BEYOND Design: The Business & Mindset Podcast for Designers & Creatives

How to Set Up Your Freelance Design Business

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2328846/fan_mail/new] In this episode of BEYOND Design, I’m talking about the part of freelancing we often avoid in the beginning — setting up the basic foundation of your freelance design business. Not the fancy website. Not the perfect brand. Not seventeen apps and a dramatic business plan. Just the simple things that make you feel more legit, more organised, and less all over the place when a client finally asks, “Can you send me a quote?” We’ll talk about the four basics every freelance designer needs: admin, client basics, simple tools, and a clear online presence. Because sometimes the reason your business feels messy is not because you are not talented enough. It is because the structure behind the work is not holding you yet. I also share a simple 7-day get set up plan to help you start putting the right things in place without overthinking everything. You do not need to build the whole business in one day. You just need somewhere solid to stand. Read the full shownotes and 7-day checklist here [https://kunshuis.com/2026/04/28/set-up-your-freelance-design-business/] Thanks for listening to BEYOND Design ✨ If this episode spoke to you, here are a few ways to keep the conversation going: Website & Resources → kunshuis.com [https://kunshuis.com/] Shop creative tools → The Kunshuis Collective [https://the-kunshuis-collective.myshopify.com] Show notes & blogs → kunshuis.com/blog [https://kunshuis.com/blog] Free support for creatives: * 21-Day Creative Reset Challenge [https://kunshuis.com/reset] * Download: Asking Better Questions (Client Guide) [https://kunshuis.myflodesk.com/questions] 🖤 My favourite tools for life + business: * The Playbook Planner [https://kunshuis.com/playbook] — your creative sidekick for focus + flow * The Playbook Desk [https://kunshuis.com/desk] — a Notion-powered space to run your freelance business with ease Let’s connect & stay inspired: 📸 Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kunshuis_by_nelett/] Join the Beyond Design Room on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/923004698383747] Because design is only 20%… the rest is life. Thanks for being here, friend. You’re not alone in this journey—let’s design it together.

Business Side of Design: Talent Gets You Hired — This Keeps You Booked.

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2328846/fan_mail/new] The 80/20 Truth: Design talent might get you hired once… but it’s the other 80% that keeps you booked. In this episode we talk about the part of freelancing nobody posts about: boundaries, client communication, systems, confidence — and even that thing I call “email apnea” (when your inbox makes you hold your breath like it’s about to ruin your day). You’ll leave with one practical takeaway: five non-negotiables for how you work, so clients don’t run your life. Full show notes (and steal the non-negotiables list) [https://kunshuis.com/2026/04/08/business-side-of-design-80-20/] Thanks for listening to BEYOND Design ✨ If this episode spoke to you, here are a few ways to keep the conversation going: Website & Resources → kunshuis.com [https://kunshuis.com/] Shop creative tools → The Kunshuis Collective [https://the-kunshuis-collective.myshopify.com] Show notes & blogs → kunshuis.com/blog [https://kunshuis.com/blog] Free support for creatives: * 21-Day Creative Reset Challenge [https://kunshuis.com/reset] * Download: Asking Better Questions (Client Guide) [https://kunshuis.myflodesk.com/questions] 🖤 My favourite tools for life + business: * The Playbook Planner [https://kunshuis.com/playbook] — your creative sidekick for focus + flow * The Playbook Desk [https://kunshuis.com/desk] — a Notion-powered space to run your freelance business with ease Let’s connect & stay inspired: 📸 Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kunshuis_by_nelett/] Join the Beyond Design Room on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/923004698383747] Because design is only 20%… the rest is life. Thanks for being here, friend. You’re not alone in this journey—let’s design it together.

How I Started Kunshuis (And I’d Do It All Again Today)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2328846/fan_mail/new] This is the most requested episode I get: how I started Kunshuis. I’m taking you back to 2009/2010 — the spare-bedroom days, after-hours work, the awkward phone calls, the “Eish… I hope this works” moments… and the simple things I did that still matter today. In this episode, I share what I did first to get clients, why I didn’t niche (and why I don’t regret it), the small habits that made me feel like a proper professional, and how human connection became the lifeline of my business. If you’re starting out, starting again, or you’re craving a calmer way to build your freelance life… this one’s for you.  🖤 Get the full show notes (plus links + resources) here [ https://kunshuis.com/2026/03/12/how-i-started-kunshuis/] Thanks for listening to BEYOND Design ✨ If this episode spoke to you, here are a few ways to keep the conversation going: Website & Resources → kunshuis.com [https://kunshuis.com/] Shop creative tools → The Kunshuis Collective [https://the-kunshuis-collective.myshopify.com] Show notes & blogs → kunshuis.com/blog [https://kunshuis.com/blog] Free support for creatives: * 21-Day Creative Reset Challenge [https://kunshuis.com/reset] * Download: Asking Better Questions (Client Guide) [https://kunshuis.myflodesk.com/questions] 🖤 My favourite tools for life + business: * The Playbook Planner [https://kunshuis.com/playbook] — your creative sidekick for focus + flow * The Playbook Desk [https://kunshuis.com/desk] — a Notion-powered space to run your freelance business with ease Let’s connect & stay inspired: 📸 Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kunshuis_by_nelett/] Join the Beyond Design Room on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/923004698383747] Because design is only 20%… the rest is life. Thanks for being here, friend. You’re not alone in this journey—let’s design it together.

Working From Home Without Losing Your Mind

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2328846/fan_mail/new] Working from home sounds like the dream… until it’s week two and you’re sitting in the same spot again, feeling flat, distracted, and a bit alone. In this episode, I share the real story of how KunsHuis started (dining-room desk, pay-as-you-go internet, all of it) — and what actually helped me climb out of that early working-from-home slump. We’re talking dedicated space, routine, boundaries, staying connected, and the small things that make freelancing sustainable. → Show notes, 🖤, and links mentioned are waiting for you:  https://kunshuis.com/2026/03/06/working-from-home/ [https://kunshuis.com/2026/03/06/working-from-home/] Thanks for listening to BEYOND Design ✨ If this episode spoke to you, here are a few ways to keep the conversation going: Website & Resources → kunshuis.com [https://kunshuis.com/] Shop creative tools → The Kunshuis Collective [https://the-kunshuis-collective.myshopify.com] Show notes & blogs → kunshuis.com/blog [https://kunshuis.com/blog] Free support for creatives: * 21-Day Creative Reset Challenge [https://kunshuis.com/reset] * Download: Asking Better Questions (Client Guide) [https://kunshuis.myflodesk.com/questions] 🖤 My favourite tools for life + business: * The Playbook Planner [https://kunshuis.com/playbook] — your creative sidekick for focus + flow * The Playbook Desk [https://kunshuis.com/desk] — a Notion-powered space to run your freelance business with ease Let’s connect & stay inspired: 📸 Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kunshuis_by_nelett/] Join the Beyond Design Room on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/923004698383747] Because design is only 20%… the rest is life. Thanks for being here, friend. You’re not alone in this journey—let’s design it together.

Find Clients Without Social Media: Start with Your Inbox

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2328846/fan_mail/new] Somewhere between the school bags, the “quick” client emails that are never quick, and making supper… a lot of creatives are quietly waiting for work to just… arrive. And babe, I get it. I’ve done it too. In this episode, I’m sharing a very unglamorous but very effective truth: Before you go looking for new clients… check your inbox. Because the clients you’re praying for aren’t always strangers. Sometimes they’re already sitting in old emails… warm leads… past clients… the “let’s chat after the holidays” people. We’ll talk about why the inbox feels so heavy (it’s not just admin, it’s feelings). How to follow up without sounding awkward or desperate. And how to create a simple little rhythm so you stop guessing and start moving again. You’ll walk away with a calm plan you can use this week — even if it’s already February and your “fresh start” only arrived now. ✨ I also made a free Starter Planner to help you do it: Inbox to Clients 👉 Download it here: www.kunshuis.com/inbox [http://www.kunshuis.com/inbox] 🎧 Listen to the episode + show notes here [https://kunshuis.com/2026/02/09/inbox-to-clients/] Thanks for listening to BEYOND Design ✨ If this episode spoke to you, here are a few ways to keep the conversation going: Website & Resources → kunshuis.com [https://kunshuis.com/] Shop creative tools → The Kunshuis Collective [https://the-kunshuis-collective.myshopify.com] Show notes & blogs → kunshuis.com/blog [https://kunshuis.com/blog] Free support for creatives: * 21-Day Creative Reset Challenge [https://kunshuis.com/reset] * Download: Asking Better Questions (Client Guide) [https://kunshuis.myflodesk.com/questions] 🖤 My favourite tools for life + business: * The Playbook Planner [https://kunshuis.com/playbook] — your creative sidekick for focus + flow * The Playbook Desk [https://kunshuis.com/desk] — a Notion-powered space to run your freelance business with ease Let’s connect & stay inspired: 📸 Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kunshuis_by_nelett/] Join the Beyond Design Room on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/923004698383747] Because design is only 20%… the rest is life. Thanks for being here, friend. You’re not alone in this journey—let’s design it together.