I Left Client Work to Sell Templates on Framer: Here's What Happened

Anatolii Dmitrienko

Jun 13, 2025

Journey from agency life to creative freedom

Right after university, I started my design career at an agency. Worked there for two years and learned a lot, but then I started feeling like I wanted more freedom. I wanted to choose the projects I worked on and have more creative control.

Luckily, I had a few side clients already, so when I decided to go freelance, the transition wasn't too hard. The work was steady, the clients kept coming back, but after a while it all started to feel the same. The projects got repetitive, the budgets didn't grow, and I felt like I was just producing work without actually growing. It got to a point where I felt disconnected from what I was making. I realized that the freedom I thought I'd gained by going freelance wasn't really the freedom I was looking for.

So I began searching. I explored marketing, coding, no-code tools, 3D, animation, SEO, anything that sparked interest. At some point, I stumbled upon a YouTube video by Hamza about building a Framer template business.

That moment changed everything, and I am still grateful to him to this day.

Everything suddenly clicked. All the skills I had built over the past ten years made perfect sense in this new context. I immediately messaged all my clients to let them know that I was leaving freelance work behind. From that moment on, I dove deep into Framer, teaching myself everything I could and building my first template. Honestly, the fact that I started making money so quickly was shocking. I had never considered myself a standout designer, but my experience gave me the confidence to create something solid. That was enough to reach the top spots on the Framer marketplace in a couple of months.

Another big challenge was putting myself out there publicly. I had never used social media before and didn't even have a real profile photo, just pictures of cats. So, I had to start from scratch. I knew I needed to build a personal brand because people want to know who's making the products they're buying.

I'm not as active on X as I was when I first started. Now I stick to sharing updates about my templates rather than trying to keep up with every trend or feeling pressured to post daily. I realized that creating quality content is incredibly time-consuming, and honestly, I get better results by channeling that energy into actually building products that people want.

Why Framer?

At first, it was the speed. I could go from idea to live website in a day or two. But what kept me hooked was how fun the whole process felt. Design, animation, and publishing, all in one tool. No more juggling software or jumping through client hoops.

Then came the real kicker: Framer templates. I could build for myself, on my terms. No client approvals. No feedback loops. Just creating. And the marketplace? Super generous. It gave me the confidence to treat this like a real business.

Now that the Framer ecosystem is growing, the timing just feels right. More users = more demand = more motivation.

What keeps me building without burning out

I get a lot of inspiration from animated websites. Animation plays a big role in my templates. When something moves just right, it feels less like a layout and more like an experience.

Apple's latest WWDC was a huge validation of that idea. They're pushing animation harder than ever; everything feels fluid, responsive, and full of depth. I don't think everyone's caught up to that yet, but I see it becoming the new standard.

At the same time, I always keep usability in mind. A template can't just look good, it has to work with real content and be easy to customize. That balance between design and function is something I keep chasing. And honestly, that challenge is what keeps it interesting.

Leaving freelance behind: why I bet on myself and Framer

Freelancing started naturally for me. I already had some clients and projects lined up, so I never had that difficult "how do I find work" phase. Things just flowed.

But after years of doing client work, I realized I didn't want to keep trading time for money. I wanted to build something that could live on its own. Something that didn't rely on me working hours every day.

I still remember reading "The Millionaire Fastlane" by MJ DeMarco early in my journey, and it gave me the confidence that I was making the right choice by leaving freelance work behind, even though I didn't know exactly where I was heading.

Framer gave me a way to do that. I didn't have a big plan or some grand vision. I just started exploring, figured things out as I went, and focused on learning fast. The biggest lesson was that you don't need everything figured out to begin. You just have to start.

Inside my solo builder routine

Some days I'm in deep focus mode, designing in Framer or Figma for hours. Other days I'm jumping between tasks, fixing bugs, answering support emails, writing copy, updating my site. It's a mix, and it's not always easy to manage.

I usually start work around 8 or 9, unless I go to the gym, then it's closer to 11. I try to block out big chunks of time for design, but because I'm managing so many different areas, progress can feel slow. Still, I've learned to accept that pace, it's part of the solo builder life.

What’s next for me and Templifica

Big picture: I want the business to become more self-sustaining. Ideally, I’ll bring on collaborators so I can focus on creative direction and strategy.

In 2025, I’ll be launching more templates aimed at creative teams and agencies. I’ve already started curating partner templates on my site, mixing them with my own.

The goal? Keep growing without losing the spark.

One small fix that would make Framer better

Honestly, Framer is pretty close to perfect for how I work. But if I had to pick one thing, I'd love more layout units. Things like rems and percentages across the board would make responsive design a lot smoother.

Inspiration

I'm inspired by people who quietly build great things. They're not chasing attention, but they're consistent, thoughtful, and genuinely care about what they're making. That quiet energy is something I really respect and try to follow myself.

The Framer community is also a big source of motivation. Even though it's small, it's filled with people who are experimenting, sharing ideas, and supporting each other. Watching others build cool stuff pushes me to keep improving too.