Webflow Enthusiast - Mike Delsing
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in digital marketing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Mike Delsing, a Web Designer & Webflow Developer based in Boston, MA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Outside my full-time job as a senior digital designer, I also freelance on web design and Webflow development projects. My freelance work has allowed me to design and develop websites in various industries and fields, ranging from e-commerce to a collaboration between Monster Energy Supercross and Toyota. I love working with passionate clients to create innovative digital experiences.
Tell us about yourself
I started my design career ten years ago as a graphic designer, gaining experience in print and web. After focusing on web design for many years, I began to take on freelance web design projects. My freelance projects focus on custom design-forward concepts that push the envelope while still maintaining a user-focused experience for clients and their customers. The more work I shared online, the more like-minded clients would reach out. More recently, I have been pushing myself to learn web development in addition to my web design skills. Since learning website development using Webflow, I have loved owning projects from start to finish and seeing my vision come to Life. The variety of industries I work with and the endless capabilities of technology motivate me for every new project.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
This past year I tripled my freelance income while doing fewer hours on a smaller number of projects. Moving away from hourly pricing to quoting a flat rate for projects and offering a complete design and development package was key in upping my earning potential and keeping a good work-life balance.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Wearing all the hats in the business is the hardest and most rewarding part of being a business owner. On top of design and development, you need to do everything else, like client management, sales, bookkeeping, and marketing yourself. All while having a full-time job. Networking and connecting with other designers have helped with some of the more challenging parts of freelancing. I have built connections in the design community by sharing work online on sites such as LinkedIn, Dribbble, Instagram, and Twitter. Those connections I have made have helped me get and send project referrals and allowed for greater collaboration with people with skill sets and interests that complement mine.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Share your work! Every time I stop and start sharing online, I realize how important it is in attracting new opportunities.
- Keep learning. Being great at one thing is awesome, and being great at a lot of things is awesome-er.
- "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." – Ferris Bueller.
Where can people find you and your business?
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mike.d.design/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mdelsing06
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldelsing/
Dribbble: https://dribbble.com/m_delsing
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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