Interview With Adrian Diaconescu of Rubiqube - We Talk About Design, Blogging and Freelancing
Hey folks, I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Adrian Diaconescu of Rubiqube. In this interview we talk design, blogging and freelancing. Enjoy! :)
Jon: Hi Adrian, thanks a lot for taking the time for this interview. Can you tell our readers a little about yourself? Where you’re from, what you do?
Adrian: Like I said, Jon, I’m a big fan of Freelance Folder and it’s really an honor for me to be considered for an interview. Thanks!
Since I started freelancing, this has become my “freelancing pick-up line”: My name is Adrian Diaconescu and I’m a freelance (web) designer based in Bucharest, Romania. I do a bit of everything (Flash animation, web programming, design for print), but my strong point is designing for the web. Lately I started to specialize in Wordpress custom theme design.
Jon: You’re a freelance designer and you blog. Why did you decide to start rubiqube.com? Is your blog helping you get more clients and contracts?
I didn’t just “follow the crowd“, I really felt this would be a good thing, for a couple of reasons:
My clients (or potential clients) are mostly from the US and the UK. It’s not that easy for them to trust some guy from the other side of the globe. I can relate to that. So I felt that having a blog will help my clients see me for who I really am, with the good and the bad. That way they can make an informed decision about whether or not to trust me with their next project. Before starting the blog, I had to exchange a lot of emails, Skype calls, etc. Now it’s not only easier to get the ball rolling, but I get a lot of design requests through my blog’s contact form.
I started to interact with bloggers and designers from around the world, so I needed a place where I could post my own thoughts, in English. Blogging is probably one of the best ways to connect with other designers and exchange valuable information. I was very happy to notice freelancers and designers in general stick together and help each other a lot.
I plan to use the blog as a way to promote my work, my future web related projects and also my blogging experiences.
Jon: How did you get started? Did you study something in particular or are you self-taught?
A little over year ago I also started to do some freelancing on the side. I needed the money in order to start another business: me and my wife built a dental practice next to our home. After about 3 months of sleepless nights, I decided it was time to choose between the job and freelancing gigs. My job started to be a bit boring and at the same time one of my clients made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. So it wasn’t a very difficult choice for me. That’s when my freelancing journey began. A year later, things look better than ever!
As for my studies: I really don’t have any educational background in design. I studied computer automation. :) All I have is my passion for nice looking, easy to use websites.
Jon: What are the tools you couldn’t live without? (softwares, invoicing tools, time/task-management apps, pen/paper, etc…)
Jon: What would be your best piece of advice for folks who are just getting started?
Jon: Where do you find inspiration? Any website you like to go to that gets your creative juices flowing? Do you get inspiration from the offline world too? (buildings, architecture, logos/signs, etc…)
Jon: Who, in the online world, would you say has had the biggest influence on you? (designer, blogger, entrepreneur, etc…)
Jon: Where do you see yourself in a couple years from now? Reading your ‘about page‘ I know you have the goal of retiring before 40, but let’s say in 5 years from now? :)
Jon: What’s in your Ipod? (I have to ask :) )
Jon: Mac or PC? And why?
Jon: Again, thanks a lot Adrian for taking the time for this interview! Make sure you stop by Rubiqube! Hey and you can also follow Adrian on Twitter! :)
7 Rockin' Comments
May 22nd, 2008 at 3:16 pm
What a great interview, it sure gives some good insight and hope to those that are just starting out on a freelance journey or anything really web related.
This is very profound;
Adrian: There are many things that I had to learn the hard way, but I think this is the most important advice I would give: Don’t underestimate, undersell or underprice your services!
I think that no matter what, at some point and time, we all do face those questions to ourselves, we are usually our own worst enemies.
Thanks for sharing this!
May 22nd, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Totally agree with the “Don’t underestimate, undersell or underprice your services” quote. It’s also interesting to hear the international perspective he offers. I can imagine how at times the fact that he’s in Romania can be a deturrent for companies with no experience with tele-commuting on skype and whatnot.
Good post, thanks for the interview.
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I’m with Joe Norton, that piece of advice is priceless. Awesome interview. I love your website design by the way Adrian. Great job.
May 23rd, 2008 at 10:03 am
Jon, thanks again for the opportunity you gave me. This is how I see this interview.
Thanks everyone for your kind words. I’m always happy when freelancer just starting out approach me with questions. I don’t pretend to have the absolute wisdom, but I’m always happy to share a few tips. Especially since they come from personal experience.
Like Susie pointed out, we all have questions at some point, we all make mistakes, but luckily there’s this great place called the Internet, which makes exchanging information so much easier. So it’s only natural to pass that knowledge to the new wave of freelancers (not that I’m too old or anything). :)
And yes, living in Romania has it’s pros and cons when it comes to freelancing.
May 23rd, 2008 at 12:14 pm
What a nice piece of interview. And the funny part is that even if Adrian and I are both designers, both activated on the same romanian communities, we’ve met through our international blogs.
There you go! One more reason to build a blog, you could get to know your neighbor. :)
May 23rd, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Love reading this interview. I just started freelancing last month and I found that Adrian is really inspiring in his way. I love his Rubiqube. :)
Trackbacks
Share your thoughts, leave a comment!