Want to begin taking on freelance design projects, but you’re unsure of how to start? Maybe you’ve looked at a few resources on building a design business, but their advice seems too big, overwhelming, or out-of-reach for what you’re hoping to achieve right now? If you’re looking for freelancing basics, truly for beginners, to give you the confidence to take on your first few independent projects, Designing For Local Communities is for you.

Designing For Local Communities encourages the reader to find their first clients in their local community. By working with small businesses, the designer can build a freelancing portfolio, while simultaneously investing in their neighborhood. Lessons are tailored for working with these small-scale clients, with examples, interviews, and exercises that will build a strong foundation for an independent design practice.

Dispelling the myth that you must live in a big city or work for huge brand clients to be considered successful in the design industry, Meaghan Barry celebrates the benefits of working directly with small businesses and non-profits, building value for designers and the businesses on their doorstep.