Dislike the drudgery of routine? You’re not alone. It’s one of the main reasons Frank Davis, professional film director, motion graphics artist and the subject of this week's episode of Meet the Pros, became a freelancer. Frank found Fiverr Pro at the perfect time and received his first order just three hours after creating his Gig. The rest, as they say, is history. Take a deeper look into how Frank (aka frank_d on Fiverr) went from zero to Pro, below. Just kidding, Frank, you were never a zero—it just rhymed so we went with it. https://youtu.be/OUlNpydBOkU
My name’s Frank Davis, and I am a professional film director and motion graphics artist. I’m originally from Carson City, NV, but I moved to sunny Greece because I married my beautiful Greek wife. On Fiverr Pro, I offer my skills as an animated explainer and promo video maker to clients from around the world.
The biggest motivation for me as an entrepreneur is the freedom of being able to work on my own terms while helping people achieve their goals at the same time. If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s the drudgery of routine! The entrepreneurial path is one that’s filled with challenges, and as a creative spirit I need to have that challenge in my life – otherwise, I feel like I’m not progressing or even stagnating.
Actually, Fiverr and I go way back. In 2013, I received the bad news that the TV show I was directing was canceled. The news couldn’t have come at a worse point—due to the recession new projects in broadcasting and advertising were hard to come by.Despite the position I found myself, in, I still needed to pay the bills. Looking for solutions, I stumbled upon Fiverr while browsing some forums. I was immediately intrigued by the concept: one of the most surprising aspects of Fiverr to me at the time was the innovative approach of marketing professional services as products for the world to see – and purchase – without the bidding process.I was intrigued, so I signed up. I was surprised to get my first order just three hours later, rapidly followed by another, then three the next day! Within 48 hours, I had deleted accounts I had created on all other freelance platforms and started strategically planning the next Gigs to publish.I quickly made my way up Fiverr’s ranking system, going from a fresh-faced New Seller to Level One, Level Two, Top-Rated Seller, and finally Fiverr Pro in July 2017. These days, I am happy to say that Fiverr Pro is my full-time Gig.
Immensely! As a dedicated artist, I am constantly evolving my craft and trying out new techniques to improve my output. While I could have done this anyway, one of the unique benefits that come with being a Fiverr Pro is that I was able to develop my business skills in tandem with my artistic skills. Artists do not always make skilled businessmen, but working on Fiverr Pro has helped me to develop into a more customer-oriented service provider – and a much better salesman! This isn’t just because Fiverr Pro provides me with all the tools I need while exposing my work to a large audience; but also because Fiverr Pro has shown me how to present myself and how to listen to what the client needs. I am not there just to design a concept - I am also there to solve a problem and offer my clients peace of mind.
I am fortunate enough to have worked with clients of all stripes, and I would like to share a couple of my favorite projects, both professionally and personally.I was contracted by Microsoft to produce a series of animated explainer videos that promoted Microsoft’s local partners in Europe. I had a lot of fun making those videos, and one of them in particular, because it was shown to Satya Nadella (CEO of Microsoft) during a startup event. I was delighted when I was told that my video made him “giggle a bit” during an otherwise serious pitch presentation! That’s the power of video, to create emotion. https://youtu.be/zJ4QK56kCMIAnother personal favorite is the video I produced for SMART Technologies. I believe it is one of my best designs to date as a showcase of all the skills I have honed over the years, and I also had a wonderful time working with a really creative group of people! https://youtu.be/9huQfbAsGts
Fiverr has had a tremendous impact on my life, and not just professionally. My journey has softened the wild, even uncompromising, artist inside me, teaching me that patience, hard work, and connecting with people makes a world of difference. Fiverr has shown me that I am not here just to design, but to solve my client’s problems and help them to achieve their goals. Fiverr Pro has reminded me that my work has value and that offering a cheap product is not the only way to get orders. In short, Fiverr has helped me to become the entrepreneur I am today.
Want to know more about how Frank made the transition from 9-5 to Fiverr Pro? Ask him in the comments below!
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