To start, I'm technically a backend developer. I'm most comfortable tweaking and optimizing code to run milliseconds faster. However, web design is still a hobby of mine and after adding Dribbble to my RSS feed I've gotten a lot better just by immersing myself with the work of great designers.
So now I have my first client ever, I'm 20 with no experience in dealing with them and I'm finding that he is insistent on pushing his own ideas that , to be frank don't look so great. I try to explain to him the issues but he seems to be ignoring them. I've managed to work with him and create something decent around what he wants but it's hardly my best work or even something I'd be proud of.
Is this the fate of all designers, do I just have to suck it up? Or is there some way of satisfying the client as well as myself.
EDIT: Clarification, the design is not really for some functional or business website, it's the equivalent of a business card, it just displays basic information. It's more likely to be viewed by colleagues than consumers. It's fashion related so image is important.