Reading · Digital Fashion Journal

Hey Fun Gs,

I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be a designer today.

The traditional route used to feel pretty straightforward. Study design, build a portfolio, get a job at an agency or brand and slowly work your way up.

But honestly... I don’t think that’s the reality anymore.

Over the past few years we’ve seen companies restructure, budgets get cut and incredibly talented creatives get laid off. It doesn’t mean they’re bad designers. It just shows how much the industry is changing.

That’s why I think it’s becoming more important than ever to build a career that isn’t dependent on one thing.

For me, that looks like wearing three different hats.

Designer - Some weeks I’m designing digital fashion for a client, or for my own personal brand.

Content creator - Other weeks I’m filming for Instagram, TikTok, Threads and X, writing this newsletter or putting together longer YouTube tutorials and LinkedIn posts.

Educator - And in between, I’m building Thr3d Academy, making tutorials on YouTube, or speaking at events.

But here’s the part that doesn’t make it into the job title. Those three hats quietly turn into about ten.

Admin. Finance. Client relations. Project management. The list goes on.

Because when you’re a creative freelancer, you’re not just doing the creative work. You’re also the accountant, the assistant, the negotiator and the person chasing an invoice at 9pm. That’s the boring bit nobody really talks about but it’s just as much a part of the job as the design work itself.

🟢 Youtube - FREE tutorials
🔵 Twitch - FREE Weekly Live Streams, every Wednesday UK 9PM
🟣 Patreon - Exclusive access to Stephy’s technical tips and industry advice
⚪ Thr3d Academy - Advanced course that will help break you into industry - sign up to the waitlist
🟡 1:1 Consultation - Personalised advice tailored to your brand - helping you implement digital fashion into your workflow

I never really planned for my career to look like this but I’m grateful it does. Not only does it make my work more varied and exciting, it also means I’m not relying on a single source of income or waiting for someone else to create opportunities for me.

Now, that doesn’t mean everyone should quit their job tomorrow and become self-employed. Far from it.

Building multiple income streams takes time, patience and a lot of experimenting. I also think it’s important to be realistic and financially prepared before making any big decisions. For me, it wasn’t about replacing one job overnight. It was about slowly building something alongside it until I felt confident enough to make the leap.

I think that’s the part social media doesn’t always show:

The years of learning.

The evenings spent building something after work.

The trial and error.

If there’s one thing I’d encourage emerging designers to think about, it’s this: how can you create opportunities for yourself instead of waiting for them to appear? That question completely changed the way I approached my career.

I recently made a YouTube video going deeper into this… how I actually juggle being a designer, content creator, and educator, and why I chose this path in the first place. You can watch it below 👇

I’d love to know...do you see yourself having one career for life, or do you think creatives are naturally moving towards wearing multiple hats?

Why every designer should have more than one income stream 🤔😊

Comments