Starting a design studio means deciding what work you can deliver and how you will work with clients. A name and a website are useful, but they need to reflect a service you can explain and carry through to completion.
Choose a service you can deliver
Start with the skills and experience you have. Define the kind of project you can take on, the deliverables and any work that needs another specialist. If you are still learning, allow time for practice and feedback before promising client work.
Build an honest portfolio
Show projects that relate to the service you offer. Explain the brief, your role and the decisions behind the design. Label concepts and self-initiated work clearly. Ask permission before publishing client work or information that is not already public.
Set up a project process
Decide how you will gather information, agree the scope, present work and collect feedback. Confirm who approves each stage. Document the final files or access you will provide so the client knows what to expect at handoff.
Understand the time the work takes
Track research, design, revisions, meetings and administration. Use that information when planning a project and discussing its scope. Different deliverables and review requirements need different amounts of time.
Make your own website clear
Explain what you do, show relevant work and give visitors a way to enquire. Keep the language specific enough for a prospective client to recognise whether you can help. A small, accurate portfolio is more useful than a long list of services you cannot yet deliver.
Learn from completed projects
Review what went well, where the brief changed and what the client needed at handoff. Improve the process before taking on more work. A studio develops through its projects, relationships and the quality of the work it can consistently deliver.
