collaborate Archives | &Something Studio

July 22, 2026

How design can strengthen communities

It’s something I’ve spoken about before, but it’s been on my mind again recently.

For all the talent we have across our creative industries, many of us still work in isolation. It can be too easy to spend your days wrapped up in client work, leaving very little time to speak to other creatives. And I think that’s particularly true outside of the larger cities.

Places like Manchester, London and Bristol seem to have creative communities woven into the fabric of the city. There are regular events, talks, exhibitions and meet-ups where people naturally cross paths. Elsewhere, those opportunities can be much harder to find.

I think we’re missing something. Because while we often think of design as solving problems, one of its greatest strengths is its ability to bring people together.

Why community matters

A thriving creative community often, I think, grows because people have places to meet, opportunities to collaborate and reasons to start conversations. And that’s vital, because it’s those conversations that could lead to new projects, a different perspective or simply the knowledge that you’re not the only person facing the challenges of running a creative business.

As creatives, we often spend so much time building brands for others that we forget how important it is to build connections for ourselves.

The creative industries have always thrived on collaboration. Designers, illustrators, photographers, copywriters, makers and artists all bring different perspectives to the table, and it’s often where those perspectives overlap that the most interesting ideas emerge. And that’s why local events are so important. They can create shared experiences and give us a reason to leave our desks, step away from our screens, and spend time with people who understand the industry we’re part of.

Some of the most valuable conversations I’ve had didn’t happen in boardrooms or formal meetings. They’ve happened over coffee with people I’d never met before. Many of those conversations have gone on to become projects, collaborations or ideas I wouldn't have reached on my own.

It’s encouraging, then, to see more initiatives beginning to appear that are trying to nurture exactly this kind of local creative community. That Design Thing is one example of an event that aims to bring designers, makers and creative thinkers together, not simply to showcase work, but to encourage conversations and help build a stronger network of people who might otherwise never meet. It’s a small step, perhaps, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Ultimately, stronger creative communities benefit everyone.

The wider impact

Events like this can have huge benefits, not only for the design community, where we can gain support, inspiration, and opportunities for collaboration, but also for local businesses, which can gain access to a wider network of creative talent. Local areas benefit from fresh ideas, cultural activity and increased visibility for the creative sector.

Perhaps most importantly, people begin to feel that they’re part of something bigger than their own business.

Community isn’t built overnight. It develops through consistency, shared experiences, and people who are willing to create opportunities for others.

Good design has always been about solving problems. Maybe one of the problems worth solving is how we create stronger creative communities.

Because when creative people come together, good things usually happen.

What do you think? Have you found a local creative community where you are, or is it something your area is still missing? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

May 6, 2026

Overcoming the ‘One Day’ Trap

Have you ever had an idea that won’t leave you alone? The kind you mention in passing, think about late at night - but never quite act on?

Maybe you’ve gone so far as to write it down, start making plans for it, and mull over how it would work. And then you hit pause, because… It’s just not quite ready yet. It’s not good enough.

Does this strike a chord? I think that most of us can relate to this – I’ve been sitting on one of these ideas myself. I wanted to discuss this topic, which is so common yet rarely talked about. What exactly is it that holds us back from getting our projects out into the world? Why do we resist doing that one thing that would light us up and bring us happiness? Why are we so afraid?

The idea that won’t leave me alone

At least five years ago, I had a seed of an idea. I was toying with the idea that where I'm situated, there’s little community for design studios like mine. There are quite a few designers working within my town, but if you asked me who they were or where to find them, in all honesty, I would struggle to tell you. They’re tucked away in the meandering alleyways and side streets that make up the historic market town where I live and work.

Although there are plenty of designers and other creatives here, we are quite isolated. We don’t tend to collaborate, or even learn of each other's existence – and my question was, why?

I don’t think it’s intentional. More just the way it’s always been. And I got to thinking, “What if we did make the effort to learn about each other? What opportunities could that bring to us, if we came together to share ideas and maybe even collaborate on projects?”

This idea has been lingering for five years: A design festival - a regular event that brings designers and creatives together. And in that time, I’ve made notes about how it will work. I’ve planned everything out, thought about the website and the kind of people that I wanted to invite. And then…I halt. Those thoughts start to intrude. It needs more planning. It’s not quite ready. The time isn’t right.

What is it, exactly, that’s stopping me? I know it’s a good idea – I’ve seen similar models in other communities. But taking that step? I stall every time.

Overcoming the fear

Our resistance always comes to the surface when we are on the verge of doing something that is important to us. Why? We’re afraid. Sometimes, we don’t realise it, but it’s almost always fear that stops us from moving forward, even if it’s something we’re passionate about. Staying stuck feels safer than risking being wrong, visible, or ignored. We put blocks in our way, so that we’re protected from being judged or feeling let down.

The trouble is, when we get stuck in this loop, it’s because we’re in our own heads. We become afraid to share our big ideas, because what if people think it’s stupid? What if they pick it apart and tell us all the reasons why it won’t work?

It’s the fear of uncertainty.

But here’s an idea. What if we were brave, just for a moment, and found just one person to talk through that idea with? Or did just one small thing to get the ball rolling? Message someone, or share a post about it. And what if, in doing that, we realised that no one was judging us. No one laughed at the idea. In fact, what if they told us it sounded great and that we should go for it?

In truth, we can wait forever for things to be perfect. They never will be. So, how about we just… start something?

You don’t need to have it all worked out.

You just need to begin.

So, the question is, what would you do if you didn’t fear the fear?

Pencil me in for October…

October 27, 2025

Ways to stay connected

Many designers find that they don’t have the luxury of a local community; yet, online, we can seek each other out, collaborate, and learn.

January 11, 2025

Team Up with Experts

I’m my own worst enemy. I have this strong will to handle everything myself instead of bringing in experts, even if it takes me twice as long. I suppose that’s a trait of being a business owner. We get so used to wearing all the hats that we forget that it’s perfectly acceptable to take one off sometimes and give it to someone who can do the job better.

I’ve stayed self-sufficient by default. In the beginning, it’s not a choice for most of us – we simply don’t have the resources available, so we hustle and do everything ourselves to get by. But then, it becomes more habitual, and the idea of delegating parts of my projects to others feels kind of worrying.

It’s a nerve-wracking process—pulling people in from the outside only to discover that they don’t live up to the standard I need.

In fact, I’ve had experiences where, rather than being impressed by what someone else contributed, I ended up wishing I had done the work myself. There’s nothing worse than seeing someone else’s work on your project and thinking you could have done a better job. The frustration of working with people who miss the mark can be real. But I’ve learned something important along the way: when you find the right people whose work pushes you to up your game, that’s when the magic happens.

Finding a Network of Experts

When you’re thinking about how to find people to handle tasks for you, it can be easy to fall into the trap of ‘who’s cheapest?’. I think that’s the first mistake many people make, and then we wonder why we get those feelings of ‘I should’ve done it myself’ and isolate ourselves in an effort to do it solo. Instead, it’s about surrounding yourself with a reliable network of experts. These are people you can trust to handle specific tasks, not just to free up your time but to actually improve the quality of the project.

In creative projects, pulling in experts in their respective fields allows you to focus on what you do best. When you delegate the right tasks to the right people, you’re allowing specialists to shine, and that lifts the entire project.

Of course, the challenge is finding those people with the same “it’s all about the work” mentality as you. You don’t just need someone who’s technically proficient (or cheap); you need someone who brings value, understands the vision, is passionate about the project, and has the drive to go the extra mile.

Building Trust Through Relationships

It’s not about hiring the first person who appears in your search results or the most affordable option. The best collaborations come from relationships you’ve built over time. That’s why it’s important to start connecting with experts well before you need their services. Building a list of trustworthy professionals whose work ethic and skill you trust and relate with yourself.

Building these relationships takes time, and it requires openness. You have to be willing to learn from others. Sometimes, someone’s approach might differ from yours, and instead of feeling threatened, it’s better to see that as an opportunity to grow. It’s inspiring to work with creatives who challenge you—who produce work that makes you think, “I need to step up my game.” When you find people who raise the bar, it doesn’t just improve the project; it elevates your own skill set.

Elevate the Work, Not Your Ego

At the end of the day, bringing in experts is not about proving you can’t do something yourself. It’s about creating something that wouldn’t be possible if you tried to do it alone. As a graphic designer, I know how easy it is to get caught up in the idea of “going solo.” But when you surround yourself with the right people, the work improves, your skills improve, and the final result is far beyond what you could have achieved on your own.

By trusting the right experts, you’re not delegating—you’re elevating the entire creative process. And ultimately, isn’t that what great work is all about?

April 5, 2024

Career paths: how do you qualify?

There are so many ways to get a career in design, but it doesn’t necessarily follow that you just need the formal qualifications to be a good designer. It’s absolutely possible to be good at design without any qualifications at all. Like with everything, everyone learns differently, and I think it’s important to find the right path for you, whether that’s traditional or not.

With this in mind, I wanted to explore how graphic designers can start a career – whether they choose university or not.

Embrace Your Creativity and Passion

I’ve often tried to explain to people that the bottom line is that you just need to be a good designer. It doesn’t matter what official qualifications you have or what other jobs you’ve had—if you’ve got a passion and willingness to learn, great, and if you’ve got ‘that thing’ too, you’re already halfway there.

Many successful designers have started their careers simply because they love to create. It just starts with that spark and grows from there.

Take time to explore your creativity, experiment, put ideas on paper, and try something different. The more you immerse yourself in the creative process, the more you refine your skills and develop a unique style.

Build a Strong Portfolio

Let me share how often I’ve been asked for evidence of my formal qualifications. None. Most people don’t care about that—instead, they’re looking for something to show I can do the right job for them.

Your portfolio is your resume. It showcases your skills, style, and creativity to potential clients. The key is to showcase your best work, the kind of work you love, and give potential clients an idea of how you could do the same for them.

Like me, most designers nowadays have an online portfolio on their website, making it easy for people to see what they’re about. If your client projects are scant or you’re just starting out, I’ve seen plenty of designers use personal projects to great effect. I did something similar with my book TenYrsLater and am still doing it with a new set of projects underway.

Network and Collaborate

Something I always advocate is getting to know other designers. There’s often this belief that creative people must carefully guard their circle, for fear of their ideas and work being stolen. That rarely is the case, and in fact, I think it’s important to network and collaborate with other designers. Sharing ideas and supporting others has huge benefits and works wonders for your mental health during tough times.

If you work alone, as many creatives do, just having a few trusted peers to call on for guidance is always helpful. Don’t think of them as competitors but as a support network.

Embrace Continuous Learning

Graphic design is constantly evolving, with new trends, technologies, and techniques emerging all the time. To stay relevant, we must embrace lifelong learning. Whether mastering new software, checking out design trends, or honing our skills in specific areas, always seek knowledge and improvement.

If you find online resources, workshops, webinars, or even formal courses beneficial, take advantage of them. Stay curious, adaptable, and willing to step out of your comfort zone to grow as a designer.

Remember, your journey as a graphic designer should be unique; don’t be afraid to break the rules.

January 10, 2023

Using goal-setting to get the right work

I don’t want to sound like a cliché here, but as we start a new year, it’s hard not to think about goal-setting. Of course, it’s important to set and review our business goals at various points in the year, but it feels kind of fitting to align new goals with the start of a new year, doesn’t it? So, cliché or not, I’d like to put some thoughts on paper about how I’m setting new goals to focus my marketing efforts as a graphic designer. Sharing some ideas on how and why I think it’s important to set goals so we can get more of the work we really want to do and less of the work we don’t necessarily enjoy.

I’m sure you can relate to this, particularly if you’ve been in graphic design for as many years as I have – feeling like you’re at a crossroads. A point where you’ve spent so many years taking any viable project that comes your way and being convinced that you have to do that because you need it to build a well-rounded portfolio and get enough money rolling in.

Is that the point of this gig, though? I know from my experience I had something else in mind. I want to win projects that excite me. Yet it never quite ends up that way. I’ve been here long enough to know which projects I’ve done that have really got under my skin. I can so easily tell you about the designs that have been so perfect that I’ve enjoyed doing above all others. So why am I not chasing more of those perfect projects? And why aren’t you?

Why bother with goals?

I know – creativity is mainly about spontaneity and creative inspiration. It seems to go against what we do to; make plans and goals. And yes, in the creative sense, it does, but I’m talking about setting future goals to get the work that allows us to tap into our natural creativity.

We’ve all had those jobs, haven’t we? The ones where it feels as though we’re wading through treacle. The inspiration is hard to cling to because we’re, in all honesty, not that passionate about it. And that’s not what we signed up for, right?

By setting goals, we can pinpoint those ideal jobs and find ways to seek them out.

Steps to finding the right projects

The first goal to consider is the type of projects we want to work on. I think the simplest way to do that is to look back at your current portfolio and reflect on what’s in there. Which projects stand out? What was it about those projects that made them enjoyable? Was it the style? The client? The niche industry?

This will give you clues about who you want to target to get more of those jobs.

Secondly, go back and find out where those clients came from. Did they find you through your website or social media? Did you contact them? See if there are any patterns to where those people came from.
Now you’ll have an idea of the kinds of projects you’d like to do more of and the type of clients you’re most happy working with.
Now, you’ll want to think about exactly where you need to focus, given the information you gathered in points 1 and 2. If most of those ‘perfect’ clients seemed to come from LinkedIn, double your efforts there. If they seem to trickle through from your email newsletters, then that’s where you need to put most of your energy. On the other side, if you’ve been doing loads of work on one of those or on something else with no return – stop doing it!

Relationship building

One of the things I’ve become aware of is that I need to focus on looking for people rather than projects. Because although I have a good idea of the types of projects I want, I know from past experience that it’s most often a particular type of client that makes my work most interesting.

Although I do a fair bit of cold marketing, I often get good results from online sources, such as my website, blog, social media, and LinkedIn. From my perspective, putting more effort into those going forward makes more sense. It might be different for you, so it’s a good idea to dig into it.

But throwing out social media posts and blogs, while important, is only part of the whole picture. Because what we really need to be doing is building relationships on our chosen mediums. For me, that means actually seeking out and talking to the kinds of people I want to work with via LinkedIn etc. I’m now starting to spend more time reading people’s posts and taking the time to reply and comment – striking up conversations. Sometimes, that’s potential clients, and sometimes, design and marketing agencies that could potentially outsource or collaborate.

The point is if we don’t think about our goals, who we want to work with, and the direction of our business, we can so quickly end up just…plodding.

How about you? Have you set any new goals recently? Are you using those goals to grow your business, find more niche projects, or maybe change direction altogether?

July 22, 2022

Collaboration and Community

If you’ve been reading my content for some time, you might have read my previous posts about Collaboration and Community, my thoughts on the benefits of having a design community and my efforts to put together a local design hub. These subjects have come to mind again recently for several reasons.

Firstly, I don’t know about you, but this summer feels like the first one in a long time where people – both creators and businesses – have begun to emerge from the fog of lockdown and are thinking more positively about moving forward. I think we’re all pretty exhausted by the isolation that covid brought and are beginning to seek out new connections. To me, the idea of fresh collaborations and community events feels pretty exciting.

And on that note, I and some others who I completed my recent MA with have come together to exhibit at the London Design Festival, which is taking place in September. Our group, in itself, has become a ‘hub’ where we have spent time bringing ideas and experiences together. They are one of the reasons why I have come to recognise the importance and huge benefits that having like-minded people around you can have.

I’ve always maintained that outside of cities, the opportunities to attend design events are very few and far between. In my area of Shrewsbury, there are many creative businesses – not just designers, but photographers, writers, filmmakers, and so on – but very little in the way of community. If you walk around my town, you can find several design agencies, but none of us knows much about the other. We never seek each other out, which is a real shame. Rather than see how we can collaborate or help each other out, we tend to close our doors for fear of ‘the competition’ getting in and finding out our secrets.

Perhaps that’s what sets big agencies in big cities like London or Manchester apart – they don’t think of each other as competition, in that sense. Instead, they are willing to not only come together to celebrate great design but invite other people in to celebrate with them, too.

It’s prominent on the web page for the London Design Festival: “(London Design Festival serves) to create an annual event that would promote the city’s creativity, drawing in the country’s greatest thinkers, practitioners, retailers and educators to deliver an unmissable celebration of design.”

I think these events shouldn’t just be left to the cities; there is no reason why small towns can’t create their own, smaller-scale hubs and events all around the country. Why shouldn’t designers in smaller communities celebrate their talent and dedication?

An idea that I’ve begun to resurrect, The Shrewsbury Design Festival, is a project I had been working on before covid stopped us all in our tracks. It started as a way to bring together creativity in and around Shrewsbury so that we can be found more easily within the community, form collaborations, share ideas, and bring local networks into the spotlight.

I don’t want this to sound too much like a promotional piece – it would be nice if what I’m doing here might inspire other design agencies to consider creating their own hubs and communities. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could have small pockets of designers who felt comfortable collaborating on work projects, meeting with each other to share ideas and experiences, building each other up and offering support? Imagine that…

Maybe you’re reading this and thinking, yes! I’d love for that to be how designers work. Or perhaps you live close to my own hub here in Shrewsbury and want to get involved in my project. Whether for inspiration or to join in, you can sign up at sydf.uk or follow our socials: Twitter or Instagram.

June 17, 2020

How having a local creative hub can help designers get more work

I’ve spoken before about the lack of creative support in my town – there is little here in the way of events for designers, and that’s something that I’d love to rectify. I think there are a great many benefits in creating a community, or hub, for creatives in my town, but they seem to be reserved for larger towns and cities. It’s important that as an industry, we are able to call on each other for advice, support, and inspiration.

So this article is more for the benefit of my fellow designers, who, like me might be struggling to connect with like-minded people, and wonder how we can better support each other in creating such a community and share resources in searching out and getting more paying clients.

Firstly, I’d like to explore some of the ways we might get clients, because we all do things very differently. There is no right or wrong way, but in sharing ideas, perhaps we can help each other to try new avenues, and get more of the types of clients we really want to be working with.

When I created my design agency, I did so because I believe that being part of something gives a professional edge. I decided to open as an agency for that reason.

I don’t really know whether the way that I market my agency should differ very much from the way that a freelancer might, perhaps being an agency means that my marketing is a little less personable, in that my brand is The Severn Agency rather than myself, Tony Clarkson. So whichever method I use to market, I’m doing so as ‘us’ and ‘we’, rather than ‘me’ and ‘I’. It kind of sounds a bit more professional to the kind of people that I want to be targeting, but you might think differently.

Sharing resources

A lot of us get overwhelmed when it comes to looking for new projects, especially in the beginning. Although in time, we find our own methods, it can still be difficult – the current climate has proved that. It’s important that we explore different ways of marketing, and building a design community can once again be so helpful in that. When we get stuck in a rut, as we all do, it’s useful to be able to call on others for support.

In that, I’d like to be able to share a few ideas here with you about methods that you might already use, or that you might not have thought of but want to try.

My methods

In my experience, the best work comes through referrals. Getting your name and face around as much as possible, talking to people about what you do, and not being afraid to network face-to-face is by far the most effective way you can grab people’s interest. If you can get even one client to refer you to a few of their contacts, it tends to have a ripple effect, and you can build quite a decent portfolio this way.

When you’re at the beginning of your career, I think the most important thing you can do is to create enough samples of the kind of work you want to be doing and sharing it across your website and social media platforms. The great thing about graphic design is that it’s visual, and can easily grab people’s attention. If you’ve got a specific style, people will begin to recognise it as yours and look out for it.

If you do want to approach people ‘cold’, it’s vital that you address any emails or letters to a specific person. Get a name, and do a bit of research about them. There’s no harm in stalking someone you want to work with on LinkedIn, and this can then lead you to their other social platforms and websites, where you can learn so much about their businesses, helping you to approach them in a more personal way. Rather than a ‘Dear Sir, I’m a designer, please hire me’, you can be saying, ‘Dear Tom, I see you are creating a great brand through your Instagram – I really think I could help you with that…’

Can people find you?

It stands to reason that if people don’t know you exist, they’re not going to seek you out. Something I see time and time again when I’m asked to help businesses with rebranding and web design is that they’re not making any effort to share what they do. It’s all very well having a beautiful website, but it will just sit there if you fail to use it.

Your aim should be to lead people to your website, and make it clear what you want them to do when they get there (i.e. hire you!) Make sure that all your best work is on your website, and share it around social media. Update people about the work you’re doing right now. Create a blog and drive people to it via a newsletter or sales funnel.

The more content you create through your website, the better you will rank on Google, and the more you will be found.

Be visible, and pool your resources

Rather than seeing others in your industry as competition, start talking to them. This again comes back to the original subject here of building a design network – other creators are not the enemy, and we can and should help each other out.

If you see a piece of work by another designer that you admire, there’s no reason you can’t reach out to them through social media – tag them publicly telling them and others how much you love their work. Spark a conversation, and get to know them.

If you don’t yet have a design community in your area, like me, look at ways you can create one. This is where I’m at right now. I want to make that happen so that I and others in my town and surroundings can have our own ‘hub’ to call upon.