The Freelancing Life With Emily Redfearn

On this episode of Build Better Brands, Danielle Clarke is joined by Emily Redfearn, independent illustrator, animator and designer, to talk about her business which she started in 2020 after becoming a freelancer at a very difficult time.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• It’s taken me a long time to develop my own style and it is something that’s ever changing and evolving, but it’s something that so many people struggle with. Some people like your style to be diverse where others want to hone in on a specific visual aesthetic and everyone wants to be unique and different. But, it’s inevitable in this day and age that nothing’s entirely unique or different, some things will break that mould. But something I’ve come to realise is that I should be doing what makes me happy rather than what’s going to change the world and how can I be immortalised?
• I can’t choose what my favourite piece of work for a brand is. I’ve always been in quite varied roles doing multiple things. I love doing book covers, I love doing animations, I really enjoyed the documentary I worked on for Quorn, but it’s really hard to say because there are different benefits to all of them.
• One of the biggest challenges as a freelancer is making time for yourself, giving yourself the boundaries between work and personal and letting yourself have that holiday, whether it’s a day or a week. It’s easy to neglect if you run your own business, you want to succeed and get more work.
• I wish I’d thought about budgeting for tax better, it’s something people don’t really talk about. It needs to be like a bill you pay every month to put aside for your tax and pension. But, I have an accountant who helps me to take a portion off each job to put aside now rather than leaving it til I needed to pay it and scraping it all together. Maths has always been such a struggle for me and I think it is the same for a lot of creatives.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Who am I trying to please? Is it the art directors, clients, my peers, is it something where people will remember me and is bigger than myself? Asking those questions has got me nowhere, in the end I’ve thought about what makes me happy? What do I enjoy doing the most? Through a process of elimination, I’ve found what’s most fun for me to do: animation, fruit character, character design, illustration.’

‘You can’t force things; you’ve got to try it ‘til it feels right.’

‘The five-day working week doesn’t work today, what the hell’s that about?! I can’t imagine doing a regular week, 9-5 with an hour break. I like a two hour lunch so I can go on a long walk with the dog.’

‘Set yourself lists to do so you don’t go to bed and can’t sleep because you’re thinking about what you’ve got to do.’

ABOUT THE GUEST

Emily Redfearn is an illustrator, animator & designer based in Sheffield, UK. Some of the work Emily has been commissioned for ranges across TV documentaries, TV commercials, social/digital advertising, OOH advertising, GIFs & animations, hand drawn murals, branding assets and infographic designs.

Previously Emily has created work for Vodafone, Intel, Quorn, Beauty Kitchen, True North Brewery Co, Heist Brewery Co, Bodog, DCMS, The Leadmill, Terrace Goods, Lucky Fox, Crooked, Hooch, The Scout Association, Sheffield Hallam University, Grimm & Co, Dig Deep, Printed by Us, Cathedral Archer Project and more.

Website: https://www.emilyredfearn.co.uk/

Tag for all social media: @emredfearn

Email: emily@red-fearn.co.uk

ABOUT THE HOST

Danielle Clarke is a Brand and Marketing Consultant, University Lecturer and Business Owner.

Since 2006 Danielle has provided brand design and marketing support for clients including Škoda, Gtech, UK Biocentre, UK Mail and GIRLvsCANCER Danielle is committed to helping brands that want to have a positive impact on people’s lives. She spends her time consulting and working with business owners to help them attract and retain their best customers.

Insta - @danielleclarkecreative | [https://www.instagram.com/danielleclarkecreative/]

LinkedIn - [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-clarke-creative/]

Twitter - @D4nielleCl4rke | [https://twitter.com/D4nielleCl4rke]

Email - hello@danielleclarkecreative.com

Website: www.danielleclarkecreative.com

This show was brought to you by Progressive Media

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.