Newsletter #21: freelancers/agencies versus in-house developers, self-promotion and color theory

Hi there,

I hope you're feeling good.

In January 2023, I joined Clean Canvas as a freelance Shopify Theme Developer. Our team comprises 15 people dispersed across Europe, with the majority based in the UK, and additional team members in Denmark, the Czech Republic and France (hello!).

Several times a year, we come together for team meet-ups to share experiences and strengthen our bond.

Our first team meet-up occurred in June at Plush Tents Glamping, an off-grid Yurt experience set in an eco-friendly location dedicated to wildlife protection.

I have just returned from our second team meet-up, held in Guildford, a historic town in West Surrey. It was fantastic to reunite with everyone, I had a great time!

In today's edition, we're discussing freelancers/agencies versus in-house developers, self-promotion and color theory.

Let's dive in.

Work

Last week, the Shopify expert Jan Frey tried to answer a very interesting question: do Shopify brands prefer working with freelancers/agencies or hire a developer in-house?

Jan interviewed 5 Shopify brands of different sizes. Here is what he found:

• Brand 1 - Revenue $150K - $200K / year: they only need developers occasionally and prefer working with freelancers on demand.

• Brand 2 and 3 - Revenue $500K - $1M / year: they mostly prefer working with freelancers or agencies because those have shared knowledge from working with multiple brands similar to theirs. They also like the flexibility of adjusting hours on demand.

• Brand 4 - Revenue $3M / year: they voted for agencies only. All the above reasons were mentioned.

• Brand 5 - Revenue $8M / year: they also voted for agencies. They weren't opposed to hiring a full-time developer in-house, but in that case, they'd be looking for someone with 4-5 years of experience. Hiring a junior wouldn’t be an option as they see it as too risky.

While the sample size was limited to 5 Shopify brands, these findings offer valuable insights.

In my own experience, I have made quite the same observations as Jan.

Whether they are making $100K or $20M per year, none of my clients have in-house developers. They all rely on freelancers and/or agencies.

The model I’m seeing a lot is brands would build their new store with an agency, then contract with a freelancer for all the changes they want to make to this new store.

Brands perceive freelancers and agencies as an extension of their own team. The tech part is externalized but the relation with this third party is very close, with touch points and tasks every week.

I have not come across many Shopify brands that have in-house developers.

I believe there are 3 reasons for that:

• Shopify brands don’t have enough custom development needs to hire someone full-time. The ecommerce calendar is not linear, it’s a valley filled with sprint hills: new store build, Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM), Christmas, etc.

• This low amount of custom development needs is aligned with Shopify’s vision: Shopify handles the tech part so that brands don’t have to and can focus on their core business.

• The fact that their agency or freelancer is working with other brands is a big advantage. Brands don’t only benefit from development skills, they benefit from a strong knowledge of the ecosystem and made-to-measure recommendations.

What are your thoughts on this?

React to Jan Frey’s LinkedIn post here.

Inspire

My inspiration this week comes from Tyler the Creator.

During the 2022 Converse All Star Series in Paris, Tyler gave a one-hour interview covering topics such as ambition, confidence in his art, creating sneakers, and perfectionism.

The part that struck me the most was at 43 minutes in when he talked about self-promotion.

Regarding self-promotion, Tyler points out that, when artists from the new generation release a song, they share it in their Instagram story and that's it. They don’t do much more, they almost forget about it.

Tyler insists on how it’s better to do the opposite: they should relentlessly talk about their project every time they get a chance.

Why? Because creating a song is a huge process that requires significant effort and time. It's almost disrespectful to this process not to properly promote the song.

I believe Tyler is right, and this principle applies to all realms of creation. Whether you're crafting designs, Shopify stores, shoes, or anything else, you owe it to yourself to share your work.

Be proud of your creations and let people know.

Explore

I have entered the design world through the door of interior design.

As you may have noticed in previous editions, I have a profound passion for the creative process involved in crafting cozy interiors where people will feel comfortable.

I've often noticed the intriguing connection between design and psychology: it's no coincidence that a well-thought-out design can evoke specific feelings. These emotions stem from the associations our brains make with certain colors, lights, shapes and textures. They’ve all been purposefully assembled together.

In my free time, I'm gradually moving from interior design content to a more comprehensive exploration of design.

This new path starts with reading a design book recommended to me by a French freelance graphic designer. I will share more about it soon.

Additionally, I’m watching videos to delve into some fundamental concepts.

One video I particularly enjoyed was “The only colour theory video you ever need to watch”, by Satori Graphics.

Here are the essential points I have written down from this video:

• Color has a direct physical response on our bodies and can play with our emotions. For instance, the color red creates a heightened sense of stimulation.

• We can play with colors, but also with brightness and saturation.

• Pastel colors evoke openness, relaxation and neutrality. They are peaceful and soft. It can explain why they’re commonly chosen for baby-related items.

• People can use and feel differently towards color depending on their culture.

• As a designer, you absolutely must know your target audience in terms of age, gender, location, what they like and dislike, what you want them to feel.

• To create your color palette, you can use one of several color schemes:

  • Monochrome: a spectrum based on one color.

  • Complimentary: two colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel. When put together, these two colors are visually appealing. For example, orange and blue. Firefox and Fanta use the complimentary color scheme for their logos.

  • Analogous: we choose one color on the color wheel, then add one or two colors on each side of it. It’s not very contrasted so it doesn’t grab attention. It’s more suited for soft designs.

  • Triadic: three colors evenly spaced out around the color wheel. They need to be used wisely because they’re very contrasted. Burger King uses the triadic color scheme for their logo.

  • Split complementary: we choose one color on the color wheel, then move directly opposite and take two colors on either side of the opposite color. For example, red, blue and green. These colors can work together but it requires experimentation.

I’m looking forward to learning more about colors!

Enjoy.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for reading this edition until the end.

I'll talk to you soon.

Take good care of yourself.

Coralie