Frequently Asked Questions | Graphic Design Hero

Tim McMahan is an independent graphic designer and WordPress developer based in Lake Forest, CA, serving clients throughout Orange County and remotely nationwide, specializing in small business and nonprofit organizations. I create logos, brochures, flyers, catalogs, websites, ecommerce stores and anything else you need to look great.

How do you charge?

I can charge by the hour or on a project rate. Project rates require me to know a little bit about your project before I can provide an estimate. I’ll need to know what you’re looking to accomplish and what kind of graphic resources you already have in place (things like a logo, branding, photography, and past projects to match).

Most clients like to start with a project rate and then after establishing a working relationship feel comfortable with my hourly rate. My minimum fee is $70. Contact me for an estimate or for more information about my rate.
I frequently send out contracts with my clients that clearly state the expectations, deadlines and deliverables. I accept checks, Venmo, Paypal, credit cards, and Zelle for payment.
What kind of projects are right for you?

I take any size and any style of project. One way advertising agencies become profitable is by limiting themselves to one niche market. I became an independent designer in part for the creative freedom to venture into all kinds of fields. I’ve accepted projects from structured settlement advisers to bull-semen sales (yes literally) and everything in between.

I most frequently work with small and medium sized business and non-profit organizations; clients who don’t quite have the budget or the needs necessary to hire an ad agency but still need agency level quality.
Why should I hire an independent designer?

I’ve been out on my own for over 20 years. Before then I worked as a full time designer at agencies and since then I’ve continued to work with ad agencies as a contractor. There’s a secret that most people don’t know. When you hire an agency they most often hand your work off to one designer who does all of the work. Hiring me is just like hiring an ad agency without the added expense of the sales team and fancy lunch budgets. I have 30 years total experience working as a professional graphic designer.
Why do you charge more per hour than I pay in-house designers?

You’re paying for the flexibility to not pay me 40 hours a week. I still have taxes and health insurance costs that I need to cover and I need to stay in business for those times when you need someone to cover your needs. I have greater employment risks than an in-house designer. I’m also someone with 30 years of experience which means I know what I’m doing. That means I’m probably more than 2.5 times faster than a freshman designer and frequently cheaper over the long haul. There’s an industry maxim that describes clients’ tendency to try to cut corners at the beginning and why that’s not wise: “No one has the budget or time to do it right, but everyone has the budget and time to do it twice.”
I have a rush project, but not a lot of money. Are you able to do that for me?

There are three choices you make when you hire a graphic designer, but you can only choose two of them: Fast, Cheap, or Quality.
Fast & Cheap will not be Quality.
Cheap & Quality will not be Fast.
Quality & Fast will not be Cheap.

You should choose the outcome that’s best for you. Knowing this limitation will spare you disappointment regardless of who you work with.
We’re a Charity, Can you Do This for Free?

I have a number of charities with missions close to my heart that I volunteer for on a regular basis. Unfortunately I don’t have any additional time for volunteer work. In addition, over half of my clients are charities, if I did that much work for free I wouldn’t be able to stay in business.
Do you use AI?

Yes. There isn’t an industry in the world that hasn’t started using AI tools in one way or another. That’s true of Graphic Design as it is of anyone who uses a computer. The tools I use are being expanded everyday. Sometimes I use AI to write code for advanced custom functions on a website. Sometimes I use AI to help me sharpen a blurry photograph. Sometimes I’ll use AI to help me create or modify an illustration. In all of these instances AI helps me complete complex tasks much quicker and cheaper than in the past. I make sure I’m always the decision maker and never allow AI to reduce the quality of my work. Just like a pencil, an X-acto knife, or Photoshop, it’s a tool. The tool is only as good as the craftsman. Knowing how to use the tool is only one part of effective design.
I'm not in California, can I hire you?
Can you fix something another designer did for me?

Yes, I do this regularly. It’s not uncommon for designers to go out of business, get too busy to respond, or start ghosting their clients for one reason or another. If that happens, I’m here to save the day. I’ve been at this long enough that I’ve actually had new clients reach out on two separate occasions because their designer had died! If it’s a print project it’s helpful but not necessary to have the original working documents. If it’s a web project I’ll just need to be able to login to your website and sometimes your hosting service.
Can you fix something AI did for me?

Yes. It’s possible that I might need to create it from scratch because AI frequently doesn’t produce high resolution designs. But your AI design will at least be helpful in getting the conversation started or for understanding what you are trying to accomplish.
Do you work with clients in Orange County / Irvine / Southern California specifically?

I love working with local clients. It’s so helpful to be in the same time zone. It’s also great to meet in person to get on the same page during a large or difficult project. If you’re in Orange County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and parts of San Diego County I consider you a local client. I’m also happy to work with people outside of Southern California. If you need a designer or Wordpress expert near Irvine, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Costa Mesa, Orange, Anaheim, or Newport Beach let’s talk.
Do you meet clients in person, or is everything remote?

Yes, if you’re in Orange County or in most parts of Southern California I’m happy to meet with you in person. I’m in Lake Forest and regularly meet with local clients. Most of the time my clients and I communicate remotely with email, phone calls, and video conferencing, but in person meetings are possible.
Do you work with nonprofits / financial services / small businesses specifically?

Yes, I work with nonprofits. Yes, I work with financial service companies. Yes, I work with small businesses. I work with a large variety of clients, that’s very much on purpose. Size doesn’t matter to me. Many of my clients are ad agencies looking for contractors or small to medium sized businesses and non-profit organizations. If you’re small, I have the ability to help you grow larger and more well-established. I love helping people get to the next level as they’re moving up.”
Do you do WordPress-specific work, or just design?

I’m a dual threat. I’m a full service graphic designer with an extensive background in print. I’m also a Wordpress expert. I bring a designer’s eye to web site building and can make your site look great in addition to functioning well. If your WordPress site is broken I can probably fix it. If you need to make an update and can’t figure out how to do it, I’ll save the day. I’ve seen all kinds of WordPress setups and I’m not intimidated by any of them.

If you need help with GoDaddy, Siteground, WPEngine, Pressable, Dreamhost, Bluehost, Network Solutions, SquareSpace, Shopify, BigCommerce, MailChimp, Constant Contact or Wix I’m also happy to help. I can also assist you with speed optimization, malware cleanup and hacked-site recovery, migrations and hosting moves, DNS and email deliverability, and SEO.

I’m also a seasoned print designer. I love to see my work on the printed page. I can create brochures, annual reports, packaging, signage, trade show graphics, and logos. If you need me to handle prepress checks, printer coordination or if you need a referral to a printer or mailing house I’ve got you covered.
What page builders or platforms do you work with?

I’ve worked with every major WordPress page builder and theme framework and quite a number of custom setups. I can help with Divi, WPBakery, Themify, Advanced Custom Fields, Elementor, Beaver Builder and WooCommerce. I also have extensive experience with Ninja Forms and Gravity Forms.
Do you do ongoing website maintenance, or just one-time projects?

Both! A number of clients rely on me for ongoing maintenance and emergency repairs to their websites. Just like a car, the best way to avoid a major website problem is with ongoing maintenance. Security patches and software updates are constantly being released. If you’d like someone to take care of that for you, I have an annual maintenance plan. If your website goes down or gets hacked I get it running again under that fixed cost for the year. If you just need help for a one time repair, I’m here for you as well.
Do you help with accessibility (ADA/WCAG) compliance?
How do I know if you're legit / do you have references or past work I can see?

Yes, I’m real! I live in California, in the United States. I answer the phone during normal business hours and I can meet you in person, live and in the flesh. You can see some of my work at my website http://graphicdesignhero.com. If there’s something specific you’d like to see, just ask, I probably have done something similar to what you need. If you’d like references I’m happy to link you with happy clients.
What's your turnaround time?

That depends on the project. What you need to know is that I never miss deadlines, I’m responsive, and I work very quickly. Most of the time the thing holding up a project is the time it takes for my client to gather the necessary information and resources on their side. I’m a “get it done guy”. I don’t like the feeling of people waiting for me.
Do you offer a free consultation or quote?
What do you need from me to get started?

Let’s talk! It’s always helpful to have your current logo, branding standards and any graphics or photographs you want to use. If you have examples from other businesses or competitors that’s helpful. Give me a call or send a text message to 949-354-3765 or email me at tim@graphicdesignhero.com
What's the difference between hiring you and hiring a marketing agency?

The main difference is that I cost less and work faster than a marketing agency. If you hire an agency your project manager is more than likely dealing with one designer to get the work done. You can talk directly to me instead of through a project manager. This cuts out miscommunication and also cuts out the sales commission that gets added on to all of your work. I’ve worked at agencies in the past and I’m actively sub-contracting for several agencies as we speak. I’m not a college student doing this on the side. I have over 30 years of experience and provide agency quality work.
Do you sign NDAs / work with agencies as a subcontractor?

Yes, I can’t display a significant amount of my work because it’s been done as a subcontractor for agencies or publishers. If you’re looking for a designer with significant experience with the Adobe Creative Suite including Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator as well as WordPress, Woocommerce, and Shopify let’s talk. I’m happy to sign an NDA if necessary.

See My Portfolio