252: No Degree, No Experience: How this Freelancer from India Landed Her First Fashion Design Client at 4x the Rate

Curious how a self-taught freelancer with zero fashion experience charged 4x the going rate—and landed the client anyway? Fathima’s story is the bold confidence boost you didn’t know you needed.

This episode follows Fathima Thasneem’s surprising entrance into the freelance fashion world, where a single LinkedIn message turned into a high-paying opportunity. With no degree and no prior design clients, she faced tough questions about her background—and didn’t flinch. Instead, she leaned into her worth, set bold boundaries, and delivered with confidence. You’ll hear how she used LinkedIn to find leads, why she priced higher than anyone expected, and how her honest, strategic approach paid off.

If you’re new to freelancing or have been at it a while, click play now to hear how trusting your instincts and taking risks can lead to your first big client win.

About Fathima:
Fathima Thasneem is a freelance womenswear designer specializing in Young Contemporary fashion, with a passion for fun, playful, and feminine designs. She helps brands create standout collections that blend creativity with wearability, turning ideas into polished, production-ready visuals. Her streamlined approach refines concepts quickly and ensures a smooth transition into production. With precise fashion CADs and thoughtful detailing, she brings clarity to the design process, ensuring every piece aligns with the brand’s vision.

Connect with Fathima:
Email her at [e-mail]
Follow on Instagram
Connect on LinkedIn

Download my Freelance Price List just for fashion (it’s free!): sewheidi.com/price

Creators and Guests

Host

Heidi Weinberg {Sew Heidi}

Heidi (aka Sew Heidi) is a self-taught freelance fashion designer who built a six-figure business without a degree, portfolio, or industry connections. After years of burnout in the fashion industry, she went freelance—and never looked back. Now, she helps other designers ditch toxic jobs, land better clients, and build flexible careers they love. Through her podcast, courses, and resources, Heidi has helped thousands of designers take control of their fashion path and finally get paid what they’re worth.

What is Fashion Designers Get Paid: Build Your Fashion Career On Your Own Terms?

This is a show for burnt-out fashion designers (and TDs, PDs, patternmakers, textile designer and beyond) who want more flexibility in their career while still doing work they love.

You'll learn how to build a freelance fashion business, so you can do the work you love on your own terms. Freelancing in fashion is the only way to get freedom in your day (instead of being tied to a desk).

Whether you want to earn extra money on the side, fund your fashion brand, or replace your salary, the FDGP podcast will help you get there. Listen in for actionable tips and strategies to kickstart or grow your career as a freelance fashion designer, build your confidence, and create the life you want.

Hosted by $100k+ fashion freelancer Sew Heidi, the show features interviews and strategy sessions with successful freelance fashion designers from around the world who've ditched toxic fashion jobs and taken control of their own destinies. This is the only place to get REAL insights from REAL freelancers who have built REAL careers on their own terms. (Formerly the Successful Fashion Freelancer podcast.)

Heidi [00:00:00]:
Imagine charging four times the rate your peers say is acceptable for your very first freelance design project. That's exactly what Fathima did. A freelancer from India with no formal fashion degree and no prior design clients. When When an Indian brand reached out to her on LinkedIn, she took a bold leap, went in with a higher price, and landed a client who was impressed by her confidence and expertise. So how did she justify her pricing? What unexpected lessons did she learn along the way? And how did she answer when the brand put her on the spot and asked if she went to fashion school and what her design experience was? Remember, she didn't go to school and she hadn't done design before. If you're hesitant about pricing your work higher or getting started without any industry experience or just need a boost of confidence, this episode is for you. Let's dive in. Fathima, I am so excited to share your story on the podcast.

Heidi [00:00:46]:
I wanna talk about how you landed your first client at four times the rate that your Indian freelance friend said you should go in for the pricing. It's also your first client. You've built your your your career and your freelance business completely on your own. Let's get started with that client. How did you land this first client and at such a high rate?

Fathima [00:01:12]:
She reached out to me through on LinkedIn. K. She texted me, hey. I'm looking for a bland fashion designer who are specialized in modern feminine styles with younger audience. I think you might be the perfect for this. This is how she started. And then, actually, her story, when I saw the message, I was surprised because I never mentioned any of my social media that I'm offering a design service because I only mentioned fashion cat and fashion flats. So I was surprised.

Fathima [00:01:43]:
And I said, of course, I would like to collaborate with you, and then I shared a mail ID. And then she sent immediately the brand guidelines PDF and what she looking for and all the stuff. So I I go through that, and then I replied, yeah, yes. I'm looking to work with you. And and she wants to know enough price, before we hop on to the Zoom. Like, I sent my calendar link, and that was my very first time experiencing all this. I worked before plans project, but not like this, like, in a professional way. They're all mostly doing five flat sketch, 10 flat sketch kind of things.

Fathima [00:02:23]:
So this is my very first time sending all those things. So I sent her my calendar link. She booked the meeting. But before that, she would like to know a rough price. So I don't know what to do. So I asked my friend, but she replied very late. So I don't want to do. So I asked to chat GPT for a help.

Fathima [00:02:42]:
So how much freelance patient is gonna from India charge for design services? Because I never did that. I did only flat sketch and fashion cat service. Uh-huh. And she suggested some price that it had to be suggested some price. And, also, some of, website from Indian institution who, you know, there are some content where, how much Indian finance has charged. So I just researched all the data and then fixed one red, and then I sent it. After that, I got reply from my friend. I was I was speaking, you know, nervous.

Fathima [00:03:16]:
You know what? I don't know what to do because the price was four x lower than what I charge, what I sent to my client. I thought, okay. She will now work with me because she my friend used to do say Indian brand bargain a lot. They will never pay what you ask. This is what they always used to to told me. So but she immediately replied to the message after I send them a price. I tied into two option, like, basic and premium. K.

Fathima [00:03:44]:
That I learned from Alina. We are in one WhatsApp group that we help each other. Few months back, she shared a proposal video. So she seek help from us to give her feedback about the proposal. So I just used to that strategy. And, two days before, I listened to a podcast. She also learned that stick stick from someone. So I also use that same thing, and then she choose the premium package.

Fathima [00:04:13]:
And then we hop on Zoom, but in Zoom, she negotiated the price little bit. Then then I will get last our freelance plans what to do, and they said if she negotiate the price, then you would cut the deliverables. Mhmm. So I also did the same thing after the meeting was over. That meeting was like an interview in the first part. She was like, where are you from? Do we have experience in this industry? Do you have any experience working with actually, it's a sustainable plan that was very challenging for me. She asked me, do we have a degree? But I don't have that one. I never went to any fashion school.

Fathima [00:04:55]:
I did everything on online. So I thought when the question started answering the question, my brain is popping. I'm okay. You will never get this project because she is interviewing like a job. Yeah. And after that, I also prepared something before the meeting, some of the questions to ask her. So I shared my opinion. She needs someone to do low three d and tech pack and all.

Fathima [00:05:19]:
I suggest, instead of spending money on three d, you could hire someone who specialize in technical design because I won't do that. I will only offer a design project. She really liked the genuine opinion about the service. So after end of the meeting, she said, I'm really impressed with Udasten. We will work on just send me a proposal and start working on it. That's how it happened.

Heidi [00:05:46]:
Oh my gosh. What a story. Okay. So there's so many things I wanna learn a little bit more about within this. So first of all, she contacted you on LinkedIn, and you have your LinkedIn profile shows technical work, CADs, tech packs, but doesn't talk anything about design.

Fathima [00:06:05]:
Not tech packs.

Heidi [00:06:06]:
Okay. Sorry.

Fathima [00:06:07]:
Go ahead. Design fashion kit. Not tech packs. Only fashion, CAD, flats.

Heidi [00:06:11]:
Just just flats. Okay. Yes. Gotcha. And so how did she find you on LinkedIn? Are you active on LinkedIn? Do you post regularly and engage?

Fathima [00:06:22]:
I used to post LinkedIn, but not, you know, regular. But often, I used to post, and my some of my post were reached well. Maybe that's so and, also, I mentioned in my bio, like, in contemporary. And even in my about section, I would love to work with a brand and contemporary, like, younger audience more than feminine style. So she thought, okay. She might be the perfect fit. She looking for someone who's good at this aesthetics.

Heidi [00:06:49]:
Yeah. I think that so something I would like to really point out here is that, like, a lot of brands will use LinkedIn as a search engine. So they my guest, do you know, is she came to LinkedIn and she searched and she found your profile. She saw a few posts and everything kind of looked right and she reached out. So dear listener, make sure your LinkedIn is kind of dialed in. You don't need to be I mean, it can be valuable to be engaged regularly. But is that how she found you?

Fathima [00:07:16]:
Yes. Of course, LinkedIn is very helpful because I'm, you know, I'm using Instagram for four years. I used to post regularly sometimes in Instagram, but I never get any response like how I got from LinkedIn. It really helped me a lot. Mhmm.

Heidi [00:07:32]:
That's awesome. That's awesome. Okay. And so then will you share the price that you quoted her versus the price that your friend said?

Fathima [00:07:40]:
Yes. It's Indian price, 2,500 to 3,000. This is what I mentioned because she need just a rough price. So I said basic plan start from 2,500, and if you want a premium future, that was 300 3,000. So she, never shipped

Heidi [00:07:58]:
What would that be like in US dollars? Can you do do you know?

Fathima [00:08:02]:
It's around it's very low, I think. $20, I think.

Heidi [00:08:07]:
Okay. Okay. Hey. Heidi here with a quick update on Fathima's story. She emailed me the day after we recorded our episode, and I had to update and put this in the middle. So a couple things. First, she clarified that the total project amount actually came to 20,000 rupees, which translates to about 250 US dollars. She mentioned 20 US dollars because that was for a specific part of the project.

Heidi [00:08:31]:
That wasn't the project in its entirety. The other thing was that she shared that her client came back with an amazing surprise when she paid her invoice. Fathima sent me this email, and I asked her if I could just quote it because I didn't wanna butcher the story. So here's exactly what she said. Remember I told you I sent my invoice and was waiting for payment? Well, my client not only loved my work and wants to collaborate again, but she also surprised me by offering to pay me more than we originally agreed. We had settled on 18,500 rupees, but after seeing my invoice, she voluntarily increased it to 20,000 rupees. I applied the fast templates and strategies, and they worked beautifully. I am so happy for you, Fathima, and will now get back to the prerecorded interview.

Fathima [00:09:15]:
So she negotiated the price lower than basic plan when you are in the meeting. So after that meeting, I sent her new negotiated the price lower than the basic. So you will get only these things, like, you will get more board and range plan. That said, you will won't get any fabric and more board, color and trim research kind of thing. But still, if you would like to go on premium, I will do like that. Like, what I did instead of, you know, raising the price for every style, I said that you can add, for this much amount, you can add premium features. So and then she agreed. Like I said, you can pay extra 2,000 to get that premium features, but I didn't accept the exact rate what they she negotiated.

Fathima [00:09:57]:
I choose in between what I planned.

Heidi [00:10:00]:
Okay. Gotcha. And so how much did your friend say you should you should have quoted it?

Fathima [00:10:08]:
They said 600 rupees, but I charged 2,000 rupees. 6 hundred, and I charged 2,000.

Heidi [00:10:15]:
Yes.

Fathima [00:10:17]:
And she also surprised. She also asked to me how they said yes, because she had a four years of experience, I think, and she is working great on Upwork also. And she is, she said she thought, when I told her the price was 2,500, it was for, both design and tech pack whole but when she know it's only for design, she really surprised and asked to me how you did that.

Heidi [00:10:45]:
So it's just for the design?

Fathima [00:10:47]:
Yes.

Heidi [00:10:48]:
Okay. So and then I think you said you're gonna do the tech packs as well?

Fathima [00:10:52]:
No. After that, she hired someone for that because she said I will help you with the measurement part. You will do only this kind of things, and then she hired someone, so I also didn't take that risk.

Heidi [00:11:03]:
Okay. Gotcha. Gotcha. Okay. So then you get on the you send her the pricing in advance, like a rough range to make sure that everybody was comfortable, which wound up being four times the amount that your other friend in India suggested. Amazing. And you got on the call, and you said she treated it like an interview. How did you answer some of those questions? Because you don't you didn't go to fashion school, and you don't have a lot of experience.

Heidi [00:11:28]:
Like, you're pretty much self taught. Is that correct?

Fathima [00:11:31]:
Actually, I was very transparent at that time. She was so surprised when she asked about me, do we have a degree, and how you're doing freelancing kind of question. I said, I don't have any degree, and I have a experience. I did lot of fashion cad work, but now she asked me, do we have any design experience? But I told her, no. I don't have any design experience, but I did fashion care work. And then she said, it's okay. I will also help you in this project kind of thing.

Heidi [00:11:58]:
Okay. Awesome. So it did it wasn't an issue at all that, like, she because I think people are worried about that. They're like, well, what do I say if they ask? And I think it's you be honest about it, but, many brands are willing to work with you.

Fathima [00:12:15]:
Because before the conversation happened, I asked her some more questions about the design process, what you are looking for. And I, in the brand, Garland, she mentioned I am looking for one statement piece. So k. I preferred a little bit, some idea for that, and I shared that idea on the discovery call.

Heidi [00:12:33]:
Okay.

Fathima [00:12:34]:
So after all that, okay, I I will help you with that.

Heidi [00:12:38]:
Okay. So you were able to show her even though you said I don't have experience, you had already shown her, like, here's some ideas. This is what I'm capable of.

Fathima [00:12:46]:
Yeah. She also asked me some questions about sustainability, what doing what sustainable fabrics you'll prefer, how you do kind I all I've prepared everything before since I know it's a sustainable plan. I just prepared some things how to handle that situation.

Heidi [00:13:02]:
What did you, like, what did you prepare? How'd you do that?

Fathima [00:13:05]:
I just searched Google and try CPD, and, we now pass modules also. We have some templates, what are the questions to be asked before we hop our discovery call. So I use all those things.

Heidi [00:13:17]:
Okay. Awesome. Awesome. And then the proposal you put together, you said you did, like, a two tier proposal that you got inspiration from Alina. Alina

Fathima [00:13:25]:
Yeah.

Heidi [00:13:25]:
Is in fast with you. Right? Yeah. And so can you talk us through a little bit, like, how the the two tiers of the proposal? I know you said the price was like 2,500 versus 3,000 or something, but, like, what were the differences in the proposal? Okay. How did you catch that?

Fathima [00:13:41]:
Alina was Alina's video was very professional. It's a PDF, and she did it very well, but I'm not, like that. I just send a mail, written mail, like, how we we have, some template in our past. So I just re edited that according to my design, size and how much size we need and all. I just written the mail, like, basic plan. You will get this, you will get mood board and branch plan these things, and the price would be starts from 2,500. And the premium, you will get a actually, the premium I, offer spec sheet that will include all the construction and design call out. So if you want that, you would choose a premium package.

Fathima [00:14:24]:
That's how I tired that.

Heidi [00:14:27]:
Okay. So it's the design mood inspiration design plus the spec sheet with all the technical call outs and the construction details.

Fathima [00:14:34]:
Yes. Okay. Just a return mail, not any fancy PDF.

Heidi [00:14:39]:
Is what?

Fathima [00:14:40]:
It's just a written mail, not any

Heidi [00:14:42]:
Just an email. Yes.

Fathima [00:14:43]:
Okay.

Heidi [00:14:45]:
Yeah. But that works for her, and it was good. Yes. Yeah. Now that only Yeah. Go ahead.

Fathima [00:14:52]:
After Adwandi, I sent the agreement before we move on to the project.

Heidi [00:14:58]:
Okay. Gotcha. Gotcha. Alright. Amazing. Now I want you to share a little bit about your background, because, I know you had said here, first of all, you you want to work with international clients. So this woman is also in India. So you were like, I don't know, Heidi.

Heidi [00:15:18]:
Am I ready to do the podcast? I want to wait an international client. I think it's still massively worth celebrating, especially at the price point that you were able to go in at. And I know that you've been working without like, inside of Fast for over a year. You've been getting support. Like, tell us a little bit about your journey leading up to this and, like, the all the work you've been putting in behind the scenes. Because I know this didn't just, like, happen out of nowhere.

Fathima [00:15:44]:
The big story, I found you through on Pinterest. I think it's, twenty twenty three October. I joined your live event. Before that, I found your website, and then I found on Goldmine. That's how I used to call you an ultimate guide for the Lansing and fashion. Oh. So I once I found that, the next morning, I immediately spend some one hour time. I read it every page, and then I replied, and then I made you, and I found your mail ID, and then I I mailed that, hi.

Fathima [00:16:18]:
You read this, and this is very amazing kind of thing. After that, I searched your profile and Instagram, and then I texted you too. Like, hey, Heidi. I'm good at fashion plans, fashion illustration, but I don't take that. We said okay kind of thing, and you replied to me. But after three days, we used my doubt as a content for your live event. Like, I received your newsletter. Hey.

Fathima [00:16:44]:
One person messaged me on Instagram. I will call her. Jill, she had these doubts, and you cleared all those doubts at that context. So after that, I immediately joined the live event. But at that time, on point, I couldn't able to interact with you, but you're in I'm the first person you replied for the doubts on a third day. So after that, again, I joined the live event, at January, and then I listened to a, podcast episode. So after that, okay, that was very inspiring maybe because she also from my country. I feel that connection.

Fathima [00:17:24]:
So I really want to join your program, and then I replied, one day, I'm gonna join your program, and I'll be a part I'll be a guest on a podcast episode if it's happened.

Heidi [00:17:36]:
Here we are.

Fathima [00:17:38]:
Yes. I never imagined that it will happen this much quickly.

Heidi [00:17:43]:
Yeah. That's amazing. And so what's your background before that? Were you, like, learning Illustrator on your own and just kind of figuring everything out?

Fathima [00:17:53]:
No. Actually, I would like to study fashion design, but I can't afford. So I searched some online courses.

Heidi [00:18:00]:
Okay.

Fathima [00:18:01]:
And then I found one course that under my budget. It's a one year program. It was also online, not any fashion school. Once I completed that, I thought, okay. Everything oh, we'd, now we are fashion designer. We are going to get a job, and everything will be all right. But it's not like that. I know how other countries' ironing process, will be.

Fathima [00:18:22]:
But in India, they will prefer some of the institution. They will give fast preference to them. I don't know. Could I say that name or not? They will use the NIF student. Every every job description, they will say one lead, the students will will be first preference. So I was frustrated after saw those things. And I thought, okay. We can try to learn fashion CAD course so it will be helpful to find a job.

Fathima [00:18:46]:
And then I took one online course for fashion CAD. While doing that course, I got the project because the mentor of other course used to share some work on our group. And, also, if she find any of the students working well and we complete, the homework on time, She will share our context to some people for to get a work. So that's how I started. And and I got one project, and then, like and then after that lined up two, three more. After that, it was very silent. I didn't get any project, and that was the time I found you, and then everything, opened.

Heidi [00:19:22]:
Okay. What was the online course that you took?

Fathima [00:19:25]:
It's a fashion CAD course. It's like, fashion plaid, fashion illustration, print design. It it's like a digital design course.

Heidi [00:19:32]:
Okay. What's it called? Like, for people listening, they might be interested. What is it?

Fathima [00:19:36]:
It's a course from India. Her name is Goma Laval. Digital design with Goma Laval. That's what, page an Instagram page.

Heidi [00:19:45]:
Okay. And it's all online?

Fathima [00:19:47]:
Yes.

Heidi [00:19:48]:
Okay. Okay. So you taught yourself all the skills through that. You got a couple opportunities through there, and then things kinda dried up. You found me and Fast and you joined about a year ago, I think it was. Yes. And this is your first design project. How does it feel?

Fathima [00:20:07]:
I didn't expect my first project would be, prevent or the granular expected this, but I'm so happy. I never knew, we can't without experience or we can't freelance full time. Before I knew you, I thought we can do this as a side as well. If I want to freelance for full time, I need more than three to four ex four years experience, then only it would be possible. But after I read your guide and I knew you and I started following you, okay, it's possible. And then once I complete reading your book, I fixed myself. Okay. We are going to freelance for full time.

Fathima [00:20:43]:
That's what that's how it all happened.

Heidi [00:20:46]:
Yeah. And you're on your way to doing that. That's amazing. What, what are some of the biggest lessons you've learned from this experience with this client? Have you started the work yet?

Fathima [00:20:59]:
It completed. I also sent my invoice, and I'm waiting for the payment.

Heidi [00:21:04]:
Okay. Amazing. Amazing. Okay. So what what are some of the lessons you've learned, throughout the process?

Fathima [00:21:10]:
I learned a lot. Before starting the project, I was prepared everything because we not we have everything, like, a to zed work, how to work with client, how to send proposal. So everything we know. So I prepared everything. The first two week was, like, very smooth. It was app and what I planned. But after the third week was very messy because I did a two mistakes. That was I forgot to mention these two things in my agreement.

Fathima [00:21:39]:
I didn't schedule a particular time, like, weekly, twice, or this particular time we can discuss about design project. It was like we are we we were continuously chatting through WhatsApp in unnecessary time. So this led, to made a lot of changes in the design. So the client used to change so much things, and I was in the between, I was very confused what I don't know how to handle it. So I learned this thing. So I'm thinking, okay. Next time, I would also include this also in my agreement, regarding the setting boundaries and all. So I learned this.

Fathima [00:22:17]:
And, also, the client extended the project what we planned. So that also, if I were to mention, if it's if it's extended, I do be charged the extra fee. So these are the things I learned from this project.

Heidi [00:22:30]:
Okay. Those are all great lessons, and they're all lessons that every freelancer learns, like, firsthand. It is just part of the process. It's, like, part of the rite of passage.

Fathima [00:22:41]:
Yes.

Heidi [00:22:42]:
Yeah. That's amazing. I would love to sort of wrap up and ask you at the end of the end conversation the same question I ask everybody, which is what is one thing people never ask you about being a freelance fashion designer that you wish they would?

Fathima [00:23:00]:
I don't know what to say for that. I didn't prepare that. And we, are you balancing everything well, like, work and personal life?

Heidi [00:23:18]:
So what's the answer to that?

Fathima [00:23:21]:
Because I'm in the early stage of freelancing, I'm learning that, since it's my very first big project, I never worked with this much long time. So I very struggled, balancing everything. So I think that's what I

Heidi [00:23:35]:
would say. Okay. What do you how are you gonna do it differently next time, do you think?

Fathima [00:23:41]:
So okay, I was, you know, the past two week was, she used to reply, hey. It's good. It's good. I don't think. So I think I cash very, I didn't take seriously after that because I only get good commands from her. So I didn't take seriously, and I, started doing the work very slowly. So now I'm thinking, okay. Thereafter, we have to balance everything.

Fathima [00:24:06]:
We have to work, like, we have to fix some time and work every day for that, and we have to balance that. Because if we missed that, it, it could be, like, the whole project could be very messy. So that's what I did for this. So I'm thinking I have to balance all those things.

Heidi [00:24:22]:
Okay. Gotcha. Awesome. And if people wanna connect with you and find you online, where can they do that? What's the best place?

Fathima [00:24:30]:
LinkedIn and Instagram.

Heidi [00:24:32]:
Okay. Awesome. We'll put the links in the show notes. Thank you so much for coming on and sharing your story, Fathima. It's amazing. I know I've seen your name pop up on, like you said, LinkedIn and Instagram and at our live events over the years, and it's really, really exciting to bring you on here to celebrate this huge win for your first design project. And having gone in for such a big rate, I really applaud you for sort of owning your skills and owning that rate and and getting it. So it's amazing.

Fathima [00:25:01]:
Thank you so much for having me. I'm so grateful to be here.