The Profitable Designer Show

From Design Vendor to Trusted Advisor: The Positioning Shift That Changes Everything

Most designers stay stuck delivering “pretty” work… because that’s how they’ve been positioned from day one. But the real opportunity? Repositioning yourself as a strategic partner who drives business outcomes—not just aesthetics. In this episode, we unpack the mindset shift that turns designers into indispensable advisors. We cover how to stop getting typecast as the vendor, and start entering conversations as the expert who can help clients make better decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and mov...

May 12, 2025•40 min

From $3K Logos To $22K Packages With Kaleb Dean

In this episode, I sit down with Kaleb Dean — founder of Studio Stendo and one of the deepest design thinkers I know — for a conversation about pricing, purpose, and building a creative business that gives you freedom without sacrificing your craft.Caleb shares how his journey from academia to agency ownership forced him to unlearn what design school taught him about value — and instead focus on becoming a business owner first and a designer second. We dig into the mindset shift that helped him ...

Apr 29, 2025•46 min

Using Instagram Boosted Posts To Get To $35K/Month With Drew Burns

Drew joined Profitable Designer less than six months ago. Since then, he's grown his Australian native and sustainable landscaping business from scratch to consistent five-figure months — including a $35K month in his third month — all while still on his first holiday as a business owner. But what’s more impressive? He did it by sticking to the process, building relationships, and trusting himself. In this episode, we walk through Drew’s rapid rise from leaving his design job to building a self-...

Apr 28, 2025•1 hr 7 min

The Two Proposal Mistakes That Stop Design Prospects Becoming Clients

If you’ve been sending out proposals and hearing crickets, this episode is going to sting a little — but it’s exactly what you need to hear. I break down the two biggest proposal mistakes I see designers making that kill deals before they even get started. These are the same mistakes one of my students, Matt, was making before we cleaned them up.We dive into the real reason why most designers aren’t closing, why talking about your process too early kills trust, and how to stop confusing your cli...

Apr 25, 2025•12 min

How Tom Declat Build His Web Design Business To Consistent £20K Months

In this episode, I sit down with Tom Declat, a web design agency owner who transformed his business by stepping away from the hourly rate trap and into a scalable, strategic model. Tom shares how he made the mindset shift from being a designer selling websites to an entrepreneur solving business problems—allowing him to consistently generate £20,000 months. We explore Tom’s journey from agency life to launching his own business, how he learned to reposition his services for higher-value clients,...

Jan 30, 2025•24 min

How Shane Built A 7-Figure (ARR) UX Design Business In Less Than 2 Years

In this episode, I sit down with Shane Levine, a powerhouse entrepreneur, to dive deep into how he scaled his UX design agency to 7 figures in annual recurring revenue in less than two years. From navigating the early days of agency life to mastering the art of building a personal brand, Shane shares his incredible journey of turning ambition into massive success. We explore Shane’s mindset shift, how he learned to reverse-engineer his goals into actionable daily steps, and the pivotal role that...

Jan 17, 2025•57 min

Market Smarter, Not Harder: The Path to Financial Freedom for Creatives With Lloyd Coenen

In this episode, I sit down with Lloyd, a visionary entrepreneur and artist, to uncover the incredible journey of turning creative passions into profitable businesses. From feeling trapped in an unfulfilling 9-to-5 job to discovering the power of paid traffic and organic marketing strategies, Lloyd shares how he built a thriving art business that now helps others achieve the same. We explore Lloyd’s transformation from accounting to art, how he leveraged his business know-how to bypass tradition...

Dec 05, 2024•51 min

The 4 Most Impactful Ideas In My Own Design Business Success

Today, we’re diving into four game-changing ideas that have defined my philosophy for building a successful design business. These aren't just strategies—they’re the core principles that shape how I run and grow my business every day. In this episode, I’ll take you through each of these powerful ideas, helping you see beyond tactics and focus on the mindset that fuels true, sustainable success. We’ll start with the power of deciding to succeed, why most designers remain underpaid, and how to pla...

Nov 06, 2024•29 min

How He Sold His Startup to Canon: Lessons for Scaling Your Design Business With Fionn Concannon

Today, we’re diving deep into the entrepreneurial journey of my friend, Fionn Concannon, who successfully scaled and sold his software company to Canon. While he’s not a designer, his story is packed with insights that directly apply to anyone running a design business. From figuring out how to turn ideas into profitable ventures, to learning the hard way that sales and financial accountability are the true backbone of success, [Guest's Name] shares invaluable lessons about growth, commitment, a...

Oct 30, 2024•55 min

Removing Yourself From An 8-Figure Design Consultancy With Joe Woodham

In this episode, we sit down with Joe, a successful design consultant who’s built a multi-seven-figure business, all while living the digital nomad dream in Bali. Joe shares his journey from launching a recruitment company in Australia to evolving into a design consultancy serving major enterprise clients like Telstra and Australia Post. He talks about the pivotal moments that allowed him to step away from being tied to his desk and create a business that runs with minimal oversight. We dive int...

Oct 24, 2024•1 hr 10 min

How To Build Time & Financial Freedom As A 25 Year Old Designer With Casey Rickey

In this episode, we chat with 25-year-old entrepreneur Casey Rickey, who has already escaped the feast-or-famine cycle, enjoying financial and time freedom. We dive into Casey’s journey, from selling candy as a kid to building a screen-printing business in high school, and eventually founding Greekify, a design and apparel business for fraternities and sororities. We discuss how Casey balances creativity with entrepreneurship, recognizing opportunities from both an artistic and business perspect...

Oct 16, 2024•1 hr 1 min

What E-commerce Can Teach Designers About Scaling A Business With Will De Bruin

In this episode of The Profitable Designer Show, we sit down with Will De Bruin to dive deep into the business strategies that lead to financial freedom, specifically for e-commerce and design business owners. Together, we explore the critical role of mindset, making fast decisions, and focusing on revenue-generating tasks to help you break free from stagnation and scale your business effectively. We discuss the importance of tracking key metrics, taking full responsibility for your own success,...

Oct 09, 2024•1 hr 3 min

Our 7-Figure Design Biz Partnership Strategy

Ready for your free 1-1 consult? - ⁠https://www.profitabledesigner.com/schedule/⁠ Follow me on Instagram for daily Instagram story updates, and a more "behind-the-scenes" look at what I'm up to - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/profitabledesigner⁠ Link to whiteboard trainning https://www.profitabledesigner.com/whiteboard Thanks - Patrick...

Jan 31, 2024•15 min•Ep. 68