Playing The Long Game In Freelancing with Margo Stoney

How do you combine your talents with purpose-driven work? When do all the small steps lead to a business you're proud of?   Margo Stoney (she/her) is the Owner and Creative Director of High Mountain Creative. She lives in Montana and is dedicated to using graphic design to save the planet. She collaborates with nonprofits to develop visual storytelling pieces that raise awareness, increase impact and make supporting important causes more accessible to everyone.   In her free time, Margo likes to snowboard, hike and explore new places while looking at birds and sketching in her notebook along the way. In this episode, Justine and Margo chat about:  - Margo's start into freelancing by exploring different avenues at the intersection of design and nature - having a "second shift" job that allowed Margo to both spend the day snowboarding and have employment with benefits in the evening - how employer jobs can set you up for the skills you need to start working for yourself - learning and experimenting through taking two steps forward and one step back - piecing together work as you transition toward your owning your own business - how one of your best first clients can be your past employer - prioritizing mental and physical health over hustle  - the need for good chemistry and overlapping values in a client relationship - the value of solid contracts and processes - how design can help fight climate change and support conservation efforts - niching down to nonprofit clients - how positioning affects pricing and feeling confident in what you're charging - learning lessons from messing up and more!   Connect with Margo: Website: https://www.highmountaincreative.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mstoney IG: https://www.instagram.com/highmountaincreative   Connect with Justine: Website: https://www.justawildthought.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/justawildthought   Was this episode helpful? Screenshot this and tell a friend to go to justawildthought.com/podcast! Please rate and review Creatives in the Wild on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.