Introduction & Tick list:
- Find your own business plan!
- Jobs are disappearing; we have to set up our own business! = Invent your own future!
- How to raise money?
- We have to take massive risk!
- Read a lot about culture!
Books: Make a job don't take a job
Start it up
Made to stick
- Ask the Why? question
When setting up your own business you ask questions of yourself:
What is exactly that I going to make?
How I going to do it? On my own? In a team, in a co-operation or working for an employer? Where and for whom?
Beside these questions probably the most important one is: Why am I doing it? Steve Jobs started his business with the Why? question. He wanted to make people’s life better by technology, which provided him inspiration and passion to keep him going. His company, Apple turned out to be the most influential innovator in the century so we better learn from his example.
Lindsay Gardiner – Textile designer/ Illustrator
Lindsay’s children books internationally published and she also runs her own brand called “Quietly Eccentric”. She’s printing bags and her certain selling point is anything to do with dogs. First she bought her dogs to keep her company in the studio but since then she fall in love with them, which comes through in her illustrations, stories and printed bags. She was talking about how to find your market and places where you can sell your products. Her tips are:
http://www.notonthehighstreet.com - a similar site to Etsy.com but more organised and the products are more professional, nicely designed and beautifully finished. It has different categories for - can be personalised, -made in Britain, -eco-friendly, etc. What I found very useful.
Anthropology – shop in Edinburgh - http://www.anthropologie.eu/en/uk/ - an exclusive shop with sophisticated designs. Nicely organised online shop.
She also mentioned the importance of charity work - http://www.behance.net/gallery/Dogs-Trust-Honours-Awards-commission/2521713 - that helps you to be recognised.
Her most important advice: Rather be a versatile designer than a jack of all trades. Also, learn to say NO! if you don’t have enough time. When you decide not to have an agent you have to organise everything around your business so time management is very essential.
01/02/12 Making Design Work - by Professor Mike Press
How working used to be? Chose a job, do it, retire.
How is it now in the 21st century? Jobs are disappearing just now so we are becoming our own boss/ own brand. It means we have to build up a portfolio related to our discipline - portfolio career.
The top 10 jobs in 2014 did not exist in 2004! Everything is changing and nobody knows what is going to happen. We have to keep learning during our whole life.
How to understand recession? Karl Marx - Capitalism
What is going to change?
- Jobs will get smarter and people focussed.
- We won't "go to work" but connect to work.
- There will be more women in managements, which will create more profitable companies.
Best example of 21st century woman is Mary Portas - art school graduate, manager, business focused, service designer
- Different generations will be mixed up at workplaces and that will create a union of their different strengths.
- T-shape employees: besides having a general knowledge, interpersonal/social skills becoming important too.
- Every work will become globalised.
Crystal CG – Beijing based huge, global design company with a big office in London. They create identities for other countries!
Although we don’t know anything for certain about the future we have to get ready for it and suck up every information and skills, which could be relevant to our discipline.
“It’s like building an aircraft as it flies”
Audience Development – Emma Walker – Chief Executive of Craft Scotland
- People centred
- The audience affects the performance in a theatre as it affects a company or even art
- Your brand projects your personality so it has to be thought out and unique
- Ask: Who is your market?
- CV is also very essential, has to stand out from the crowed. Even if you don’t have work experience, just put interesting, inspirational lectures on it.
- Register with Craft Scotland because they have the contacts and the information you need.
03/02/12 Professor Mike Press
Way of innovation: best example is Vivienne Westwood who’s a brilliant thief. She steals ideas, rethink them and create something new.
Think outside of the box! Find your own Niche!
Look at your life as you look at a piece of fabric, creatively. Try to create something out of it!
About portfolio careers:
- Multiple jobs, multiple identities (learning more than one discipline, be a versatile designer)
- If can’t get a job in your own discipline you still have to keep going! Sometimes you have to have 4-5 jobs at the same time and you have to create opportunities to use your skills anywhere you work (jeweller who designed models in Space Odyssey, ceramic artist who designed Babe – piggy movie, glass artist who made a piece for a Massive Attack album cover, etc.)
Work in the 21st century will be very different:
- No more full time jobs – portfolio working instead
- Being flexible
- Always keep trying, never give up, ever!
- Intuition and feel for the market + being informed, read newspapers
- Be passionate, it will keep you going
- Make work fun!
- Take a holiday in Silicone Valley – learn how to create something out of nothing!
08/02/12
10 things to think of:
- Get faster
- Be curious
- Don’t apologies – it’s negative thinking
- Be flexible – with clients, in terms of brief, cost, etc.
- Be a sponge – have to take in every knowledge, conversation, skills, etc.
- If you don’t know, don’t pretend! ASK!
- Check the brief again and again; don’t get caught up with your design.
- Always have ideas – lots of them.
- Be organised – before a meeting or presentation.
- Don’t give up, keep going!
Tendering:
- Don’t rely on reputation.
- Give yourself enough time.
- Competitive research!!! – Have a look at your competitors, it gives you the chance to do something different/better.
- Be creative – presentation.
- Spelling and grammar.
- Testimonials.
- Personalisation.
- Cost.
Think about your image!
Your portfolio represents you!
You have talent, remember that!
Have fun!