Running a freelance business and summer is here

Running a freelance business is not less tricky than other ventures. One day another fellow freelancing illustrator and designer said he were surpriced i had low times in the summer, and another guy surpriced my low was in christmas. Now the difference between us three was that they were so focused on creating client work for either the christmas holidays and new year and summer tourists time of the year. They forgot their business lows were the other rest of the year. And that other time of the year was my high.

To run a business is tricky. Best would be if all year around was a constant high, which in itself sounds contradictory. A steady influx of money though is something we all need. And a variety of clients. Both big and small.

I like having vacation and rest and fuel the batteries. But it doesnt mean 2-3 months of summer totally closing down my work and sipping coffee on a beach all day. What i do when my clients close for vacation is to do other things also important in running my freelance business.

For example i can make new possible client meetings on the fly. With a more relaxed attitude over coffee and ice-cream in the summer. I can work on updating my website portfolio and looking after my other social media channels. I can create new work of art. I remember how i one year whent to London UK and enjoyed the weeks and made drawings in my sketchbook. Then back home uploaded them to my website. Those drawings became a money maker for several years as clients liked the style of work. I can do many things during the summer months. Preparing myself for what will come later on. Drawing up strategies for the fall and winter. And some clients still work, allthough not so hard during the summer and have more time for face to face meetings. Which is very rare in my type of business in Sweden, with the arrival of internet. Very much so the past 4 years. The Swedish Book Fair for example is almost right after the industrial vacations in europe. And some years it is more important to attend.

I have several projects that needs to be finished. I hope i will be able to finish some of them during the summer.

Hope the summer give me that rest and inspiration we all need.

Have a great summer!

And to those who who follow my blog and subscribe to my newletter, cheers and thank you!

Stefan Lindblad

Illustrator, artist, graphic designer
www.canvas.nu