Design Studio

3 Design Studio Success Stories [2024]

Pat Walls

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Updated: October 8th, 2024

Looking to channel your creativity into a fulfilling career? Consider starting a design studio. A design studio is a business where you offer graphic design, branding, web design, and other visual communication services to clients.

You'll be working on projects ranging from logo creation to complete brand overhauls, helping businesses visually communicate their message. It's a flexible business idea that allows you to utilize your artistic skills while meeting the growing demand for high-quality design.

This business can be started with relatively low overhead if you already have the necessary software and hardware. You can scale the studio by bringing on additional designers or diversifying services offered. If you appreciate the intersection of art and business, launching a design studio could be an ideal path forward.

In this list, you'll find real-world design studio success stories and very profitable examples of starting a design studio that makes money.

1. Canny Creative ($600K/year)

Tony Hardy, founder of Canny Creative, started the business out of necessity when he needed to support his growing family. He began by selling business card designs and quickly gained referrals, eventually expanding his services to include brand strategy and website design. Through consistent blogging and content marketing, Canny Creative has grown to generate around $50,000 per month and serves clients globally.

How much money it makes: $600K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 12

I Built A $600K/Year Design Agency From Nothing

Canny Creative is a creative agency earning around $50k per month by partnering with startups and SMEs to build and grow their brand, website, and content marketing offering.

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2. Draft ($216K/year)

Passionate about UX design since the very start, Nick wasn't able to get a job in this industry. He began with writing a book about to how to get started in UI UX and became one of the earliest hit projects of Kickstarter back in 2008, raising over $10k. 5 years later, taking a month off from his UX job, Nick decided to continue with working independently like he did with his book, and formulated Draft, a company that he runs entirely on his own terms even after a decade.

How much money it makes: $216K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 1

How I Run A $18K/Month Interaction Design Consultancy

Learn how Draft, an interaction design consultancy known for their influential books on design & technology, has thrived through word-of-mouth and niche outlets, bringing in an average of $18,000 a month split between consulting and educational work.

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3. Karen Canlas ($36K/year)

Karen Canlas, the founder of luxury branding studio Karen Canlas, came up with the idea for her business while reading the book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" during the pandemic. Inspired by the book and her desire to take action and pursue her dreams, she joined Upwork as a virtual assistant and eventually discovered her passion for luxury branding and design. Through strategic branding and web design, Karen has been able to elevate her clients' brands and attract top clients, earning $2,500 per client.

How much money it makes: $36K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 1

How I Started A $3K/Month Luxury Branding Studio While Studying At University

Luxury brand strategist, Karen Canlas, explains how she went from earning $200 to $2,500 per client by niching down and offering bespoke luxury branding experiences to her target market of founders and lifestyle brands.

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