Martin Cvetanovski is the co-founder and CEO of Monday, co-founder and creative director of Monday Learning, graphic designer and UX|UI specialist. From freelance graphic designer to co-founder of Monday, a digital agency offering graphic design, branding, and digital marketing services. Martin is one of the speakers at the event “From a beginner to a successful freelancer“, which will be held on 21.12.2023 (Thursday) at 18:00 at Startup Club Skopje.
Share your career path with us. How did your career start and where are you now?
During the beginning of my studies, I started researching graphic design and related tools. It was then that I discovered that graphic design offered significant career potential, and I became interested in ways I could advance and earn in this industry. My first professional engagement was through online platforms for logo design. I was active at 99 Designs and created logo designs for clients. The first income at the age of 19 was a decisive moment that encouraged me to focus fully on graphic design and build my professional portfolio. I started working for clients from my environment, offering various graphic services such as poster design, full branding, brochure design, and promotional materials. This freelance experience not only helped me build my portfolio but also opened up opportunities for employment in several marketing agencies as a graphic designer where I spent a large part of my work experience while simultaneously working on freelance projects. Some of those clients I worked on as a freelancer are also the first clients of Monday, a digital agency that I have co-founded for 4 years. As a digital agency, we have worked with over 50 companies from various industries offering professional services for graphic design, branding, and digital marketing. Our services also include Monday Learning, a training center for programs in the field of graphic design and digital marketing.
From a freelance designer to CEO. How did the idea for the Monday Learning training center come about?
Monday Learning focuses on preparing new designers and marketers with the skills needed for the workplace. From our experience with the digital agency, we have noticed that when recruiting new employees, candidates often do not meet the basic skills according to the required criteria or do not have enough training for successful employment. Hence the idea to create training programs that will be designed according to the “job training” concept, preparing the participants with tools and skills that will help them more quickly cope with work challenges and skills that are needed for the workplace.
What programs does Monday Learning offer and who can apply?
Currently, Monday Learning offers courses in Graphic Design and Digital Marketing. Additionally, all participants receive a free training program for freelancing where they work under the individual mentorship of professionals in the field, receiving guidance and recommendations on how to be proactive and use successful branding tactics; how to quickly and easily build a professional CV, and design portfolio and how to create and optimize a good LinkedIn profile.
Anyone interested in starting a career as a graphic designer or digital marketer with or without prior knowledge can apply for the training programs.
What does your graphic design program include?
The graphic design program includes specially designed modules, allowing students with no previous experience to quickly develop and acquire skills and tools for independent work on graphic projects. The program consists of 8 modules: Introduction to Graphic Design, Adobe Illustrator, Logo Design, Adobe Photoshop, Design for Print, Design for Social Media, Introduction to User Experience Design, and a module on Freelancing and portfolio creation.
The duration is 3 months, and the program is designed in such a way that it offers the opportunity for intensive learning and development, with specific practical exercises, and work on projects from several different clients. Thanks to the practical work, each participant begins to build his professional portfolio and already has the first projects that he can present at a job interview.
Students in the graphic design program have the opportunity to work on real projects. Tell us how you did on the TRCHAJ BE challenge.
During the entire program, students have the opportunity to work on various real projects from clients, but definitely one of the favorite projects is Trchaj Be. Monday Learning is the main creative partner of Trchaj Be and we are especially proud of our graphic design training program students who have been working on the promotional campaign for the event for the third year. Every year, students successfully respond to the challenge of creating creative solutions that contribute to strengthening the visual identity of TRCHAJ BE and that attract an ever-larger audience to the event.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to enroll in a graphic design academy and gain the skills and knowledge to work as a freelance graphic designer?
I encourage anyone who has an affinity for creative skills and who is thinking of starting a career as a graphic designer to join our graphic design training program. The program is intense and dynamic, progress is immediate and in a short time, anyone who is fully committed can master enough skills to start a career as a freelance graphic designer. The mentors convey their knowledge very professionally and precisely, reducing the moment of learning theory to a minimum, and the focus is placed on practical knowledge and projects as much as possible.
Enrollment for the next groups is ongoing and can be done at the following link:
https://learning.themonday.co/obuka-za-graficki-dizajn/
This blog is part of the project “Expanding opportunities for youth entrepreneurship and women’s economic empowerment”, supported by the US Embassy in North Macedonia.
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This project was funded through a U.S. Embassy grant. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed herein are those of the implementers/authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Government.
