Manchester's tech and digital ecosystem is blessed with a host of talented freelancers. Our series, Freelancer Focus aims to give our freelancers the chance to raise their profile via our digital community.
Today's Freelancer Focus meets Aaron Phelan of Aaron Phelan Creative – a freelance Digital Designer and Photographer who also specialises in strategic marketing.
Tell us about your company
I’m a freelance brand designer, photographer and marketer helping business to grow. I specialise in making brands more visible and providing creative solutions that make an impact.
Passionate about storytelling from my earliest years, I have always loved being creative, whether that was taking photos with my grandad’s film camera as a kid or crafting a beautiful, user-centric website for a client’s new venture. Storytelling and collaboration are at the heart of my work and I believe this approach builds great brands that people care about.
Offering creative and strategic marketing solutions to businesses looking to scale, my clients benefit from somebody who brings great value combining three creative disciplines including design, photography and marketing.
What led you to set up your own business?
Even as a kid I’ve always had a self-starter and DIY mentality. I always knew I wanted to set up my own business one day, even if I didn’t know exactly what that business would be. What was clear, however, was that I wanted to be a ‘creative’. I obsess over everything photography and design.
After graduating university with a combined honours degree in Digital Media and Marketing, I felt as though I had many paths I could follow, yet there was really only one path that truly felt right: setting up my own business.
On a more practical level, I’m a Type 1 Diabetic, which is almost like a full-time job in and of itself, so having the flexibility and autonomy of working for myself is invaluable and greatly benefits the quality of the work I produce.
Do you have a unique proposition?
My clients benefit from somebody who brings great value combining three creative disciplines including design, photography and marketing. Bringing my passions and experience together, along with a strong collaborative mindset means my clients get a truly bespoke service that meets their needs, leading to great client relationships and business growth.
What is your company’s biggest achievement?
I’m somebody who’s always focusing on the present and future so this question caught me off guard haha. I truly believe my best work and achievements are ahead of me. I’m very proud of the work I have done with the Tasty Little Cakery creating their brand and website. I really love helping businesses grow and seeing the TLC go from a new business with only a Facebook page and a couple of orders from friends to the level of success they’re seeing now is humbling and incredibly fulfilling. It’s a pleasure to be able to continuously work with clients on exciting brands and briefs.
What do you think the future looks like for Manchester’s digital and tech sector?
I don’t think there’s a more exciting place to be right now in the UK than Manchester for the digital and tech sector. This city has an incredible energy that many sectors seem to be thriving off of. The rate of growth many businesses in this sector are seeing is incredibly exciting but we need to ensure that success is sustainable.
We all share a joint responsibility of ensuring the sector remains inclusive and accessible to the people of this city by investing in talent. Growing up in Greater Manchester, even just a few short years ago, there was a notion that to have a successful career in digital and tech you needed to be in London. Those opportunities are now right here on our doorstep. It’s important we engage with the young talent we have in this city and ensure they have the tools and support to thrive.
The future is very bright for Manchester’s digital and tech sector but it’s the people of this city who put the great in Greater Manchester and we can’t let them get lost in the growth.
Tell us something we might not know about your business?
My business is still fairly young and is something I am constantly developing and nurturing. I bring almost a childlike sense of wonder to my work. I always approach projects with an open mind and try to see the possibilities that may not always be the most obvious way of doing things. I think my clients really appreciate this mindset, with it making for great dynamic relationships and successful projects.
My portfolio website is almost like my playground for this creativity. I’m always tinkering, trying new things and there’s always a new personal project waiting to be explored. In fact, maybe there are some exciting things launching there very soon…
Thanks Aaron!
Are you a freelancer that would like to raise the profile of your business?
If so, contact myles.hamilton@manchesterdigital.com for more details.
