I apologize beforehand for not answering your question directly. This is a conscious decision on my part - I will not answer it for two reasons: I know nothing about you or your work and even more importantly attempting to answer this question defeats the purpose and misses the point of the theory of exploitation entirely.

The concept of exploitation is not about capitalists being "evil exploiters of the masses", twirling their mustaches always trying to find out ways to better exploit the workers (though these capitalists do exists - and are heavily rewarded for it). Our critique is a systemic one. It's not that the problem with capitalism is that capitalists exploit workers, it's that exploitation is built into the logic of the system. You cannot have capitalism without exploitation, and this exploitation exists not because of you, it is beyond your control. Our goal is not to simply get rid of exploiters but to get rid of a system that requires exploitation to begin with.

I work 70-80 hour weeks, voluntarily giving up any semblance of a healthy, balanced life as well as risking my entire life savings in the hope my designs are good enough

But you shouldn't have to risk your future in order to find fulfillment in your creative work. This is also a part of the communist critique of the capitalist system. Don't you wish your work would be judged on how your fellow human beings find joy or use in them? Do you really want your work being thrown away to the market to decide whether or not it is profitable?

I will admit though, another reason I decided to take these crazy risks and over work myself, is the slim chance I might one day make enough to buy my mom a real house

Again, you are providing a critique of the capitalist system yourself here. Your mother, as a human being, deserves a "real house" regardless of your success or failure.