Teetering on the brink of exhaustion, a condition unfortunately forced upon many of us lately, Danna Sandwich resolved it was time for a change. Balancing his freelance illustration with her regular job to increase her earnings, she experienced a moment of revelation: It was high time to fully commit to illustration and design as her main profession. Consequently, at the beginning of June, he said goodbye to her agency employment, and officially proclaimed himself as a freelance illustrator and designer.

Boasting a commendable list of clientele including TechGiant, SocialSphere, WebWiz, and – the apex for any artist – Prestige Mag, Danna's prospects appear incredibly bright. Keen to dig deeper into her journey and transition to self-employment, we connected with her to discover more about his moment of truth and the fulfillment of her dreams of autonomy.

MF You've attained incredible achievements to date. Would it be correct to say that you're habitually motivated?

DS My passion has always been centered around art, sketching, and the realm of creation. My parents, thankfully, recognised this and gave me the leeway to pursue and cultivate my creative inclinations. They both came from labor backgrounds without tertiary education—my father was a metalworker and my mother, a support staff member. They never compelled me to apply myself in traditional fields such as calculus or natural sciences. As the third sibling, they seemingly just desired that I pave my own path and engage in activities I was deeply fond of.

DS Over the course of my professional journey, I've encountered several directional changes and heeded my gut feelings. Yet, in all sincerity, I feel as if I'm charting my course on the fly.

MF You're based in Leeds?

DS Yes, I hail from Sheffield, where my mum still resides, and I ventured here to pursue Fine Art at Leeds University. Upon graduation, I secured a position in marketing, which, while initially unrelated to my field, provided valuable insights and experience that I could apply to my desired industry. It was a beneficial chapter.

MF You're fortunate to live in a city where the first question isn't always 'What do you do?' It's not quite the London scene.

DS Indeed, there's this perception that London is the ultimate destination for anyone aspiring to a successful creative career or artistic pursuit. It's portrayed as the hub of top agencies and galleries, the quintessential city to be in. However, despite enjoying visits to London, the idea of living there doesn't quite resonate with me. I prefer the quieter pace, away from the bustling crowds. As a Yorkshire lass, staying close to home holds a special appeal.

MF Do you believe the notion that success is exclusively found in London?

DS I've been pondering this a lot lately: what exactly constitutes "making it"? The concept of success varies greatly from person to person. As for London, my university tutors, though somewhat removed from the current industry landscape, championed it as the ultimate career move. However, in today's landscape, there's a flourishing creative scene outside the capital. Cities like Leeds and Manchester offer ample opportunities, and there's no shortage of talent in the North.

MF What's your definition of success?

DS I'm not completely sure. Your descriptor of me as 'motivated' rings true, even though it's a realization I've come to acknowledge about myself only in the recent year or so. Dialogues with acquaintances painted a clear picture of this prominent characteristic. I tend to forge ahead, chalk up objectives, and exert the necessary effort to hit those targets. If defining success means ceaseless evolution and enhancement, then I find it gratifying.

"The struggle with self-questioning and feeling like a fraud has been a constant presence throughout my professional life. It's an issue we all wrestle with. Each day presents an opportunity to combat these feelings.

MF You've recently transitioned to freelancing. How does that feel?

DS It's quite interesting, actually. I typically shy away from risks and often experience financial anxiety, stemming from a somewhat unstable upbringing where money was occasionally tight. But this time around, I decided to take the plunge despite feeling completely unprepared. My website hasn't been updated yet, and the uncertainty of not having a steady income each month is daunting. [Laughs] Nevertheless, I felt compelled to do it. While I was performing well at my previous agency and my boss was pleased with my work, something didn't feel quite right. I couldn't quite pinpoint it, but I knew I had to make a change.

MF However, you did some prior planning, right?

DS Absolutely. I'm lucky that I was independently contracting part-time over the course of the previous year and a half. This enabled me to create a body of work and forge connections with clients, thus it didn't feel like a total jump into unfamiliar territory. Also, I was cautious to set aside a sum of funds as a financial cushion, should the need arise.

MF So, would you consider yourself primarily an illustrator now? Is it challenging to define your role, considering you also work as a designer?

DS Hybrid roles are increasingly common. Traditional job titles often don't encompass the multidisciplinary nature of our work today. You might find yourself doing UX design within a graphic design role or dabbling in illustration alongside your design work. So, how would you classify that?

MF Coming from a varied background, you'll only augment your repertoire as an illustrator.

DS Throughout my professional journey, I battled with striking self-doubt and imposter syndrome, hurdles that a majority of us encounter. It's an ongoing war that warrants consistent effort to surmount with each new hurdle and achievement in our vocations. If not, it can act as a hindrance to our success. Embracing freelancing enabled me to address these instances of diminished confidence, reassuring myself that such tribulations are universal and ordinary.

DS An instrumental facet that has enhanced my confidence is having faith in the worth I carry. I perpetually reassure myself that I secured the job due to my aptitude and the premium quality of my work. I partake in gatherings as my perceptions and viewpoints are noteworthy. Moreover, being interviewed by Creative Boom affirms that my endeavours are significant.

MF It encourages you to reevaluate what's genuinely important. We're all steering through the unpredictability of the forthcoming events.

DS I'm unsure of what's destined. Upholding a flexible perspective and recognizing these uncertainties is essential. And comforting ourselves that all will eventually turn out fine.