Creative Journeys: Design Academy with Nicole Macdonald of January Made
Creative Journeys: Design Academy powered by Squarespace is a series of free events taking place across Aotearoa New Zealand in 2025. On 9 April in Ōtautahi Christchurch our featured creative, Nicole Macdonald, will be taking us through how she’s diversified her design business by creating and selling her own website templates.
Register here for your free ticket.
Kia ora Nicole. Can you share a bit about your background and what led you to pursue a career in your creative field?
I grew up in the tiny seaside town of Picton and always loved all things creative at school. Paints, pastels, charcoals – anything messy and smudgy (because I was left handed). And then I found digital design/computer graphics and I was absolutely sold (being able to copy, paste or control z was amazing!) Wanting to make something big of it, I was then excited to get accepted into the College of Creative Arts (COCA) at Massey University in Wellington, where I spent 4 years studying to get my Bachelor of Visual Communication Design.
I always had a knack and a drive to make things look nicer, better and more easily digestible for the intended audience, something I am still so passionate about today!
What are some key challenges or experiences that have shaped your creative journey?
The actual business side of running a business – what they don’t teach you at uni. Having to work around budget, stakeholders, multiple team members, timezones, differences in communication style, what to do when there is tension, reacting to feedback etc.
I got into design because I love the creative side of it all, but I am actually introverted and never actually thought about how people-focussed it is!
How have your personal values and lifestyle choices influenced your career and creative process?
I am very thankful that I am very independent and both value and thrive on alone time working away quietly on my projects. My partner is often away from work for months at a time and I use what could be a lot of isolation to really dig deep in my creative process, while also seeking out quality time with like-minded friends in business, or online communities. It means I can work anywhere remotely as long as I have internet access, and this has been the biggest gift to being in this line of work – flexibility and independence.
I also really value personal health and wellness, making sure I take full advantage of the outdoors that Ōtautahi has to offer. It gives me that breath of fresh air and opportunity to reset between projects so I come back more creative and inspired.
Ahead of the Ōtautahi event on 9 April where you’ll be presenting ‘Creative Independence: Diversifying Your Design Business with Templates’ can you give us a taster as to what folks can expect to learn?
We’ll be diving into how designers can take their existing skills and processes and transform them into scalable, sellable digital products—without adding more to their already full plates. Expect practical tips on spotting opportunities in your workflow, creating high-impact templates, and setting up simple systems that allow you to earn while stepping back from constant 1:1 work. Whether you’re template-curious or ready to launch, you’ll walk away with clarity, confidence, and a roadmap to sustainable creative income stream.
Being a self-employed creative, there isn’t always the luxury of being able to turn to your colleague or a wider team for advice. As a Squarespace Circle Member have you been able to take advantage of the Circle members-only forum? If so, how has this community contributed to your professional growth?
Oh my gosh! My creative journey as a Squarespace website designer would not have been possible without the Circle members-only forum in all honesty. I probably browse it once if not twice a day while I am working on a site project. It is mostly for coding-related help (because I love to make my sites look extra special with CSS and javascript) BUT I also use it for inspiration, helping others with my own code or project experiences, and to make sure I am fully up to date with any changes to the Squarespace platform. It’s a gold mine of information from all the best and brightest designers.
How do you balance the business side of your work with your creative pursuits?
In the past it was always a struggle, the business side definitely seemed to take over and work always felt like a load of admin. I had a few mishaps back in the day with rogue clients which taught me early on to have an airtight setup of systems and processes – to protect both me and my clients. I’ve been using a CRM called Dubsado for the longest time and this is like my very own staff member (without having to pay them a salary or benefits haha!). It does a lot of the heavy lifting like lead intake, contracts, invoicing and questionnaires. It basically works while I sleep – which is super beneficial seeing as most of my clients are in the US/Australia so the timezone difference means it’s imperative it’s capturing their details at all times. I couldn’t live without it!
Lastly, where can people find you online?
I am most active on Instagram www.instagram.com/januarymadedesign, but also via my website https://www.januarymade.co.nz/ and https://nz.pinterest.com/januarymade
Register here for your FREE ticket to Ōtautahi Christchurch Creative Journeys event.
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About Squarespace
Squarespace is a design-driven platform helping entrepreneurs build brands and businesses online. We empower millions in more than 200 countries and territories with all the tools they need to create an online presence, build an audience, monetise, and scale their business. Our suite of products range from websites, domains, ecommerce, and marketing tools, as well as tools for scheduling with Acuity and creating and managing social media presence with Bio Sites and Unfold. For more information, visit www.squarespace.com/designassembly
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