Why every designer needs a mentor (yes, even you)
The shortcut to success isn’t another tutorial — it’s tapping into someone else’s hard-won wisdom.
Ever feel like you’re stuck trying to figure out your next career move on your own?
Looking at other designers’ success and wondering what their secret sauce is?
Been there (but quite a long, long time ago).
The design industry moves at lightning speed. New tools dropping daily, A to the I changing the game, and sometimes it feels impossible to keep up while also developing your own unique voice. Trust me, I get it.
Oh. Before you read the rest of the article…
🏠 Growing a SaaS startup? I combine strategic design with proven founder experience to help you build products users love.
Join the Haus waitlist for early-bird perks → https://gohaus.design/
Going it alone is tough
We’ve all been there, right?
Endless tutorials, countless articles (hopefully you’ve read some of mine ;), years of trial and error.
But here’s something I’ve learned over my 25+ years in design…
The fastest way to level up isn’t doing it alone. It’s having someone in your corner who’s already navigated the path.
What’s the big deal about having a mentor?
Every significant leap in my career came after a conversation with someone who’d been there before me.
Every. Single. One.
When I started out in Graphic Design I had mentors then, at like 17/18 years of age, because I knew they knew their s**t and I could soak up all that knowledge like a bath-time sponge, as opposed to asking a mate in Art school if they thought my drawing of The Joker (for real) was any good.
And it wasn’t just about improving my design skills. The real game-changers were the insights you won’t find in any tutorial.
Don’t think a passing comment or a quick DM is gonna help you grow, it’s all too surface-level for that. You need real, focused conversations with someone who’s walked the path.
Wisdom.
This is something that doesn’t get enough press, but if you can tap into that from someone who has walked the walk that they talked, it can be priceless.
We can all throw pretty s**t at the wall and come up with something that blows a client’s socks off, but the real magic happens when you combine great design with battle-tested wisdom. That’s what turns good designers into successful ones.
It’s not just about making pretty s**t!
Sure, a great mentor will level up your design game.
But the truly valuable stuff?
- Learning to price your work with confidence (no more underselling yourself)
- Knowing when to say no to the wrong clients (this is huge!)
- Spotting opportunities for passive income (yes, they’re everywhere)
- Understanding which trends matter and which are just noise
- Navigating the AI revolution in design (it’s not going anywhere. Use it!)
But can’t I just learn everything online?
Yeah, you can. That’s what I did for years.
But here’s what that mindset cost me:
- Years of making avoidable mistakes
- Money left on the table in negotiations
- Missed opportunities I didn’t even know existed
- Countless hours of trial and error
It’s like I always tell my daughter when she’s painting: “Don’t be afraid of making mistakes — that’s how you learn. But having someone guide you? That’s the golden goose baby!”
Time to take the Red Pill Neo
Every designer I look up to had help along the way. Getting a mentor isn’t giving up — it’s being smart about getting ahead.
Think about it: even the designers you follow on X (yeah you know the rest), or Behance (Hmm. Let’s skip that one) had help.
Nobody does this alone. Nobody.
Get a Mentor.
Your future self will thank you ;)
Thanks for reading,
Marc.
Oh. Before you go…
🧠 Looking for a mentor who can help improve your design skills 10X? Let’s chat. Tap into my 25+ years of experience and take your journey to the next level → https://marcandrew.me/mentoring
