Graphic Design Business Training

information on starting your own graphic design business

Graphic Design Business You've got a juicy portfolio of design work just dripping with talent. It's time to turn that work into a solid career as a professional graphic designer. In this course, led by design agency owner Marni Sandler, you'll learn how to set up and manage a graphic design business. Marni will guide you through such important considerations as portfolio presentation, job hunting, and self-promotion.

If you're walking the freelance route, setting up your own company or jumping feet-first into a large company, this course will set your graphic design career on the right path. Hands-on projects include creating a business plan, responding to an RFP test-drive accounting software, create a budget and personalize and customize business forms.

On this page: enrollment details | instructor | class projects and objectives | prerequisites

Class Title: Graphic Design Business Start Date: Classes start daily. Enroll today and gain immediate access. Class Length: Three months of access to class materials and instructor feedback. Instructor: Marni Sandler Other details: Self-paced, online, 24 access to online learning environment
	Tuition: $803

Class Instructor Bio: Marni Sandler is the co-founder of Kuma Digital, an Interactive Design Boutique in New York City . Prior to founding Kuma Digital, she honed her craft at organizations such as Xceed, i-traffic and Rhizome. She has worked with clients ranging from Kenneth Cole to Disney. Marni received her undergraduate degree in film from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and is currently finishing up her Master's Degree Thesis in 'Cognitive Development and Visual Design' at the New School University's Media Studies department. LEFT: Setting up a Graphic Design Business might require a tie.

Class Projects and Objectives:

This online class is packed with projects and tips.  Students can expect to: 

• Learn the basic requirements to set a graphic design career in motion.
  
• Learn tips for enhancing a portfolio, resume, and skill set.
  
• Investigate the pros and cons of starting out freelance versus in full-time employment.
  
• Discover what salary levels to expect and how to go about finding work.
  
• Read a case study on starting a career in graphic design.
• Research a freelance or full-time business path that suits you.
  
• Conceptualize personal "blue sky" business goals, short and long term.
  
• Put together a written answer that addresses specific questions.
  
• Demonstrate a basic ability to identify the requirements for reaching goals.
• Explore whether you are ready to start a business.
  
• Learn about three options for setting up a company: sole proprietorship, partnership, and incorporation.
  
• Learn about two key aspects of incorporation: articles of incorporation and company by-laws.
  
• Learn about different avenues by which entrepreneurs raise start-up money.
  
• Compare the pros and cons of starting in a home-based versus a commercial location.
  
• Consider various ready-made business solutions.
• Research local businesses that you'd like to know more about.
  
• Identify some specific questions you'd like to ask them and add them to the provided list.
  
• Conduct a short interview by a business owner or manager, by phone, in-person, or via email.
• Explore four aspects of business marketing.
  
• Look at different avenues for approaching and acquiring clients.
  
• Examine the pros and cons of 4 common marketing collateral pieces.
• Research examples of Yellow Page ads for design companies.
  
• Design a Yellow Page ad for a fictional company, positioning its services effectively in the medium.
  
• Create an email response to a fictional RFP (Request for Proposal).
  
• Demonstrate a basic grasp of communicating effectively in response to a business proposal.
• Learn the importance of keeping good accounting records.
  
• Explore some basic principles of accounting through software programs.
  
• Learn a systematic approach to tracking multiple design jobs.
  
• Learn the basic principles of billing, collecting, and tax deductions.
• Demonstrate an understanding of customer job lists, estimates, and invoices by posting the results of a test drive.
  
• Investigate the tax deductions possible for a small graphic design business.
• Learn the basic hardware and software needs of a graphic design office.
  
• Consider the pros and cons of various industry-standard equipment options.
  
• Learn about general office supply purchasing options.
  
• Consider some national source for purchasing office equipment.
• Put together a shopping list of business needs, real or fictional.
  
• Identify a list of online and local resources you'll use to purchase goods and services at.
  
• Compare prices at these different locations and come up with the lowest budget possible.
• Learn the purpose of seven key business forms.
  
• Learn the purpose and necessity of a contract agreement.
  
• Discover how to put together a creative strategy document.
• Deduce the scope and nature of a design project from a sample interview.
  
• Create a sample creative summary document based on information in the interview.
  
• Create a sample contract based on information in the interview.
  
• Learn how to work with forms.