Episode Overview
Louise Ryan was a solo freelance footwear designer—and then her business exploded. With her client roster full and her weekends buried in work, she knew something had to change. Now, she’s scaling her one-woman operation into a niche footwear agency, training freelancers, and dreaming bigger than ever before.
In this episode, Louise shares the behind-the-scenes of what scaling actually looks like: the scary mindset shifts, the strategy calls, and even the fears that held her back. We talk about growing beyond capacity, turning down a full-time offer, and how she’s positioning herself as the go-to footwear foresight expert.
If you’re wondering what’s on the other side of being fully booked, Louise’s story shows exactly what it takes to go from solo to scaling.
Resources
209: From £4k to £12k A Month: How this Freelance Footwear Trend Consultant Did it!
Episode Highlights
- From maternity leave to booked out: Louise recaps her rapid growth after returning to freelance work
- The breaking point: Why being too busy forced her to rethink her business structure
- Hiring her first freelancers: What she outsourced, and how it’s going so far
- How LinkedIn helped her land premium clients: Her exact strategy for visibility
- Turning down a full-time job: And the client response that changed everything
- Why she’s investing in coaching: For mindset, strategy, and bigger vision
- Her long-term dream: Building the first foresight + design footwear agency
- The mental shift of letting go: What made her finally delegate work
- Balancing growth with motherhood: The boundaries she’s setting now
- Celebrating wins: How she’s learning to pause and appreciate progress
Key Questions & Guest Answers
Q: What made you realize you were at capacity?
A: I was working weekends, turning away projects, and constantly overwhelmed—I knew I had to grow or burn out.
Q: Why did you start hiring freelancers?
A: I needed help with research and prep work so I could focus on higher-level strategy and client relationships.
Q: What held you back from building a team sooner?
A: Fear. I’d worked solo for years and had some trauma from toxic team environments—but I’m moving past that.
Q: How did your clients react when you considered a full-time job
A: They rallied to keep me—offering up to 18 months of work to stay freelance. That was a huge turning point.
Q: What strategies helped you land more premium clients?
A: LinkedIn. I showed up with insights, niche-specific content, and made myself visible to the right people.
Q: What’s your big vision now?
A: To launch the first design and foresight agency focused solely on footwear—no one else is doing it.
Q: What’s been the hardest part about scaling?
A: Delegating. Briefing freelancers takes time, and I had to let go of perfection and control.
Q: How has coaching helped you grow?
A: It’s helped me build confidence, have harder conversations, and start thinking like a business owner—not just a freelancer.
About Louise
Louise is an exceptional creative thinker, designer, and trend forecaster who is passionate about the footwear industry. Her drive to stay up-to-date with the latest innovations and fully comprehend the entire process of footwear design and development is truly inspiring. By collaborating with global trend agencies, brands, and factories, she can provide valuable insights that will shape the future of this dynamic industry. future of this dynamic industry.
Connect with Louise
Email her at louise@larcreative.com
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