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Graphic Design or the struggle to make it fastlane

Anything related to matters of the mind

Senhyll

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Jun 30, 2019
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Hello guys,

I searched the forum without finding exactly what I am looking for so here’s my problematic.
Apologize in advance for all my english mistakes, it’s not my mother tongue.


I’m a 27 years old dude. It’s been 3 years that I’m working as a Graphic Designer in a small Gaming Studio.
Most of these years I’ve been the only artist in the studio so I had to do every design-related task even if they were not directly my field ( I was graduated as a 3D artist).
Hopefully I’m pretty good at self-teaching so I’ve learn to use a whole variety of software like Indesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, After effects ,...
...and i loved it!

But not anymore… Those skills that I learned because we needed someone to do it, is now what I do most of the time despite the studio having engaged a new artist.
I love learning but I feel like I need to specialize. Feels like i’m just ‘ok’ in every field but not an expert in any.

I spent 4 weeks in Thailand in march with my brother.
The fact he earns twice as much money than me picking lemons in Australia, that my Boss is kinda a douchebag and that I’ve always been attracted by Asia convinced me…

… I quitted my job 2 days after coming back.

Obviously I was thinking about following the digital nomad way in Thailand.Getting back to 3D. Modelize stuff and selling them online.

But then I read the fast lane.

Boom! Game changing, mind blowing.

And now I’m lost and would like some help.

Designing stuff on photoshop, illustrator, in 3D, in 2D, animating them… I really love doing that! But I can’t find a way to make it fastlane. Can’t find how to make in following the “CENTS” principles.
I’m thinking going into digital marketting, selling stuff online and so on. It seems so much more easier and more in the “CENTS” way.
But I fear missing Designing and ‘loosing’ everything I’ve learn those past few years…



Do some of you recognize themself in my situation?
Am i wrong thinking like that? Should I keep going into graphic design and find a way to make it fastlane?
What did you do and what have you learn?

I would love to hear that. Thank you in advance.

Ps: I don’t have atm any passive income nor potential clients. I just have something like 20k on my bank account.
 
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oa92

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Jan 7, 2019
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Im a Graphic Designer and have not long completed a part time degree, I worked for various print companies doing a mixture of design, pre-press and occasionally getting hands on with the printers so I'd say I have a pretty broad knowledge of the industry.

Since reading The Millionaire Fastlane I have been in pretty much the same situation as you. Do I continue with what I know or try and find something entirely new to learn in an attempt to follow CENTS? Recently after reading a fair bit on this forum for a few months now I have decided to just simply get started on something whether it meets CENTS or not.

My main objective now is to find my first client and build from there. I am hoping it will open my eyes up to more and more opportunities, problems I can solve and I will also develop more and more skills along the way.

By not making a start on anything just because maybe it doesn't seem like a fastlane business seems to me like it will only hold me back.

Of course its always in my mind to try and build a CENTS business and I'm always trying to think of ways I can move my business into that direction but I'm not going to let it bother me for now.

One thread I have taken a bit of inspiration from recently is:
GOLD! - CHECKLIST: How to Start a Digital Marketing Agency & Hit $5K in Less than 90 Days
I am going to try and start a Graphic Design business following this business model loosely and see where it takes me.

I think ultimately what I'm try to say is don't overthink things, just get started.
 

Tourmaline

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Jun 4, 2019
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Graphic design studio?
 

theMikeFerrari

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I'm a graphic designer too, to be precise I'm a Viscomm Design student. Before I read the Millionaire Fastlane and Unscripted , I dreamt to own a graphic design agency but then on chapter 29 Unscripted MJ adviced to leave "follow your passion" mantra behind. Instead create value (especially building CENTS business) and love that process. So I decided to drop my dream and try to find something else.

But, if you want to keep pursuing on creative industry I suggest you check out a youtube channel called theFutur. I learned so much about the business of design there. Chris Do (the creator of the channel) is a person who did what he's preaching and you can trust his advices.
 
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NursingTn

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Jan 30, 2019
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From my understanding of graphic designer work, it seems to boil down to creating art or visual "interfaces" - by hand or with softwares - to convey a message to a particular audience per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What Can You Do with a Graphic Design Degree? Exploring Your Options | Rasmussen College has job titles and explanation of each job type that someone who holds a graphic design degree may excel in...

Considering these two factors, there are so many possibilities for you with your knowledge and skills.

Examples:

1) create a business that helps other businesses with their visual marketing needs, e.g. graphic design for logo, advertisement and marketing material, etc.

2) niche down on idea 1, and provide visual marketing needs for a specific group of business owners, e.g. veterinarians, dentists, non-profits that helps homess, billion dollar chain pharmacies, publishers of book covers or video game boxes, etc.

3) pick up some web development skills and combine that with your skills to create impressive artistic but useful websites for people

4) agency specializing in concept art design of business ideas for new start ups, e.g. create conceptual prototype of ideas in action like how a new carry bag for pets might look like

5) pick up some programming skills and combine with your current skills to make mind blowing graphic user interfaces for computer softwares/operating systems

6) create books with lots of art, e.g. mangas, anime, children books, etc.

7) niche down on idea 6, and create visual books for a particular audience, e.g. erotica picture books, medical illustration books to help students learn procedures, etc.

8) make awesome magazines of a particular topic or multiple topics for select audiences, e.g. bodybuilding magazine for men who want to become built, real estate highlights within your local city and partner with realtors

9) be the go-to person for graphic design needs for local homeowners, e.g. render and depict how home may look like if a new room or wall is added, color changes and how it would look if implemented

10) be the to go person for creating "what if" image scenarios for some professions, e.g. arts of what a potential criminal may look like for police and detective investigations, how dinosaurs may have looked like a long time ago, etc.

There. I gave you ten ideas. Mulled over them. Best thing for you is to realize that literally everything you see around you - from milk carton labels, color of cars, street signs, TV shows, etc. - has an artistic component to them to convey a message to you. You happen to know some skills that let you create art from your head into reality. Use those skills to solve problems, and you can't go wrong. If people use art everywhere to send a message to others, then the possibilities are endless for you to provide that creation of art.
 

Charnell

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What you could look into is creating templates & layouts for an audience. This is not a get rich quick plan, but one that you build up over time as you create assets.

Go look around creativemarket.com to see what people are creating. Magazine layouts, flyers, brochures, business cards, postcards, presentations, the list goes on.

Choose an industry and create the best assets you can for that industry. Even go so far as niching down in that industry. Say you want to start with something like restaurants. Pretty generic, so go further and choose BBQ restaurants.

Create a complete branding "pack" for BBQ restaurants. Menu layouts, business cards, logo templates, flyers, signage. Sell individually and all together in a total package.

Sell on the marketplace type websites & on your own website. Charge more on the marketplaces type websites to make up for the fees. If it is allowed on other marketplaces include a document offering to do their branding on a client relationship basis & a link back to your website as well. Get them into your ecosystem.

By not making a start on anything just because maybe it doesn't seem like a fastlane business seems to me like it will only hold me back.
This is so true.
 

Senhyll

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Jun 30, 2019
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Wow thanks guys for all your meaningfull answers!

oa92
don't overthink things, just get started.

It's definitely one of my biggest problem. Too much thinking, not enough action! Thank you for reminding that !
Better do something not respecting CENTS principles than just overthinking and not taking actions!

Tourmaline
Graphic design studio?
Thought about that yes but haven't find a way to make it detached from time yet


theMikeFerrari
I suggest you check out a youtube channel called theFutur
Seems a channel of great value! Thank you for the recommendation!

NursingTn
If people use art everywhere to send a message to others, then the possibilities are endless for you to provide that creation of art.
Man thank you for your message it's really full of value and thank you for having taken the time to brainstorm 10 ideas for me. I really appreciate. Indeed as MJ DeMarco said in FLM opportunities are everywhere, I need to strengthen my eyes!

Charnell
creating templates & layouts for an audience.
Man that's what I'm going to focus at! That's definitively something I can make a living out of it in the long time while still learning stuff and getting more skills. Why not teaching other people what I've learned too in the process!
I just need to define my niche :)
 
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