In Your Shoes - Freya Bigg

Monday

Hello! I'm Freya Bigg and I am a freelance graphic designer and the owner of solo creative studio Faeble, based in Forfar. 

I've built my career as a designer over the last 12 years, starting with freelancing during my design degree at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design right here in Dundee. After graduating, I spent 7 years working at DC Thomson in the commercial department followed by a few more years at Connect Communications in Paisley before launching Faeble in 2024. 

No two days at Faeble are the same; sometimes it's all systems go with last minute client requests and days packed with meetings, and other times it's much more relaxed and I can refresh my mind a little before the next chaos ensues. 

My week kicked off in Newcastle as I was taking time out of the office for an anniversary trip with my partner. It can be hard to take time out when you're self employed, but I've learned over the last year that it's especially important to do so. Burnout will do more damage than a few days off will and besides - flexibility is one of the perks of the job! It can also be a downside at times, but for me it means I can fit in time around my kids to make sure I take care of myself. 

Whilst in Newcastle we visited some great art museums and I found a lot of inspiration for my own illustration work - I particularly loved the paintwork on this door. 

Tuesday

Tuesday was another day in Newcastle, but also a day of travelling to head back home. We encountered some train delays so got back later than expected but I still managed to squeeze in a couple of emails and amends when I got home.

Pictured is my cat Daisy who was very happy to see me home, almost more happy than my kids...just kidding, sort of! Haha. They did have a great time with their Dad after all. 

Wednesday

Back in the office and back to work! Wednesday started with a full committee meeting for Angus Business Hub at Townhouse Hotel in Arbroath. We had an amazingly productive meeting and pulled together some plans for events through to the end of the year - some very exciting stuff to come! 

After the team meeting I headed back to the office for a few meetings and client work. I worked through some brochure amends with one client on a tricky document - it can be tough when wording needs to be approved by a lot of stakeholders. 

Thursday

Usually my Thursday would start with a bright and early visit to BNi Synergy at Forbes of Kingennie but this week I had the lovely Shirley Phillips from House of Colour substituting for me so I could attend Search Engine Marketing training with the Chartered Institute of Marketing. 

Since launching Faeble, I've gained 4 new certifications. I strongly believe that learning is never done - even on subjects you know very well. I always strive to give my clients the best, and to me that means continually striving to improve, as well. 

Friday

The week wrapped up with a couple more meetings, ticking away through client work in the background and working through plans for Angus Business Hub. A busy day but nicely paced and a great round-off to the week. 

After I finished up in the office, I headed over to my local gym (eek!) for an induction session. Adding the gym into my schedule is part of my push to prioritise my wellbeing in business and ensure that I'm not only capable in skills but that I have the bandwidth to give my best. 

The kids went off to their Dad's so it was a quiet weekend for me with some time with my partner and of course, a few hours (or so...) playing Stardew Valley.