BEYOND Design: The Business & Mindset Podcast for Designers & Creatives
Nelett Loubser - Creative Entrepreneur Since 2010 - Designer, Creative Business & Mindset Mentor
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BEYOND Design is a podcast for designers, freelancers, and creatives who want honest conversations about the creative process, mindset shifts, self-doubt, burnout, pricing, confidence, and building a creative business that feels good to run. Hosted by Nelett Loubser, it shares real stories and lessons from the design industry, covering the business and emotional side of creative work. The podcast emphasizes that design is only one part of it — the rest is mindset, boundaries, growth, and learning how to build a creative career and life that works for you.
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Freelance Designer Loneliness: Why Community Beats Another Course 25.06.2026 21minSend us Fan Mail Nobody talks about the real loneliness of freelancing. Not the Pinterest version — laptop, coffee, living the dream. The real version. Where you read the same client email five times and wonder if you're being difficult, or if you should just drop your price because shame, you need the work. In this episode, I want to talk about something most designers carry quietly: the weight of doing everything alone. The pricing decisions, the client conversations, the small wins nobody ...
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Will AI Replace Graphic Designers? Here's the Truth After 25 Years in the Industry 17.06.2026 20minSend us Fan Mail AI is everywhere right now — in design, branding, content, websites, logos and almost every creative conversation. And here is my honest take: I love AI. It helps me think, organise, clean up admin and move faster where faster helps. But AI is not my replacement. In this episode of BEYOND Design, I talk about AI in graphic design, human-centric creativity, and why designers still matter in an AI-saturated market. Because when everyone can make something look good, the designe...
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How to Set Up Your Freelance Design Business 28.04.2026 15minSend us Fan Mail In this episode of BEYOND Design, I’m talking about the part of freelancing we often avoid in the beginning — setting up the basic foundation of your freelance design business. Not the fancy website. Not the perfect brand. Not seventeen apps and a dramatic business plan. Just the simple things that make you feel more legit, more organised, and less all over the place when a client finally asks, “Can you send me a quote?” We’ll talk about the four basics every freelance design...
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Business Side of Design: Talent Gets You Hired — This Keeps You Booked. 08.04.2026 16minSend us Fan Mail The 80/20 Truth: Design talent might get you hired once… but it’s the other 80% that keeps you booked. In this episode we talk about the part of freelancing nobody posts about: boundaries, client communication, systems, confidence — and even that thing I call “email apnea” (when your inbox makes you hold your breath like it’s about to ruin your day). You’ll leave with one practical takeaway: five non-negotiables for how you work, so clients don’t run your life. Full show note...
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How I Started Kunshuis (And I’d Do It All Again Today) 12.03.2026 19minSend us Fan Mail This is the most requested episode I get: how I started Kunshuis. I’m taking you back to 2009/2010 — the spare-bedroom days, after-hours work, the awkward phone calls, the “Eish… I hope this works” moments… and the simple things I did that still matter today. In this episode, I share what I did first to get clients, why I didn’t niche (and why I don’t regret it), the small habits that made me feel like a proper professional, and how human connection became the lifeline of my ...
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Working From Home Without Losing Your Mind 06.03.2026 13minSend us Fan Mail Working from home sounds like the dream… until it’s week two and you’re sitting in the same spot again, feeling flat, distracted, and a bit alone. In this episode, I share the real story of how KunsHuis started (dining-room desk, pay-as-you-go internet, all of it) — and what actually helped me climb out of that early working-from-home slump. We’re talking dedicated space, routine, boundaries, staying connected, and the small things that make freelancing sustainable. → Show no...
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How to Get More Design Clients Without Social Media (Start With Your Inbox) 09.02.2026 15minSend us Fan Mail Somewhere between the school bags, the “quick” client emails that are never quick, and making supper… a lot of creatives are quietly waiting for work to just… arrive. And babe, I get it. I’ve done it too. In this episode, I’m sharing a very unglamorous but very effective truth: Before you go looking for new clients… check your inbox. Because the clients you’re praying for aren’t always strangers. Sometimes they’re already sitting in old emails… warm leads… past clients… the “...
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Time Management for Freelance Designers: How to Structure Your Week Without Burning Out 21.01.2026 13minSend us Fan Mail Somewhere between the school bags, the client emails, the dog walk, and making supper… a lot of creatives are quietly burning out. In this episode, I’m sharing the simple rhythm that’s helping me hold client work and build what’s next — without losing myself halfway through the week. We’ll talk about why the problem usually isn’t time… it’s transitions. How to protect your mornings like a studio. And how to use weekly themes + monthly batching so your podcast/course/products ...
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How to Stay creative in the holiday season 10.12.2025 5minSend us Fan Mail If you're in that weird space between wanting to rest and still wanting to feel inspired — this one's for you. In this episode, we’re talking about how to stay creative during the holidays without forcing it. Because let’s be honest — your brain might be fried, your to-do list is a bit of a joke, and inspiration doesn’t exactly strike between school concerts and shopping lists. I’m sharing what I’ve learned about letting creativity play (instead of pushing it), what that actu...
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Why Slowing Down Is the Most Strategic Thing a Designer Can Do 04.12.2025 7minSend us Fan Mail If December is the only time you finally breathe, this episode is for you. I’m talking about the moment I realised the life I was designing — the one I thought looked “successful” — was actually exhausting me by the end of every year. This one’s not about productivity hacks or how to squeeze more into your day. It’s about learning to pause on purpose. Daily. Not just during the holidays. Let’s talk about why rest is not a reward. Why slowing down doesn't mean falling behind. ...
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The System Behind My Creative Life 27.11.2025 10minSend us Fan Mail Let’s be honest — running a freelance design business can feel like a mess. And no, it’s usually not the design work that’s the problem… it’s everything around it. The emails, the timelines, the feedback loops, the invoices, the “wait, where did I save that thing?” moments. In this episode, I’m walking you through the real reason I created the Designers’ Playbook Desk — not as another Notion template, but as the system I needed to survive and actually enjoy running my busines...
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Educating Our Clients — The Unsung Responsibility of Graphic Designers 20.11.2025 10minSend us Fan Mail Clients don’t come with a manual — and neither do we. So when a project goes sideways, it’s usually not about the design… it’s about the gap between what we know and what our clients think happens behind the scenes. In this episode, we dive into one of the most overlooked parts of our job as designers: educating our clients. Not blaming them. Not rolling our eyes behind the scenes. But guiding them with clarity, simple language, realistic timelines, and boundaries th...
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What Makes a Top-Rated Creative (It's Not Just Talent) 12.11.2025 10minSend us Fan Mail Let’s be honest — being a “top-rated” creative isn’t just about having talent or pretty work on your feed. It’s about how you run your freelance business. How you communicate. How you lead a project. How you carry yourself when no one’s watching. In this first episode of the Playbook Series, I’m sharing what actually makes a designer truly trusted — the stuff that turns one-off clients into long-term ones, and stress into structure. We’re diving into the business side of the ...
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Creatively Tired, Still Inspired: A Soft Reset for Designers 05.11.2025 8minSend us Fan Mail Feeling creatively drained… but also kinda excited for what next year could be? In this episode, I’m talking about that strange end-of-year feeling we creatives know too well — tired, worn out, low on ideas… but still catching little sparks of inspiration for the year ahead. From what I wrote in VISI Magazine to the real-talk reset I’m doing in my own studio, this is a soft, honest conversation about creativity, burnout, faith, and what it means to finish the year gently — no...
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When Clients Ghost You (And You Start Doubting Everything) 29.10.2025 19minSend us Fan Mail Ever been ghosted by a client? You send the concept, the quote, the carefully worded email… and then—nothing. No reply. No feedback. Just silence. In this episode, I’m sharing what to do when a client disappears—without disappearing into yourself. We’ll talk about why ghosting happens, how to gently follow up (with copy-paste scripts!), and how to protect your peace, your pricing, and your confidence. It’s real, human, and full of soft boundaries to help you design a freelanc...
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Ask, Don’t Guess — Why Great Designers Ask Better Questions 22.10.2025 11minSend us Fan Mail Have you ever been told to “just do what the client wants”? 🙃 Yeah... same. In this episode of BEYOND Design, I’m sharing why asking smart, strategic questions isn’t “too much” — it’s exactly what makes you a powerful, professional designer. We’re diving into: • What questions actually build trust (and better results) • The difference between a designer and a button pusher • Why “make it pop” isn’t a brief — and how to translate it • One question that cost me a client (but ga...
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Are You a Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda or Samantha… in Business? 15.10.2025 8minSend us Fan Mail What do your business habits say about you? In this light-hearted (but sneakily powerful) episode, I’m blending two of my great loves—Sex and the City and helping creatives build businesses that actually fit them. Whether you’re a Carrie chasing ideas, a Miranda with airtight boundaries, a Charlotte with a big heart, or a Samantha running the show—you’ll love this playful take on creative personalities and how they show up in freelancing. Expect laughs, real talk, and maybe a...
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Episode 8: Mental Health in the Shadows of Design 08.10.2025 11minSend us Fan Mail Behind every design file is a thinking, feeling, human—and sometimes, our biggest creative battles happen in the quiet spaces no one sees. In honour of World Mental Health Day (10 October), this episode goes beyond the deadlines and deep into the heart of what we carry as creatives. From prayer and the Bible App to tapping, the Emotion Code, Dr. Caroline Leaf’s thought rewiring, and Joe Dispenza’s meditations—I’m sharing the gentle tools that help me stay grounded, clear, and...
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Graphic Designer Burnout: Why You've Stopped Creating (And How to Get Back to It) 01.10.2025 8minSend us Fan Mail 🎧 A quiet crisis in the creative world... let’s talk about it. Are you actually creating… or just managing chaos? This episode goes straight into the heart of something many of us are silently dealing with: graphic designer burnout. Not the dramatic kind. The kind that sneaks in through late-night emails, endless admin, and blurred boundaries. We’re unpacking the real reason behind creative fatigue—and what to do when you feel like you’re running a business, answering WhatsAp...
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Face it, Your Clients are Running Your Freelance Business—Not You. 24.09.2025 8minSend us Fan Mail Ever feel like your clients are secretly running your business? Like your inbox has become your boss and “quick edits” turn into all-nighters? You’re not alone. In this episode of BEYOND Design, I share the raw truth of what happens when we let clients set the pace—and how to flip the script so you become the Creative Director of your own freelance life. We’ll talk boundaries, client leadership, and the small shifts that helped me rebuild my studio (after nearly losing it to ...
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