Design Consulting
Unlike many designers, Laurens’ work isn’t only about creating visuals: he plays a more strategic, high-level role with his clients. With Proximus, his work is centered around brand strategy rather than hands-on design. Roughly half the team of the Design Studio, working on the brand, is made up of consultants who collaborate closely with in-house designers. This structure fosters a dynamic working environment where diverse creative experts come together to shape high-profile campaigns.
He has been working with the teams at Proximus for over two years now, renewing his collaboration every six months. This semi-permanent setup was explicit from the beginning: “They wanted someone who would stick around,” Laurens notes. “They didn’t want to train someone only to have them leave.” Proximus has proposed him a full-time position in the past, but Laurens insists on maintaining his independent status as a freelancer. By splitting his time between Proximus and other clients, he ensures that he stays creatively engaged and flexible in his career.
One of his proudest projects at Proximus was rebranding their business segment from the ground up. “I came up with the concept and handled the execution as well. It was great to see such a positive reception within the company,” he says. As Belgium’s leading telecom provider, Proximus has a strong presence both online and offline, and being able to see the rebrand in real time has been rewarding. For Laurens, this kind of visibility is a reward but also presents its own challenges. He values the exposure this work brings him, however he acknowledges that a finite measurement on its direct impact on business remains challenging to quantify.
Onboarding Magic
What's his secret to onboarding with new clients? Laurens admits to taking a flexible approach. “It depends on the size of the project,” he says. “I often keep 50% of the brief and then do the rest my own way.” Does he tell clients which parts he's going to keep, and which ones will be discarded? Not necessarily: “That’s what I bring to the project, it's part of the surprise. If they don’t explicitly mention something, then there’s usually some wiggle room.”
The first steps of any project are the keys to success: “It’s super important to have the right brief, a kick-off meeting, and to set the expectations with the stakeholders.” He believes many briefs are overloaded with unnecessary details, which can stifle creativity. Instead, he prefers to strip things down to their essentials: a philosophy that aligns with his minimalist design approach. “Good design isn’t about adding stuff; it’s about taking away. It should be clear, yet effective.” As Don Draper famously said, "Make it simple, but significant."
Laurens has learned to be selective about the projects he takes on. “It depends on the prospect: do we like each other? Do we have a mutual understanding? Are they willing to take my advice?” Budget and project scope can also be key factors. Early in his freelance career, he said yes to almost everything. Now, with more experience, he’s able to choose projects that align with his interests and values, and reward him for his fine-tuned level of expertise.
He's also had his fair share of difficult projects. The worst one? He recalls a particularly unpleasant experience working on branding for a dentist. “The communication with the client was challenging, and the scope kept shifting. They had a strong vision for the design—but not necessarily a good one. On top of that, we spent whole days working with images of prosthetics. To this day, my motion designer and web developer and I still laugh about it.” Following that project, he was able to better assess which projects to take on, and which ones to turn down.
Pandemic Pivoting
Like many freelancers, Laurens had a tough time during the COVID-19 pandemic. The work simply dried up: at the time, he was focused on crafting identities for the festival and live event industry, which came to a screeching halt in 2020. Forced to pivot, he took on clients in other industries such as retail and real estate, and used the downtime to refine his portfolio. “New projects and clients came out of those portfolio cases,” he says, and before long, he had built a steady stream of new income.
While Laurens has reaped considerable success in his career, freelancing still comes with the occasional challenge. “When you work on your own, you don’t have a sparring partner,” he admits. “As an in-house brand designer, you create because it’s beautiful, but when you run your own business, you have to think commercially, too.” He is always seeking out new learning opportunities, whether through colleagues, by reading, or listening to podcasts.
Looking Ahead
Fresh from a vacation in Sri Lanka, he’s thinking about what’s next. He has some interesting projects with Proximus on the fire, and he's always pushing forward to see what kinds of additional opportunities might come his way. “I'd never say no to a collab with brands like Kith (street wear), Dreamville Records (hip hop) or Stab Magazine (surf) because they lay within my personal interests.
As his career progresses, Laurens remains committed to his minimalist design ethos: making things simple yet significant. Whether he’s consulting for a major telecom or branding for a dentist, his approach is consistent: strip away the noise, focus on the essentials, and craft something truly impactful.
Follow Laurens on Instagram @studiokelf to have a look at some of his work!
