Chloe from The Chatty Freelancer and I have a habit of sitting in the car talking for ages whenever we meet up, usually after one of us has offered the other a lift home. We always end up saying we should have recorded the conversation, so this time we actually did.

So we've set ourselves some big audacious goals we want to reach in the next few months and sharing our progress in this bonus series the Chatty Diaries.

Follow along with us as we keep each other accountable where we'll be meeting up again to find out whether either of us has actually done what we said we would, which may be exactly why making this public was a terrible idea.

Listen to Chloe's podcast on Spotify

Connect with Chloe on IG

I’d love to hear what you think of this episode. Send me a message on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/designerinyourpocket_juls/ or https://www.instagram.com/thehonestdesignerdiaries/ .

I really hope you enjoy the chat.

Juls

When you’re good at listening, asking the right questions and understanding what really matters to a client, it usually makes you a better designer. It can also mean that somewhere between the brand strategy and the logo concepts, you accidentally become their therapist as well.

This week, I’m chatting with art director, brand designer and content creator Wayne Fick about the client relationships that become far more personal than either of you expected.

In this episode, we chat about:

• How designers can unintentionally become emotional support for their clients
• Why being sensitive and intuitive can be both useful and exhausting
• What happens when you introduce a boundary after a client has become used to constant access
• Why skills swaps need an agreed value on both sides
• Pricing work when you’re worried about where the next project is coming from
• Dealing with micromanagement and clients who question every design decision
• Becoming a content creator and YouTuber later in your career
• Staying open to new technology without pretending every new tool is wonderful
• Finding thoughtful, practical uses for AI while still questioning its effect on creative work

You can find Wayne under Created by Wayne on
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@createdbywayne
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/createdbywayne/

visit createdbywayne.com, and subscribe to his weekly Meaningful Creationist newsletter.

Hannah Walker didn’t set out to become a content creator. She studied fashion design, worked in London and New York, then found herself back in the UK wondering what the next version of her career might look like.

Hannah also shares how she plans content around big events without spending the entire trip staring at her phone, why she hasn’t forced herself into one very specific niche and how she’s attracting collaborations through the content she already enjoys making.

There’s also plenty about procrastination, late-night working, filming yourself in public and the reality of having to give yourself all the encouragement and validation you once got from a creative team.

You can find Hannah on Instagram and TikTok at @htwcreative, or connect with her on LinkedIn by searching Hannah Walker.

I’d love to hear what you think of this episode. If you’ve listened and any part of Hannah’s story resonated with you, send me a message on Instagram at @‌designerinyourpocket_juls or @‌thehonestdesignerdiaries.

I really hope you enjoy the chat.

Juls