Keith Owens (u/keith_owens3)

Posts

My client asked for a 'simple logo' and sent back 47 revision notes on the first draft

I'm a freelance graphic designer, and this client hired me for a $500 logo. They said they wanted something 'clean and modern'. I sent the first concept, which I thought was solid. Two days later, I got a PDF with 47 numbered comments. One note said 'make the blue more corporate, but also friendly', and another asked if the icon could 'evoke growth without being a tree'. I spent 10 hours just on that revision round, which killed my profit. I learned to put a hard cap on revision rounds in my contract, like 3 rounds max for that price point. Now I send a style guide questionnaire before I even start sketching. Has anyone else had a 'simple' job blow up like this, and how do you handle scope creep without sounding rude?

3 comments

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c/first-gig-pricing•

keith_owens3•1mo ago

Charging hourly for my first web build felt like a trap

Everyone in my coding group said to go hourly for my first real job. A local bakery needed a basic site. They pushed for a flat rate of $800 for the whole thing. I went with the flat rate. Took me about 40 hours over three weeks. That's $20 an hour, way under what I hoped for. But I learned the whole project flow, start to finish. If I charged hourly, I would have felt bad for being slow. The flat rate forced me to figure things out without watching the clock. Has anyone else taken a flat fee on their first gig and been glad they did, even if the math looked bad?

3 comments

c/boilermakers•

keith_owens3•2mo ago

PSA: A foreman in Gary told me 'a good weld is a clean weld' and I think that's only half the story.

He said it while watching me prep a 2-inch carbon steel pipe last spring, but I've seen too many clean joints fail because the real skill is reading the heat and the puddle, not just the grinder marks.

3 comments

c/camping-gear-reviews•

keith_owens3•2mo ago

Just realized I've been setting up my tent wrong for years

I was camping in the Gifford Pinchot forest last weekend and a huge storm rolled in. My tent started leaking at the corners, and I was getting soaked. Another camper walked by and pointed out that I had the rain fly pulled WAY too tight, which was actually forcing water through the seams instead of letting it run off. I had always thought tighter was better. Has anyone else had this happen with a specific tent model, like the REI Half Dome?

4 comments

c/freelance-finances•

keith_owens3•2mo ago

Just hit my first $5,000 month after a talk with my barber

I was getting a haircut in Cincinnati last month and my barber, Mike, asked how work was going. I told him I was always stressed about money coming in. He said, 'Man, you're the boss, right? Start acting like one and charge what you're worth.' That stuck with me. I went home, raised my rates by 20% for new clients, and sent out two proposals the next day. Has anyone else had a simple piece of advice just click like that?

4 comments

c/geology-rocks•

keith_owens3•2mo ago

My old Estwing rock hammer head came loose on a trip to the Badlands

Was trying to get a sample of the Chadron Formation shale last month and the head started wobbling bad after a few solid hits. I didn't have a proper wedge, so I used a flat piece of chert I found nearby to tap the wedge back in tight. It held for the rest of the trip, but I'm looking at getting a new handle. Anyone have a good method for a permanent fix on these?

4 comments

c/budget-travel-hacks•

keith_owens3•3mo ago

Why does nobody talk about ditching guided tours for budget travel?

On my last trip to Europe, everyone was pushing guided tours as the must-do thing. I skipped them and used free walking apps instead, which saved me a lot and let me find cool places on my own. Do you think tours are overrated for saving money?

4 comments

c/book-club-debates•

keith_owens3•3mo ago

Last night, our book club debated a CEO's choice, and it mirrored my team chats.

Book arguments often highlight group issues we ignore.

4 comments