THE SECRETS TO BULDING A PROFITABLE DESIGN BUSINESS & LANDING HIGH-PROFILE CLIENTS
... without years of experience, industry connections, a background in business, a background in design, OR a large social media following
Get ready to create a consistent flow of clients with the method other designers don't know about yet...
😭 You're tired of rejection emails
😓 and getting ghosted after giving your rates
So instead of getting stuck with jobs that don't really interest you just to get by...
LEARN THE PROVEN PROCESS
SECRET #1
Learn how to turn your passion for art into a sustainable way to make a living from the Designer that Influences Influencers™
SECRET #2
Leverage the power of today's social media platforms to get recurring clients... without any paid advertising
SECRET #3
Find opportunities to work with high profile influencers and international brands without any industry connections
SECRET #4
Upskill your freelancing and build a killer portfolio that stands out
SECRET #5
Learn effective email & phone communication for creative agencies
SECRET #6
Learn how to create passive income as a designer and earn automated recurring revenue
✨ Once upon a time, I moved to the US from South Korea JOBLESS with NO connections... ✨
Others were afraid I'd end up totally broke as a starving artist. They told me to give up on my dream.
Now I work with clients who are brands with global reach and influencers with millions of followers.
This is how I did it.
APPLY NOW
"DAWN LEE IS A DESIGNER THAT INFLUENCES INFLUENCERS"
- Chris Guillebeau (New York Times Best Selling Author of $100 Startup)
👀 Guess what?
You also get The Confidential Proposal Deck that I use to work with some of my biggest clients 😉
MEET CLARA,
Graphic Designer
"The Academy has been an incredible journey in helping me take my next steps as a designer. Not only has the course taught me the fundamentals of design but the team went above and beyond in teaching me and other students how to conduct business in a professional manner while having fun with creativity. The course offered such a variety of projects to help me expand my skills and try new things outside of what I normally do. In fact, I was able to get connected to skincare guru and Youtuber EuniUnni to work on some awesome graphics for her including Youtube thumbnails, banners, and Instagram posts!! This was a highlight for me during my time in class because it taught me that connections with such amazing people out there ARE possible. What I loved the most about DLD.academy was the fact that everyone was so transparent and the instructors were always available to help with any questions. For this reason, I never felt alone when I was challenged because the community here is so responsive and supportive! The team became a family to me and I couldn't have been happier in making my choice to take this class! Thank you Dawn, Sophie, and Yuki in creating such a positively influential course for designers of all backgrounds!!!"
She landed her dream client, a content creator with over 100,000+ subscribers...
Ready to work with high-profile clients?
I felt lost, alone, and totally out of place when I moved to the US from Korea.
I was *told* that in order to be a successful designer I would have to:
🙄 get into a reputable school
😒 have a fancy art degree
😑 grind away for another 5 years as an entry-level designer until I’m promoted to a senior-level...
Then *maybe* I’d finally start receiving some projects I actually cared about…
*maybe* I’d have a shot at art directing if I was lucky...
Unlike all my other friends, I didn't even have a job lined up after graduation.
I applied everywhere but no one would hire me full time 😩
I had no idea what I was gonna do.
To get some side ca$h & expand my portfolio, I started freelancing on the side.
Even with...
- 0 connections
- 0 high-profile clients
- $0 of paid advertising
- 0 sales/business training
I still landed my first high-profile client.
Now I work with some of the biggest fashion, lifestyle, and beauty brands 😍
My day is set up with recurring clients and I can pick & choose which projects I’m passionate about.
If I need to run errands or want to relax & hang out with my dog, no one’s yelling at me or whatever.
I create my own schedule around my lifestyle.
And have been doing ever since.
I got to there so much faster than I ever thought I would...
Choose your freelance lifestyle
Make your own hours working on projects you're actually passionate about
Land your high-profile clients
Work with the coolest influencers, content creators, & your favorite brands in your own creative studio
Create a consistent flow of clients
& stop searching for work in random groups and threads
Scale your design business
Interested in art direction someday?
👋 Welcome to The Design Academy that teaches you the business side AND the creative side
And everything they don’t teach you in school...
👀 What else is inside?
✨ art direction + business strategy + project management coaching ✨
"How do I find consistent work?"
"How do I price my projects?"
"What do I do in this situation with my client?"
"What if I want to run my own agency or go into Art Direction?"
"How do I protect my work?"
"Where do I even start? What do I do next?"
When you're growing your business, all your questions get answered inside The Academy.
LEARN MORE
AND Exclusive opportunities to work on some of our studio projects with our biggest clients...
MEET ELAINE,
Illustrator
"As someone without a design background, by following their steps, I landed my first illustration client! It's by far the best investment I've ever made for myself!
Fast forward to today, I now work with for Aja Dang, a lifestyle and personal finance Youtuber, as a graphic designer! It’s incredible how one assignment from this class let to this amazing opportunity with a Youtuber who I’ve been watching for SO long. If you told me a year ago that I will be working on exciting creative projects, I wouldn’t believe it. I can’t thank DLD enough as they’ve truly propelled me forward in my creative career."
Ready for consistent work & high-profile clients?
This is for you if...
⭐ you want to stop worrying where your next client is coming from
⭐ you want to land consistent clients without being pushy or annoying
⭐ you want to work with cool influencers, content creators, and your favorite brands
Go behind the scenes of my 6-figure design business
⭐ stop struggling to find work
⭐ grow a waitlist of clients so you can choose who you work with (and if someone cancels, you have a backup)
⭐ be the Creative Director of your own studio
Secure a spot inside The Academy
APPLY FOR ENROLLMENT
Submit an application to see if you're a good fit for The Academy.
YOUR FREELANCE LIFESTYLE PLAN
Hop on a customized-to-you call where your path to consistent high-profile clients is mapped out in less than an hour.
LAND HIGH-PROFILE CLIENTS
If you're approved for a spot inside The Academy, we'll extend an offer to you so you can start working with high-profile clients!