Starting out as a freelance: advice from Myriam Charvet, multidisciplinary designer

Graduating from the Licence professionnelle Création et Développement Numérique en Ligne in 2004, Myriam Charvet began her career as Junior Digital Art Director at Publicis Net before moving on to become Senior Digital Art Director at Ogilvy One.
In 2011, after a burn-out, she decided to leave the agency world and launch her own independent multi-disciplinary designer business.

A freelancer for some fifteen years, she gives us her feedback and advice.

My years in the corporate world enabled me to build my network and structure my thinking and working methods. When I launched my business, my network was essentially made up of the contacts I'd built up over the eight years I'd spent working in agencies.

It's also very formative towork alongside more senior profiles. You learn a great deal by observing them and receiving their advice, and a kind of mentoring relationship develops naturally.

Working with a creative director allows you to get feedback on your projects, to be sharpened up. It's great to have this exchange and to be able to take a step back from your work.

I maintained my network by taking part in training courses, events, after-works and round tables on subjects that interested me.

The network can also grow through personal encounters. I often work for relatives who need a logo, for example. I've also found work thanks to two friends from GOBELINS.

I've never really needed to look, but the downside is that I don't choose my customers and I can't turn down projects, otherwise I won't necessarily be thought of next time.

We often think that freelancing is synonymous with freedom, but we can't afford to turn down every project or rush our work. When you're a freelancer, you don't have the right to make mistakes, or you won't get called back.

I took up office space after the covid because I was bored and felt like I was always confined! When you're a freelancer, having an office means you can get out of the house and meet your colleagues. I need that kind of contact, and videoconferencing isn't enough for me.

I share an office with an Art Director specializing in visual identity and a motion designer/video editor. The other big advantage of office space is thatwe bring each other work!

When I started out as a freelancer, I went through a freelance agency that brought me a lot of assignments on a commission basis.

Agencies often impose a non-competition clause, but this is a good way of gaining experience without having to prospect on your own. The agency takes charge of negotiating with the customer, based on the quoted rate.

DA and wbedesign for Clarins : Myriam Charvet

I don' t really have a typical day, and that's what I like about freelancing.

My organization depends a lot on the project:

• at the day rate, my day is fairly structured, with meetings, as if I were an employee;
• when I work directly for a customer , I can organize my day as I like, andput in ultra-efficient 6-hour days so I can go swimming or see exhibitions.

I'm also a musician, playing in two bands, so I take advantage of my quieter periods to make progress on my compositions and dedicate a day to music and rehearsals.

It's important to set yourself a structure. Freedom can be exhausting, and you have to be able to impose limits and constraints on yourself.

When I'm not very motivated (typically on Mondays) I go to the office to avoid distractions!

I'm pretty happy with my work/life balance. Before, I tended to accept all projects, but you also have to know how to preserve yourself and take vacations.

This balance allows me to reconcile my work and music. My work as a musician also feeds into my work as a designer.

There are many similarities between music creation and graphic design. There are the same thought processes. I was able to train in video clip art direction and editing, two skills I can sell today.

Music has also enabled me to explore different types of software. Software is like a foreign language: the more you know, the easier it is to master new ones!

Visual identity and global design for Moutainfire - Myriam Charvet

Be careful to open two separate accounts and set aside the money you owe for taxes and VAT.

Freelancers are not eligible for VAT in the first year, but you should think about saving this money for subsequent years.

As soon as I started my business, I created an account dedicated to Urssaf charges and VAT. In my opinion, it's too dangerous to put everything in the same account without distinction. The charges are deducted at year +1 or +1.5, so if you haven't thought about setting this amount aside, it's a disaster!

I still sometimes underestimate my quotes, so I try to systematically add 20% to the final amount to remedy the situation.

Your rates showcase your expertise. Customers will respect you more if your rates are high. We've all done free or low-paying jobs that turned out to be hellish experiences!

You should also remember to include acceptance and meeting times in your quotations. Meetings can quickly account for 20% of working time when you're not on a fixed day rate.

When I work directly with customers, I never include my day rate on the quote. Instead, I propose a global package with a breakdown of services.

The day rate can scare off customers who don't immediately perceive the added value of your experience and level of seniority compared to a less expensive service offered by a junior profile.

You don't get unemployment when you're a freelancer, so you need to plan your own safety net in case of slack periods.

I recommend having at least six months' cash on hand for peace of mind. Some customers pay within 90 days, even though this is forbidden. Without a financial margin, these delays can quickly jeopardize your business.

It's crucial to diversify your network so you don't depend on just one or two customers.

When you're a single customer, you run the risk of finding yourself with no income and no network overnight. Building up a varied network helps to secure your business over the long term.

I've taken out a supplementary pension and provident fund. As a freelancer, you only receive social security benefits in the event of a serious incident, so a contingency plan means you're better covered.

You also need to be careful with the auto/entrepreneur status. It may be tempting at first, because there are fewer charges, but this status was not created for long-term activities, and pension contributions are not at all advantageous.