Do you secretly have a love for color, patterns and a passion for all things design? Have you daydreamed about starting your own graphic design studio so you could be your own boss and work from anywhere in the world?! 

Well, you’re in just the right place girl! Today, we’re sitting down for a “Coffee Chat” with Nashville-based cutie, Amber Brannon of Amber Brannon Design. She’s worked on design projects for big-names like Lady Antebellum, the CMA’s & Live Nation!

We’re talking all the juicy details like…how she makes a full-time income freelancing, her top strategy for getting more clients, how she prices her services, her biggest pieces of advice for aspiring designers and so much more!

Without further adieu, click play to watch our interview with Amber below – we’re dishin’ some major girl boss inspiration today!

*The name of our Facebook Group has recently been changed from Globetrotting Girl Bosses to Bucketlist Bombshells Tribe.

In This Chat:

• How Amber got started and landed her first design job [0:00]

• What is overflow work and how to get clients with this method [0:04]

• Best practices for working with clients through the design process [0:07]

• Amber’s tips for working remotely [0:11]

• How to develop your own personal brand [0:15]

• Does a graphic designer need to have knowledge around coding or web development? [0:20]

• How Amber learned to price her services [0:24]

• Methods to approach potential clients for a re-brand [0:25]

• Creating a sustainable income and dealing with finances [0:30]

• Techniques to land referrals from your previous work [0:35]

• Amber’s game-changing biz apps [0:37]

• Getting through rough days + the importance of having cheerleaders [0:40]

• How do you explain your career path to others + dealing with judgement [0:48]

• Amber’s advice for aspiring graphic designers + quitting your 9-5 [0:55]

• What Amber had in savings before quitting + when she reached full time freelance income [1:03]

• How long it took Amber to start up her business [1:05]
Resources Mentioned:

Calendly

Freshbooks

Invision

Planoly

Slack

Google Drive

BB Design Skills Course

Creative Live

SkillShare

Harvest

Name: Amber Brannon

Current Location: After growing up in Germany and later Ohio, Amber is now based in Nashville, Tennessee!

Business: Branding, Design + Strategy at Amber Brannon Design

3 Girl Boss Must-Haves:

1. My Cheerleaders – my cheerleaders are not your rah-rah-pom-pom kinda cheerleaders, these are my rocks. My people that I call when I can’t solve a problem without talking it out, when I need someone to help encourage me because I’m beating myself up, or when I just need a swift kick in the booty on my hard days to get my groove rollin’ and to wake-up early, shower and be creative!

In the music industry, they’re called “crew.” In the restaurant industry, “cooks.” And in the agency world, they’re “project managers.” Even in the “running-a-business-by-yourself” industry… there are ALWAYS people in the background that your clients don’t see. . They’re the people that MAKE the show as great as it is to the public eye. The people that support you and help make you shine to the world!!! . Meet Gavin. . He is my “crew” that makes the show happen. . Gavin is my cheerleader, my rock, my sounding board and my shoulder to cry on. He is my sanity check when I am tempted to say “yes” when I should be saying “no.” He picks me up and puts me back together when I’m unraveling and overwhelmed. . Running a business by yourself is hard. It’s has SO MANY highs and lows. That emotional rollercoaster can become mentally draining, and fast. . Do you have someone in your life that “fills your tank” when you’re running on empty? Maybe it’s a friend, a coworker, your momma, a business coach/mentor or a loved one? . Today, promise me that you will go out of your way to thank your crew for helping you to shine to the world!! #TheShowMustGoOn! ???????????? ❤️ . . . . #creativebusiness #mycreativebiz #calledtobecreative #christiancreative #sheworkshisway #shemeansbusiness #designwithheart #graphicdesign #graphicdesigner #webdesign #web #smallbusiness #creativebusiness #mycreativebiz #newbusiness #newbusinessowner #girlboss #ladyboss #beingboss #designbusiness #nashville #business #entrepreneur #saythanks

A post shared by Amber Brannon Design (@ambrandesign) on May 31, 2017 at 5:08pm PDT

2. My Teammates – just because you’re a solo-preneur doesn’t mean you’re alone. My team consists of my photographers, developers, content strategist and project managers that I am constantly partnering with for each project to be successful. We might feel like a one-woman-circus most days, but these are the people that come into your life and business that help you achieve and take on projects SO much bigger than just you. They are not your employees, and you’re not theirs… they’re your teammates.

When was the last time you got out and networked? I mean really put yourself out there to meet some new #GalPals, build community and share your goodness with the world? . I know. It’s scary. . But you can do it. Put on your #biggirlpants, grab your fresh-off-da-press #businesscards and get your booty to a networking event THIS WEEK! . Tip: Remember, everyone else is probably scared, too, so walk in that door with the intention of making someone’s day. Want to help someone else out?! When you get there, pretty much look around the room for the girl who looks as scared as you feel and I promise, y’all will get along just fine 🙂 haha . . . . #design #branding #inspiration #fullheart #designwithheart #graphicdesigner #calledtobecreative #risingtidesociety #ladyboss #beingboss #goaldigger #amberbrannondesign #nashville #nashvilletn #nashvilleigers #nashvilledesign #creative #creatives #creativenashville #creativity #motivation #create #communityovercompetition #networking #networkingevent #risingtidesociety

A post shared by Amber Brannon Design (@ambrandesign) on May 30, 2017 at 7:05pm PDT

3. Coffee + Chocolate + Gym – Y’all, we know you can’t run a business without any of these things. Let’s be honest, we need coffee to hustle and be productive, chocolate to ‘treat yo’ self’ when you knock something out of the park or have a great success and a gym membership to sweat it out and destress from the work day.

Do you have golden hours? That time in your day when those creative juices are just flowing? Mine are from about 9am to 1pm. . After a good workout and a hot shower, I usually sit down with my black coffee around 9 or 9:30 to do a quick check of my email. Once I put my headphones in and get comfortable, I really start to get in my groove around 10:30. Laptop closed, email turned off, sketch book in hand. Not much can break me out of it. . As a result, I usually eat lunch really late, and I sit at Starbucks for waaaaaay too long. ???????????? . Sometimes, my Spotify just stops because the playlist is over. But I’m so into what I was doing, I finally look up and I’m like, “Has it been quiet this whole time?” . Or, I’m diving into design and fully consumed by what’s on the screen. My stomach will growl and I’m like, “Did I eat lunch yet?” . After a quick bite, it’s the mid-afternoon lull so I try to finish out my day with things that don’t require so much of my right-brain. Emails, invoices, follow-up with clients, maybe a meeting or two. . When are your golden hours and how are you making sure to get the most out of them? Fav playlist? Fav #coffeeshop? I want to know what’s up your sleeve! . . . . #creativebusiness #mycreativebiz #calledtobecreative #christiancreative #savvybusinessowner #sheworkshisway #shemeansbusiness #designwithheart #inspiration #graphicdesign #graphicdesigner #webdesign #web #smallbusiness #newbusiness #newbusinessowner #girlboss #ladyboss #beingboss #designbusiness #nashville #business #entrepreneur

A post shared by Amber Brannon Design (@ambrandesign) on Jun 5, 2017 at 4:27am PDT

Connect With Amber:

Amber Brannon Design Website

Instagram 

Twitter

Dive Into Our Free Course!

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Author: Cassie & Shay

Cassie and Shay are the sarcastic and sweet BFF duo behind The Bucketlist Bombshells where they teach and empower millennial women how to build an online service-based business that gives them the freedom to travel the world and live creatively. They’re also slightly obsessed with finding the best latte in each city and believe that dance parties are a cure all.