Bad clients. They exist in all industries, and more than likely you’ve had one if you’ve been in business long enough. Even if you haven’t been in business long, you may, unfortunately, have to deal with a bad client... One day!

But here’s the thing, bad clients are good for business!!

Don’t believe me? Keep reading as that is what I’m covering in today’s blog post.

Wow! My first year full-time as a small business owner (or...small design agency owner) has flown by!  I took the leap last year on 1st February 2019, and I haven’t looked back. I’ve learnt so much about my business, and about working with clients and other business and agency owners.

I want to reflect on how the year has been so that I can celebrate the moments,  see what didn’t quite go to plan and why so that I can learn from it and better myself and my business this year. But it’s not all about me, I’m hoping by sharing my experiences I can inspire/help anyone else who is interested in starting their own business.

I’m over the moon to share that I have been shortlisted for a DevelopHER Award 2019 in the Eye for Design category!

Wowzah!! YES!!... So over the moon!!!

Sookio, won Website of the Year at the 2019 SME Cambridge Business Awards.

Most small business owners are usually really happy and grateful when a new business inquiry comes through.  I mean, why wouldn’t you be - new inquiry, new project, more money...right?

Well, what if the inquiry is a “bad fit” for you or your business?  Are there any warning signs that a client can be a “bad fit”? How can you tell?

My friend, I’m here to tell you YES. Yes there are warning signs that a client is a bad fit for you and believe it or not, these signs can come up super early...

Listing your prices on your website is a hot topic for many small business owners.  I’ve seen this topic being raised in so many Facebook groups, time and time again. I totally get it, you want to give your potential clients enough information to make an informed choice, but you don’t want to give ALL the information away, especially when it comes to pricing.

“But hang on, if I list my prices, I won’t have to have that awkward conversation with them” - I hear you say!!

Well, I’ve created a list of pros and cons for listing your prices on your website….

Ekkk!! It’s almost the end of 2017!  How did that happen?! This year has whizzed by if I do say so myself!

It’s got me thinking about how many articles I have written this year… there are A LOT!...

This is why I figured I would share a small roundup of the best articles from 2017. Here goes….

For ages, I didn't see this as a priority for my small business. That coupled with not knowing what the benefits of an email list are meant I was missing out on some major business opportunities!

Then one day I decided to set up an email list. I mean, I wasn’t losing anything, if anything I was gaining many things… I just didn't know what.

That is why today I want to share my thoughts and tips on why you should grow an email list for your small business, especially as I’ve learnt the benefits first hand!

Let’s be honest.  Running a business is not always hunky-dory.  There are good days, great days and then there are those days when you just don’t want to even turn your iMac (or PC) on, let alone respond to clients, especially when they are unhappy….

In this post, I wanted to cover how to deal with unhappy clients and 3 proven tips that turn unhappy clients into happy ones!

YAY!! I'm super chuffed!! Two days ago (on my birthday) I found out my freelance side hustle business - Krishna Solanki Designs - is a finalist in the Small Business category in the Cambridgeshire Digital Awards 2017.

If you have ever felt overwhelmed as a small business owner then you know where I am coming from when I say ARGHHHH…..

For a few weeks now I’ve felt a bit overwhelmed and it’s left me a little shell shocked if I’m honest.  I think I am just about getting over the feeling now so I figured I would share how I how dealt with overwhelm.  

It’s important to say, not everyone deals with overwhelm in the same way, so what works for me may not work for others.  It’s definitely worth taking a look through and sifting out what doesn't work so you can concentrate on what does work!

With the rise of freelancers and side hustlers taking their dream job into their own hands, there has been an unnoticeable rise in new businesses, and startups. YAY if that’s you!! Definitely excited times ahead!

From creating a logo and brand, through to setting up a website, and creating a marketing plan for your new venture. You will have lots to think about and lots to do.  That being said, I want to help you name your business.  So today, I will be sharing my top tips on how to name your business.

As we step into a New Year, I wanted to share my goals for the year ahead and my learnings from the year just gone >

Earlier this year I was a finalist in the Cambridgeshire Digital Awards 2016 in the Creative and Marketing category. When I found out I was a finalist I had mixed emotions, I was over the moon, but I was also nervous, scared and a little worried if I am honest.

What do I say? How will I introduce myself? Other finalists are in teams, I will be all alone, will anyone talk to me? - All these questions ran through my head and as an introvert I am awful at networking, especially when it comes to talking about my business, so I decided this is something I need to work on.

That is where this post comes into play. I can’t be the only introvert, or the only person to struggle when it comes to networking, so I wanted to share my tips on how I overcame, or rather dealt with, the issues and how you can as well.

When I first started blogging I fell in love, I was writing articles whenever I got the chance. I had so much to share I wanted others to learn what I had learnt too. I slowly noticed I gained a following. All of this was unintentional at the time.

I continued as I started and was offered a guest author position to write articles for a leading online magazine and resources site for designers and developers. At this point, I was over the moon as something I enjoyed doing was helping others.

Since then I have revamped my brand and website, and have even taken on a guest post on my own website as well.

YAY!! My freelance side hustle business - Krishna Solanki Designs - is a finalist for Marketing and Creative category in the Cambridgeshire Digital Awards 2016. Read more about the categories here >

It's crazy how things can all happen at once. The last time I wrote anything on my blog and business was before my family holiday and that was already 3 weeks ago (or was it 4 weeks ago?). It's gone so quickly that I haven't even had time to breath and settle back into work/life. I guess that's the reality of a side hustling business owner with a family. I'm not complaining at all but just sharing why I have been MIA for a while.

I have lots of lovely updates to share and also lots of new things to reveal in the next few weeks so keep your eyes peeled for lots of interesting emails coming your way!

In the meantime, here's the super-duper down low on the latest on things going at the KSD headquarters! :)

I started blogging just over a year ago when I decided to take my freelance business more seriously and officially set up as a small business. Before then I had a blog, with my old portfolio, and I loved writing but I found I never kept up with posting as much as I wanted, and so I stopped blogging altogether.

That was a big mistake!

Looking back at that time and also taking on board the learnings of the past year as a small business owner, I wanted to share 7 reasons to why you should blog.

To run a successful business it is essential to understand the importance of feedback and communication with a client or customer. Sometimes it is easy, other times it is challenging, it is not usually the same with every client, so one rule fits all doesn't really apply.

One thing that I have learnt being a Designer, is that my clients have always wanted to share their thoughts and input with regards to their project - Too right as well as they are, after all, paying for a service and will receive a product - branding, a website or both!

In today's post, I want to share 5 helpful tips to improve your feedback and communication with your client or customer.

For a lot of solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, or side hustlers running your business is usually done working from home - whether that's a nice little office set up in a corner of your home, or on the sofa every evening with your laptop on a cushion in front of you. Staying productive, motivated and managing your time is something that all business owners need to stay on top of so as tempting as it sounds to be able to stay in your PJ's, have a lazy start to the day and spend hours on social media websites - networking of course! - you still need to integrate some structure and routine into your daily working from home routine.

I've managed to improve my schedule and manage my time in the past year and today I wanted to share my top tips on sticking to the rules, staying productive and being motivated to keep on top of it all.