn account? Do you remember to post on it regularly? If not, you could be missing out on an awesome platform to grow an audience, engage with people in the industry and attract exciting end clients. Leave a comment on the episode page and let us know! Read the full shownotes Links & resources Download the free Social Media Guide for Motion Designers. Find out more about our Mograph Mastermind program. Find out more about our Client Quest course. Find Marc on his website and LinkedIn account. Podcast music licensed by Big Waves sonosanctus.com dankoch.net Podcast production by the team at BE MORE Media

As a motion designer, it’s likely you have a lot of different skills. But knowing which projects to invest your time and energy in can be overwhelming. This week’s guest has a successful YouTube channel and Patreon account. But he wants to spend more of his time creating games as that’s what he really enjoys. Join Hayley as she helps Ross Plaskow to find his direction and focus as a designer. About Ross Plaskow Ross started out his motion design career by doing an animation degree at the University of Portsmouth before getting a job working for an agency - the first one he ever contacted! He worked there for a number of years before leaving that job to go freelance full-time. How to land that first job once you go freelance In typical freelance fashion, the road to freelancing success wasn’t straight-forward for Ross. It took him 6 months to get his first freelance gig. Ross attributes this to not tailoring his approach when it came to approaching clients - his portfolio was very diverse and he feels he should have been more selective in the examples of work he sent over to potential clients.  It took him 6 months to really perfect his showreel and once he did, he found that getting work became a lot easier. Therefore you shouldn’t be afraid to niche down, even at the beginning of your career. How to diversify your revenue streams as a motion designer Ross started his YouTube channel in 2016 making cartoons and tutorials. Things started out positively but he hit a wall with creating content when he got too busy with his freelancing.  He almost gave up entirely, but then he hit a quiet spot in his freelance career and made the decision to create very niche tutorials and put them on the paid content subscription site, Patreon.  He now has over 200 paid members on the platform and his YouTube boasts an impressive 105k subscribers.  Ross says that the reason his YouTube videos have done so well is because of good SEO - using common sense and researching what kinds of video titles are already out there and filling that void. His first tutorial video now has over 2 million views! How to balance freelancing full-time with other ventures  These are impressive achievements. However, Ross voiced to Hayley that despite his successes with YouTube and Patreon, he finds it difficult juggling his freelance career with these other ventures and knowing where to invest his time and energy. Even though he has built up an impressive number of subscribers, Ross finds himself falling out of love with YouTube and wanting to pursue his real passion of making games instead. Picking between what you CAN do and what you ENJOY doing As a freelancer, it’s likely that you can do a lot of different things. But the way to achieve better job satisfaction is to spend more time doing the things you enjoy doing, rather than the things you can do just to get paid. Even though Ross spends the majority of his time animating characters for other people in his work, he feels that his true passion lies in making games, however, he is doubtful that he could make a living doing what he loves. Hayley explained that once you take control of these limiting self-beliefs, you’ll see that there are unlimited opportunities to make money as a motion designer or animator.  Ross and Hayley discuss the different ways in which you could carry on working whilst still working towards your dream of doing what you love full-time. How to find direction and focus Hayley recommends picking a focused goal for each and every year - such as Ross’s current goal of saving up to buy a house. That helps you to prioritise and focus your mind. She also gives her advice on what she would do if she was Ross to combine her dream of making games whilst taking advantage of the large YouTube audience he already has. She says you shouldn’t under-estimate the power of sharing the journey and behind the scenes with your audience. It’s an effective way to not only add value to your audience but also spark their interest in the project you’re trying to launch. Sharing your goals with your audience will also help to keep you accountable and creating a proper plan will help you to keep on track. If creating a plan for the year feels too intimidating, break down your goals into Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4. Are you brimming with ideas but you struggle to know which ones to invest your time in? Do you believe you can make a living doing what you genuinely love to do? If not, why not? Leave a comment on the episode page and let us know! Read the full shownotes Links & resources Explore Ross Plaiskow’s work on his website, YouTube channel, Twitter and Instagram. Complete the Perfect Day Exercise and SMART Goals. Learn more about Client Quest. Learn more about using accountability to achieve your goals through a Mastermind group. Podcast music licensed by Big Waves sonosanctus.com dankoch.net Podcast production by the team at BE MORE Media The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod.

Many motion designers dream of starting an animation studio one day - but how do you know if it’s really the right decision for you? Are you willing to give up the creativity of actually doing motion design work to become a strategist, manager and entrepreneur?  Our latest guest will help you to decide if aspiring to own a studio is right for you and how to make it a success. About Mack Garrison Mack started Dash Studio in 2015 from a desire to create beautiful, bespoke work for clients and champion the creative talent of motion designers in the process.  Before starting Dash he had a diverse and varied career in different specialisms of design, before settling on motion design and in time, co-founding his own studio. Making the move from freelancer to motion design studio owner Mack started freelancing after he graduated as, like many new graduates, he struggled to find a job. This led him to try lots of different design specialisms, eventually niching down into motion design. He then joined a local agency where he worked his way up to become an Art Director but ultimately, he knew he wanted more creative control over his day-to-day and the freedom to be able to create really bespoke, personalised work for his clients. The pivotal moment for Mack was when he and his colleague (and now business partner) Corey were offered a huge, 15 video project. To take on the project they would need to quit their jobs at the agency. Hiring a great team is vital to your success A large factor in the success of Dash Studio are Mack and Corey’s complementary skill sets - where Mack struggles, Corey is able to help and vice versa.  Many people believe that you can’t succeed in certain areas if you lack certain skills, but by hiring people in-house or remotely you can build a multi-skilled, talented workforce. Dash now has a team of 8 members of in-house staff and 20-25 contractors working on anything from 8-16 projects at any one given time. The combination of full-time employed staff and freelancers allows Mack to be flexible to the needs of different clients and projects. Everyone has different skills and one of the best things you can do for yourself is to work out what your individual strengths are and your weaknesses - that way you can recruit the skills that you don’t have into your team. You can then collectively use everyone’s talents to make amazing work that is beyond what you’d be able to make on your own. They created a pitch deck, won the work, and planned to start freelancing full-time once they finished. But a bigger conversation arose, they decided to pool their talent, skills and resources and that’s how Dash Studio was born. Understanding what you want your career path to be Mack suggests that if you like the idea of creating something special yourself, growing a business and managing people, then starting a studio could be incredibly rewarding for you. However, if your passion lies in actually doing the motion design work yourself, then becoming a studio owner may not be the most satisfying career path for you because as your studio grows, you’ll find yourself doing the work less and less. It’s important that you don’t try to do it all and that you work out a defined role within your studio. If you want to start a studio with a business partner but you have no idea how to find one, it’s important to look to your community and network to find someone who has a similar mindset, outlook and work ethic as yourself. Do you dream of starting your own studio? Is it something you would tackle alone, or with a partner? Has this podcast made you think differently about your goals? Leave a comment on the episode page and let us know! Read the full show notes. Links & resources Download the Portfolio Checklist The E-Myth: Why most small businesses don’t work and what to do about it by Michael E. Gerber Rocket Fuel: The one essential combination that will get you more of what you want by Gino Wickman Check out Dash Studio Check out the Dash Bash festival Follow Dash Studio Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Vimeo Podcast music licensed by Big Waves sonosanctus.com dankoch.net Podcast production by the team at BE MORE Media

Finding work with a major studio making feature films can seem daunting. You may wonder if your work is good enough. But what if it’s not your work that ultimately gets you hired but something else entirely? If you’ve ever wondered how animators get to work on huge films, today’s guest is going to tell you how she did it. About Nikki Braine Nikki has been an animator for many years. Her career spans games, VFX, and feature films including ‘Paddington 2’ and  'Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them'. She was recently hired on as the animation supervisor for a new Netflix show. What it Takes to Land Big Jobs Nikki takes us on her journey into VFX and feature film work. She describes the interview process and why you shouldn’t be nervous during them. The truth is, once you’ve landed an interview, you’ve already made it past the majority of the hurdles to get hired. Just be yourself and show them that you’re a nice person to work with.  Although she received a formal education as an animator, Nikki doesn’t suggest that for everyone. There are so many great online schools and programs that can teach you what you need to know. Nikki suggests finding a specific aspect of motion design that interests you and exploring the online programs that focus on it. Attitude is Everything Nikki credits her eagerness to take initiative as what landed her in the job as lead animator. Getting this type of work takes problem-solving skills, great communication, and being approachable. Animating is just a small part of the job. It’s being able to effectively lead and inspire a team that makes a great lead animator. What interview tips can you share with us? Leave a comment on the episode page! How do you approach large studios when looking for work? Leave a comment on the episode page! Read the full show notes Links and resources Download the Portfolio Checklist Follow Nikki Braine on Linkedin Animsquad iAnimate Animentor Academy 11 Second Club Podcast music licensed by Big Waves sonosanctus.com dankoch.net Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative 

How you brand yourself may be one of the most important parts of being a profitable motion designer. There are so many ways to go about it though. Do you brand yourself as a studio? Should you show more of your personality on social media? What about a logo? How do you stand out from the crowd? Today’s guest is going to help us answer all these questions. About Hollie Arnett Hollie Arnett is a branding coach and strategist. She specializes in helping creatives brand their passion so that they can build a business that allows them to do the thing that they love. The Central Elements of Any Good Brand Hollie boils effective branding down to three main elements. The first is clarity. Both you and your audience need to be clear on what you do and who you target. Next is creativity. You need something to help you stand out as you convey your messaging. Lastly, you need consistency. Being consistent with your messaging will help people remember and recognize you. The Best Branding is Simple Branding Creating a logo for yourself may seem intuitive for a motion designer. However, it’s not always a simple task. Hollie suggests considering whether or not you even need a logo. If it’s holding you back, skip it altogether. Or, just use your name in a font you like. Ultimately, your brand is much more than a logo.  To effectively build a recognizable personal brand, Hollie recommends keeping it simple and recognizable. Just a few core colours and fonts along with some patterns and photos should help get your core message and identity across. Keeping this consistent across all the channels you use will keep you recognizable and memorable. How can you use branding to convey your identity as a creative? Leave a comment on the episode page! What do you struggle with the most when identifying your brand? Leave a comment on the episode page! Read the full show notes Links and resources Find Hollie Arnett online Follow Hollie on YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest Brand Your Passion Podcast Vivid Vision by Cameron Herold Chris Do - YouTube Learn Brand Strategy with Melinda Livsey Creative Strategy and the Business of Design by Douglas Davis Related episodes Episode 10: How You Think Of Your Freelance Business Matters with Chris Do Additional resources Podcast music licensed by Big Waves sonosanctus.com dankoch.net Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative  

Sometimes we create outstanding work that doesn’t mean that much to us personally. Should you include it on your site anyway? Today’s guest suggests that we cut that out and only include the type of work that we really truly want to make. That will get you to the heart of using your unique voice to drive your business. About Monique Wray Monique Wray is a San Francisco based animator, illustrator, and director. She specializes in creating character-focused illustrated and animated content for a wide range of companies. What Makes You Unique is an Asset As Monique pivoted her business from freelance to studio owner, she went on a mission of discovery to find her unique voice. There is something that differentiates everyone and sets us all apart. Monique found that focusing on that not only helps her get noticed by clients but also leads to more personally fulfilling work. Simply put, when you present the work that you want to do the most, you’ll attract the clients who want to hire you to do that sort of work. Being Yourself to Find the Right Clients for You We all want to create work that gets us hired. Monique finds that doing so should not be separated from your values, identity, and the impact that you want to make. It may take intentional work to discover or rediscover what those elements are, but it’s worth it. When your work is imbued with your values and identity, the right clients will resonate with it and be all the more eager to work with you. Read the full show notes Links and resources Find Monique Wray online Follow Monique on Instagram Find Your Artistic Voice by Lisa Congdon The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck by Mark Manson Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert Related episodes Episode 77: How to Plan Your Best Motion Design Year Ever Additional resources Podcast music licensed by Big Waves sonosanctus.com dankoch.net Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative

It’s nice to get paid for your work. But for many of us, that’s not the ultimate reason we’re in this business. We need to find a purpose in what we do and understand how we can positively impact the world with our creations. Working Towards a Bigger Goal Once we are earning enough to cover basic needs, the desire to work towards something bigger takes root. I find that motion designers are generally a group of people who care about what happens in the world. Finding work that aligns with your values is perhaps the best way to make a contribution. But before you can find the clients who will give you this work, it’s important to really identify the values that drive you. Discovering Core Values Identifying your core values means knowing what makes you unique. Take a step back and think about it. What is your unique perspective? How do you look for meaning? What would you do if money weren’t a concern? These are hard questions, but asking them will lead you to finding your true values and purpose. An Exercise to Find Your Vision To identify your vision, go somewhere quiet with a pen and paper. Break your vision into two categories: personal and career. What do you want these to look like in three years? Write it as if you’re living it now. Brainstorming about what you want your life to look like will bring your values to the forefront.  The next thing to do is learn how to attract the clients who align with these values. You’ll need to make a plan and implement it. This can be hard to do when you’re already busy, but taking small actions now will inevitably move you closer to achieving your vision. Read the full show notes Links and resources Apply to the Mograph Mastermind Ruined by Design by Mike Monteiro Vivid Vision by Cameron Herold Additional resources Podcast music licensed by Big Waves sonosanctus.com dankoch.net Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative

Clients can come from many different places. In this line of work, we motion designers can take advantage of numerous resources for this. Today’s guest explains how he does it using Behance and how you can too. About Felipe Vargas Felipe Vargas is a freelance illustrator and motion designer from Chile. His specializations include designing, directing, and animating a wide range of motion projects. He also enjoys editorial illustration work. He finds many of his opportunities from his Behance page. This has led to opportunities to work with many great brands, such as Adobe, Yahoo!, The World Bank, The WHO, Facebook, Citi, JP Morgan, and many others. Breaking New Ground in Chile Felipe entered the world of motion design when it was relatively unheard of in his country. He credits his early success to a combination of having a top-notch portfolio reel, his tenacity, and luck. Today, motion design is growing in popularity in Chile. By being there from the start, Felipe finds himself well-positioned to take advantage of this new trend. Using Behance to Find Work with Many Different Clients Felipe credits a lot of his success as a freelancer to Behance. This platform creates opportunities to network that few other platforms provide. Since many clients are just as interested in your process as they are with your final product, Felipe finds that Behance is a great tool for showing how he creates his work. He credits consistency and attention to detail when using it to create a successful portfolio. Although Felipe creates a lot of work for advertisers, he also sees the value of working for a variety of client types. If you can be the first motion designer that someone works with, you can guide them through the possibilities of your creations. This gives you more freedom and opens up possibilities that may not exist elsewhere. Read the full show notes Links & Resources Download the free portfolio checklist! Find Felipe Vargas on Behance | Vimeo | Instagram Additional Resources Podcast music licensed by Big Waves sonosanctus.com dankoch.net Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative