Part of 🎨 AI-Powered Digital Designer Crash Course (25-Part Series) 💼 Section 5: Building a Design Business Around AI in AI-Powered Digital Designer Crash Course
Because let’s face it—if we wait for “the perfect time,” we’ll still be stuck next year staring at a blank Notion doc and wondering why no one’s hiring us.
👀 Real talk: You’ve been thinking about a portfolio for a while now, huh?
Be honest: how many times have you opened a Google Doc or Figma file with “PORTFOLIO IDEAS” as the title and then immediately closed it to binge something on Netflix? (No judgment. We’ve all been there. I once chose a four-hour documentary over writing my About page.)
So here’s the deal: you’re diving into the world of digital design with AI tools, and that means two things:
- You’ve got something unique to offer.
- You need a place to show it off.
The good news? You can build a sleek, smart, actually-you portfolio website in just one day—with the help of AI tools, some coffee (or matcha, I don’t judge), and a dash of creative courage.
Let’s get into it. Imperfections welcome.
🌱 Step 1: Get Clear on What You’re Actually Showing Off
Before you even touch a tool or template, I want you to pause and ask yourself something kinda important:
“What’s the vibe I want people to feel when they land on my site?”
Seriously. Is it calm and minimal? Bold and energetic? Whimsical but functional?
You’re not building a site just to show “stuff.” You’re building a digital feeling. Your work, your personality, your story—all that goodness rolled into scrollable magic.
Quick exercise (grab a notebook or open a new tab):
- What kind of clients do you want to attract?
- What kind of work do you LOVE doing?
- What’s your not-so-secret design superpower?
Write messy. Use emojis. No need to be polished.
⚙️ Step 2: Pick Your Weapon (aka the AI Site Builder That Won’t Break Your Brain)
Okay, we’re living in the golden age of lazy genius. AI site builders are out here doing 90% of the heavy lifting. You just need to pick the one that vibes with your flow:
🧠 Top AI-Powered Site Builders to Try:
- Framer – Minimal, fast, beautiful. Their AI will literally generate a full site based on your vibe. Seriously, just describe what you want in plain English. It’s wild.
- Durable – Like the espresso shot of site builders. Instant sites, snappy UI, and auto-generated copy.
- Bookmark – Super beginner-friendly, and their “AIDA” AI assistant is basically your tech-savvy best friend.
- Zyro – Streamlined and surprisingly flexible. Includes built-in AI tools like logo and text gen.
👉 My hot take: Start with Framer if you want that modern, clean aesthetic. It’s what a lot of up-and-coming designers are using right now.
✍️ Step 3: Let AI Write the First Draft (Then Make It Sound Like You)
You don’t need to channel your inner Shakespeare. AI’s got you.
Prompt something like:
“Write a casual, friendly ‘About Me’ section for a beginner designer using AI tools to create branding, web design, and social graphics for fun, bold startups.”
You’ll get something decent. But here’s where the magic happens: you edit it. Add your voice. Talk like you actually talk. Throw in that time you almost missed a deadline because your dog ate your stylus (okay maybe don’t, but you get it).
Here’s a real (edited) snippet from someone in our last cohort:
“Hey! I’m Jules 👋 I design fast, flexible, bold visuals for new brands—mostly using AI (because I like working smarter, not just harder). I’m not into fluff. If we work together, you’ll get clear communication, fast turnarounds, and a few too many emojis in my emails. 💁♀️✨”
See? It’s fun. It’s real. It’s memorable.
🖼️ Step 4: Showcase Your Work (Even If You Don’t Have “Real Clients” Yet)
Let me shout this one from the digital rooftop: Your portfolio doesn’t need to be filled with paid client work.
Seriously. Your process, your mock projects, your AI experiments—they count.
Create a section called something like “Concept Projects” or “AI Experiments.” Add 3-5 pieces with:
- A short blurb about the goal
- What tools you used (Midjourney, Figma, Canva, etc.)
- What challenge you solved creatively
Example:
“Project: Plantopia 🌱
A pretend wellness brand I designed using Midjourney, ChatGPT, and Framer. I focused on warm tones, playful copy, and a user-friendly landing page. Goal: make it feel like drinking chamomile tea in website form.”
Boom. That’s impressive. That’s enough.
🧭 Step 5: Add the Essentials (No More, No Less)
You do not need 17 pages and a dropdown menu with a sitemap that rivals NASA’s.
Here’s your essential checklist:
- Homepage: Big intro + scrollable work preview
- About: Tell your story, show your face if you’re comfy
- Portfolio: Real or concept work, presented with personality
- Services / What I Do: Optional but helpful
- Contact: A form, email, or “DM me” CTA
Pro tip? Add some lil’ Easter eggs: a “Fun Facts” section, a playlist, a goofy sketch. Let people feel you.
🚀 Step 6: Publish Imperfectly (Then Tweak Later)
This is where most people panic. They tinker endlessly. They change fonts 45 times. They rewrite the word “collaborate” because it sounds too LinkedIn.
Don’t fall into the perfection trap.
Say this out loud with me:
“Done is better than perfect. Launched is better than in-progress. Cringe today = cool tomorrow.”
Hit publish. Share the link with your design group. Post it in your Instagram story with a lil’ dance emoji. Ask for feedback. Feel the fear and launch it anyway.
💬 Step 7: Show Up & Share (Even If You Feel Like an Imposter)
Once your site’s live, talk about it! Share the process. Post screenshots. Tell stories.
- “Here’s what I learned from building my first site in 8 hours.”
- “How AI helped me finish my portfolio without a breakdown.”
- “I launched my first ever portfolio! Open to feedback & coffee chats ☕”
People will relate. They’ll cheer you on. And maybe—just maybe—they’ll hire you.
🧡 Real Talk Before You Go
Creating a portfolio is more than pixels and pages—it’s permission.
Permission to say: “Hey world, this is who I am. This is what I do. Wanna build something together?”
And yeah, it might feel messy. You might cringe a little later. But showing up imperfectly is how you grow. That’s how you get seen.
So take the leap. Build the site. Tell your story. Let AI handle the heavy lifting, but let you shine through.
You’ve got this. And if you stumble? That’s part of the story too.
🔧 Bonus Resources (Free Stuff. Because I Love You.)
- AI-Powered Portfolio Prompt Pack (for ChatGPT, Notion AI, etc.)
- Quick Content Checklist (for each page of your site)
- “Mock Projects That Don’t Feel Fake” mini-guide
Just ask, and I’ll send ‘em your way.
Now go build the dang site. I’m rooting for you. 💪