The Busy Creator Podcast with Prescott Perez-Fox

Latest Episodes:

Workflows for a Small Software Company with In-House Designers Kyle Bollinger & Kristin Burkhart — The Busy Creator Podcast 83 May 09, 2016

Show notes

Kyle Bollinger (@WhoaKB) and Kristin Burkhart are the in-house design team for PureChat, an software tool enabling websites to offer chat-based support. Dividing their duties between product and marketing, Kyle and Kristin have developed a workflow that allows them to work swiftly and efficiently, while still experimenting with new industry practices.

In this conversation, we discuss company culture for a small SAAS startup, how the designer collaborate with internal stakeholders, and some unravel technical challenges around versioning and fast iteration.

GET THE EPISODE

Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 83 (MP3, 37:04, 17.9 MB)
Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 83 (OGG, 37:04, 16.5 MB)

SUBSCRIBE TO GET NEW EPISODES

Subscribe to The Busy Creator Podcast on iTunes or on Android

Show Notes & Links

Kyle is a product-focused UI/UX designer
Kristin is a marketing and web focused-design
PureChat is chat software for websites
SAAS
Both Kyle and Kristin started at agencies, working for multiple clients, before going in-house with PureChat
"Creating something from scratch is very different than iterating on something."

—Kyle Bollinger

Tweet This
Prescott hates calling software-as-a-service a "product"
Austin Kleon
Show Your Work by Austin Kleon on Amazon
Self-licking ice cream cone
"We're creating a living document through each other's work."

—Kyle Bollinger

Tweet This
TechCrunch
"The speed at which a company can operate is inversely proportional to how much time it takes to find the answer to a question."

—Prescott Perez-Fox

Tweet This
AxoSoft
Nerf Guns
Gangplank, co-working space in Chandler, AZ
RIP LayerVault
Wake
Split-testing aka A-B testing
The Information Diet by Clay A. Johnson on Amazon
Sidebar.io by Sasha
Medium, and the occassional article about Millennials and their cereal-buying habits
Audible
The Three Laws of Performance by Steve Zaffron & Dave Logan on Amazonand on Audible
Sprint by Jake Knapp & John Zeratsky on Amazon and on Audible
KyleBollinger.com
KristinAshley.org
Kyle Bollinger on Twitter
Kyle Bollinger on LinkedIn
Kristin Burkhart on LinkedIn

Tools

Slack
InVision
Illustrator
Photoshop
Sketch
Google Docs
Moleskine
AxoSoft
GitHub
Medium

Techniques

Continuous gather user insight, even if it's only images or screenshot review
Find a "theme" with each release or feature-set
Get quick feedback from your teammates; no need for formal gatherings
Work off the same agile board as your dev team
Screenshare with your remote teammates
Use InVision to create Brand Guidelines
Try to answer the questions "Who do I talk to ..." before they arise
Keep your micro-iterations in a document; use a version-style naming system, eg. screen1a-kyle-001

Habits

Prank your officemates
Continually monitor the site (heatmaps, split testing)
Wake up early, get into the office and be creative
Join office workouts and activities
Share resources and findings with teammates

TRY AUDIBLE.COM FREE FOR 30-DAYS

Visit BusyCreatorBook.com for your free trial

Get The Three Laws of Performance by Steve Zaffron & Dave Logan as a free audiobook

How to Identify and Control the Frustrating Voice In Your Head, with Author, Artist, & Teacher Danny Gregory — The Busy Creator Podcast 82 Apr 25, 2016

Show notes

Danny Gregory (@DannyGregory) is an advertising veteran who has worked across just about medium of creativity, including writing, design, photography, and teaching. He's published several books including his latest, Shut Your Monkey.

In this conversation, we examine the topics of the book which include self-doubt, anxiety, distraction, and other mindset struggles faced by creative pros. Shut Your Monkey by Danny Gregory

Keep you with Danny on his website or his blog. Shut Your Monkey is now available for order.

GET THE EPISODE

Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 82 (MP3, 55:39, 40.4 MB)
Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 82 (OGG, 55:39, 30.1 MB)

SUBSCRIBE TO GET NEW EPISODES

Subscribe to The Busy Creator Podcast on iTunes or on Android

Show Notes & Links

According to his website, Danny is an artist/author/creative director/blogger/teacher/speaker
Danny's new book, Shut Your Monkey
Sketchbook Skool
Danny has worked in Hanoi and Doha to build creativity schools
Danny has blogged for 12 or 13 years, published his first book 14 years ago
In advertising, Danny has been a CD, ECD, and CCO
"Advertising is weaponised art."

—Prescott Perez-Fox

Tweet This

"Advertising agencies no longer have cornered the market on creating advertising."

—Danny Gregory

Tweet This
Absolut Vodka Ads
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVcbasIb8lQ
Wazuuuuup https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W16qzZ7J5YQ
"A single tweet can have much more impact [than advertising]."

—Danny Gregory

Tweet This
The Dress
Jen Briney, who runs Congressional Dish podcast
Media dollars that Donald Trump has "earned" Paid vs. "Earned" Media Spend
Mad Men
Conan O'Brien used to write for The Simpsons (video discussion with alumni writers) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtJ28qOEG1g
"The core of social media is authenticity."

—Danny Gregory

Tweet This
Charlie Sheen
No Brown M&Ms!
Flow, and obstacles to achieving it
Gollum Gollum

"Creativity plays a far bigger role in our everyday than it did in the past."

—Danny Gregory

Tweet This

Hardwiring Happiness by Dr. Rick Hanson
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield on Amazon and on Audible
The Icarus Deception by Seth Godin on Amazon and on Audible

"Creativity is inherently about change, risk, uncertainty."

—Danny Gregory

Tweet This

Thomas Edison found "10,000 ways that won't work" to make a lightbulb.
"When a great idea appears it's going to stand up and sing."

—Danny Gregory

Tweet This
Shut Your Monkey originated from a blog post, and evolved into a series of posts, then a talk.
Show Your Work by Austin Kleon on Amazon
Radical Careering by Sally Hogshead on Amazon
Number 17 (now 8 and a half)
Rachel Willey, graphic designer
Whitney Museum
The Met
The HOW Conference
Kaizen - continuous incremental improvements as opposed to a "win"
"You don't come up with your life's work and then stop working."

—Danny Gregory

Tweet This
DannyGregorysBlog.com
Forthcoming Shut Your Monkey Weekly podcast, featuring "Monkey Tales"
Danny Gregory on Twitter
Danny Gregory on Facebook
Danny Gregory on Instagram
Danny Gregory on YouTube

Tools

Evernote
Scrivener, book authoring software
Art supply cart

Techniques

Understand what your "monkey" is saying, before anything else
Don't argue with the monkey when he speaks in extremes
Acknowledge the risks we've taken, the work we've accomplished
Use your phone or a notebook to jot notes into Evernote
Take "book ideas" and break them out into blog posts; return the prose as potential section.
Leave big tasks unfinished so you have a place to resume the next day

Habits

Be available to work all the time (be a honeybee)
Defend yourself against other peoples' monkeys
Constantly feed on the raw materials that will become a good idea
Move around the house to vary your working space
Post consistently on your blog, 5 days a week at 7:00 am
Tackle creative problems first thing in the morning
Visit the library, take out books

// khy3m5vf

The Trouble with Workplace Hierarchies, and What We Can Do About It, with Jonathan Raymond — The Busy Creator Podcast 81 Apr 11, 2016

Show notes

Jonathan Raymond (@JonathanRaymond) is an author, coach, consultant, and CEO of Refound, working with business leaders and managers to install better workplace habits and company culture, including mentoring. Over the years, he's seen numerous workplace dynamics, not just within the creative fields, and shares some of his patterns with us.

In this conversation, we search for definitions of culture, discuss the differences between mentoring and simply bossing, and offer some advice for both the employee and the manager to build better relationships and in turn, a better team.

Jonathan has written a book, Good Authority, which will be released later in 2016. Support his efforts by reading more about the book and by pre-ordering.

GET THE EPISODE

Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 81 (MP3, 52:36, 25.4 MB)
Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 81 (OGG, 52:36, 28.7 MB)

SUBSCRIBE TO GET NEW EPISODES

Subscribe to The Busy Creator Podcast on iTunes or on Android

Show Notes & Links

Jonathan "helps managers become mentors"
Many companies talk about innovation, but a "gap" appears when they don't build the conditions
"Culture is 'This is how we do it here.'"

—Jonathan Raymond

Tweet This
Gallop says "7/10 employees are actively disengaged from their job"
Rolodex
Jeff Goins appeared on The Busy Creator Podcast
"Culture is Context."

—Jonathan Raymond

Tweet This
The First Rule of Fight Club [av_video src='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC1yHLp9bWA' format='16-9' width='16' height='9']
"The First Rule of Culture Change is not to talk about it."

—Jonathan Raymond

Tweet This
Undercover Boss
Ivory Tower
"We over-rely on our strengths. We default to the things we're good at."

—Jonathan Raymond

Tweet This

"You're not on the same team; You own the company."

—Jonathan Raymond

Tweet This
AT&T/Ma Bell
"You can't afford not to invest time into you [your people]."

—Jonathan Raymond

Tweet This

"If you invest in someone, they might leave. If you don't invest in someone, they'll definitely leave."

—Prescott Perez-Fox

Tweet This
Jonathan was the Chief Brand Officer of E-Myth
"When creative people go off the rails, they hold the rest of the team hostage."

—Jonathan Raymond

Tweet This
Studio culture is fundamentally about experimentation
Agile methodology
"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose."

—Janis Joplin

Tweet This

"More Yoda, less Superman."

—Jonathan Raymond

Tweet This

"95% of the work in any business is identical."

Business Adage

Tweet This

"The bad thing isn't the hierarchy; it's abusive people in a hierarchy."

—Jonathan Raymond

Tweet This
Hierarchy in the Catholic Church, and their big hats
SalesForce
"Write drunk, edit sober."

—Ernest Hemingway

Tweet This
ReFound.com
GoodAuthorityBook.com
Jonathan Raymond on Twitter
Jonathan Raymond on Instagram

Tools

Techniques

Break away from the victim mindset; share what you're working on and struggling with
Make bold requests — to attend conferences, meetings, etc.
Be a Mensch, make that connection

Habits

Practice being loose, unfinished
Take steps in the other person's direction before discussing tension or issues
Give your creative team room to be creative (so they don't turn into administrators)
Create some distance to reinforce the idea of being a "boss"

TRY AUDIBLE.COM FREE FOR 30-DAYS

Visit BusyCreatorBook.com for your free trial

Get The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber as a free audiobook

Escaping Web Design to Build a Thriving Software Business, with Edger Co-Founder Laura Roeder — The Busy Creator 79 Mar 21, 2016

Show notes

Laura Roeder (@LKR) is the co-founder of Edgar, a social media scheduling and management tool. Laura began her career as a web designer, moving first to solo practice, and then to social media consulting.

From this conversation, you'll learn how Laura transitioned away from work-a-day design and into entrepreneurship, how her team at Edgar manages their software development, and some of the philosophies behind their hiring and company management.

One thing we don't cover are the features of the software itself, and the idiosyncrasies which separate Edgar from competitors like Hootsuite or Buffer. To learn more about Edgar itself, scroll down to the show notes for examples of Laura explaining in further detail on other podcasts, and some embedded videos showing off Edgar itself.

That said, Laura and her team have offered listeners of The Busy Creator a free month of service for Edgar. Sign up before May 31, 2016 and use the code SUNANDSURF.

GET THE EPISODE

Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 79 (MP3, 49:06, 23.6 MB)
Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 79 (OGG, 49:06, 25.0 MB)

SUBSCRIBE TO GET NEW EPISODES

Subscribe to The Busy Creator Podcast on iTunes or on Android

Show Notes & Links

Laura Roeder describes Edgar in greater detail on Smart Passive Income #132
... and on EOFire #802 ... and on Online Marketing Made Easy #35
Laura describes herself as the founder of Edgar, at least today
Laura started as a web and graphic designer, worked at a design agency when she was a fresh graduate
Her rationale for leaving her agency job was largely that it would take a really long time to get to do the work she fancied.
10,000 hours
Laura was inspired more by business owners than design practitioners
Chamber of Commerce
"I felt like a fish out of water because I was so much younger."

—Laura Roeder

Tweet This
World of Warcraft is the New Golf
Laura replaced her salary the first year, then doubled her earnings the following year.
The transition from Paid Services → Packaged Services → Retail Packages
"It felt a lot easier to sell an online class than to get individual clients."

—Laura Roeder

Tweet This
Gary Vaynerchuk
Laura's clients were asking about social media; there was a swelling
Biography from A+E
The Dash was the newsletter from LKR Social Media
"It was always a business. I didn't start with a blog."

—Laura Roeder

Tweet This
Laura's team works remotely
Lean Startup Methodology
Laura's husband Chris is the lead developer/CTO for Edgar
Ruby on Rails
The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss On Amazon and On Audible
Edgar is 16 people strong (development, marketing, customer service)
Team Edgar doesn't use Sprint/Agile methodology. They simply make priorities and do them.
Edgar ties their QA into Customer Service
"We don't make major changes to our software. We're focused on iterative improvements to what we already do."

—Laura Roeder

Tweet This
DIY Network/HGTV
Mike Holmes
Amazon tests features very carefully
"Always run split tests on the home page and signup page"

—Laura Roeder

Tweet This

"I wasn't that passionate about design. I was interested in other elements."

—Laura Roeder

Tweet This
False Negatives in hiring
The Narcissism of Minor Differences
"If you're talking to the HR Manager, you're doomed."

—Prescott Perez-Fox

Tweet This
The Edgar Blog
Laura Roeder on Twitter
Laura Roeder on Facebook
Laura Roeder on Instagram
Laura Roeder on LinkedIn
Edgar on Twitter
Edgar on Facebook

Tools

Techniques

Think of the "Worst Case Scenario" before you quit
Start with freelancers before hiring full-time staff
Create a Wiki for shared information (customer service, company values, etc.)
Methodology is more important than software
When A/B testing, use dramatic comparisons; two completely different versions

Habits

Have a planning meeting every Monday and retrospective meeting every Friday
Always write multiple subject lines
Make lists in Google Docs (don't overcomplicate it)

Evolving a Blog into a Brand and a Business with Writer and Clients From Hell Chief Bryce Bladon — The Busy Creator 78 Mar 07, 2016

Show notes

Bryce Bladon (@BryceBladon) is a freelance writer and editor of the popular blog Clients From Hell. Bryce has been editing and curating the site for years, and has overseen dramatic growth both in blog readership and in creating outside partnerships, products, and offerings.

In our conversation, we discuss the origins of Clients From Hell, how a blog can become a viable business, and how all of us who provide services can avoid clients from hell to have a better working life.

Bryce has recent authored the second book from Clients From Hell, Hell To Pay, concerning the ever-popular topic of getting paid for freelance work and avoiding money-related drama.

Hell To Pay, the new book from Clients From Hell

Listeners of The Busy Creator can save 50% by using code "BusyCreator" when purchasing from this link.

Culture and Habits for a Three-Person Design Studio with Designer and Agency Boss Kristine Neil — The Busy Creator Podcast 77 Feb 22, 2016

Show notes

Kristine Neil (@TheKNeil) is head of branding and design company Markon Brand Design. She purchased Markon when it was an old-fashion sign company, and has since transformed it into a small creative studio, now boasting a team of three.

In our conversation, we cover the quirks and rituals used by the team at Markon, Kristine's personal productivity habits, and the general challenges that face all busy design teams nowadays.

GET THE EPISODE

Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 77 (MP3, 41:52, 25.3 MB)
Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 77 (OGG, 41:52, 19.9 MB)

SUBSCRIBE TO GET NEW EPISODES

Subscribe to The Busy Creator Podcast on iTunes or on Android

Show Notes & Links

Kristine describe her work as "varied"
Markon is a small agency focusing on branding for small- to medium-sized businesses
Kristine purchased Markon rather than founded it. Previously, it was a sign company.
The Markon team is now three strong — Kristine, Mike, and Jenna

"It's a scary thing to say 'I need some Help'."

—Kristine Neil

Tweet This

Kristine started by adding contractors/freelancers before bringing in full-time employees
Prepare to Share — an article and podcast episode about bringing additional people into your workflow
Kristine is a systems person, admits to being slightly ADD

"Get ideas out of your head. People aren't mind-readers."

—Prescott Perez-Fox

Tweet This

"Always organize things for how they'll work in your absense."

—Kristine Neil

Tweet This

Single Point of Failure — a bottleneck for decisions or skills
Many freelancers/solo practitioners struggle to stay organised
Kristine previously worked as a GM for a manufacturing company. This taught her systems and regimented behaviours.

"Have a system. It doesn't have to be fancy."

—Kristine Neil

Tweet This

"Meta-work" the work surrounding work such as scheduling meetings, checking email, managing your software
Ben Elijah, previous guest on TBCP, described "Productivity Pornography"
United We Brand by Mike Moser on Amazon

"We don't always have the time to treat ourselves as a client."

—Kristine Neil

Tweet This

"We don't just make the things. We make the ideas that make the things great."

—Kristine Neil

Tweet This

Space150, design firm who redesigns their identity every 150 days

"It's no longer acceptable to set a brand identity and let it ride for 20 years."

—Kristine Neil

Tweet This

The Sunk-Cost Fallacy
Sweat Equity
Phase-In a brand vs. "Shadow Op" to replace everything
Esso became Exxon seemingly overnight[av_video src='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lZkX01wFbE' format='16-9' width='16' height='9']
Todd Henry, twice a guest on The Busy Creator Podcast
Kristine Neil on Twitter
Kristine Neil on LinkedIn
Markon Brands on Twitter
Markon Brands on Facebook
Markon Brands on Instagram
Markon Brands on Pinterest

Tools

Techniques

Divide your whiteboard by category and by day. Slot tasks accordingly.
Create a file-naming system that makes sense — plan ahead for others reading in the future.
Don't become a Single Point of Failure
Pomodoro Technique
Only keep the immediate future on the Board, save long-term stuff elsewhere
Test systems to find what works best
Get outside opinions on your brand/company, at least annually
Use Slack to post videos and gifs — especially after a tough day at the desk

Habits

Host "Board Meetings" with your team every morning
Build starting documents ("templates") when you have repetitive projects/tasks
Audit your own brand. Be willing to walk away from your previous website.
Create a routine strong enough so you don't need an alarm clock
Shut down between Christmas and New Year

TRY AUDIBLE.COM FREE FOR 30-DAYS

Visit BusyCreatorBook.com for your free trial

Get The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding by Al & Laura Reis as a free audiobook

Finding a Community Online and Crafting a Signature Style with Illustrator, Designer & Artist Alice Coles — The Busy Creator Podcast 76 Feb 08, 2016

Show notes

Alice Coles (@HulloAlice) is an illustrator, artist, designer, and video producer based in Colorado. She has honed her skills and created a signature style thanks largely to her own video production schedule. Alice publishes tutorial videos and showcases her experiments on her YouTube channel, HulloAlice.

In this conversation, we discuss Alice's origins as an illustrator, how she found supporters in the YouTube community, what art supplies she relies on, and what sort of desk setup she uses to film her own work as it happens.

See more of Alice's work and get in touch on her website, AliceRColes.com.

GET THE EPISODE

Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 76 (MP3, 38:55 18.7 MB)
Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 76 (OGG, 38:55, 20.2 MB)

SUBSCRIBE TO GET NEW EPISODES

Subscribe to The Busy Creator Podcast on iTunes or on Android

Show Notes & Links

Prescott and Alice met at a design conference in Phoenix
Alice describes her work as "an exploration of herself, her memories, and her place and role in the world."
Alice uses storytelling in her art, calling herself an illustrator
Monument Valley
Loish, artist and inspiration of Alice
Kaizen, the Japanese idea of continual self-improvement
Alice admits she doesn't quite have the time/focus for too many commissions
Sycra on YouTube
Baylee Jae on YouTube

"YouTube can be toxic at times, I've seen, but the art community is so supportive of each other."

—Alice Coles

Tweet This

Alice started making videos "every couple of months" but found consistency through audience momentum
Alice is primarily a watercolour artist
Faffing, a definiton
Matt Cremona, woodworker/furniture maker on The Busy Creator Podcast
Matt Cremona on YouTube
Doctor Who
Papasan Chair

"Watercolour is the worst medium to scan."

—Alice Coles

Tweet This

"I tend to barrel through life like a rolling stone."

—Alice Coles

Tweet This

Tsundoku, the Japanese word for "the constant act of buying books, but never reading them"
Reddit
Alice hails from Desborough, Northamptonshire, UK
Alice Coles on Twitter
Alice Coles Illustration on Facebook
Alice Coles on Facebook
Alice Coles on Instagram
Alice Coles on YouTube

Tools

Techniques

Start with inspiration — colour combo, landscape, etc.
Use figure references for anatomy
Paint in layers — block in shadows first, then skin tone — keep it thin
Underpaint (paint an entire paper with a single colour to instill a tone or feeling)
Use a hairdryer to dry your layers
Use a hairdryer to cure swimmer's ear
Complete a painting in a single sitting (2–6 hours)
Batch videos, especially when lighting/hair/make-up is required
Watch a speed version of your video first, then record it again in real-time
Increase contrast and colour-depth in Photoshop — with the aim to match real-life colours
Use planners and lists — "bullet journal"

Habits

Keep supplies organized in clear cases — jars, boxes, etc.
Create an inspiring workspace, use personal items and motifs
Aim for a consistent wake-up time (maybe 8 am)
Reply to comments and emails first thing in the morning
Read while you eat, and before you go to bed
Don't be so hard on yourself (regarding time management or inconsistency)
List out your tasks for the next day

How Kirsten Modestow Started a Branding & Design Agency in Her House and Thrives Outside of a Major City — The Busy Creator Podcast 75 Jan 25, 2016

Show notes

Kirsten Modestow (@KModestow) is the founder & creative director of Brigade, a branding and design firm in Massachusetts. Brigade focuses on consumer packaging and communications; they create brands for products, and help them stand out on shelves. In recent years, this has translated to digital promotion and social media as well.

In this conversation, Kirsten discusses her origins as a young designer, learning from her elders, how she started Brigade in her house and where the company is now, and examines the curious culture of an agency that grows fast and lives in an open-plan office.

GET THE EPISODE

Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 75 (MP3, 49:55, 72.1 MB)
Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 75 (OGG, 49:55, 23.7 MB)

SUBSCRIBE TO GET NEW EPISODES

Subscribe to The Busy Creator Podcast on iTunes or on Android

Show Notes & Links

Brigade focuses on food & beverage clients, within the packaging and communication media types, so not everything.
In-store design materials include more items — shelf talkers, point of sales, mobile-friendly websites, etc.
"Do you have to create a whole persona just for a box of crackers?"

—Prescott Perez-Fox

Tweet This
Lately, consumers are more educated and more finicky — they want information
Nabisco, Kraft - big companies in consumer goods
Wheat Thins on Facebook
Kirsten started working out of her home after relocating to Western Mass.
Land Rover
Svedka vodka
To accommodate the growing team, Kirsten converted her garage into a studio
5 colleges are located in the Amherst-Hadley area, but none have a graphic design course
Boss is sometimes a four-letter word
Kirsten started at Hill Holiday in Boston
Brigade has grown from 5 employees to 20 in the past 2 years
Recruiting is tough outside of a "design center" like New York, Chicago, London
Brigade's first Project Management hire was a photographer freelancing as a graphic designer
"No one is on top of each other; they're alongside them."

—Kirsten Modestow

Tweet This
Brigade is [finally] at the point of getting cold calls from potential clients
The Dieline
Tarik El-Khateeb
"Production is a huge part of design!"

—Kirsten Modestow

Tweet This
Hatch Show Boston
Dribbble
"Side projects are the internal fuel for agencies and small firms."

—Prescott Perez-Fox

Tweet This
The Cult of The Overworked
Open floorplans create challenges (just ask Lucy Kellaway)
"The Middle School Cafeteria", Prescott's term for single-table, open-plan offices
"Good ideas come from everywhere."

—Kirsten Modestow

Tweet This

"Open plan only works if people give a crap about each other."

—Simon Sinek on office design

Tweet This
Five Guys Burgers
Kirsten Modestow on Twitter
Kirsten Modestow on Facebook
Brigade on Twitter
Brigade on Instagram
Brigade on Facebook
Brigade on Spotify

Tools

Asana
Harvest
Producteev
Float
Open floor plan (with caution)

Techniques

Focus on your main goal — pick a "story" and do it well.
Build your "dream team" from unconventional people — even if they aren't traditionally qualified
Create mentorship programs within your company/agency
As a boss, give someone "the big shirt, so they can grow into it."
Use daily "pow-wows", twice-weekly traffic meetings
Apply 80/20 thinking when it comes to routine work vs. exciting breaks

Habits

Continually evaluate your work, and whether it should be submitted to contests
Share work within the office; build culture of helpfulness to combat ownership/jealousy
Critique as a group for larger projects
Build office rituals, like picnics, lunches, bowling outings
Arrive at the office early, before chaos starts
Work toward 8 hours of sleep

Web Agency Owner Matt Inglot Talks Client Selection, Workflow, and The Challenges of Working from Home - The Busy Creator Podcast 74 Jan 11, 2016

Show notes

Matt Inglot (@MattInglot) is the founder of Tilted Pixel, a results-focused web design agency based in Calgary, Canada. A veteran web designer, Matt has been an agency owner most of his career, beginning when he was still a student. Over the years he's refined his own business strategy to bring greater value to his own clients, and in turn build a thriving practice. Matt is also the host of the Freelance Transformation podcast, where he speaks with creative entrepreneurs and practitioners about business and freelance issues.

In this conversation, Matt discusses his role in the business, how systematic (or not) he likes to be with prospective clients, and how he handles working from home.

An Introduction to Freelancing — Definitions, Ailments, Mindsets, and Advice for new and veteran freelancers — The Busy Creator Podcast 73 Dec 31, 2015

Show notes

Freelancers can no longer be ignored as fringe workers, in-betweeners, and the occassional slacker seeking to hide his true unemployment. Freelancers now make up a significant portion of the creative economy, especially in Cities like New York where fashion, film, theatre, design, and music industries thrive outside the walls of conventional employment relationships.

In this episode, we hear from Alex Signh (@AutomaticYes), Co-Founder of Domino, an online community for freelancers, Matt Inglot (@MattInglot), host of the Freelance Transformation podcast, and Jaime Campbell (@TierOneServices), a CPA and business coach who has worked with freelancers throughout her career.

Together we examine some definitions, ailments, and mindsets shared by freelancers. We also drop a few action steps any freelancer can take to make the transition — or the next step — that much smoother.

Show Notes & Links

6 Mistakes Every New Freelancer Makes by Domino
The New Normal by Kristen Fischer
Kristen Fischer on The Busy Creator Podcast ep 60
WashPo WorkBlog: Freelancers' Union lobbies new bill
"A Freelancer to me is essentially just an entrepreneur."

—Alex Singh

Tweet This

"Calling yourself a freelancer is the greatest way not to get paid."

—Matt Inglot

Tweet This
Finding clients & managing relationships are the key struggles, according to Alex Singh
Most freelancers get started because they're "really good" and want to collect the full fee, according to Jaime Campbell.
Only ten percent of experienced freelancers know their monthly expenses, according to Alex
Being a freelancer is like being Batman; suddenly, you're called on to save the day. But the rest of the time, you're an orphan.
"20 clients is a lot of proposals to close."

—Matt Inglot

Tweet This

Tools

Techniques

Don't describe yourself as a commodity, jump right into your positioning and story
Be specific about who you will — and won't — work with, and the types of projects you will take on.
Look for clients who can best benefit from your work, not just the person who needs work done today.
Call yourself an Agency (and raise your rates)
Get referrals from other people via relationships. Make other people your "sales team."
Leverage other people's time so you can work on different tasks
Track "income by referral source", or build it custom if needed
Solve people's problems on online forums/sites. Do it publicly.
Get registered as an expert so you get notified first.
Get clear on numbers, especially your effective income.
Develop a long-term strategy