Opening up a design studio in India is an exciting opportunity. There aren’t that many high profile design studios, and a dash of young minds is exactly what the industry needs. But the path is definitely not an easy one. There are a lot of pitfalls and negatives that come with starting a design studio in Mumbai or any other city.

The most important part of setting up a design studio is undoubtedly creativity and talent. Go into it only if you’re sure that you can come up with ideas at a moment’s notice, and have the technical skill to back it up. It’s an exciting job, and the challenges you face are different every day. If you can’t think on your feet, and come up with designs and solutions very quickly, you might want to consider a different field.

Technology and technical knowledge is very important before setting up a design studio. Design is almost exclusively carried out on computers, so having a good machine that can run all the necessary programs (Blender, Maya, GIMP, and Photoshop, etc.) is very important. Similarly, you also need the technical knowledge in using these programs. Just being a great artist will not be enough. You should be able to effectively transfer your art into a digital form.

Keep in mind that you have to brand and publicize yourself extensively to get work. A well maintained website is a huge asset that cannot be overlooked. Put up your portfolio online. This will garner interest and also show how proficient you are.

Make sure you don’t undercharge. A lot of clients will push for low costs, and if work is scarce, you might be tempted into accepting it. You’ll just end up wasting a lot of your time (time that could have been better spent publicizing yourself) into doing something more or less useless.

During down time, consider freelancing somewhere. There are a host of websites that allow you to do this, and it can be a great source of side income.

A good team is also very important in a studio. As a designer, you’ll need help from other creative to finish a project. This is one aspect that is often overlooked.

A design studio can offer great, productive and fulfilling work. But the path is by no means simple or easy. All the best!