
from the blog

How to control the uncontrollable
Trigger warning: Gettin' real about loss, life, self-talk and anxiety. I'm writing this email on February 3rd. There's nothing special or remarkable about today, and I think we can all agree that today is definitely not the new year. It's not the western New Year...
The Designer’s Quick Start Burnout Survival Guide
You know how they say you don’t get to choose your family, but you have the power to choose your people? My people are – and probably always will be - designers. (And, btw, I’m lucky ‘cause I’d totally choose my family, too. They’re cute pains in the butt, but...
The real reason you’re not getting new clients
Spoiler alert: It isn't because your website sucks (but, y'know, if it does, you should definitely do something about that). And if you've wrung out every ounce of your blood, sweat and tears to create a beautiful brand and website but you're still left wondering why...
Good Girl
Growing up, I was proud to be the "good girl".I got good grades, did good chores, said good things, had good manners and feltgood when I was referred to as the "good" one of the family.... Even though it meant playing small, keeping quiet and never pushing back.Even...
“No one wants to pay for design anymore – they just use Canva instead!”
“No one wants to pay for design anymore – they just use Canva instead!”I was a few minutes into a catch-up call with a designer in my squad when this pearlpopped out of her mouth.I paused – genuinely surprised - then unleashed with:“What? That’s not true. What proof...
It’s business. Not personal.
Have you ever caught your parent in one of those,“Do as I say, not as I do” moments?"Like, Mum, why are you allowed to devour a Kit Kat 20 minutes before dinner,but *I* have to die of starvation so I don’t “ruin my appetite”?!Well, the irony recently caught up with...
Why You Should Be Charging for Brand Workshops
We all WANT to charge more, right? This quick read by the team at Brand Discovery Kit shows not only how you can charge more but also why you SHOULD be!
How to Plan for Your Next Launch Without All the Stress
Liz Illg is a bonafide expert in all things business systems & delegating. In this post, Liz shares her inside tips for planning your next launch without losing your marbles.
Why you should become an entrepreneurial shapeshifter
Alright, I’ll admit it: I believe in magic.Yep, I’m a grown-ass woman that believes in magic.Not sorry.But I don’t believe in the kind of magic that’ll gain me admission to Hogwarts,or even score me a starring role in a Vegas show.I believe in the kind of...
Behind the scenes of our very first digital summit
Listen to this episode of the podcast here or read the transcript below. Anna Dower:Hey everyone, it's Anna here. Welcome to The Uncool Designer. Today I am talking with my friend, my partner in crime, Emma Kate, and we're going to be talking about the Designer Boss...
Do I really need a niché?
Listen to the NICHE ME episode of the uncool designer here or read the transcript below. Today, I'm going to be talking everything niche. As my American counterparts call it, niche, but you're going to hear my beautiful Aussie accent call it niche today. I'm going to...
How to get quick, fast cash injections in your design biz
Listen to the CASH INJECTIONS episode of the uncool designer here or read the transcript below. $So today I wanted to talk about cash injections, basically ideas and concepts on how to make some quick money in your design business. I know that COVID has really thrown...
What to do when you feel like you’re in the middle of a shit show.
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a woman in the centre of a raging shit storm is bound to get some shit on her. For me (and most of the planet right now), that shit is the fallout from coronavirus. And, last week, I genuinely thought it had broken me....
Should I be discounting my work during this time?
Since the dawn of design biz time, lady bosses have been asking me,"Anna, when the going gets tough, should I get the tough discounts going?"And I say … "Bleughwtfughpoduawytdw."Which, alright, isn’t so much a statement as it is a stressed splutter of...
Five *normal* things you take for granted (that can totally be turned into an ecourse)
You have treasures hidden inside of you. ✨ Wonderful, wondrous treasures that need to be shared with the world. (And that people are willing to pay real money for.) No, don’t roll your eyes. Don’t click away. ?And yes, yes, I know ‘treasures’ seems a little too airy...
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