Be The First To Know
Join Our Newsletter
The Dream Project Workshop - June 30, 9AM PDT
6.30.22
https://sso.teachable.com/secure/112836/checkout/3825165/the-dream-project-workshop?order_token=order_27hpn23w&product_id=3825165
Think you need clients to create the projects of your dreams? Think again! In this two-part, interactive workshop you'll craft the work you've always wanted to see in your portfolio- the work that'll get you excited to keep creating and attract your dream clients and opportunities.
Join us!
Want to know the secret to ending the non-stop cycle of nightmare client after nightmare client?
Pssst... It's your portfolio!
We've all been there. We've worked with those red-flag-waving, scope-creeping, nothing-is-ever-good-enough clients. So how can you say buh-bye to these soul-sucking pixel pushers and start landing clients that check off all your dream-project boxes?
It starts by doing the work you dream of doing- before any client pays you to. By creating your own dream projects. Because here's the thing- great clients aren't looking to hire just any old creative. They want to know that you can not only do great work, but the exact work they're looking to hire. And if that work's not in your portfolio- it's a hard pass.
But no need to panic! This workshop's going to give you the guidance and space to build a body of work that shows your dream clients what you're made of.
What came first- the client or the work?
So you want to design movie posters? You can do that! Or maybe album covers strike your fancy- okay, you can do that, too! Really want to work with your favorite sports team? Design something for them! Have an idea around a product line of merch to celebrate your love of plants? Do it!
To get the type of work you want to be paid for, you need to show you can do that work. And you don't need a client to do that- you just need to give yourself the permission to go after it. In this workshop, Stephanie Owens will walk you through the exact process she uses in her design studio to create strategic, self-initiated projects that bring in paying clients and new opportunities. In this two-part workshop you'll:
Create a master plan for self-initiated projects that will fill your portfolio with the kind of work you want more of (even if you don't know what work you want more of yet).
Explore your project options and understand the strategic choices that need to be made to ensure that each self-initiated project fills a gap in your portfolio rather than just being a piece of fluff.
Explore various ways you can market your work, including SEO best-practices, posting your work on online-platforms, and using your work to reach out to potential clients (even if you're an introvert).
Go beyond just making the work and learn various ways you can monetize your craft without the need of a paying client.
This workshop is for the designers and the makers. The artists and the artisans. For the craftspeople who want to build a business around creating cool work for cool people.
Shhhh- can we keep this between us? Because there's something society (and probably your art school) doesn't want you to know... You can be an artist without starving. You can make a living by creating things and doing the work you love, without having to become a thought leader, strategist, or social media influencer.
This workshop is perfect for you if:
- You dream of working on projects that you're just not getting.
- You kinda want to leave client work behind and create your own brand of merchandise and products.
- You're just bored with your day-to-day grind and have the itch to create some cool work just for fun.
This workshop brought me back to thinking about who I truly am as a designer. If you feel you are always trying to please employers/clients or prospective employers/clients, then this is for you. Get back to what you love doing.
This workshop provided so much more value than what we've actually paid for. I'd say that this workshop takes you from zero to hero in regards to proposing projects to your dream client, and like Stephanie said, there's this possibility that you might actually reach them!
I feel like I've been living two parallel lives for the last decade. 1- the boss lady designer running a business and 2 - a meditating yogi living in the Himalayas. Up until now I haven't been able to make those two lives meet or cross. The Dream Project helped create a space for me to have them cross for the first time. I see so much opportunity for my work that it's both exciting and terrifying (but in a good way).
I think the further you get into your business or profession the further you can move away from the passion that sparked your interest. This workshop and community is a re-connection to that passion.
"The second we started creating the work we wanted more of- without any clients telling us what to do- was the second we started booking more projects that we loved and started loving our business again."
Stephanie Owens is the co-founder of Gold Sheep Design, a creative studio specializing in branding, digital illustration, and custom letterforms in the music and entertainment space. She and her husband, Nathan, have worked with brands such as Six Flags, Universal Studios, Doctor Who, and Agatha Christie Ltd. She's also the written voice of The Futur- so yeah, dream clients!
But life in the studio wasn't always dream project after dream project. We're talking nightmare project after nightmare project. And that's just not the way to keep a business or a marriage healthy. So they set out to completely revamp their business- and that started with only showing the kinds of projects they wanted more of, ditching anything that might raise those red flags, and filling their portfolio gaps with self-initiated dream projects.
This went beyond just creating cool stuff and hoping it would stick. A whole lotta strategy is infused into every project Gold Sheep Design puts out into the world. And in this workshop Stephanie's getting down to the nitty-gritty and showing you all the Gold Sheep-tested-and-approved methods for creating self-initiated projects that connect with clients and customers.
In this workshop you're going to create the work that will attract the types of clients and projects you want more of. Your dream projects!
The Workshop Pt. I: Developing Your Project
You're not going to create any old project in this workshop, slap it on your website, and cross your fingers. You're going to be strategic! In the first session you'll learn ways to overcome creative block, brainstorm possible project ideas, explore the pros and cons of various project types, evaluate what makes a project an effective portfolio piece to reach clients and customers, and create a plan of attack for getting this project finished!
The Community: Where the Magic Happens
It's time to get to work! Between the two workshop sessions you'll have over a month's access to our online Circle Community, where you can find accountability buddies, brainstorm further ideas with the group, ask for feedback, brag about your wins, get any of your questions answered, but most importantly- share your progress!
The Resource Library
Get access to Stephanie’s process for pricing branding and illustration projects, utilizing Pinterest and other marketing channels, and determining your next income stream inside the Dream Project video library. Also included is a spreadsheet template for keeping your outreach efforts organized and focused.
The Workshop Pt. II: Marketing, Monetizing, & Outreach
Your project's done- it's time to celebrate! We'll come together one last time to share our creations and discuss possible ways to monetize your work beyond clients, how to get your new portfolio piece out into all the corners of the internet, and possibilities for using your project as outreach to potential clients. This session is all about making your project work for you and brainstorming future opportunities.
Bonus: The Creative Voice Workshop on 6/23/22
Get your Dream Project Workshop ticket before June 17, 2022 and get a bonus workshop for free! This is a hands-on workshop designed to help artists and artisans build brands that are a reflection of their identity, voice, and values. If you're unsure of how to make your work stand out as your own or what you're even interested in creating for your dream projects, this workshop will help and then some. Get ready to dig deep and unleash your inner creative voice! All workshop attendees will get the recording but only early-bird ticket holders get to join live.
Bonus: The Creative Resources Kit
Creative block- it sucks! And Stephanie had it- for 20 years. But she's found ways to kick her creativity killers to the curb. You'll get access to her favorite resources for not just overcoming creative block but for expanding your own creativity and moving beyond what's popular and trendy in your field so your unique perspectives and experiences shine through your work.
Bonus: The Passion to Profit Playbook
In this pre-recorded office hours call with The Futur Pro Group, Stephanie walks through the exact steps her studio took to work with global brands like Agatha Christie Ltd. and Universal as well as how they landed five-figure branding jobs as a humble team of two.
Details & Logistics
Date & Time:
Part 1: June 30 (9am-1pm PDT)
Part 2: July 28 (9am-1pm PDT)
This is a two-part workshop. Choose the time that best fits for your schedule. Part one will take place on June 30 and part two will take place on July 28. This will allow for time to get your project done in-between sessions.
After purchasing your ticket for part 1, you will be able to register for your part 2 date/time. Please follow instructions after checkout.
Length & Format:
Approximately 4 hours each session. Digital conference, online only.
Circle Community:
You'll have access to our online Circle Community in-between workshop dates to share your work and get all of your questions answered.
Live Attendance:
We recommend attending the workshop live, but you are not required to do so. You will have access to each video recording within the Circle community.
How To Prepare:
- You'll find a PDF of pre-work inside of the Circle community along with the Creative Voice Workshop. It is highly recommended that those are completed before the workshops to get the most out of our time together.
- Have water on hand: it's important to stay hydrated!
- If you'd like the instructor to be able to see you, make sure your webcam and microphone are in good working order.
Meet Your Coaches
"The second we started creating the work we wanted more of- without any clients telling us what to do- was the second we started booking more projects that we loved and started loving our business again."
Stephanie Owens is the co-founder of Gold Sheep Design, a creative studio specializing in branding, digital illustration, and custom letterforms in the music and entertainment space. She and her husband, Nathan, have worked with brands such as Six Flags, Universal Studios, Doctor Who, and Agatha Christie Ltd. She's also the written voice of The Futur- so yeah, dream clients!
But life in the studio wasn't always dream project after dream project. We're talking nightmare project after nightmare project. And that's just not the way to keep a business or a marriage healthy. So they set out to completely revamp their business- and that started with only showing the kinds of projects they wanted more of, ditching anything that might raise those red flags, and filling their portfolio gaps with self-initiated dream projects.
This went beyond just creating cool stuff and hoping it would stick. A whole lotta strategy is infused into every project Gold Sheep Design puts out into the world. And in this workshop Stephanie's getting down to the nitty-gritty and showing you all the Gold Sheep-tested-and-approved methods for creating self-initiated projects that connect with clients and customers.
Register for the Dream Project Workshop with Stephanie Owens Starting
June 30, 2022
July 28, 2022
9AM-1PM PDT
(2-part workshop)