Join us for episode 145, our final episode of Design and Prosper. 💛 After five incredible years, we’ve made the bittersweet decision to bring our podcast journey to a close. In this deeply personal episode, we share: The pivotal moments that shaped Design and Prosper The joys and challenges of creating an online course Why we’re saying goodbye and what’s next for us This isn’t just a farewell—it’s a celebration of YOU, our beautiful design community. Thank you for listening, learning, and...

It’s official—we're opening doors to The Academy for the very last time, but, we're going out with a bang and would like to invite you to spend the entire 2025 with us! Join The Academy — it's your very last chance! https://www.designandprosper.co/theacademy We know you've got a lot to think about, so in this episode, we’re answering all your burning questions about The Academy: Q: Even though my business just started two weeks ago and I'm not super clear on my ideal business, would the...

In episode 143, we’re diving into designer questions! Question 1: Should you share personal vulnerabilities with clients? We chat about the growing trend of sharing personal stories in business and whether it’s something you should embrace. Question 2: How do you handle a demanding retainer client? One of our listeners is dealing with a client who’s taking up two to three days of their week. We discuss setting clear boundaries, creating a client portal to streamline communication, and...

In this episode we uncover the five essential pillars every design business needs. Whether you’re just starting out or have been in business for a while, it’s crucial to have these foundations in place: 1. Understand your why Get clear on your core motivation for starting a design business. This “why” will guide you, fuel your passion, and keep you focused during tough times.   2. Establish your revenue goal It's so incredibly important to balance your passion with financial stability....

In this episode, we’re diving deep into the world of client meetings. We share our best strategies for ensuring your meetings run smoothly and effectively, whether they’re in-person or virtual. We cover essential preparation tips, handling pre-meeting nerves, and we run through the six types of client meetings in a design business: 1. Discovery calls 2. Proposal Meetings 3. Brand Strategy Sessions 4. Presentation Meetings 5. Work-in-Progress Meetings 6. Production Meetings Client...

This is part 2 of a 2 part series on Print Production for Designers, so if you haven't heard episode 139, be sure to go back and listen to that! In this episode, we cover: Getting paper samples Which Pantone books we recommend The specifications we send to printers to get quotes Essential pre-print checklist How to manage payment for printing with clients And so much more With love Kris & Donna xo Have a question you'd like us to answer on an upcoming episode? You can submit it...

Today on the Design and Prosper Podcast, we’re diving into the world of print! If you’re a designer, chances are you’ll need to send a file to print at some point, even in this digital world. It can be daunting if you’re not familiar with the ins and outs of the print world, but you’re in luck because you get to tap into the minds of two experienced designers who have sent hundreds of projects off to print. We’re here to share our best tips with you so that print & production goes as...

This is an Ask Kris & Donna episode where we are answering designer questions: 1) When and how to invest in fonts versus using free fonts for client work 2) A designer is weighing up the pros and cons of rebranding their design business, and 3) Strategies for handling long-term clients when you feel like you are outgrowing them (especially when it comes to pricing!)  02:16 Designer Question 1: Paid vs free fonts – when to invest? 05:07 Font licensing and client budgets ...

Do you need help convincing clients that graphic design and branding is valuable? In this episode we reveal some awesome studies and statistics you can use to confidently showcase the benefits of design & branding.  Mentioned during the episode:  Episode 132 - The power of case studies and how they can transform your graphic design business https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/design-and-prosper/id1523004678?i=1000652815124 Siegel + Gale Simplicity...

The Design & Prosper Academy doors are open for a limited time! Come and join us and start building the design business of your dreams today. 🌈✨  https://www.designandprosper.co/theacademy   Are you wondering how to set up your graphic design business for success? In today's episode we share the results, outcomes and big transformations you can expect for your design busienss when you have the right framework in place.  A successful design business you can trust! Yes please!   Have...

Join our free live Masterclass "Pathway to Profit" and discover 5 graphic design business models that *really* work. 🚀 https://www.designandprosper.co/masterclass   This is an Ask Kris & Donna episode where we answer a question from a lovely designer, Sarah Kelly, who has asked the following question: Do clients really want to see my process work? I was taught at university to share it all, as time goes on I have been less inclined to do so. Sharing my ideation process in my client...

Join our free live Masterclass "Pathway to Profit" and discover 5 graphic design business models that *really* work. 🚀 https://www.designandprosper.co/masterclass   Are you running a design business but you’re feeling unhappy and unfulfilled? There are lots of reasons why this can be the case but in this episode we’ve identified 5 key reasons why and how to fix them.  We've been there and we’ve felt it. It can be hard to get the balance right, but over many years we have discovered some...

Join our free live Masterclass "Pathway to Profit" and discover 5 graphic design business models that *really* work. 🚀 https://www.designandprosper.co/masterclass   In today’s episode we are talking all about case studies and why they are so powerful for graphic, web and brand designers to use as part of their content strategy. We also run through exactly how to put together your own client case studies.  Case studies are such an important tool in your marketing and content toolkit - they...

Do you feel pushed for time in your graphic design business? Well in today’s episode we have 10 time saving systems you need to implement in your business to get some of your precious time back.    We cover strategies such as batching tasks, using automation and integration tools like Zapier and Dubsado, developing your inspiration and templates library, implementing a project management system and so much more. 🤗 Have a question you'd like us to answer on an upcoming episode? You...

In this ’Ask Kris and Donna’ episode we answer a question from Taylor, a graphic design business owner who is curious about whether focusing on a niche and turning away unrelated work is going to be beneficial. View the transcript here. Have a question you'd like us to answer on an upcoming episode? You can submit it here. Free resources for designers: 👀 https://designandprosper.co/free Looking to up-level your graphic design business with elevated systems, comprehensive training and...

In this episode we are talking about pricing, in particular - LOW pricing. While it can be tempting to charge lower prices for your design services, (especially when you are just starting out), there can be negative consequences for you, your client and the industry at large. Let’s chat about this! Have a question you'd like us to answer on an upcoming episode? You can submit it here. Much love,  Kris & Donna xo P.S View the transcript here. - - - - -  Free...

In this ’Ask Kris & Don’ episode we answer a very relatable question from Claire, who has a client who wants a cheaper design because they have provided a sketch of what they want.  This is a situation that most designers dread, so we chat about ways to handle client requests for budget-friendly designs while maintaining design integrity.   Have a question you'd like us to answer on an upcoming episode? You can submit it here. Much love,  Kris & Donna xo P.S View the...

In this episode we are talking about how to convince your clients to invest in branding and why it's more important than ever before for businesses to invest in professional, strategic, considered branding, even in an economic downturn.  We chat about some of the silly branding fiasco's that have been going viral and how to leverage these examples to demonstrate the importance of using the services of professional design and branding experts.   Here are the links to some of the branding...

Ever wonder what might be missing from your design estimates? In this episode, we explore 7 key elements that could be impacting your profit margins. We talk to designers all the time, and a common theme emerges: many valuable services and components of design projects don't get charged for. The beautiful, thoughtful touches you bring to your projects – they deserve to be recognized. There are countless tasks designers perform that can become overlooked. We might think, "This is just part...

In this ’Ask Kris & Don’ quickie episode we answer a question from a designer who feels held back because they believe they cannot draw. We have strong opinions on this one! Have a question you'd like us to answer on an upcoming episode? You can submit it here. Much love,  Kris & Donna xo P.S For transcript click here. - - - - -  Free resources for designers 👀 https://designandprosper.co/free - - - - - ...

Have you ever been in a pickle in your design business and wondered ’What would Kris & Don do?’  Well in a slight twist to that question, in this episode we are running through 20 things that we would NEVER do as design business owners. (You get to learn from our mistakes because YES we have done these things in the past and have realised the error of our ways.) Have a question you'd like us to answer on an upcoming episode? You can submit it here. Much love,  Kris & Donna xo ...

In this Ask Kris & Don quickie episode we answer a question from a Sinéad, who has a startup graphic design business but is looking to apply for design jobs on the side. Sinéad's big question is, do I share my business portfolio with potential employers?  Thank you Sinead for your great question!  Do you have a question you'd like us to answer on an upcoming episode? You can submit it here.   Much love,  Kris & Donna xo   P.S For transcript click here. - - - - -  ...

If you’re struggling to get clients to sign off on your design proposals and you’re worried that your prices are too high, this episode is for you! Pricing design projects can feel complex and can be also fraught with emotion — listen in to hear us explore the pricing pyschology behind what motivates some clients to say yes, and others to say no.  Click here to grab your FREE ticket for The Designer Boss Summit!  Over 3 days with 20+ international speakers you will learn and level up in...

In this Ask Kris & Don quickie episode we answer a question from a Cassandra: "Hi Kris and Donna! I don't offer website design in my branding service because it's just not in my zone of genius. So how can I offer value in a higher price range without web design included? Is it possible to not offer web design or should I be collaborating with a web designer? Thanks in advance!" Thank you Cassnadra for your great question!  Do you have a question you'd like us to answer on an...