How to be a healthy and wealthy freelancer; discussing day rates with five independent creatives

When working freelance in any industry, self-pricing can be an uncomfortable process – let alone working freelance as a creative. In an industry rife with impostor syndrome, one of our biggest hurdles is ensuring that work is compensated fairly. Any designer can fall prey to underselling themselves, not budgeting for their living expenses, or even just hoping a big client name can garner some of that (dreaded) ‘exposure.’ We don’t want that! We want to make sure freelancers are getting the pay they deserve. Whilst there is a gamut of equations required to work out the golden number, sometimes a few experienced insights and tips are exactly what we need. That is why we have reached out to five established creatives with freelance experience under their belt, and asked for some insights on how they tackle pricing their work. It goes without saying, we can’t always tackle big decisions, such as deciding our day rate, on our own. It’s easy to get caught up in our own heads when it comes to our ‘value’ – so an alternative perspective can be grounding. Luckily, in the internet age, there is a wide network of other creatives to reach out to, which is exactly the approach Jennifer Whitworth has taken. For Whitworth, landing on a day rate occurred “through a lot of trial and error,” with years of experience navigating client prices. Having made the move to full-time freelance work in 2021, the London-based designer points out that “expectations from different studios can vary quite a lot.” She continues, “it was really beneficial for me to be in touch with other freelancers who helped me gauge what is a fair balance for my experience level and skill set.” In the beginning, she was also in touch with small, independent recruiters who were helpful in judging prices objectively. A second opinion is something Aaron Dawkins wholeheartedly agrees with; “feedback is ever so helpful,” he tells us. Before reaching out to others, the Berlin-based designer starts by calculating his day rates and project costs by himself. “Then I ask others who work in the same fields, graphic design and architecture if my costs are fair for the service and standard of work I provide.” This helps to maintain realistic and fair amounts. “To be honest,” he adds, “I usually come in a little lower then others suggest I should charge. So I find it’s very helpful to find, discuss and be open with others about day rates and project costs.”