Portrait of a Freelancer: Catherine Martel
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<h3><strong>1- Tell us about yourself</strong></h3>
<p>My name is Catherine, and I am the founder of Blanc Crème. I am a web and graphic designer. I help businesses to have a ‘’WOW’’ effect with their brand.</p>
<h3><strong>2- Where does your immense passion for graphic design and branding come from?</strong></h3>
<p>When I was a teenager, I love drawing, and I was a real geek with all electronic gadgets. When it was time to choose my adult career, the career counsellor at my high school suggested I become a graphic designer. I remember that I answered, ‘’what is a graphic designer?’’. When I understood I could ‘’draw’’ with tools on a computer, I fell in love with this job. Since then, I work in that field.</p>
<h3><strong>3- How did you become self-employed?</strong></h3>
<p>I decided to be a self-employed worker when my desire for freedom became more important than my fear of not having enough money. I was thinking about it for a while. I was looking for the best moment. I was calculating the money I needed, and I made plans. One morning, I understood. If I were not doing it today, I would never do it. I closed my eyes, and I told myself to leap.</p>
<h3><strong>4- What is the most challenging part of self-employment?</strong></h3>
<p>I would say to let go. When you work from home, it is difficult to forget your list of tasks. Even seeing my computer reminds me of my list of tasks. Tuesdays and Sundays start the same way, often with the same coffee mug with the same coffee in it. It is really by leaving my house that I can really change my daily routine and forget work.</p>
<h3><strong>5- Which part of being self-employed do you like the most?</strong></h3>
<p>Freedom: financial freedom, schedule freedom, freedom of creation, freedom of choosing my projects, freedom of choosing the people I want to work with, the freedom of working where I want.</p>
<p>Since I am a self-employed worker, I feel like I really have control over my life and that I can do whatever I want.</p>
<h3><strong>6- Tell us about your work routine.</strong></h3>
<p>Every day starts with coffee. Mornings are usually reserved for work that needs a lot of focus, and afternoons I do more creative tasks. I also like to work with thematic days. For example, Friday is the day for invoicing. Every Friday, I open Momenteo, and I send invoices.</p>
<h3><strong>7- What are the online tools you could not live without?</strong></h3>
<p>The Adobe Suite for creation, Asana for planning, Zoom to meet my clients, iCalendrier to manage my life, and Momenteo for my accounting.</p>
<h3><strong>8. How did you learn about Momenteo, and how long have you been using it?</strong></h3>
<p>If I remember correctly, it was a friend of mine who talked about it. I have been using it for the last two years, and I could not live without it.</p>
<h3><strong>9- What makes Momenteo different from other accounting programs?</strong></h3>
<p>The fact that it was made in Quebec was a positive thing. Also, its simplicity; it is so easy to use that it is amusing. I also find it affordable regarding all that is provided with this software. </p>
<h3><strong>10- How do you find your new customers? </strong></h3>
<p>Word of mouth! A satisfied customer brings you ten new clients.</p>
<h3><strong>11. What are your tips for someone who would like to get into freelance?</strong></h3>
<p>First, you need to talk about it to your friends and family. People who love you want your good; they will become your best ambassadors. In a short amount of time, they will find you some customers. I also suggest that you take care of yourself. Your business is you! Stay healthy, work your mindset, and allow yourself some breaks.</p>
<h3><strong>12. What would you say to someone who would like to use the services of a branding specialist?</strong></h3>
<p>The first thing to do before starting the creation of a brand is to think about it. You need to ask yourself questions like ‘’what universe do I want to create?’’, ‘’what will be the atmosphere?’’, ‘’how do I want my customers to feel when they see my universe?’’. Look at portfolios from different creators; it says a lot on the style of a graphic designer. I also recommend you to choose a style instead of a price since you only got 2 minutes to make a good first impression.</p>
<h3><strong>13. Which projects are you most proud of?</strong></h3>
<p>My favorite thing is to create from A to Z with the entrepreneur all the tools he needs. It is what I have done with Laurie Douceur (<a href="http://lauriedouceur.com" target="_blank">lauriedouceur.com</a>). I started with a blank page to end up with a WOW effect!</p>
<h3><strong>14. Do you have any big plans for this fall?</strong></h3>
<p>ALWAYS! Life is good with me: page layout of a children’s book, website creation, logo creation, etc. I would like to take the time to update my website.</p>
<h3><strong>15. How Can We Contact You?</strong></h3>
<p>Everything is on my website: <a href="http://www.blanccreme.ca" target="_blank">www.blanccreme.ca</a>. I am always available for a quick chat if you want to discuss a web or graphic project.</p>
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