Fashion Designers Get Paid: Build Your Fashion Career On Your Own Terms cover art
Podcast · 15 episodes

Fashion Designers Get Paid: Build Your Fashion Career On Your Own Terms

by Sew Heidi · English

This is a show for burnt-out fashion designers (and TDs, PDs, patternmakers, textile designer and beyond) who want more flexibility in their career while still doing work they love. You'll learn how to build a freelance fashion business, so you can do the work you love on your own terms. Freelancing in fashion is the only way to get freedom in your day (instead of being tied to a desk). Whether you want to earn extra money on the side, fund your fashion brand, or replace your salary, the FDGP podcast will help you get there. Listen in for actionable tips and strategies to kickstart or grow your career as a freelance fashion designer, build your confidence, and create the life you want. Hosted by $100k+ fashion freelancer Sew Heidi, the show features interviews and strategy sessions with successful freelance fashion designers from around the world who've ditched toxic fashion jobs and taken control of their own destinies. This is the only place to get REAL insights from REAL freelancers who have built REAL careers on their own terms. (Formerly the Successful Fashion Freelancer podcast.)

Latest episodes

All episodes

274: Fully Booked but Underpaid: Ingrid’s Path to Doubling Her Rates (Without Losing Clients)This episode focuses on Ingrid Lange, a technical fashion designer, who shares her journey from being overworked and underpaid to successfully doubling her rates without losing clients.9 Mar 2026 · 41 min · 20 chapters
273: This Simple Follow-Up Strategy Landed Her a $4K ClientThis episode features a conversation with Rebecca Kendall, a freelance fashion designer who transformed her client acquisition strategy and landed a $4,000 project through a simple follow-up.16 Feb 2026 · 34 min · 15 chapters
272: The Cold Pitch That Landed JoAnne a $7800 Freelance ProjectIn this episode, host Sew Heidi interviews JoAnne Hopkins, a successful freelance fashion designer, who shares her journey from burnout to clarity and confidence in building a freelance business.2 Feb 2026 · 49 min · 20 chapters
271: Balancing a Full-Time Job *and* Freelancing: How Mia Makes It WorkMia Vasquez explains how she freelances as a technical designer while keeping a full-time corporate job, staying transparent with her employer, setting boundaries, and avoiding non-compete conflicts.19 Jan 2026 · 53 min · 16 chapters
270: From Laid Off to Fully Booked: How Bre Replaced Her Salary in Under 2 YearsBre Simpson’s journey from being laid off in April 2024 to becoming a fully booked fashion freelancer within 18 months, including her pricing growth, client acquisition systems (especially LinkedIn),…5 Jan 2026 · 44 min · 24 chapters
269: She Quit Her Job in Under a Year—and Now Makes More Freelancing in FashionCandice Stokes, a freelance fashion designer/tech designer, explains how she quit her 9-to-5 embroidery technician job in under a year and now earns more freelancing.8 Dec 2025 · 46 min · 18 chapters
268: Solo to Scaling: How This Booked Out Footwear Freelancer Is Building an AgencyLouise Ryan, a booked-out footwear freelancer, explains how she grew from cold pitching and nurturing relationships into full capacity, then began scaling beyond herself by lightly outsourcing…24 Nov 2025 · 50 min · 19 chapters
267: From $14/hour to $65/hour as a Freelance Sample Maker (Even Though She Was Scared AF to Charge More)Caroline, a freelance sample maker, explains how she raised her rate from $14/hour to $65/hour, how she finds clients via LinkedIn, and what really happened during her transition from a factory…11 Nov 2025 · 1 h 13 min · 33 chapters
266: From Self-Doubt and a Factory Job to Freelance Biz Owner: Caroline’s One-Year TransformationCaroline Kuhlman’s shift from a low-paid sewing factory job to full-time freelance sample making, emphasizing starting scared, taking tiny steps, and using customer research to find a niche.27 Oct 2025 · 44 min · 16 chapters
265: The Proposal Strategy That Helped This Mom Close High-Ticket Clients (Part 2)Jade Way (fashion 3D/pattern designer and freelancer) explains her proposal strategy for landing aligned, high-ticket freelance clients without chasing, over-explaining, or relying on a public…13 Oct 2025 · 46 min · 22 chapters
264: How Jade Strategically Prepared Her Freelance Business During Pregnancy (Part 1)Jade Wei explains how she strategically prepared her freelance fashion business during pregnancy (Part 1 of 2), reworking her niche, learning client onboarding/sales/proposal processes, and building…29 Sep 2025 · 41 min · 11 chapters
263: How Amanda Landed a $9K Freelance Fashion Project Without a WebsiteAmanda Cabania (freelance apparel product developer/tech pack creator) explains how she landed a $9,000 freelance fashion project for a women’s golf apparel brand without a website, relying mainly on…15 Sep 2025 · 32 min · 16 chapters
262: From Permalance to Premium: How Niching Down Landed Martha 5-Figure Freelance ProjectsMartha Fogarty explains how niching down from “permalance” (full-time-like freelance with vague titles and unpaid/underpaid work) to a clear premium fashion-brand offer led to multiple five-figure…1 Sep 2025 · 55 min · 21 chapters
261: The Big Mistake She Made on a $10K Project (and How She’s Fixing It ) (Part 2)Jacqueline Schumann (freelance denim designer) reflects on Part 2 of her $10,500 project, focusing on the biggest mistake she made: covering client travel costs, and the boundaries/terms she’s now…18 Aug 2025 · 33 min · 13 chapters
260: How Jacqueline Landed Her First $10K+ Freelance Fashion Project (Part 1)How Jacqueline Landed her first $10K+ freelance fashion project (Part 1), detailing the client’s Google discovery, her project intake form, pricing strategy, proposal process, contract signing, and…4 Aug 2025 · 50 min · 18 chapters