Sticky Notes with CJ Cawley and Jack Chitty

Welcome to the very first episode of Sticky Notes - the unfiltered podcast for creative professionals, where we ungatekeep the arts of our careers nobody talks about but everyone goes through.
In this episode, Jack Chitty and I sit down after a long day of building this podcast from scratch (literally by hand) and talk about why we’re even doing this.
We get into:
👉 Why running a freelance graphic design business can feel so lonely
👉 The importance of having someone in your corner
👉 Why there’s no “right way” to build a design career
👉 The problem with gatekeeping in the creative industry
👉 And why we wanted to create a space that’s more honest, raw, and human
This is just the start. Future episodes will dive into topics like finding clients, pricing, burnout, self-doubt, and everything in between.
If you're a graphic designer, brand designer, or creative professional, you’re in the right place.

Welcome to the first-ever episode of Sticky Notes. The podcast for graphic designers, logo designers, and brand designers who are figuring out how to build a freelance design studio.In this episode, we’re tackling one of the biggest questions in the design industry: To niche or not to niche? Should you specialise in one style, one industry, one type of client? Or should you stay broad, flexible, and take on a bit of everything?This is something Jack has been wrestling with, so we break it down properly:– The pressure to niche as a designer– Whether niching actually helps you get clients– The risk of boxing yourself in– My experience niching (and not niching) as a brand designer– How to figure out what you actually want to be known for

If you’re a freelance graphic designer who’s ever felt lost, stuck, or unsure where to start, this episode might just be what you needed. I have a raw and honest conversation with Abi Connick, a self-taught graphic designer and creative entrepreneur who went from charging £10 for logos and freelancing from her bedroom, to building a thriving online design business, enormous social media audience, and a life travelling the world on her own terms.But nothing about Abi’s journey was easy or linear. She lost her job. Had no business plan. And started putting herself out there before she had it all figured out.In this episode, we talk about:🔥 How Abi found her first clients with zero strategy🔥 Juggling 20+ clients a month and avoiding burnout🔥 Creating content while still learning herself🔥 Turning a shed studio into a global brand🔥 Discipline, imposter syndrome, and staying consistent🔥 And… yes, the time she blocked me on Instagram 😅🤙 Follow Abi Connick:INSTAGRAM: @itsabiconnick YOUTUBE: @abiconnick🔗 USEFUL LINKS from this episode! ABI'S PENCIL TOOL COURSE: https://www.abiconnick.co.uk/pencil-tool-courseABI'S NEWSLETTER: https://www.abiconnick.co.uk/newsletterPRO TOOLS & TEMPLATES FOR DESIGNERS 🤙✏️https://www.seesidestudio.com/Where else can you find me? 👇Instagram: @cj.cawley.designYouTube: @cjcawleydesign

Being a graphic designer on social media isn’t as easy as it looks…In Part 2 of my conversation with Jack Chitty (@chittco), we dive deep into the brutal reality of building a freelance graphic design career online—the hate comments, the self-doubt, the validation trap, and how social media can either make or break you as a creative.Jack opens up about:🔥 How going viral almost destroyed his confidence🔥 The imposter syndrome that still haunts him🔥 Why designers obsess over numbers (and why it’s dangerous)🔥 The real reason clients find him through social media🔥 His game-changing mindset shift for staying creativeIf you've ever felt burnt out, stuck chasing likes, or doubted your own skills, then buckle up matey. Being a successful designer isn’t about followers—it’s about the work.👉 Watch Part 1 Here:    • From ZERO Clients to Designing Logos ...  🤙 Follow Jack:   / chittco  ✏️ Sign up to The Fellow Designers Club: https://www.fellowdesignersclub.com/🔗 USEFUL LINKS from this episode! PODCAST:    / @chriswillx   DESIGN STUDIO: https://smith-diction.com/BOOK RECO 1: https://amzn.eu/d/1ts8y4sBOOK RECO 2: https://amzn.eu/d/dyJdxZ4AWESOME TOOLS FOR DESIGNERS 🤙✏️https://www.fellowdesignersclub.com/c...Where else can you find me? 👇Instagram:   / cj.cawley.design  TikTok:   / cjcawleydesign

If you're a designer struggling to make it, you need to watch this episode of how Jack Chitty (@chittco) went from having no degree, no job, and nearly no hope to landing one of the biggest branding projects of his career – Six Nations Rugby. But the journey wasn’t as smooth as you think.In this raw and honest conversation, we talk about:🔥 How Jack built his design career from scratch (no qualifications needed!)🔥 The brutal rejection of his best logo idea & what he learned from it🔥 The truth about freelance design, burnout, and self-doubt🔥 Why social media almost broke him – and how he overcame external validation🔥 The moment his life changed forever thanks to an Instagram DM📌 Whether you're an aspiring designer, freelancer, or creative entrepreneur, this episode is packed with real, unfiltered lessons on surviving and thriving in the creative industry.💬 Drop a comment: What’s YOUR biggest struggle as a creative right now?🔗 Follow Jack Chitty:📸 Instagram: @chittco🌍 Website: www.chittco.co 🎙️ More Creative Legends episodes coming soon! Subscribe & turn on notifications!AWESOME TOOLS FOR DESIGNERS 🤙✏️https://www.fellowdesignersclub.com/c...Where else can you find me? 👇Instagram:   / cj.cawley.design  TikTok:   / cjcawleydesign