November 12, 2016

Meet Cobb Web Designer and Illustrator: Darion McCoy

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Darion McCoy.

Darion, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
After jumping around a couple of agencies in Atlanta for about 4 years as a full-time web designer, I was laid off. This is not something I was terribly discouraged about because I’m not too fond of today’s typical employment lifestyle. I was never an “office” type of guy (introvert … open working spaces are the worst), felt like I never had enough time to enjoy myself and I always felt like I was gaining experience a lot slower than I could. So I decided this was a good opportunity to start freelancing full-time, which I’ve now done for 2 years. The most important aspect is being able to communicate directly to clients, no filters, and work on far more meaningful projects (Lean In is one of my primary clients). More recently I just finished a project with Facebook dealing with marginalized youth. I’m far more happy, experienced and feel in control of my life. The downside is sometimes I’m broke when work is slow, but I’d rather be broke than stuck in an office 40 hours a week.

Has it been a smooth road?
Sometimes it scares me how comfortable I’ve gotten knowing I may lose money due to lack of work. The first year was horrible in the fall where clients typically are laying low. I lost a good chunk of my savings, refusing to return to full-time. I would say it is definitely a struggle, but it’s totally worth it. A lot of decisions we make are so neutral; there is almost always good in the bad of it all. We just have to figure out what we want more.

What I love most is I have far more time for my personal work, but the more time I spend in that realm, the less interesting my freelance work is. So, there is a balance that you need to reach, mentally, which I am still learning how to grasp.

What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
Ironically, getting laid off from my last job. It was the perfect opportunity for me to take that leap into freelancing, and I’m not sure if I would have made the jump otherwise.

Tell us more about the struggles you’ve faced along the way.
It was definitely rough when I was laid off – almost no one takes this lightly. Ultimately, I felt incompetent and unwanted. Through it all, you have no choice but to keep going. The best thing you can do is talking about it – talk to people who support and love you. You’ll either just get through it or make the most out of it.

What’s your outlook for the industry in our city?
I think it’s an awesome place to start out. Working with larger brands like AT&T or Adult Swim allowed me to familiarize blindly working for large teams and adjusting to quick deadlines. Atlanta also has a fair amount of startups as well, so you’ll attain some great branding experience, sharpening your design skills. These companies are quite connected as well, so you can easily network within the city.

Personally, I don’t think Atlanta makes the best accommodations for their freelancers. They are more suitable for contractors. At least 95% of local jobs I receive expect you to commit yourself full-time and onsite. This isn’t great news for a freelancer because your flexibility is gone, in more ways than one. So, I have to remove myself from my current client entirely to take on a new one, potentially damaging or losing the relationship of the previous client. This is the primary reason why I strictly seek remote clients unless I’m in dire need of work – they typically don’t demand full-time and are pretty flexible. Taking on a client should be an asset, not a risk. Employers need to open themselves up to more part-time work.

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