There’s some sort of a liberating feeling when you decide to go and build your own business. Whether you’d be on your way to create a big company or you’d like to remain a one-man army it doesn’t matter. It’s all about finding a way to make an impact in this world.

We will be focusing on how to make a strong single-person design agency in this article. While most of the tips aren’t necessarily about design per se, they are all solid tips that can help you thrive in a world where you have to fight for every dollar you earn.

So, we’ve decided to take a look at what you should focus at any given moment, how you should handle your cash flow, and most importantly, how to act with clients. Enough talking, let’s get to business.

Focus on working on the cash flow before you start thinking about the fancy stuff.

Most new businesses focus on fancy stuff. The logo, the website, their email signature. While these are all fun to work with, they aren’t the things that will get you your first dollar. They are just there to help you build a brand.

And when you’re just starting out, earning your first dollar should be your number one priority. Often, that first sale will be the hardest. That’s why you have to focus on the cash flow and how you’ll manage it. Are you going to spend everything, or are you going to invest some of the money that will allow you more freedom in the future? Figuring out how to buy bitcoins with Paypal for example can help you store your hard-earned money in a recession-safe currency.

Create a strong workflow that will allow you to handle the most amount of work.

Your workflow is the number one most important thing in the world when you’re just starting out. Having well-established working principles can help you do more in less time.

And when you’re just starting our, doing more work in less time almost always equals more money coming your way. Something that’s vital in the first couple of months starting out. Think of it as your money-making plan. You need a clear plan every day on which tasks you’re going to work on that will bring in the most gain.

Always overdeliver to what your clients are expecting. That’s the secret to having clients that return.

The secret to having a successful business isn’t to hunt new clients every day. It’s all about establishing good connections with the right people and working with them on a regular basis.

That’s why doing design work one time can pay you a thousand bucks, but working constantly with that client can lead to twenty times that.

Never be afraid to express your opinions on a matter, even if that means that your client is wrong.

While working as a freelance designer can be hard, it’s important to remember that you do have a say in the work that your client wants done.

But be mindful because sometimes it can act as a double-edged sword and clients may stop working with you.