As a (mostly) extrovert I have always been pretty social, but having awesome friends and finding a creative community are very different! When I went full-time with JWD in 2019, I was looking forward to the perks of working solo but quickly realized that I didn’t know many designers. That wasn’t going to work! I put myself out there and did these things to grow a creative community while working alone.

Reached Out to Local Designer for Coffee

I searched instagram for local designers who I aligned with and looked up to. I reached out in DMs and asked if they would like to get a coffee. Many were swamped and couldn’t, but one was able to! Not only did she introduce me to a new coffee shop, but we totally clicked and kept trying new coffee spots. She also introduced me to local groups I had no idea about, and we are now design buddies!

One thing to note – designers’ time is not free. Just “picking their brain” takes time and is in line with 1:1 coaching. Be specific that you just want to connect with another local designer so they understand your intentions from the start!

Started a Facebook Group

Okay, I know: how many more Facebook groups do we really need? I’m telling you – we needed this one! I searched for graphic designer groups for my area and found nothing. There were creatives, female creatives, freelancers, entrepreneurs, AIGA, but I was asking for something simple… graphic designers in the Baltimore area. So I reached out to my design buddy from #1 (above) and we created the Baltimore Graphic Designers Facebook Group. The group has now grown to over 200 members!

Created a Small Slack Group

I heard a credible designer say that she had a Slack with other designers and my inner fan-girl was like “what! You guys all talk to each other like… friends!?” I wanted that; I needed that. I looked through my Instagram DMs and comments and found designers that I had connected with, who had a similar vibe, and who had around the same amount of followers. I invited these like-minded designers to a small Slack channel. Though there are only 5 designers on the Slack group, I’m not exaggerating when I say we talk every day. The Slack is where I turn first for creative feedback, business advice, and even to vent!

Had No Fear in the DMs

When I went full-time I had so many questions. Of course there were Google and Youtube, but often a real person is just better! When the time was right I would ask a simple and very specific question to another designer in their Instagram DM. I found that asking broad questions doesn’t give you what you’re looking for. Frequently the question was in response to a story or post. An example: “Hey there! I really enjoy your work and found your most recent post about branding super helpful. I was curious, did you customize the type or is it a purchased font? Thanks so much!”

I got more comfortable messaging total strangers (oh the world we live in). Now I still try to message people, but with the focus of making a meaningful connection. If I find a new designer to follow I always try to message them and tell them that I admire their work and let them know I am happy to talk design anytime. So please, message me anytime!

Showed My Face and Got Personal

Raise your hand if posting your photo, going on Instagram Stories, or a live video stresses you out? Yep. Same here! But the good news is, what they say is true: it does get easier the more you do it! If you look at your social insights, I bet that pic of you that you dreaded has the most likes. We see creative work on our screens all day, so we feel validated and human when we see the person behind the art! An added perk, that you don’t hear as much about, is that the more you show your face, the more people will interact with you. I get lots of responses when I talk to the camera and I find that I personally respond to people’s faces more too!

More recently I decided to take this all a step further and go live with other designers and it has been so dang awesome, you just have to check it out.

If you are a creative having trouble finding community, let me know! I’d be happy to chat and see how I can help.