The secret to building a freelance portfolio while working full-time that nobody talks about.

Learn how to successfully make the leap from in-house design to a thriving freelance career.

Back in Cornwall, running our family hotel, life seemed set. Yet, deep down, something was missing. I longed for my London life in Advertising. Like Lightning McQueen in 'Cars', comfortable but restless, I yearned for more. I'd stopped updating my portfolio. It lay dormant, a symbol of surrendering my dreams. But an old friend's call for freelance work was a wake-up. My portfolio was out of date, a reflection of my resignation.

So, I hustled. In the hotel's brief lulls, I updated my work. An old client's brief for a new identity was my chance. Juggling cocktails and bookings, I crafted a fresh portfolio and landed the job. It reignited a fire I thought was lost. I vowed never to let my portfolio, my dream, gather dust again. We often pause our portfolios, thinking we're settled. But it's a signal of giving up, of stagnation. An updated portfolio? It says we're ready, ambitious, still in the game.

I'd turned down projects, not wanting to unsettle our life in Cornwall. The idea of freelancing full-time was thrilling yet daunting. How to replace a steady income? But settling meant stagnation. Many of us in-house designers feel this. Comfortable jobs pay bills, but they also halt growth. Our portfolios, stuck in time, mirror our halted ambitions. Who hires someone stagnant?

Keeping a portfolio fresh can feel like a constant uphill battle, especially in an agency setting where your best work is often locked behind NDAs. But, here's the thing: we often let fear of losing our comfortable life keep us from updating our portfolios, from chasing new dreams. But what if I told you, you don't need a complete portfolio overhaul? Just one solid case study backed by an advocate of your talent. That's your golden ticket.

Here's the plan:

1) We need to reduce our expenses. I know this somehow doesn't feel relevant, but trust me, it is. Those bills are our liability, a weight around our neck that will drag us under if we are not careful. It's all about working out what has to stay and what you can live without—swapping walking to work for a gym membership, cancelling your Sky/Disney/Paramount Plus subscriptions and halving the number of takeaways you order.

Slowly, over time, you will be able to cut back, and I honestly believe it’s possible to reduce your bills by half. It sounds tough, but trust me, it will all make sense when I explain why this matters in a minute.

2) Find an ideal client. This is someone close to your social circle who not only do you like, but they are kind-hearted, well connected and would make a dream client to work with. You must find a way to work with them to create that one killer case study. It works like this. You help them in a way that you want to be hired for - designing logos, building websites, taking headshots, etc - but you offer to do it for free in exchange for their time, feedback and, if they are happy, an introduction to someone just like them.

Someone who would not only be a good fit for you but would happily pay you to do the same as you did for the case study client. By doing it for free, you remove expectations and time constraints. This will make them more patient with you, and you can fit this project around your day job. Make sure you document precisely how you work so that you can repeat it in future. Part of this process is developing a tried and tested project process that delivers excellence every time.

Be sure to ask them lots of questions. The unspoken truth is that clients come to us for the results of our work, not the work itself. Learn to understand how they feel about you and your profession. What they struggle with in their business. Where they look for people like you - it's not Behance or Dribbble - and what they are looking for.

This depth of understanding will help you position yourself as someone who will stand out in a sea of perfectly polished gallery portfolios that were made to get the approval of peers, your case study will cut through, and it will feel like you are the only person who truly understands what they want and have the expertise to help them.

3) Find an Overlap Client. This is where the first two points come together. You will now use the case study and your delighted advocate to get referrals and introductions. One of those will want to work with you, but this time, we aren't doing it for free; this time, you will charge that client whatever your new monthly expenses are.

If you've managed to reduce them from, say, £5k to £3500, it will be easier to sell your services to them for a lower amount. Whatever that amount is, it must cover 1 month of bills after tax. You now repeat the project process from the case study client to not only ensure an excellent outcome but to be as time-efficient as possible. After all, you will be charging for your services, so you need to be more available and accountable this time round.

4) With your monthly bills covered, pay your wages into a savings account. Set aside your taxes from your salaried job and your overlap job first, and then put what's left from your wages into a separate account.

Although you are working more, you are managing to maintain your lifestyle and save a nest egg. This is no ordinary task and you should be immensely proud of yourself. The nest egg is your safety net against unforeseen circumstances. It provides both financial and mental peace of mind.

5) Repeat this process by finding more overlap clients until you have at least 6 months of expenses saved up. This process takes time, and you will now find yourself 12-18 months later with a 6-month nest egg, a selection of compelling case studies and a slowly growing reputation. You are now bulletproof. This will provide the platform to go full-time into freelancing if you want to finally.