How To Start A Graphic Design Business From Home

Want to start a graphic design business from home so that you can have control of your schedule and spend more time with your family?

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How I Started Selling Graphic Design Services

You may be thinking, what makes me qualified to talk about building a business when there is tons of advice out there on how to start your own graphic design business?

You see, I’ve started and grown many businesses. Many failed, while one of the more successful ones happened to be a graphic design service.

My love for graphic design started in my University days when I helped the Sports Club with a bimonthly magazine. Those days, I learned about how to create a 30-page magazine from scratch both as a chief editor and creative leader.

I remember staying up for nights and days and working on the magazine in between lectures and tutorials.

After the magazine is created digitally, I worked with printers to produce them as hardcopies and distributed them around the campus.

I knew I was onto something, so sometime after graduating from University, I started graphic design freelancing and incorporated a company in 2005.

At that time, I was single, had no kids, was broke, and made $0 profit because I gave my design services away for free to let people try me out.

My paper qualifications are not related, so I am a self-taught designer until today.

I only had $100 in the bank and did free self-promotion like cold-callings. Then one call got me through to Pearson Education, a big publisher that was a monopoly in Singapore education books those days.

I got my first $6000 in one day and never looked back. This small win made me realise I can make an income doing something I enjoy and what I’m good at doing.

Over my freelance years, I’ve built a 5 to 6-figure business, as a solo owner/designer.

Now married with kids, I have grown and productized my agency into a recurringly profitable business. I hire contractors from anywhere in the world as long as the team member is able and willing and has internet access.

I’m able to spend full-time with my family, travel, windsurf, grow the business, sleep, fall sick, and do anything I want while the business is running independently.

With all these years of experience, I must say the business of design is not something you can learn in school. You can academically make your way to becoming a designer, but if you want to start a design business, you will have to pick up the skills of 80% sales and marketing versus 20% design-related skills.

And, that’s why, if you want to start a profitable graphic design business, you’ve come to the right place.

What is a graphic design Service business

Graphic design is the process of creating visuals to communicate a message. When you start a graphic design business, you are generally helping other people and/or businesses to create these visuals.

It becomes a business when you set an agreed price to bill your clients in exchange for your time, effort and expertise to create these visuals. In other words, you are doing client work.

And these visuals can be placed on posters, t-shirts, logos, brochures, images and marketing materials for promotional purposes.

There are tons of graphic designers out there just like creators and solopreneurs. In order to start a graphic design business, profit from it and sustain, one has to understand business.

This is a service business where you create deliverables based on the clients’ requirements rather than creating your own products to sell.

You can do this solo as a one-person business, outsource or build small or large teams to support your clients.

If you are creating graphic design templates and selling them on your website or other platforms like Etsy, Gumroad and Creative Market, it can also be considered as a graphic design business, just not a service business.

Graphic design businesses typically are born out of freelancers providing a service. Those who run a business creating and selling digital products like graphic design templates, I’d call them digital product designers running a digital product design business.

In this case, throughout this guide, I’d use the term “Graphic Design Business” to mean “Graphic Design Service”.

Should you start a graphic design Business in 2025?

Even with AI (Artificial Intelligence) stealing the show? For sure, I would say YES! Graphic design can still be a profitable business.

Often, when I mention selling graphic design service, people have an array of reactions. Some people are genuinely intrigued while others show skepticism.

I’m a walking success story of “still running a graphic design business”, and yes, I’m not only surviving, but thriving well.

Here’s a screenshot report of the 34.62% growth in income in the earlier days between 2016 and 2017:

On the skeptic end, these are some of the questions I get to answer:

Who needs graphic design Help when there’s Canva

Why would anyone pay to someone else to do design work? Canva is already so easy to use, wouldn’t people rather do it themselves?

Here’s the thing. Not everyone likes to or even wants to spend time to create designs although they have to. For some of us, we enjoy creating design work.

But this is not for everyone. To many of them, designing a marketing asset is considered tedious. For those who do not enjoy the process of designing something, they’d rather fork out money for someone more qualified than them to do it.

I’ve helped people from solopreneurs to those from 8-figure companies. No matter how large or small, many of them look to outsource graphic design work so that they can have their assets created while they are dealing with their core work at the same time.

With easy-to-use apps like Canva, they can easily pick a template and change out the content to their own. But that also takes time

And more businesses are using social media as their main marketing channels. Using social media as a distribution channel needs lots of compelling graphics. That’s where graphic design services come in.

Isn’t AI able to replace graphic designers soon?

Based on Murphy’s Law, if you think AI will replace graphic designers in future, then it will.

I have nothing against AI, in fact I use it every day.

AI complements graphic design very well as it can help to work on the repetitive tasks, leaving designers to do the creative and strategic work.

Even with AI, people and other businesses still need experts with the eye for design to apply graphics to their assets.

Design tasks with AI still takes time and effort, and here’s where graphic designers can come in to do the heavy lifting for them.

Step 1: Get Clear On Your Goals

“Fuzzy goals lead to fuzzy results” – Chris Do

Here’s the thing, if you don’t know what you want, you won’t have a destination, which means you will be moving in circles without a definite sense of direction.

There are many viable businesses you can build.

Before you start designing logos and brainstorming business names, take a step back and ask yourself: What am I really trying to achieve?

Starting a graphic design business isn’t just about being creative, it’s not a school project or a hobby. It’s about building something that aligns with your goals, values, and lifestyle. Clarity now will save you a lot of frustration later.

Let’s start with your vision. What does your ideal business look like? Are you dreaming of being a solopreneur who works flexible hours and takes on projects you love? Or do you want to grow into a full-fledged agency with a team of designers?

Maybe you’re starting small with a side hustle, or perhaps this is your plan to replace your 9-to-5 job. Whatever it is, get specific about what you want. Having a clear vision gives you a roadmap, so you’re not just winging it as you go.

Next, think about your financial goals. Be realistic but ambitious. How much do you need to earn each month to pay your bills, save for the future, and maybe even treat yourself to a weekend getaway? Let’s say your goal is $5,000 a month. If you charge $1,000 per project, you’ll need five clients a month. Is this the income you’d want to make?

If you want to increase your income, can you do that with a graphic design business?

Finally, understand your why. Why do I want to do this? What’s driving me to start this business? Is it to become rich and famous? More flexibility to spend time with kids? A passion for design?

I always use the five whys, a technique used by Taiichi Ohno at Toyota.

There are some criticisms of it as not being comprehensive to find the root cause.

But I find it effective enough to give me a good reason to start my graphic design business.

Here are my five why questions:

1. Question: Why do I choose graphic design?
   Answer: I’m good at it, I love designing and people are asking me to help them with it.
2. Question: Why can’t I choose to work for a company as a graphic designer?
   Answer: I don’t want to be stuck with other company’s way of working.
3. Question: Why would you not want to follow another company’s way of working?
   Answer: I want to design my business and life in my own terms.
4. Question: Why do you want to live in your own terms?
   Answer: The ability to make any income I want is more attractive than seemingly stable job and fixed income.
5. Question: Why do you think you can make more income living your own terms?
   Answer: I feel stifled when chained to another company’s schedule, goals and decisions. Living my own terms to making a living gives me the freedom to control my own time and space.

Your “why” is your anchor, it’ll keep you going when challenges arise.

These questions and thoughts are not to dissuade you, but to prompt you to get clearer of what you want and the decisions you should make. You may want something that a graphic design business couldn’t provide or may be able to provide.

You don’t wish to spend years putting your head down working towards something you don’t want. By the time you realised this, many opportunities may have slipped by.

Most importantly, building a business is not for the faint-hearted. Every business owners goes through tough times. In difficult moments, it can be tempting to give up. But with a clear starting point with your goals laid out right at the get-go, they will give you the motivation and focus to pull you out from the rut and stay on course.

Take some time to write all this down. Your goals don’t have to be perfect or set in stone, but this is something you must do and be serious with, more than anything else in the business.

Step 2: Finding Your Design Niche

As a graphic designer, finding your niche is about leveraging your specialised expertise.

This is for you to help the right clients who are experiencing a certain pain point that you have solutions for.

Why Narrow The Number of People to Target?

Focusing on a niche sounds counterintuitive.

I used to wonder why would anyone advise newbies to narrow the number of people to work with. Isn’t it reducing your chances of targeting more leads and clients?

Truth is, if you try to sell to everyone, you sell to no one. The secret is in grouping or categorising people with a common pain. Targeting a niche is not about going for a small volume of people to target.

A niche can include any number of people from 1 to millions or billions, or more.

So the words “niching down” refers to just filtering people who are looking for the same solution from the rest who are not.

That said, I know many beginners overthink and spent too much time deciding on a niche, they never got started with their business.

In this case, before you settle on a niche, it’s totally okay (actually, it’s pretty wise) to explore a bit.

Take on a few different projects and see what sticks.

Early in my freelance career, I said “yes” to a range of clients: a jewelry brand, a wellness coach, a financial advisor, a hip-hop producer.

Some projects were a better fit than others, and that’s how I learned what I really wanted to focus on.

For a start, you don’t have to commit to a niche right out of the gate and you don’t have to worry which niche is profitable or not. Give yourself permission to play the field and gather data on what feels right.

But you have to eventually do it. Don’t take too long, give yourself a timeline and pick one just to start.

So long you can find 3 to 10 clients who need your service, you are able to start making a decent income.

Once you’ve got that going with enough cashflow, then you can start doubling down on one.

How I Found My Design Niche (And How You Can Find Yours, Too)

When I first decided to go solo as a graphic designer, I remember feeling completely overwhelmed. It seemed like I had to be great at everything, branding, web design, packaging, illustration, motion graphics, you name it.

My portfolio looked like a buffet of styles and projects, and while it was cool to show I could handle different things, it also made it hard for potential clients to understand what I was really great at.

Finding my niche changed everything. It helped me stand out, attract clients who actually got me, and feel more confident about the direction of my work. If you’re just starting your own solo design journey and trying to figure out your “thing,” here’s what helped me narrow down my focus, and hopefully it’ll help you, too.

In this section, I will share how I found my niche so you can do the same and start making money from home in just 7 days.

1. Consider Your Passions and Strengths

Back when I started, I tried to pay attention to the projects that genuinely lit me up. For example, I noticed I had a blast working on brand identity packages, creating logos, setting color palettes, and developing a brand’s overall visual style.

I enjoyed web design, sure, but not quite as much as that initial brand discovery phase. It became clear that I was most excited when helping startups shape their look and feel from the ground up.

Ask yourself: Is there a particular type of design project you do that gives you “flow?” You know, the feeling where you lose track of time because you’re so into it? That might point you toward your niche.

2. Think About Who You Want to Work With

I realized early on that I loved the energy of small-business owners, especially those launching something new. They were excited, a little nervous, and super appreciative of guidance. Over time, I refined that even further and started focusing on sustainable lifestyle brands, companies whose values aligned with mine and who appreciated thoughtful, handcrafted visuals.

Try narrowing down the type of client you want to serve. Is it tech startups? Local bakeries? Non-profits? Getting specific can help you find a niche that resonates with both your passions and your target audience’s needs.

3. Embrace the Story You Bring to the Table

Your niche often comes down to the unique blend of your personal interests, your design talents, and your life experiences. Maybe you come from a background in hospitality, so creating visuals for restaurants feels natural. Or perhaps you’ve always been a fan of minimalist home décor, so working with interior designers and furniture brands fits like a glove.

Don’t underestimate the power of your personal story. Clients love working with someone who “gets” their industry or shares their enthusiasm.

4. Look at the Market

Finding a niche isn’t just about what you love, it’s also about where your skills can fill a gap. Please don’t start a business only out of your passion.

If it’s a business, it includes exchanging your services and knowledge for money, not a glorified hobby. This means your decision has to depend on the market where demand and supply forces come together.

I started to notice that while there were plenty of designers who could crank out logos, fewer specialized in helping extreme sports tell their story visually. I saw a sweet spot where I could bring my passion for sports into my work. That’s when I leaned into that niche, brand identities for the sporting communities.

Try to identify a need in your market. Maybe there’s a surge in personal wellness brands needing cohesive social media templates, or a growing industry looking to refresh their outdated packaging.

If you can spot that gap and enjoy working on those kinds of projects, you’ve found a niche that’s ready for you.

5. Stay Flexible as You Grow

Finding your niche isn’t a one-time event. Your interests might evolve, new markets may pop up, and you could discover a some other new-found passion down the road. That’s totally normal.

Over time, I’ve fine-tuned my niche a million times, and I might do it again as trends and interests shift. Think of your niche as something that can grow and adapt with you.

Step 3: Create a Portfolio

Now that you’ve decided on your niche, it’s time to create a range of work that your ideal clients or audience are looking to create.

A portfolio is a must not just for show, but it’s a way to show clients that you’ve done something similar to what they want and can deliver it promptly without any handholding. This helps them trust you more as a professional than if you don’t have it.

This trust is crucial because they don’t want to waste time and money working with you to find that you are not the right designer for them. It’s all about the return of investment (ROI) for them.

1. Quality > Quantity

First, focus on quality over quantity. Don’t feel like you need to have 100 projects in your portfolio. 10 pieces is a good number, but most importantly, you will have to provide high-quality work that truly reflect your skills, style and for the right niche.

They shouldn’t be rushed work without careful thought process or make you look desperate for work.

I know, you are starting out and may not have past work to show. In my early days, I used to lug my Sports Club magazines around to show potential clients.

If you have something similar, carefully select pieces that you’re proud of and that align with the type of clients you want to attract. For example, if you’re aiming to work with beauty brands, don’t show them work related to construction. If they are companies that create only labels and offline materials, show them designs on products, printed cards, not social media posts.

2. Create Mock Projects

If you don’t have client work yet, don’t worry, you can create your own. Come up with mock projects for imaginary clients, redesign existing brands, or develop concepts for businesses in industries you’d like to work with.

You could create a new logo and packaging design for a coffee shop or a social media campaign for a fitness brand.

Don’t forget to provide context for each project. A simple image of your work is great, but what really sells it is the story behind it. This allows your prospect to know you’ve a thoughtful process behind your creation.

Include a brief description of each project, explaining the client’s problem (or your imagined brief), the creative process, and the results. Did you help a client grow their business? Did your design solve a particular problem? Highlight the impact of your work wherever possible.

The results of your work will help position you differently from the sea of graphic designers out there.

3. Present Portfolio

Next, use a clean layout and organize projects into categories. When hiring designers, I’ve seen many of them showing their portfolio as individual images inside Google Drive folders.

It’s a great way to store the design files, but it’s not the right user experience for people to browse work in folders.

I had to click a folder that opens up to many images and click each image to see the work. Then, close the folder and open up another folder to see the next batch of images.

The process was tedious and slow. Most people will not even look, close the browser and hop to the next candidate. Don’t do anything to deter potential clients from giving your work attention.

I used to send my portfolio to prospects as a simple PDF via email. The email will have the PDF reduced in file size as an attachment and also a link to the higher resolution version (which is too big to attached to the email).

You can save the PDF in Google Drive, copy the file link and paste it in the email. When your prospects click on it, their browser opens up with one PDF.

If they have trouble, they can view the attached PDF instead. They just have to scroll up and down and see everything in a glance. This ensures nothing will stop them from looking at your work.

Another way is to build a simple website, which can be done so easily and quickly these days with Caard, Canva, WordPress, Framer, Webflow and more. You can send the webpage link to your prospects and they can browse it on the go.

As you grow your business and complete new projects you can add updated work, swap out older work for newer, more relevant pieces.

Your portfolio should always reflect your best and most current skills.

Step 4: Set Your Pricing

Deciding on how to price your graphic design service can be confusing and overwhelming, especially when you’re starting out.

I’m sure you’ve seen top freelancers and agencies charging 5-figures while there are designers on Fiverr pricing at just $50 per project.

Here’s the thing:

You can price your service anyway you want and it’s never set in stone. I’ve changed my pricing countless times since 2005.

I wanted to keep experimenting and testing various rates and how they affect my business.

That’s what I call building a business on your own terms baby!

The key is finding a balance between valuing your work and being competitive in the market. Let’s break it down.

First, understand that pricing isn’t just about numbers, it’s about value.

Clients are paying you for what’s important to them:

1. Expertise
2. Speed
3. Time

Expertise + Time + Speed → Results

So, step one: recognize your worth. You’re not just “playing around with colors and fonts”; you’re providing a professional service to save people’s time and make their money work for them.

Now, decide between hourly rates, flat fees, or value-based pricing.

• Hourly rates: Charge based on the time you spend on a project. This works well for clients who need ongoing work, but it can be limiting because it doesn’t reflect the real value of your expertise. I don’t recommend this at all, but I started with this when I didn’t know better. You may start with this to test things out.
• Flat fees: Charge a fixed amount for a specific project. This is great for clarity. Both you and the client know what to expect.
• Value-based pricing: Set your price based on the results or value your work will bring to the client. For example, if your branding helps them grow their business significantly, your price reflects that potential impact.

Next, research your market. What are other graphic designers charging? Look at designers with a similar experience level and niche to get a sense of what’s reasonable.

Don’t try to undercut everyone’s rates. Instead, focus on positioning yourself as a designer who provides great value for the price.

Be transparent with your pricing. Clearly outline what’s included in your packages or rates to avoid scope creep (where the client keeps asking for “just one more thing”). For example, if you’re designing a logo, specify how many revisions are included, whether brand guidelines come with it, and so on.

Finally, don’t be afraid to adjust as you grow. Your prices should reflect your experience, skills, and the demand for your services. Start where you’re comfortable, but remember: as you build your portfolio and confidence, your rates can (and should!) increase.

Step 5: Get Your First Client

Now the exciting part, where you get to do real work and make some money out of it.

Before that, I want to say that you have to believe in yourself, otherwise, nobody will.

You don’t need to have years of experience or become famous to land that first gig. You just need to put yourself out there and showcase your value.

Here’s how to make it happen:

Pick The Lowest Hanging Fruits

Your first client might be closer than you think. Start with your existing network! Friends, family, former colleagues, these are all potential leads.

I used to scour through all my emails and contact lists and reach out to them.

The closest friend would have known what I’ve been doing for sure.

Some of them didn’t even need to look further, immediately gave me projects to help them with their marketing collaterals.

They will want to work with you because they trust you more than strangers. They wouldn’t want to spend more time sourcing, haggling with quotes and going through the discovery stage.

Ask for Referrals

Reaching out to your immediate contacts is always best, it’s a warm outreach and they already know you.

“But they don’t need graphic design!” I hear you because I got a lot of messages like that. Here’s the thing, most times, my immediate friends and family are not the ones using my service, but people they know.

When you let your network know what you do, your name is the first thing that pops up in their minds when their own network asked them to recommend a graphic designer to them.

Instead of just letting go of the conversation, ask them for referrals instead, “Who else you know may need such a service?’

Referrals and recommendations are the best ways to start because people trust what people say about other people than what they say about themselves.

Also, you may now already have a few projects on hand. Once you complete your each project, it’s a good time to ask your clients for referrals. Happy clients are often more than willing to recommend you to others in their network.

Tap Into Social Media

Social platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok are existing places to find clients.

Take one day to just batch create your content with the mock portfolios you’ve already done. Pick one platform and post one content a day to start.

Don’t do this on more than one platform for now, because when you do this for months on end, you will start getting burned out and left less time for client work.

Just stick with one platform for 6 months and review your results before considering to start a new platform.

I did this on LinkedIn by putting up content about improving the websites of famous brands and design tips.

Doing this for a few months led to clients reaching out to work with me. There were many times I reached out to prospects, but the bulk of them who turned into clients were those who saw my LinkedIn posts and reached out to me.

Business Communities

The best thing about business communities is those who get involved will know everyone in there has at least one thing in common.

In this way, it’s not awkward for anyone to reach out to others to just say “Hi! How’s business?”. When you are in the same community, there is a higher chance that you can be trusted.

Also, it’s easier for you to get your name to be recognize and for people to ask you for help. I was micro-famous in several small Facebook Groups before and that helped for people to know who I was and how they could work with me.

These groups were not huge at all, only at most 200 members and that’s the secret about them.

I’d recommend not to go for groups that are larger than that because it’s harder to get yourself known. Chances are, you will find many more graphic designers in these groups.

I was in small groups like 7-day Startup and 90-day Launch Academy.

And you know what? I was the only designer in both groups.

So when anyone has any question related to websites, designs, and techie stuff, I would always chime in, and I was always the only one!

Do strategically look for communities like this, so that whenever they need professional help, it became a no-brainer for them to look for you.

Use Social Proof

As you go from project to project, always make it a point to ask clients for testimonials. I use Senja for that. They have template questions that can help prompt your clients to provide the right words so that others can relate to what they want from a graphic designer.

With the testimonials, put them up on your website and weave in between every content you are posting on social media.

They may sound like you are bragging, but look at it this way, if you don’t do this, who will?

Instead of plain showing the testimonials, you won’t look like you are bragging if you add in your work process, results and lessons learned working with that specific client.

For example, in my case, I have a client who is specialised in a water sport. Having to create the logo is not easy because I had to make it look clean and corporate, yet intense with water splashes.

But when I managed to do that, the client loved it and gave me a raving review. Together with the testimonial, I’d add on to say “this is a sweet review, but we went through a series of hard decisions between these logo drafts”. Then, include the rejected logo drafts.

In this way, you will come across as helping others learn how to go through the process of creating logo options, making mockups, making revisions and how to decide which logo works.

Potential clients who are looking for graphic designs will be searching online, on social media, and come across your post with such lessons. They will see that you know what you are doing and those who love your process will want to work with you.

Tools and Costs of Starting a Solo Graphic Design Business

One of the best and lowest hanging fruit business to start is a service business. The main reason is because the upfront costs are the least if you compare it with other types of businesses.

As for my experience when I first started my graphic design business, my rough cost was about $1000 per month. In the earlier days, there were less online tools I could leverage. It’s a different landscape today.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the items that I recommend for you to consider investing to start your business:

1. Hardware

• High-Performance Computer: $1,000–$2,500 (A powerful laptop or desktop capable of running design software smoothly. Can be on the lower end if you go for a Windows PC; Mac setups often cost more.)
• Monitor (If not included): $200–$800 (High-quality, color-accurate monitors can range widely in price.)
• External Hard Drives / Backup Solutions: $100–$300
• Graphics Tablet (Optional): $100–$400 (Wacom or similar brands for illustration and detailed retouching work.)

2. Software

• Adobe Creative Cloud Subscription: Approximately $55–$80 per month (or about $600–$960 per year) (Includes Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and more. Rates can vary based on promotions and business plans.)
• Stock Assets, Fonts, and Mockups: I use FreePik from $8.90 per month. For $24 per month you get unlimited downloads
• Templates and Fonts: I recommend Envato Elements, from $16.50 per month, unlimited downloads
• Cloud Storage and Email: I use Google Workspace, Gmail and Google Drive at $30+ per month in total
• Helpdesk: I use Freshdesk at $0-$59
• Real-time Communication: I use Slack from $7.25 per month
• Appointment Scheduling: I use Calendly from $0-$20 per month with Zoom (free version)
• Task Management: I use Asana from $10.99 per month
• Payment: I use Thrivecart at $495 one-time payment for a lifetime. Stripe has to be connected to Thrivecart and it takes a 3.4%+$0.30 fee per transaction
• Accounting and Invoicing Software: $10–$50 per month (e.g., QuickBooks, FreshBooks)

3. Website and Online Presence

• Domain Name: $10–$20 per year
• Web Hosting: I use Cloudways and you can get it about $5–$20 per month. It doesn’t include email, and for that I use Google Workspace
• Website Theme for Portfolio: I use WordPress with Elementor at $3-$23 per month
• Landing Page If You Don’t Want a Full Website: I recommend Carrd at $9-$49 per year

4. Branding and Marketing

• Logo and Visual Identity (If you don’t design it yourself): $0–$500+
• Business Cards and Printed Collateral: $50–$200
• Online Advertising (Optional, to get initial clients): $100–$500+ per month (highly variable)
• Professional Associations or Networking Events (Optional): $50–$200 per year
• Email Marketing: Kit (previously ConvertKit) from $0-$29 per month with add-on fee from 1000 subscribers onwards

5. Business Registration and Admin Fees

• Business License and Registration: $50–$300 (Depending on your city/state)
• Liability Insurance (Optional but recommended): $200–$500 per year

6. Office Space (If Needed)

• Home-based: I’ve always been working from home at $0 additional overhead (beyond what is already pay for rent/utilities)
• Internet: $10-$30+ per month
• Co-working Space: $100–$500+ per month, depending on location and amenities
• Dedicated Studio Office: $500–$2,000+ per month, depending on city and size

I’d say, if you are a solo graphic designer working from home and do minimal paid advertising, monthly expenses often hover around $100–$300. If you add in more aggressive marketing or rent a co-working space, costs can climb into the $300–$700 range.

If you were to run your business in a small studio in a high-cost location, that could push monthly costs over $1,000, but I find this is not necessary especially for a solo starter.

In short, here’s what you need roughly to start:

• Lean Budget: Around $100–$200/month
• Moderate, Comfortable Budget: $200–$500/month
• More Established Setup with Marketing and Space: $500–$1,000+/month

How much money can you make by selling graphic design services

When friends and family asked me what I can earn by building my own graphic design agency, I always reply with this: “The sky’s the limit”.

True story! When I first started in 2005, I made $80 to $100 within a month creating signage for apartment pools and landscapes.

Then, existing clients recommended me to their network and friends. That helped me grow my income to 4-figures a month, then 5-figures a month and more.

There is an income ceiling when I hit the number of hours I could work on the clients I have. This was when I maxed out my fullest capacity to work on any more projects.

I started to burn out as I was trying to take on more work and giving myself the pressure to give my best quality to all my clients.

Then came a time when I had to scale down the volume of work and increase my rates per work or per client so that my income will still be growing.

As I kept at it, I realised there’s also a ceiling to this, because there is so much rates increment I can make.

Many clients couldn’t afford and ended up working with other designers.

That was fine so long they managed to get good help.

But I knew I had to rework my business model and work process so that I could remove that income ceiling.

Long story short, the sky’s the limit came about when I started to productized my services that helped streamlined my processes.

This allowed me to hire a team of designers to take over client work, deliverables and fulfilment.

With at least a designer to help you with the daily client work, communication and delivery, you are not bound to just 24 hours of your day.

This means you can free up your time to do more marketing activities and selling to promote your business and work on more projects.

The more work you have, the more designers you may have to hire.

Add the costs of hiring to your financial calculations and add your profit margin on top of that to determine the price of your service.

For example, if each designer you hire for a month is $1000, you may wish to price a project at $3000. Your income could be $1000 after deducting all costs.

You can also 2x or even 10x your income. If you want to make more, you are free to get more clients, pass the tasks to your team and repeat the process.

So if I were to give you a ballpark, you could make at the very least $4500 per month selling graphic design services.

It’s a potential 5-figure business that you can start right now, from the comforts of your own home.