Business Perspectives: Surprising aspects of running a business

RGD Firm Owner Members share their insights and advice on the realities of managing a design business.

John deWolf RGD, Principal at Narrative Environments Studio

In the last 35+ years, I have led three businesses and worked freelance. I launched my first business after I graduated. While the work was fulfilling, managing the business was challenging. My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to consider working for others first. It’s important to be employed by several firms for a few years. From an entrepreneurial perspective, it’s crucial to learn from the best practices and mistakes of others. Become an astute observer. Before launching my current studio, I gained experience working for government agencies, cultural institutions and boutique firms, learning valuable lessons along the way. My business motto is to hire sub-consultants tailored to a project's needs. As a business owner, I have also learned to hire subject experts—lawyers, bookkeepers and human resource specialists. The freedom—time to design—and the benefits you gain far outweigh their professional fees.

Paddy Harrington RGD, Founder & Principal at Frontier

You need to be constantly out there in the world letting people know you exist, that you’re great at what you do and that you’re available to help them with their projects. Designers often have this idea that if they do good work, potential clients will learn about them and want to come work with them. That’s true, to an extent. But everyone is busy and clients are not using their spare time to look at design studio websites. You need to be proactive and go where they are. Industry events, conferences, parties... Whatever. And then you have to talk to people, and figure out how to make it not painful. Go to an event by yourself and decide that you’ll talk to three new people before you leave. It truly does get easier the more you do it. But remember, it takes time to go from a conversation to a project. Usually at least 3 months and often even up to a year. You have to follow up regularly without being pushy. Consider using software like Pipedrive to help you track your conversations. Lean in to the ‘leads’ as well as the ‘deals’ so that you’re nurturing long-term opportunities as well as short-term stuff. Designers may not want to hear this, and we generally hate doing it but it’s a fundamental part of running your own business.

Elia Kanaki RGD, Founder and Creative Director at Rossul

One surprising aspect of running my business is the constant, all-encompassing responsibility. Unlike a traditional job where you get a paycheck twice a month, your income as a business owner is directly reflected by your performance. There's no clocking out at the end of the day—your business is always on your mind, whether it's managing tasks, tackling challenges or planning for the future. You're in charge of everything, which can be empowering and exhausting. My advice? Be prepared for this reality. Ensure you're comfortable with the idea that your success depends entirely on your efforts and that work-life balance will be a continuous juggling act.

Chris Reyes RGD, Designer + Creative Director at Everyother

One thing that surprised me about running my own business is how much time I spend on non-design tasks like accounting, communication and project management before I can get to the design work. I’d heard it would be like that, but it's still surprising when you experience it first hand. My advice for anyone starting their own business is to be ready to wear many hats and try to enjoy it. It’s a wild ride, but having a solid plan and being flexible makes it more manageable. Get good at time management, and don't hesitate to delegate whenever you can.

Elana Rudick RGD, Founder and Creative Director at Design is Yummy

When I envisioned running my own business, I imagined immense freedom and flexibility, believing I'd have more time for personal projects. The reality, however, is that running a business demands constant attention and long hours dealing with unexpected challenges. It's easy to become obsessive and spend all your time on it. My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is that a business will require significant time and energy, especially in the early stages, but try not to become overly consumed by it. Initially, I rarely took time off and often felt tied down. Over the years, I've learned to carve out more time for myself and prioritize a healthier work-family-life balance.

Carolyn Shaw, President, CCO at Humanity

To succeed, designers must understand not just creative problem-solving but also the financial side of things—forecasting revenue, reading a P&L and keeping a sales pipeline active. These skills equip you to address client challenges more effectively and set you up for leadership or your own venture. Equally important is building and nurturing your network. Early in your career, prioritize stepping away from the screen and connecting with people. These relationships are not only key to your growth, but also offer opportunities to support each other down the road. Lastly, don’t wait until you’re ready to launch a business to start building your personal brand. Thought leadership and community take time to build, so start early by sharing your ideas and work online to create a solid foundation. This way, when you’re ready to step out independently, you’ll already have a supportive audience.

Lauralee Sheehan, Founder / Chief Creative Officer at Digital 55

One thing that surprised me about running a business is how long you might need to bootstrap, even as revenue projections and operational costs start taking shape. Perseverance and smart scaling are essential when financial support isn’t immediately available. Your financials tell the story of not only what you’ve done but what you can achieve in the future. Focusing on financials can be a drag when you have to get super creative in business, but they are key to empowerment and strategic direction. My advice: don’t expect quick funding—be adaptable, plan for long-term self-sufficiency and grow strategically.