Member Spotlight: Tim from Tickyboom on prioritizing purpose over profits
Member Spotlight: Tim from Tickyboom on prioritizing purpose over profits
How this Webflow freelancer vets clients, avoids scope creep, prices projects and more.
👋 Hey, Ondrej here! Welcome to the first edition of the Member Spotlight, where I showcase the amazing members of the Flowletter community.
It’s a place for open conversation about being a Webflow freelancer, growing a business, and enjoying creativity.
If you’re not subscribed, here’s what you missed in the past weeks:
This week, I talked to Tim Preut from Tickyboom Design about his creative journey, which took him from music to branding and eventually to discovering Webflow and running his own freelance practice.
Tim has been a Webflow freelancer for 3 years. He now runs a solo design agency and specializes in branding and adds Webflow as his main tool for web development and experience design.
Here are the highlights:
Purpose over profit: why Tim prioritizes purpose over profit when picking clients and what he gets out of it.
Setting boundaries: how to avoid scope creep by setting clear boundaries.
Framer vs. Webflow: when to use which and why.
Pricing project: how to use pricing calculators to streamline your pricing.
What he’d do differently: focus more on brand and business strategy.
YouTube tutorials: how to use this as a marketing channel and a way to meet new people.
For more from Tim, check out his portfolio, LinkedIn, Webflow profile, and YouTube channel.
On Getting Started with Webflow
Q: How did you first get interested in web design/development?
As a kid, I was always fascinated by the idea of building things from scratch, creating something entirely new. When I first discovered the web, it immediately piqued my interest.
I actually got started using a platform called Bandzoogle, which was specifically designed for musicians back in the day. They provided a bunch of templates, and since I was a musician when I first started doing art, I needed a way to post my music and share a bit of my story.
Using Bandzoogle, I found it really interesting that I could manipulate templates and play around with fonts. It was like building a digital house, and I was hooked! The whole process of creating something unique and putting it out there for the world to see was just so cool to me. That's how my journey into web design and development began, and I've been passionate about it ever since.
Q: What drew you specifically to Webflow?
When I first started taking building websites seriously and decided to go out on my own, WordPress was essentially the only game in town that I could utilize.
Part of my business was branding, and the other part was web design. While WordPress did provide some good income with clients initially, I found it frustrating that I couldn't truly bring my creations to life. Sometimes I could accomplish the basic design in WordPress, but I struggled with interactions and taking a web design to the next level.
I did a lot of searching and even tried add-ons like Oxygen as a page builder for WordPress. I liked Oxygen quite a bit, but there was always something missing. That's when I discovered Webflow. It was like a breath of fresh air! Webflow allowed me to create designs exactly as I envisioned them, without the limitations I faced with WordPress.
Q: Are you using other platforms? If so, why? How do you choose between them?
The only other platform I use besides Webflow is Framer. Framer is pretty wonderful because of the way they handle components. Components in Framer really kind of act like different frames within Figma, and I find that I can create really, really rich interactions with it. You can do the same with Webflow, but their component handling, to be quite honest, is not good at all. However, you can still create amazing interactions with Webflow; it just takes a lot more work.
Sometimes, if I'm trying to do a simple website, like a one-pager or something similar, I'll be tempted to use Framer. The drawbacks of Framer, though, are that it doesn't have fluid units for things like type and paddings. You can't do negative margins in Framer unless you resort to some wizardry, and it's pretty challenging to do things like overlapping elements.
So, Framer is really for kind of simple design flex websites that have relatively simple designs, but you can really flex on the interactions a lot. Webflow, on the other hand, is my primary workhorse. It's the platform I rely on for the vast majority of my projects, thanks to its versatility and robustness.
Running a freelance business
Q: What types of clients do you primarily work with (size, industries, niches, etc.)?
I usually gravitate towards what I like to call visionaries or do-gooders. These are essentially businesses or makers who are purpose-driven. They're not driven by the sole goal of making money; instead, they make money because they're driven to solve a particular problem. I know it sounds pretty general and broad, but you'd be surprised how many people don't fit this archetype.
A lot of times, people don't fully grasp the importance of design, and they kind of dismiss it as the magic X factor that they actually need to succeed with their business.
I also tend to work with clients who definitely understand design and its true power. A lot of times, people don't fully grasp the importance of design, and they kind of dismiss it as the magic X factor that they actually need to succeed with their business. It's a shame, really, because design can make or break a product or service.
In terms of industries, I've been working a lot with startups lately, particularly in the realm of product design. I've been doing a ton of product and app design for tech startups, and it's been a blast! There's something about the fast-paced, innovative nature of the tech industry that really resonates with me. The people in this space seem to have a deep appreciation for the value of good design, and they're always pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
Q: What is your process like for onboarding new clients?
The onboarding process involves two steps. First, there is a 10-minute discovery call to determine if we are a good fit for each other. The client shares their story, the problems they face, and the solutions they need. After that, I explain my working process and discuss the budget to ensure the client has the resources for the project.
If they decide to move forward, we go through administrative tasks like signing agreements. Then the client is onboarded into a project management system, typically Asana, to track tasks and projects. However, I’m flexible to use the client's preferred system if I’m familiar with it.
Learnings and failures
Q: What was the biggest hurdle or challenge when you were first starting out as a Webflow freelancer?
I don't consider myself primarily a Webflow freelancer. Webflow is just one tool I use to solve problems like building websites and crafting digital experiences. The biggest hurdle when I started was learning Webflow itself. Learning a new tool takes time and practice to build proficiency.
The biggest challenge was taking the time to really learn Webflow and ensure my skills were strong enough to deliver quality work. As a freelancer, time is money, so it can be difficult to find time to learn something new, like Webflow when you're already juggling client projects. However, learning Webflow was worth the investment. With dedication and practice, it's doable to master the tool. Seeing the final product and satisfied clients after putting in the hard work makes the effort worthwhile.
Q: How do you handle scope creep or difficult clients who want extra unpaid work?
It's simple: they're not going to get it. If they want additional work, they have to pay for it.
From the very beginning, the client and I sit down and iron out every detail of the project scope until it's crystal clear. The client then approves the scope by signing the agreement, which spells out the scope in black and white. It's like a sacred contract between us.
If the client later comes to me with something outside of that scope, they need to be ready to pay for it. It will either be charged at an hourly rate or added to the project rate, depending on the size of the request. That extra work won't happen until the client agrees to pay for it.
Sometimes, I'll provide the terms in an invoice, and if they pay it, they're essentially agreeing to the terms. Other times, for more significant changes, we might need to create an addendum to the original agreement.
The bottom line is that there will be no scope creep and no unpaid extra work. I value my time and skills, and I expect my clients to do the same. It's about setting boundaries and protecting yourself as a freelancer. By being clear about the scope from the start and having a plan for handling additional requests, you set yourself up for success and ensure fair compensation for your hard work.
Q: What are your best practices for pricing your Webflow freelance services competitively?
I've tried numerous strategies. Here are some best practices I've learned:
First, keeping track of my hours is crucial. I need to know how long it takes me to build different types of sites, whether it's a large project or a simple one-page site. This helps me estimate my time accurately.
If I decide to use a retainer model, I make sure to inform the client upfront that there's a possibility of going over the allotted hours. I let them know the rate for those extra hours in advance to maintain transparency.
For project-based pricing, I use a tool called Instaprice by SuperCreative. It's like having a pricing wizard that uses recent data to provide pricing breakdowns for different parts of each project. If a client wants an itemized breakdown of the project cost, I can quickly generate one using Instaprice.
Pricing is both an art and a science. It's about finding the balance between valuing your time and expertise while remaining competitive in the market.
Q: For those thinking about going full-time freelance with Webflow, what should they really prepare themselves for?
Mystery
Being in an incredibly saturated market
Making connections and nurturing those connections by playing the long game
Doing personal projects to level up skills and build a portfolio
Learning, adapting
Adopting new technology or building in different ways
Be prepared to live off savings for a bit
Q: If you had to start from scratch, what would you do differently?
Do all of my strategy and written content first. Not touching design or anything visual until I fully had a strategy and content for my brand written.
Have my basic processes in place. What will I use for invoices, agreements, and proposals? What is my onboarding process?
Q: You’ve tried your hand at YouTube. What are your learnings?
I am learning that doing tutorials can be really helpful to your community and open up opportunities to meet new people. It also gives you a chance to get feedback from your community on what they would like to learn, or if you can do what you taught even better.
Another aspect that is important is for my business it is a channel for marketing, and a powerful one at that. Your potential audience will see you in action, see a bit of your personality, and see that you are an educator which is huge in establishing trust and being vetted.
Also, I love the idea of giving a lot of value for free, putting action to my words of wanting to make our world a better place, even if it is just a little better.
Thank you Tim for talking to me!
💬 If you have questions for Tim, drop them in the comments below 👇
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–Ondrej