From graphic designer to sign painter: building a business around craft, trusting my skills and doing the work I actually love
Rich’s story
Rich Carter is an independent sign painter who specialises in branding, print and paint for independent businesses around the South West. Like many creatives, leaving employment wasn’t the difficult part. Figuring out how to build the kind of business he actually wanted was.
Here’s his story.
Leaving my 9 to 5 was the easy part
Figuring out the kind of business I actually wanted was the hard part.
When I first started out, I was a jack of all trades. Graphic designer, sign painter, web designer. I had no clear direction. I was overthinking every decision and never quite hitting go on any of it.
Running your own show sounds great until you realise you’re the boss, the marketer, the project manager and the doer who has to kick your own arse.
I’m not afraid of hard work. But when you’re in your own head all day it’s easy to lose momentum.
Doing good work but still being seen as “just a freelancer”
I was doing good work, but still being seen as ‘just’ a freelancer. I wanted to build something people respected. Something that didn’t feel like a commodity.
So I reached out to Fliss because I needed help making that mindset shift real. I wanted clarity around how to step into my next chapter with confidence.
The accountability I didn’t realise I needed
Fliss held up a mirror, asked the right questions and made sure I actually did the work rather than just thinking about it. She wasn’t there to sugarcoat things or let me drift.
She helped me drag all the good stuff out of my head and onto paper. For the first time, I could see the bigger picture. I could see where I wanted to take things and, more importantly, why.
Getting clear on the work and clients I actually wanted
One of the biggest shifts was getting clear on who I actually wanted to work with and who I didn’t. That shaped everything about how I run my business today.
Fliss had this brilliant knack for letting me ramble my way to the point and then gently holding up the thread so I could see it clearly. Nothing felt forced or formulaic. It all clicked naturally - like finding a missing piece I didn’t know I’d lost.
The moment everything clicked
In one of our sessions was when I started daydreaming. Fliss asked me a simple question: “What do you actually want to do, Rich?”
“I want to paint people’s shopfronts and make them eye catching and alive.” I said without thinking.
That moment stuck. Since then my business has completely evolved.
That shift gave me the balance I’d been craving. Splitting my time between the screen and the brush, creating work that’s tangible, imperfect and full of soul.
When AI and quick fix design tools started flooding the scene, I realised I didn’t want to compete with convenience. I wanted to double down on craft. Sign painting is a skill that takes years to master, and I’m happily still learning. But it’s brought me closer to the kind of clients who truly value craftsmanship and individuality.
Realising I bring more than just the final product
Another big shift was recognising the full value of what I bring to the table. Not just the final product, but everything behind it. The thinking, the process, and the people I collaborate with.
I realised I wasn’t ‘just’ a designer delivering a file. I was a creative partner with a trusted network of illustrators, printers, photographers and other specialists I can lean on for my clients.
That perspective changed everything. I saw myself as a proper studio with heart, craft, values and purpose behind it. I now proudly call myself a ‘sign painter’.
From freelancer mindset to running a studio
Before working with Fliss, I was worried about having my name on the door. Now it’s different. I see Rich C Studio for what it is. A fully fledged business with structure, systems and a clear direction.
One of the biggest practical changes has been my client onboarding process. What used to feel chaotic is now calm. From the first estimate to deposit and contract, everything is smooth and transparent.
It’s improved cash flow, reduced the admin headaches and made every project feel more professional for both me and my clients.
Doing more of the work I actually love
The ripple effect has been huge. I’m attracting the kinds of clients I actually want to work with and doing creative work I love, especially sign painting, which I’ve confidently pivoted the business towards.
These days I also make proper time to work ‘on’ my business. I check in with my Brand Blueprint regularly, track my progress, and keep myself focused on the bigger picture instead of constantly reacting to what’s right in front of me.
Doing things my own way
I’ve also dipped into product design, sketching and painting small pieces for the home. Holly & Co picked them up and gave me my own storefront, which felt like a proper turning point.
Sign painting has done more than pay the bills. It’s given me a different kind of self belief.
As a graphic designer I often felt like just one of many. But hand painted signage is niche, and something I’m genuinely proud to show people.
I’m earning the same, maybe even a touch more. But more importantly, I finally feel like a business.
I’ve stepped away from Instagram for now. Instead, I painted an A board which comes with me on jobs and sits outside doing the talking. I’ve also been putting up tongue in cheek flyers around Frome that say “Get Rich Quick!” which have become a bit of a local thing.
It feels more like me.
I now have a balance between craft, creativity and variety. A mix of studio time and time out in the wild. And I feel like I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. Doing the work I’ve always wanted to do, and loving every minute of it.
Rich’s story shows what can happen when you stop trying to do everything and start building around what really matters to you.
Now Rich C Studio has a clear identity, a craft at its heart and a business model that reflects the kind of work he actually wants to be known for.