THE PLACE FOR creatives, CHANGE MAKERS & impact-driven businesses

OUR STORY

OUR STORY

I TURNED DOWN AN UNPAID FASHION INTERNSHIP &

STARTED A BUSINESS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

5 years ago, I turned down an unpaid fashion internship to go all-in on building a business from scratch.

This one decision completely changed my life.

After building two award-winning businesses and working with freelance clients for the last 5 years, I want to help early-career creatives craft fulfilling careers without sacrificing their mental health.

Our mission is to empower creatives, founders, freelancers, and brands to create impactful identities that demand attention, attract opportunities, and drive positive change within their communities.

We believe that every creative vision has the potential to not only stand out but to inspire and uplift others.

Our mission

Theory of change

Theory of change

We create brands that Demand attention

WHAT WE DO AT STUDIO SELF-MADE

Studio Self-Made is a branding studio and creative community designed to support early career individuals, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, in developing sustainable creative careers.

Over the last two years, Studio Self-Made has been supported by the Virgin Money Foundation, Big Change, Nuffield Health, Santander Universities and Pizza Hutt.


We work directly with founders and freelancers to build their personal brands and help impact-driven businesses craft bold brand identities.

Meet the Team

  • Holly Phillips

    CONTENT WRITER

    I'm an MA Journalism graduate and an NCTJ-qualified journalist with a specialism in news and magazine journalism. I currently have multiple freelance roles, one of which being an Online Journalist at BBC Lincolnshire. You might have also seen my work in Absolutely Yorkshire, Lippy Magazine, Pitch Magazine and The Sheffield Star. I also have years of experience in copywriting and email marketing for a mixture of brands ranging from fitness companies, to creative companies. My interests include photography and getting outdoors. I'm also super into fitness - I love going to the gym, playing tennis and swimming. 

    I write blog posts for Studio Self-Made. It's been a great chance to share my personal experiences and knowledge, as well as learn new things about the lives of freelancers and business owners. Being involved in the progression and growth of a business that helps so many people in the creative industry feels extremely rewarding. 

  • MARLENA JAGODA

    PROJECT DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE

    My name is Marlena, and I'm a 23-year-old graduate with a degree in Marketing and Management (with Psychological Studies). I have been freelancing for a few years now as a translator but always knew I wanted to work in marketing. I love listening to music, yoga, and writing in my free time. To date, I have written and self-published two poetry collections and an illustrated children's book, and at the moment I'm working on two novels.

    I am a multidisciplinary creative specialising mainly in marketing, copywriting, and SEO. I am always looking for new experiences and ways to upskill and learn something new. I was excited to join Studio Self-Made as a Content Creator and in the first few weeks of the project, my work included creating content for Pinterest, uploading blogs, and repurposing graphics across social media. I then worked with Emma as a Project Development Specialist to help her plan out a corporate offer. This role involved a lot of research, offer development, and idea generation.

LOOKING FOR CREATIVE CAREER INSIGHTS?

We’ve created a range of mini-guides and insider insights to help you get started.

From mindset tips to planning tools, learn more from our blog post collection written and curated by our team of early career creatives!