4 Years as an Independent Designer in Canada: My Story

This year marks exactly 4 years since I became an independent designer in Canada. But the path here started long before that.

In Ukraine, I spent 4 years working at a real estate agency — as both a marketer and a designer. I handled all the print materials, built content plans to grow the agency's visibility and attract new clients on Instagram, and took care of the entire visual side of the business, from business cards to large billboards. I also built the full identity and branding, so the company would be instantly recognizable.

Then I moved to Canada. For the first 2,5 years there, I worked in a corporation — a stable, comfortable, well-paid job where I met a lot of great brands and people. But alongside that, I started my own blog. And eventually, I decided to move toward independent design.

It was — and still is — a challenging path. But I love it, because I genuinely love design. Today I have a small but engaged audience — 12K followers on Instagram — and most of my clients come precisely through that recognition and my blog.