The Design Break

067: Freelancer vs. White-Labeling

In this episode of the Design Break Podcast, Rocky Roark tackles the challenges of relying too heavily on agency partners as a freelancer or white-label contractor. While

066: Rethinking Design Subscriptions: From Villain to Hero

In this episode of the Design Break podcast, host Rocky Rock takes a fresh look at design subscriptions, a business model he was initially skeptical about. He shares how

065: 5 Questions to Help You Grow Your Freelance Business

For years, I was blindly running my freelance business, not fully understanding what was working/not working, what wasn’t leading to actual results, and more. Then I star

064: The Simple Secret to How I Landed $12K in New Work

In this episode of the Design Break podcast, host Rocky Roark explores a game-changing approach to freelance client acquisition—the Bounty Method. He begins by addressing

063: Design Disasters: Learning From Our Biggest Blunders

Rocky Roark explores his personal design blunders to help you avoid making the same mistakes. He dives into one big mistake he made with Cards Against Humanity, the effec

062: Creative Crossroads: Pivoting Your Career Across Disciplines

Rocky Roark dives into how to handle changes in your career path.  On this episode he talks about: The inevitable evolution of a creative careerHow to navigate a shift i

061: How the Pandemic Affected Creative South with Mike Jones

Rocky Roark is joined by Mike Jones to talk about how the pandemic affected Creative South and what the event will look like going forward.   Want to level up your freel

060: Creative South Deep Dive with Mike Jones

Rocky Roark is joined by Mike Jones for a deep dive into Creative South. They discuss how Creative South was started, what's changed with the event over the years, and wh

059: Design Subscriptions: Great Idea to Horrible Fad

On this week's episode, Rocky Roark dives into the world of design subscriptions. Topics covered include: What exactly is a design subscription?The pros and cons for fre

058: Maximizing Impact: The Designer's Role in Client Success

In this episode, we embark on a fascinating exploration of a designer's multifaceted influence, unwrapping the layers that make our role pivotal in the realms of storytel

057: Navigating the Maze of Bogus Leads

In this eye-opening podcast episode, we dive into the alarming rise of scams targeting freelancers on popular platforms like Dribbble and Behance. Host Rocky Roark shares

056: Mastering Goal-Setting for Creatives

In this podcast, the transformative influence of goal setting in freelancing and design is explored across various dimensions. The initial segment emphasizes goals as int

055: Creative Fuel: Unpacking the Importance of Inspiration in Design

In today's episode, we dive into a topic that has ignited debates in the design community—“Why inspiration is important for designers and their creative process.” This sp

054: Mastering Post-Project Communication

Welcome to the finale of the Design Break podcast's communication mini-series. In this episode, host Rocky Roark emphasizes that the end of a project doesn't mark the end

53: The Value of Non-Creative Feedback (Mini-Series)

In this episode of the Design Break podcast, host Rocky Roark highlights the significance of non-creative feedback in the freelance design industry. He explores how this

052: The Right Tools for Freelance Communication (Mini-Series)

In the fourth episode of the series on how Communication Can Make or Break Your Freelance Business, host Rocky Roark dives into the crucial topic of choosing the right co

051: Being Transparent in Process and Progress (Mini-Series)

In the third episode of the series on how Communication Can Make or Break Your Freelance Business, host Rocky Roark explores the crucial role of transparency in the succe

050: The Contract and Scope of Work (Mini-Series)

In the second episode of the communication mini-series on the Design Break podcast, host Rocky Roark explores the critical topic of the contract and scope of work. Rocky

049: Initial Client Communications (Mini-Series)

In this episode of the Design Break podcast, hosted by Rocky Roark, we embark on a journey into the often underestimated realm of initial client communication. This digit

048: Turning Clients into Partners: Keys to Successful Freelancing

In this episode, we're delving into the vital world of client relationships for freelancers and design professionals. It's no longer sufficient to be just another freelan