Tag: Pitching
SFF161: Starting a Brand vs Freelancing: Which Is Better?
Starting your own brand is the dream for many – but it’s not a walk in the park. In this episode of the SFF podcast, Sofia Luzon recalls the late nights of sewing, packing & shipping, talking with suppliers, and more sewing for her lingerie brand. Not only was it overwhelming, but it took 5 […]
SFF153: Fashion Freelancer Q&A: What to Do When You’re Stuck and Can’t Find Enough Time
One of the MOST common reasons aspiring fashion freelancers put off building their freelance career is not having enough time. There’s this myth that you need to find a two-hour block of time every day to “hustle” and “work your business.” And the only way most of us mortals can carve out time like that […]
SFF145: How This Textile Designer Is Charging $60/hr on Upwork
Pitching on Upwork can be tough. Despite knowing you’re THE perfect fit for a project, it can be a struggle to get the right clients. Today’s guest, Lucia, found herself in the same situation. After 6 months of failed pitches, she was left thinking, “Is this really it for me? Why can’t I be a […]
SFF141: Why I Hired This Freelancer (and then hired her again, and again, and again!)
Ever wondered what your clients & potential clients are thinking? What makes them decide to hire a freelancer from a cold pitch? What are they thinking while you’re working together? And how do they decide whether to lose your info, or hire you again (and again, and again)? In this interview with freelance graphic designer […]
SFF133 The Fashion Freelancer Who Never Wanted to Be a Freelancer
If you’ve never considered freelancing as an option for your fashion career, you’re not alone. Today’s guest, Amy, liked working in-house and was never interested in becoming a freelancer. But when she became a mom and needed just a little more work-life balance, she came face to face with how inflexible this industry can be. […]
SFF132 Fashion Freelancer Q&A: Pricing and retainers, WTF to do!?
In this Fashion Freelancer Q&A you’ll hear from Mari, a freelance knitwear designer who’s working on perfecting her pricing strategy. She’s built a successful freelance business, and she loves her work and the “limitless opportunities” that freelancing provides. But like most newer freelancers, she still has questions about charging for her services. From undercharging to […]
SFF131 How this fashion freelancer is charging $85/hr (during the pandemic!)
One of the most common myths about freelancing in fashion is that brands won’t pay a fair hourly wage. Today’s guest blows that myth out of the water–sharing how she’s been charging up to $85 an hour over the past year (yes, during the pandemic!). From tips on finding clients, to pricing, retainers, and contracts, […]
SFF130 Fashion Freelancer Q&A: What if brands think I’m an idiot?
Sometimes the thing you think you’re stuck on is just a distraction from what’s really holding you back. In this Fashion Freelancer Q&A, technical designer Jaylene asks where to find freelance clients. But over the course of the conversation, she realizes that it’s not finding the brands that’s most challenging, but putting herself out there […]
SFD126 How to Find Freelance Fashion Design Clients
Learn new strategies for finding freelance fashion design clients, charging a retainer for consistent income, and growing your freelance fashion business even when it seems like there’s no work out there. Sophia is a full-time fashion freelancer who moved from NYC to Texas and grew her freelance business–during Covid! If you’ve been struggling to find […]
SFD117 How to quit your full time fashion job and start freelancing
*Note: This episode has a slight tic on the guest’s audio that we were unable to repair. But the interview is way too good not to share, so thank you for understanding!* Freelancing is a hot topic in the fashion industry right now. With almost everyone working from home, more and more companies have realized […]
SFD103 How to Make More Money as a Fashion Freelancer (than in a full-time job)
Freelance pattern maker and product development specialist Alison Hoenes left her job after just 3½ years in the industry to pursue a freelance career. Hear how she perfected her niche, went from zero customers to a steady clientele, and within two years was making more than her full-time job–and she still works just 40 mostly-remote […]
Bonus: Freelancing Advice for the Fashion Industry
In this special episode, check out Heidi’s interview on the Spirit of 608 podcast. The interview, which originally aired in March 2018, focuses on her work as a freelance fashion designer, and Heidi doles out tons of valuable freelancing advice for the fashion industry. Heidi talks candidly about her fashion journey, sharing the highs, the […]
SFD096 Q&A: How to Become a Fashion Freelancer with Heidi & Marissa
Have you been dreaming of beginning a freelance career, but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’ve been freelancing for a while, but you still have a ton of questions! Between pricing, juggling projects, finding clients and resources, and more, it can be overwhelming to navigate the fashion freelancing world alone. In this special […]
SFD078 Working with Factories as a Freelance Fashion Designer
There are a lot of different paths to becoming a freelance fashion designer. And Heather Royer took one I’d never heard of before. Instead of working directly with brands, she got her first freelance opportunity designing for a factory in China. The best part? There are ways you can create the same freelance opportunities for […]
SFD055: Follow These 4 Tips for Enhanced Fashion Media Coverage
Fashion media coverage is a challenging area for any fashion business, but Lorraine Sanders has perfected the process after years of working as a journalist. On this episode of The Successful Fashion Designer, she discusses how to tackle fashion media and press on your own, without the use of a PR firm. Lorraine explains 4 […]
SFD049: Learn How to Create a Stellar Fashion Portfolio From a Former Under Armour Designer, featuring Leila Jalili
Few fashion professionals are as passionate and knowledgeable as Leila Jalili, my guest for this episode of The Successful Fashion Designer. She left positions with global brands such as Under Armour and 686 Technical Apparel to focus on her career as a freelance creative consultant specializing in the design, direction, and development of performance apparel […]
SFD035: How to Build Your Career as a Contract Fashion Designer (and work from home)
It’s hard to have a career as a contract fashion designer and work from home. But what if I told you it was possible to get so good that you no longer had to look for it and instead, brands came to you? In this interview, Hillary shares exactly how she did this – and […]
SFD030: How to Get Press Coverage & Publicity for Your Clothing Line
From figuring out what magazines to pitch to, what your email should say, and what to do if you don’t hear back, learn exactly how to get press coverage for your brand (even if you have no contacts, no budget, and no training).
SFD021: How to Get Funding for Your Fashion Startup
Billie Whitehouse has been called the Elon Musk of Fashion. In just 4 1/2 years, she’s launched multiple successful wearable tech products. Her most recent, Nadi X, is a line of activated yoga apparel that listens & responds to your body. In the interview, Billie shares her valuable lessons learned about getting funding, advice for […]
SFD 016: How to Get Freelance Fashion Design Jobs (using Upwork)
If you’ve ever browsed Upwork to get freelance fashion design jobs, you probably felt like it was a lot of junk and low paying gigs. But it is possible to get real projects from legit companies (who pay a fair wage). In this interview, fashion freelancer Kim shares how you can get more freelance projects […]
