Mace

I suppose my main goals for 2025 are: Saving up enough money for a new motorcycle (currently eyeing the CF Moto 800 NK Nebula) Continuing going to the gym on a regular basis since I feel like it's a good habit I started last year Launching the branding agency I've been preparing with someone (mid '25) Getting more freelance projects / doubling my freelance income Making myself happier overall (I've been kind of neglecting my own well-being since living alone again :censored:)

I have to agree. Why would you list your own website? You're probably better off having nothing there instead of your own website (I mean, obviously you (should have) created that). Also, on your contact page, it says 'contact me', which kind of indicates that you are not a design agency but 'just' a freelancer (which is okay, but why say that you're an agency if you're not?).

Yeah, I really like the way it looks as well. :D I also feel like it sounds kind of marbly right out of the box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUW2wx-1SsU:157 ... but just in case I don't like the way they sound, I just ordered some Akko Rosewood switches to make it sound more creamy, too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fokpuVoBr0I:156 If I eventually will continue using this keyboard, I might get some Gateron Oil Kings as well, since I love that sound profile (but those switches are like double the price of the Akko Rosewoods, so not really worth it to see if I will even enjoy using this type of keyboard).

An MCHOSE GX87 Ultra (Black Anodic Oxidation) with KTT Vintage White linear switches. Ever since I've been using a low-profile mechanical keyboard and even buying an additional one (both with tactical switches - just a different brand of keyboard and switches), I've been wanting to add a high-profile mechanical keyboard to the collection as well. I had been looking at the Bridge75 and the Rainy75, and then I came across the GX87, which is a little bit cheaper and yet sounds pretty much the same (creamy/marbly), while (seemingly) maintaining a premium build quality. Excited to try linear switches, too, since I've only tried the regular tactiles and clicky switches so far.

I know someone who recently did. Wasn’t executed well, though, and it resulted in losing quite some money. It got them 0 leads.

None, since I have 0 interest in having to go through the entire process of having children myself. This doesn’t mean I don’t want to have children around, though. I would totally accept (and like) it if my partner would already have one or two children. But, then again, I would not adopt any children either, since I’m perfectly fine not having any and it’s definitely not a must for me. If my future partner doesn’t have children already, there simply won’t be any.

Well, if you think about it, it actually makes a lot of sense that they demonstrate more practical expertise. :) Most people who teach themselves programming or design initially started learning out of genuine interest. Learning new skills without a standardised curriculum gives you the freedom to acquire your skills in a way suited for your individual learning style, you only learn whatever you are truly interested in / want to specialise in, and, perhaps even more important, it keeps it fun to learn. And well, enjoying it is important to keep yourself motivated to learn and to become better at what you do. If I look back to when I started learning design/development, I barely even ever followed tutorials, since I personally could never remember anything simply by reading and then doing. I simply started doing, and finding my way around the different types of software, only looking things up whenever I got stuck (which is what made me remember solutions to problems I ran into much better). And believe me, I actually did give formal education a shot, trying out both design and development courses at different universities. But honestly, for someone who's self-taught, a lot (if not all) of the classes were either too basic to be interesting, or they did not have my interest at all (because some of the mandatory classes just did not have anything to do with what I specialise in). So, I definitely wouldn't recommend doing this if you already have experience, and it's probably only a good idea if you want to start your design/dev career from scratch but don't know where to start. Do always keep in mind that a portfolio consisting of completed school assignments is hardly ever impressive, and you will need (to develop) genuine interest in the field and practise / build on your portfolio whenever you can in your free time, too. If you're a self-taught designer/developer but want to get a degree of some sort, I would recommend going for something in a related field. Want to specialise in UX design? Perhaps go for psychology. Graphic design? Try marketing communications. You're a UI / web designer but cannot code? You might want to go for information technology. Just try and expand your skillset with something useful. :)

Thanks! :) I'm going to write a case study on the full project later (concepts, brand book, website, app, etc.). So yeah, I might post the full case study some time.

No. They know where to find me if they need me for a new project.

What's your last design / what are you currently working on? I'll start. :) It's part of a branding project. [ATTACH type=full" width="786px" alt="rounded-sm.webp]893._xfImport[/ATTACH]

I do offer refunds. The total amount of the refund for my services depends on the percentage of work done (according to a project's milestones), so one may get a(n almost) full refund, or a (much) smaller amount, so that I will never have spent a lot of time on something for nothing in return. I never received any refund requests, though.

I've been using Brave for as long as I can remember now.

Not using contracts, which often leads to misunderstandings. It's important that you clearly define each project to ensure that neither you nor your customer ends up disappointed. They protect both you and your customer, so there is really no reason not to use one.

To be fair, it depends on your product or service and the audience you're trying to reach. I use different platforms to target with different groups of people. What works for one business might not be as effective for another.

I have a degree in Marketing Communications. Started a BSc IT & Media Design (design & development), but I dropped out after receiving the propaedeutic diploma (which only took me half a year). I can still continue it from there if I want to, as long as I do so within about 3 years from now. However, I don't really feel like I need it, so I probably won't.

I recently switched from the Apple keyboard to a mechanical keyboard: the (low-profile) Keychron K3 Max (or actually, I got two of them - one for the office, and one for when I am working from home). And, I must say, I love it! It has hot-swappable keyboard switches, so you can simply get more switch sets to try all those you might like. I am seriously wondering why I never tried switching to a mechanical keyboard before. It feels so much better when writing copy or code. The RGB modes are a nice feature, too - albeit just for fun. I like the effect where the backlight 'follows' you when typing. I am currently using the Gateron Brown tactile switches, and I am waiting for Gateron Blue clicky switches and Gateron Banana tactile switches to arrive. I love the creamy sound of NuPhy's Cowberry switches (which I could also use on my Keychron), but I don't like how those are linear (since apparently I really like the tactile bump), so I haven't ordered them. I might try NuPhy's 'Moss' switches, though. I personally also like the aesthetics of the NuPhy keyboards (the Air96 V2 seems to be the counterpart of mine), I just had a slight preference towards the Keychron. Do you use a mechanical keyboard and if so, which one? How do you like it? What kind of switches do you prefer?

A degree is definitely not required to become a professional developer (or designer, for that matter). In fact, I feel like self-taught programmers often are able to demonstrate more skill compared to people who have only just received a degree and 'should be job-ready'. In the past, I have successfully secured positions that 'required' a degree (as mentioned in the job postings) of some sort, despite not having a degree related to design or development myself either. And well, I am now working as a creative director doing both and managing a small team of designers (and I am a freelancer - design + development - as well). So ultimately, your skills and experience matter way more than that degree. Whenever I had to talk with a potential employee, I honestly was never all that interested in their degree - if at all. I always looked at the portfolio they sent in first and then had a look at their curriculum vitae (primarily to check if they were simply not job hopping too much). :) A little side note though: I do appreciate it if people at least do have some degree (but not in IT / design per se). It does show some perseverance, after all.