We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sarah Erickson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sarah below.

Sarah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I’m thankful to say that my creative business currently provides the primary income for our family.

When I first decided to start my business, my husband asked what my financial goals would be for the first year. I replied: “One cent.” I just wanted to give this idea a try—and as long as it didn’t lose money, I would consider the first year a success. Thankfully, after one year, I could report profits much higher than a single penny; in fact, my income for that year matched the salary I had been earning at a small design agency prior to launching my business.

Over the years, my income grew far beyond my initial expectations. My business grew quickly—but it didn’t happen overnight.

Referrals were key for my growth. From the start, I invested a lot of time and effort into client experience. This created a referral circle among past clients who organically brought new leads into my business. As a designer who offers 1:1 services, strong referrals offered a steady stream of inquiries and a fully booked client calendar (even as my prices increased). Even today, referrals are a key component of our lead strategy—and they are the best way to find clients that are an ideal fit for our style and aesthetic.

I would encourage emerging creative professionals who want to increase their earning potential to focus on client experience that fosters a solid network of referrals among past clients. Serving your clients well feels so rewarding in and of itself… and it sets a strong foundation for future business growth.

On a more concrete note: I also recommend incremental pricing as a strategy to steadily increase your profits. Every time you book a new client, raise your package pricing by some small percentage (for example, a $1400 package goes up to $1600). This alleviates “sticker shock” from major price jumps, and it adds a small sense of urgency for potential clients who have been waiting to book. As you garner more experience, your skill level increases; incremental pricing is a simple way to ensure your rates match the increased value you provide to newer clients, while increasing your profitability over time.

Before wrapping up this topic, I want to point out one of the common misconceptions about a career as a creative business owner: “instability.” People wonder, “But how will you make enough money? How can you be sure about your income?”

When I briefly worked at a large ad agency, our team lost a big client. On the same day, a senior copywriter was let go after fifteen years with the company. That didn’t feel like stability to me… in fact, quite the opposite. Everything changed in an instant. Surprisingly, working for myself provides greater financial stability than most people would expect.

It is true that my income is variable, and I depend on clients booking my design services to earn a living. However, as the owner of my business, I am the person in control of my services and pricing (and thus my income). I set the standard for my income and the number of hours I am willing to work to achieve it. Nobody sets a cap on my income; nobody dictates when I do or don’t deserve a raise. There is so much more financial freedom in my small business than I ever would have found working for someone else.

And most importantly, I have freedom over what matters more than any amount of profit: my time. Money comes and goes, but time is so precious. My business allows me to choose where I invest my time… in my relationships, in my personal wellness, in more sunsets on the porch with a glass of wine in head. And that’s worth more than any number in my bank account.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

As Lead Designer and Creative Director at Sarah Ann Design, I help clients elevate their businesses with powerful and refined brand identities—polished designs supported by thoughtful strategy.

An intentional brand design elevates your perceived professionalism and makes a lasting impression at every touchpoint. It’s deeply rewarding to see how our work creates that transformation for our clients and their businesses.

In the words of a recent client: “Whatever innate talent, disciplined development, dedication to your craft, creative process you have is otherworldly. There is no other way to describe this other than saying: it is the perfect embodiment of what I want my brand to communicate and the story I want it to tell.”

Our team is passionate about equipping creatives to appeal to their ideal clients, elevate their services, and build lasting legacies for their brands. If you’re interested in working together, we invite you to learn more at www.sarahanndesign.co.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There is so much I enjoy about being a creative! My work as a brand designer allows me to use my creative talents to spark real transformations for my clients. Every day, I get to do work that brings me profound joy—and at the same time, I get to see how that work makes a positive impact on my clients. Brand design allows me to serve small businesses owners with my time and talents, while also filling my soul with creative inspiration day after day.

But beyond the rewarding aspects of the business… this job provides deep rewards in my own personal life. I feel incredibly grateful for a job that allows me to find creative inspiration, financial freedom, and flexibility with my time.

As thankful as I am for the creative work I do, I’m even more grateful for the moments that matter outside the studio: warm sunshine on my face and delicate almond blooms blushing into life every spring. Tender forehead kisses and hands held and big bear hugs. Music that makes my soul come alive. Good food and good company shared around my table, stories and laughter exchanged long into the night.

The fact that my business supports moments like these is a gift for which I am forever grateful.

How did you build your audience on social media?

We have a rather unconventional approach to social media… several years ago, we decided to step away from Instagram as a marketing platform (even though it is by far the most popular choice in our industry, and had been a lead generator for us in the past).

From a practical business perspective, it had become clear that Instagram was not worth the time investment. As busy entrepreneurs, time is our most precious resource. I want to invest my time wisely, both in business and in my personal life. When time is money, Instagram did not feel like a wise investment for me.

If I’m going to invest my time in creating content, I want it to be thoughtful, honest, and comprehensive.
I don’t feel like I can offer the quality and depth of content I want to share within the limits of a short caption or a 30-second reel that may never even reach my target audience.

People often ask, “But how can your business survive without Instagram?” But, truth be told, I’ve often wondered quite the opposite: how can my business thrive with Instagram? I don’t own the platform. It requires hours of time and attention. It doesn’t fill my soul with creativity, originality, or joy—all of which are essential to my well-being and the well-being of my business.

In light of all these thoughts, my team and I have shifted our social marketing strategy away from Instagram completely. Instead, we’ve focused our efforts on growing our email list through high-incentive opt-ins (marketed through Pinterest). I’m proud to say we now have 6.5 million monthly views on Pinterest, and our email list has grown to over 10,000 subscribers.

The best part? These marketing efforts feel sustainable. They provide consistent evergreen lead generation with very little ongoing effort.

My advice to creatives who are just starting to build an audience is this: invest your time where it feels sustainable for you. You don’t have to follow trends that don’t work for you. Instead, focus on providing true value for your audience—and sharing your content wherever it makes sense for your business and personal philosophy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sarahanndesign.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahann_design/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahanndesign.co
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahannerickson/

Image Credits
Gracie Byrd Jones Photography