Last updated on 14th February 2026
First month of freelance life = done.
I thought it would be a good idea to document my freelance journey as a graphic designer in Shrewsbury. Not only to look back on how things unfold, but also to share a bit of the behind-the-scenes for anyone who’s interested in the highs and lows of freelance life.
August is always known to be a quiet month, especially in the design and marketing industry. At first, it looked like the worst time to make the jump, but looking back it was probably the perfect time.
It gave me a chance to slow down, step back and figure things out. In between a busy personal month – birthdays, a wedding, a few days in Harrogate, followed by All Points East festival in London – I dedicated a good amount of time to internal stuff. Getting the website up to scratch, sorting admin and systems, and laying the groundwork for freelancing were the main priorities. I also wanted to make space for learning and creativity, something that often gets pushed aside in the day-to-day.
It wasn’t all downtime and setup, though. A couple of small projects came through to keep me ticking over while laying those early foundations.
A new partnership with Lyneal Trust
One of the highlights this month was beginning a partnership with local Shropshire charity, Lyneal Trust. They’re a brilliant charity offering canal holidays for people with disabilities, with specially designed accessible boats and accommodation.
At the beginning of the month, I migrated their website and emails across to my server, as their old host was closing down. Later in the year, I’ll also be working on a full website rebuild alongside ongoing maintenance. It feels great to support such a worthwhile cause and be part of their next chapter.
Starting off with a few website rebuilds
On top of that, I’ve launched two website rebuild projects:
Wem Bowling League – Their site had become outdated and functionality was failing, so I gave it a much-needed refresh. Not only does the site look better but usability has improved, and it’s now much more secure.
Goodspace | Coworking, Hot Desking & Meeting Room Hire in Skipton – The original site was out-of-date and limited to a single page. The relaunch transforms it into a full website with more information for potential members, helping to boost visibility on Google and support their growth goals. Case study coming soon.
Why it matters to keep your website up to date
Refreshing a website isn’t just about looks. An updated site improves security and functionality, but it’s also about aligning with your current business goals. As businesses grow and shift, your website should evolve with you.
If you think your website might need an update, get in touch!
Time for creativity and learning
One thing I want to protect as I go forward in freelance life is time for creativity and learning. Over the last few years, I’ve felt like I lost a bit of that spark, and this month I’ve been keen to get it back.
I dug out my DSLR camera after years of relying too much on my iPhone. Phone cameras are brilliant, but they’ll never quite match the depth of a DSLR. That led me on to a deeper dive into photography, and I worked through Rankin’s BBC Maestro course on photography and editing to sharpen my skills.
I also joined a couple of webinars to keep building on the design and marketing side. BrightLocal’s AI and Local Search session had some really useful takeaways — I think local search is an underutilised opportunity for many businesses. And Peter Brenan’s Content to Client workshop was packed with ideas; I’m trying one of them out this coming month to see how it goes.
Looking ahead to September
The start of August was understandably quiet — starting from scratch and at a time of year when everything slows down. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting any enquiries at all. But then, within the space of two days, I had four land in my inbox. A real boost of confidence and hopefully a sign of things to come.
September is already shaping up to be busier, with a few website projects booked in and some promising new leads. That said, I still have room to take on more work – whether you’re a business looking for a freelance designer in Shrewsbury or an agency that needs an extra pair of hands on design projects.
Drop me an email at hello@studiopayne.com or connect with me on LinkedIn if you’d like to chat.
That wraps up month one. If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading – I’ll be back with another update soon.
