Behind the New Website

There’s a side to freelancing no one prepares you for. It’s not just the deadlines or the hustle. It’s the mental load. The what ifs. The wondering if you’re still relevant. Still wanted.

I’ve had those thoughts. More than once this year. And yeah, there’ve been nights when I’ve sat questioning whether I’m doing the right thing. For me. For my kids. For the future.

But this business was never built to be a side hustle. It came from obsession. From caring about good design and how it makes people feel. It’s carried me through high points and dragged me through some heavy lows. But I still believe in it. Probably more than ever.

A website has always been a big thing for me. Something to be proud of. A place to showcase work and mark progress. But like so many small businesses will get, your own stuff always comes last. Clients come first. And if someone is spending their hard-earned money to work with me, they get everything I’ve got.

This recent quiet patch gave me something rare. Time. And I’ve used it. Not just to put together a site, but to reset. To reconnect with what I want this brand to be and where it’s going.

Over the next few months, I’ll be sharing more—new work, stories behind the scenes, the real stuff. Not to impress. Just to show that I’m here doing the best work I possibly can. I know my style won’t be for everyone and I’m good with that. I’m not trying to win work. I’m here to build solid working relationships with people I can genuinely help through design.

There are thousands of designers in the UK. And there’s enough work for all of us. I’ve never been interested in playing the comparison game. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from years working before going self-employed, it’s this—don’t compete with others. Compete with yourself. Yesterday wasn’t enough. Today, I do better.

That’s the mindset behind Paper Anchor. And we’re not going anywhere.