Land Your First Freelance Gig & Grow Your Portfolio

Join Creator and Marketing Consultant Bimma Williams in this live conversation on strategies for how to go freelance and establish yourself as a creative in the industry. Bimma will be joined by Laci Jordan, Multidisciplinary Artist, Creative Director, and Skillshare Teacher; and Khadija el Sharawy, Graphic Designer and Skillshare Teacher.

This Session Will Cover: 

• How to showcase your work, network, and get clients. 
• How to determine you’re ready to go out on your own and how to navigate the industry. 
• Top tips for setting up your own business. 
• A visual exercise on establishing your niche and building your portfolio, with samples outlining the strategy behind panelists' portfolio development.

This session is for anyone looking to go freelance, define their style, build up their portfolio and advance their career. 

Panelist Bios

Khadija El Sharawy is an independent graphic designer from Cairo, Egypt and a Top Teacher on Skillshare with over 15,000 students. After working for 3 years in a leading and award-winning branding agency in Cairo, she launched her solo career as a freelancer, working with clients from a variety of industries from food and beverage, finance, skincare and retail. In 2020, she won a pitch for Coca Cola against leading agencies to design their limited edition cans; and since then, she’s been the lead designer for limited edition cans for Coca Cola, Schweppes, and Fanta sold nationwide.

Laci Jordan is a Multidisciplinary Artist and Creative Director who uses color and authenticity as mediums to inspire unapologetic expression. Laci's work concentrates on color, pop culture, the representation of marginalized people and the intersectionality among these realms. From her use of vibrant colors to her deep commitment to creating authentic portrayals of contemporary culture, her work reflects her vision of a world filled with infinite expressions of creativity. Her art has been commissioned by brands such as Bentley, Ben & Jerry’s, Disney, Google, HBO, Jordan Brand, Netflix, NFL, Nike, REI, Spotify, Universal Music Group and many more. Laci was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama but currently resides in Los Angeles.

Your Host

Bimma Williams is a marketing consultant based in Portland, Oregon. Over the last 4 years, Bimma has leveraged simple marketing and sales strategies to create a $3 million freelance business serving clients like Amazon Music, Converse, and Complex. He’s led interviews with top creatives like Tyler the Creator, Virgil Abloh, Issa Rae, Offset, Coi Leray, IDK & more, and created a sold-out sneaker with Saucony. He has been recognized by Apple Podcasts as a Top Podcaster, Adweek Creative 100, Black Footwear Forum, Webby Awards, and Complex Sneakers Show. Bimma's belief is that with the right tools & guidance, every creative is capable of working for themselves, enjoying unlimited flexibility, and making money consistently.

What is a Skillshare Live Session? Join a Skillshare Live Session to create alongside Skillshare’s most inspiring teachers in an interactive, hands-on environment. When you join a Skillshare Live Session, you deepen your creative practice, strengthen your skills, and step fully into your creative potential with the support of the Skillshare community. Skillshare Live Sessions give you the opportunity to engage with your favorite teachers and ask questions along the way. You’ll leave every Skillshare Live Session feeling accomplished, having created something new with the guidance of the best creative teachers out there.

Skillshare's Terms of Service for Live Sessions

Skillshare's General Terms of Service