Whether you are a freelancer or a solo-operator, you are running a design business. That means systems — for tracking jobs, sending invoices, managing time, and staying on top of what you're owed. Here's what you need to get your head around early.

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Job numbers

Every project should have a unique job number. It keeps your files organised, your invoices traceable, and your conversations with clients clear. Simple, but designers who skip this regret it fast because it’s easier to start small rather than try to retrofit.

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Estimate and invoice numbers

Every estimate and invoice needs a sequential number. It looks professional, and it makes chasing payments a lot easier.

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Studio management system

As soon as you have more than one client and one project it will become impossible to keep everything in your head. You need a way to track time, manage jobs, and see where your hours are going. Tools like Streamtime are built specifically for creative studios — they handle job tracking, time recording, invoicing, and reporting in one place. Worth learning early, before things get complicated.

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Estimates and invoices

Before you start any job, send an estimate. It sets out what you'll deliver, what it will cost, and what's not included. It protects you and it sets clear expectations for the client.

Group similar tasks together in your estimate — don't list every micro-task. Clients don't need to see the granular detail, and it invites unnecessary negotiation.

Be specific about deliverables — not hours. What will they receive, in what format, by when?

An accepted estimate becomes the basis of your invoice. When the job is done, your invoice should reflect what was agreed.

Estimates come in all shapes and sizes depending on the job. The important thing is that you have one — in writing — before work begins.

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What should I charge?

It’s important to understand there are two sides to estimating projects. 

Costing is internal. It’s what it costs to run your studio.

Pricing is external. It’s what you charge the client.

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Costing

Know your costs. All of them.

One of the biggest mistakes designers make when going solo is underestimating what it actually costs to run a business. It's not just your time — there are layers of overhead that quietly eat into your income if you haven't accounted for them.

Use this table as a reminder of what to factor in — not as a price guide, but as a checklist.

Admin and legal: Accounting software, contracts, business registration, insurance

Marketing: Domain, hosting, portfolio tools

Operating expenses: Software subscriptions, hardware, professional development

Employment costs: Super contributions, tax provisions, income protection

Occupancy: Home office proportion, or desk/studio rental

The list is longer than most people expect. And that's the point.

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Costing the super quick way

There are much better ways to calculate your hourly rate than this (Plug for Design Business Council’s Costing, Pricing and Profit toolkit) but in your first few years in business, this very rough calculation will ensure you will not lose money.. 

Question 1: What do you want to earn?

The median salary is $88,000 per year plus 12% superannuation = $98,560

Question 2: How many hours do you want to work?

For argument sake let’s say 9-5pm 5 days per week.

7 hours x 5 days = 35 hours.

Question 3: How many weeks holiday per year do you want?

For this example let’s say 4.

52 weeks per year - 4 weeks leave = 48 weeks per year.

35 hours per week x 48 weeks = 1680 hours.

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Reality check.

Even though you are available to work 1680 hours, realistically, you will be billable approximately 50% of this time. 

Why? Two reasons.

Firstly because running a business costs money, so part of the 50% is overheads.

Secondly, because things like marketing (like building and maintaining your website and social media presence) coffee meet-ups, travelling, administration, redo’s because of errors or misunderstandings are all unbillable. Plus the fact you probably won’t have enough work to fill all those hours when you start.

So that means you have 840 hours billable.

Divide what you want to earn ($98,560) / number of hours available (840) = $117 per hour.

$117 is your hourly rate to earn the average median salary.

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Pricing

Pricing is what you charge the client. 

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Hourly rates

Hourly rates make no sense. A junior might charge $100 per hour but need 10 hours to finish a job. A senior might charge $200 per hour but take 3 hours to finish the job. So is the cost $1000 or $600?

Hourly rates don’t make sense because they

• disadvantage efficiency
• are broad whereas different tasks take different time
• are good for costing not pricing.

When you charge by the hour, you're accidentally penalising yourself for being fast and experienced. A project rate reflects the value of the outcome, not the time it took.

Much better to estimate baked on a project rate.

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The logic of pricing

Pricing makes most designers sweat. The right price depends on your experience, your overheads, your market, and how well you can articulate your value. There's no single right number — but there is a right way to work it out.

Start with your costs. What does it actually cost you to run your business for a year? Once you know that number, you can work backwards to what you need to charge to cover it — and then build in contingency and profit on top.

Once you know your base cost rate, build on it in two steps.

Add a contingency margin — at least 10%, aim for 20%

No job goes exactly to plan. Briefs change, revisions happen, and sometimes you simply underestimate. A contingency margin means those moments don't come out of your pocket.

Add a profit margin — at least 20%, around 30%

Profit isn't a dirty word. Without it, you're just covering costs — and one slow month puts you under. Profit is what makes your business sustainable, lets you invest in better tools, take on professional development, and actually build something over time.

Industry benchmark

Sole operators in Australia typically charge between $150–$220/hr. Where you sit in that range depends on your specialisation, experience, and how well you articulate your value to clients.

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Staying mentally healthy

Going solo is not a mentored space. No one is checking in on you, nudging you to take a break, or reminding you that one bad project doesn't define your career. You have to build that scaffolding yourself.

Freelancing is high-pressure and low-support by design. If you're a graduate, be honest with yourself about whether that's where you are right now. There's no shame in saying not yet.

Sole operating gives you more agency — but control can become its own trap. You can work yourself into the ground when there's no one to tell you to stop.

The most useful reframe: your skillset is your alter ego. It's a product — separate from you. When a client doesn't love the work, that's feedback for the product. It's not a verdict on who you are. The more you can hold that separation, the steadier you'll be.

Don't figure it out alone. Peers, mentors, communities — find yours and actually use them. NNC has resources built specifically for this: NNC Mentally Healthy resources.

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