The Freelancer Struggle
Alex Kim was a talented UI/UX designer with a solid portfolio and happy past clients. But talent doesn't pay the bills—consistent work does. And consistency was the one thing Alex couldn't figure out.
The Gig Economy Trap
- Upwork and Fiverr raced to the bottom on pricing—$500 for logo design
- Referrals were unpredictable—great when they came, crickets when they didn't
- Spent 10+ hours weekly just searching for leads instead of designing
- Generic portfolio emails got ignored by serious companies
- LinkedIn outreach felt desperate and produced zero results
- Income swung from $8K one month to $2K the next
I was stuck in this cycle: finish a project, panic about the next one, spend days on Upwork bidding against 50 other designers, win a project for half my rate, repeat. My design skills were improving but my business was a mess. I knew I was worth more—my portfolio proved it—but I couldn't get in front of the right clients.
The System
Alex discovered Suplex through a designer newsletter. The idea of AI finding clients and writing personalized outreach seemed perfect for someone who was great at design but struggled with sales copy.
The Creative Professional Playbook
- Design-Need Detection: Suplex identified companies showing signals they needed design—rebranding mentions, new product launches, website redesigns in job posts
- Portfolio Integration: AI referenced specific past work relevant to each prospect's industry and needs
- Warm Introduction Angles: Found mutual connections, alumni networks, and shared interests
- Project-First Positioning: Offered specific value, not "hire me for anything"
- Retainer Focus: Targeted companies likely to need ongoing design support
The 30-Day Transformation
Noticed SaaSStartup is hiring a Senior Product Designer—smart move ahead of your Series A. [Hiring signal]
Also saw your recent LinkedIn post about the rebrand challenges. The tension between "moving fast" and "looking professional" is real. [Social insight]
I recently helped similar startups (like TechFlow and DataSync) navigate this exact transition—upgrading visual identity without losing the scrappy startup feel.
Quick question: Are you planning to handle the rebrand in-house with the new hire, or exploring outside support for the initial strategy?
Either way, happy to share what worked (and what didn't) for similar companies.
Alex Kim
alexkimdesign.com
Email that generated a $4K rebrand project + ongoing $1.5K/month retainer—36% reply rate
The Results
One month completely transformed Alex's freelance business:
The best part? I'm not just busier—I'm working with better clients. Suplex finds companies that value design, not ones looking for the cheapest option. My average project value went from $800 to $2,200. And having a 6-week pipeline means I can actually plan my life instead of living in constant panic mode.
Suplex paid for itself 50 times over in the first month. But more than the money, it gave me my confidence back. I'm not begging for work on Upwork anymore—I'm choosing which projects excite me. The AI finds the opportunities, I bring the creative vision. It's the partnership I needed. Last month I made more than I used to make in three months combined, and I'm working fewer hours. That's freedom.
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