Dhananjay Sathwara is Nurturing His Love for Design at Pepper

Dhananjay is a 20-year-old freelance graphic designer from Ahmedabad. Although he’s currently studying IT, his heart has always been in design. His journey as a creator started with a YouTube channel he made in the eighth grade (with a 3G dongle, nonetheless). 

“I was curious about Photoshop after seeing edited pictures people posted on my network. I started surfing YouTube to learn Photoshop. And that’s when I also got to know about its potential for creators,” Dhananjay tells us.

When Dhananjay saw the monetization schemes of the platform and how creators were benefiting from it, he dove right in. He also utilized YouTube as a learning platform and started exploring different areas of interest in the digital space. He learned designing, video editing, animation, and a host of other skills.

First Rendezvous With Freelancing

Dhananjay had a clear aim of growing his YouTube channel after his tenth grade. But there was one catch: he didn’t have the required equipment. So, he decided to earn a few bucks to buy a mic for recording videos.

Again turning to his digital guru YouTube for a solution, he got introduced to Fiverr. “I learned basic animation and design on YouTube. Then, I posted some gigs on Fiverr. I worked on Fiverr for some time and earned enough money to buy a mic,” Dhananjay fondly recollects the time.

After working on his YouTube channel for a while, Dhananjay learned about WordPress. Taking his creator journey to the next level, he bought a domain and started creating blogs in conjunction with his YouTube channel. At a local WordPress meetup, he met his next clients. 

“I met the COO of a company, who showed interest in my work. So I went on to create explainer videos for their WordPress blog. That’s how my freelancing journey got a boost,” he adds.

Learning From the Masters 

As he explored the freelancing world, Dhananjay got the opportunity to work with many experienced people in the industry. He first collaborated on a few micro-video projects with digital marketing hotshot Pratiksinh Chudasma, better known as Digital Pratik.

He then went on to work with noted YouTuber Shwetabh Gangwar. He helped Dhananjay create IGTV videos and Reels for his social handles. Not only this, but he also worked closely with renowned entrepreneur Abhinav Arora.

Association With Pepper

Dhananjay has a rule: “If you come across something more than twice, explore it further.” Therefore, when he repeatedly saw conversations about the Pepper community on his social feed, he decided to give it a try.

He has been working with Pepper for about eight months now, and his growth has been phenomenal. He has greatly helped many of our clients supercharge their design efforts. It has also been an important part of his freelance career.

His Design Process and Future Goals

Observation and visualization are at the core of Dhananjay’s design process. “I like to observe things around me, especially creatives. When I travel, I study all the banners and posters I come across, and pay attention to their colors, fonts, background, etc.,” he says. 

How design connects with viewers is what excites Dhananjay about the craft. He has started his own design agency in Ahmedabad with a few other designers. He aspires to scale it in the near future, making it the next milestone in his design career. 

Dhananjay also aims to position himself as a strategist, who helps brands connect with their audience. He is learning marketing, branding, and strategy to achieve this goal. His curiosity and experimental nature will surely be key ingredients in his dreams.

Message to Budding Designers

Dhananjay advises fellow designers to learn through trial and error. He also believes a continuous feedback loop has been instrumental in his growth as a designer. According to him, learning and exploring should never stop.

“Try different things, and focus on what you like more. And you will surely end up at a point where you feel you’ve done something worthwhile,” Dhananjay adds.

With this, we conclude Dhananjay’s story. At Pepper, we constantly strive to keep the dreams of such creators alive. We work with many amazing designers like Dhananjay who help our clients build a creative connection with their audience. If you want to be a part of this initiative, join Pepper today.