The Un-Ordinary: An Anti-Gatekeeping Series on Freelancing (Featuring Nick Rissmeyer)

Meet Nick Rissmeyer.

Nick is a graphic designer based in Chicago (formerly Richmond VA) with a focus on identity design and motion. Fan of design systems and conceptual thinking

What's the craziest design request you've ever received?

‍Depends what you mean by crazy. Timelines are always crazy and there's a sprint to get work done but also I've heard clients ask to print a gif or ask to use the brand before it's done or have them send me logos they made as references.

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What do you do when you get stuck creatively?

‍I usually go to Are.na and look at my boards filled with design related things that I really love. Sometimes looking at lots of cool things helps, sometimes going for a walk or giving up for the day helps to. Just stepping away physically or mentally to let that mental spotlight shift over to something else helps me a lot. Also deadline pressure at the last minute is a great incentive (not healthy).

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If you could design a new emoji, what would it be?

I'd like a medieval flail emoji or a wiener dog. We can make stickers now though so emojis are obsolete.

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What are the most common forms of gatekeeping you've observed?
How do you think we as a community could change them?

I think the communities I've surrounded myself with have been really good about not gatekeeping actually. At least in recent years there seems to be a more conscious and active push to share resources and techniques with others ie: Are.na boards, blogs and YouTube content. My friends Tim Finch, Bianca Smith, Elizabeth Vande Griend and I actually started Distant Community in 2020, a creative slack community, to make space for people to come together to share knowledge and make connections. :)

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What's your greatest pain point in managing your business?

For sure the hardest thing is knowing how much to charge and or how to scope your own projects. How long will it take you to do something and how much money do you think makes it worth it? It depends on so many other factors and is always a pain to figure out. Also tax documents and knowing how much you're actually making.
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Find Nick on IG, LinkedIn, and Are.na

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"The Un-Ordinary: An Anti-Gatekeeping Series on Freelancing" by Roam.

Roam is the most intuitive business management platform for digital creatives, here to equip creatives with the practical tools and support to streamline their workflows and thrive in business.
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