$50,000 in new business secured within just a few weeks of implementing the lessons

Sherrell Dorsey runs The Plug, a subscription-based media company covering innovators of color. But that’s not all: She also consults with private companies and nonprofit entities looking to create dynamic and inclusive programming within communities of color.

Three years into her full-time freelance career, she found herself stretched thin. Managing the demands of both running a growing media platform and client work put a lot on her plate–and she wanted to clean up some of her processes so that she could improve the client experience (and save her sanity.)

“I really wanted to design better systems for my business. When I received the Creative Class email, I thought it might be a great entry point to helping me make a few tweaks,” she said.

Going into the course, Sherrell was most interested in the tools and insights on developing a refined framework for better managing clients day-to-day processes. She also hoped to learn how to create additional value so she could charge a premium for her services.

Creative Class helped her do all that and more.

“Sharing my project process with clients has been a game-changer, hands down. I implemented an onboarding session (which serves as a digital brainstorm and project planning session), where I walk my clients through expectations and establish goals in a very clear and concise format,” she said.

She also implemented a refined exit review process. Through Creative Class, she learned to ask smarter questions about future needs, provided a check-list for clients on how to fully take the reigns of the project, and asked for testimonials.

“These steps helped me to feel much more confident in my ability to deliver exactly what the client wanted and to ensure we both were satisfied with the outcomes,” she said.

The return on investment for the course has been impressive: Using some of the lessons and templates from the course, she was able to secure over $50,000 in new business within just a few weeks of implementation.

She also streamlined several tasks to improve overall efficiencies and make much of her work replicable.

“Now I know how to charge a premium for clients who are looking for basic task management work by packing my services into a vision for strategy, which provides a more long-term engagement,” she said.

Creative Class reopens for new students in Spring 2023:

PSST... You'll get a special launch discount.