My 15-month journey from 9-to-5 to running a design studio

As we wrap up 2025, I wanted to take a moment to look back at the past 15 months — how I went from a 9-to-5 job to running my own design studio here in Australia. If you’re thinking about making a similar leap, hopefully this gives you a bit of insight and maybe a little encouragement.

From 9-to-5 to freelance freedom

About 15 months ago, I decided to take the plunge and start my own UX/UI design studio, Studio JC. The shift from a structured company environment to being fully responsible for my own pipeline, clients, and delivery was a big change - but also one of the best decisions I’ve made.

There were challenges, especially early on, but the ability to choose who I work with, how I work, and the direction I want to take the studio has been incredibly rewarding.

Why retainers work for SMEs (and why I chose them)

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt is that the monthly retainer model is a perfect fit for many SMEs.

Most small and medium businesses aren’t ready to hire a full-time senior designer. It’s a big investment - often $150,000 to $200,000 a year - plus super and onboarding. Many teams also don’t have enough ongoing design work to justify that role long-term, and firing or restructuring can be tough.

On the other hand, agencies can feel expensive, slow, and disconnected. There’s usually an account manager sitting between the client and the designer, which often leads to misunderstandings and delays.

A retainer solves all of this:

• direct communication with me (no middleman)

• faster turnaround and clearer collaboration

• flexible ongoing design support

• predictable monthly cost for the business

From my perspective, retainers give me predictable revenue and reduce the risk of scope creep. Because the work is ongoing, it’s easier to adjust, prioritise, add, or remove tasks without everything turning into a lengthy renegotiation. It also suits the type of clients I work with - many are SaaS or product-focused teams that need continuous improvements week after week.

Tools and AI that keep my workflow smooth

Grain

I use Grain to record all my client meetings. This has become one of the most valuable parts of my workflow. When working on complex products, I often need to rewatch sessions to fully understand the system logic, design brief, or feature details.

Grain provides:

• full meeting recordings

• transcripts

• AI summaries

• the ability to ask questions like “What did the client say about this feature?”

Instead of digging through handwritten notes or guessing, I can pull up the right info instantly. It speeds up my understanding and reduces mistakes.

Tella

Because my service is mostly asynchronous, I record short walkthrough videos using Tella after completing design updates. Clients can watch them in their own time - super helpful when we’re in different time zones or when they’re busy running their business.

Tella also generates subtitles automatically, and the whole flow is quick and simple. Clients often tell me how helpful it is to watch, pause, and rewatch these walkthroughs so they can properly digest the concepts.

Together, Grain and Tella have completely changed how I communicate. They make everything clearer, faster, and far more client-friendly.

Wrapping up

It’s been a big 15 months - challenging but incredibly meaningful. I’m grateful for the clients I’ve worked with and the projects I’ve been trusted with. I’m also excited about where Studio JC is heading next.

If you’re thinking about going freelance or shifting to a more sustainable design business model, I hope this gives you a bit of insight into what’s worked for me so far.