The 2021 Jack Rodgers mentoring scholarship

Late 2020 a treasured client, colleague and friend passed away.

Jack Rodgers was the founder and principal designer of Jack Rodgers Design. Born in Ireland, Jack worked in Scotland, Ireland and Belgium before settling in Sydney and finally Melbourne. First a client, and then a friend, we admired Jack’s resilience; the ability to work within the constraints of business, geography and finally cancer.

Design Business Council will celebrate Jack’s life and resilience by offering a 12-month business mentoring scholarship to an emerging studio.

We know one attribute of poor mental health is the feeling of lacking control. Understanding the fundamentals of business is a successful way to regain control – that’s where DBC can help. We can help others build business capabilities and we know that knowledge will build resilience.

The DBC Jack Rodgers mentoring scholarship will be open to design business owners within 2-5 years of start-up.

It includes:

One year business mentoring, adapted to suit the circumstances
Open access to online teaching materials
Studio visits to a variety of practicing studios via personal introduction

Criteria for eligibility

1. It is for an individual – submissions should be from a design studio owner

2. It is for an emerging studio – within 2-5 years of start-up

3. The studio must be located in Australia

4. The studio’s core business should be graphic design/visual communication.

How to apply

The recipient of the scholarship will be selected based on alignment with Jack’s characteristics of empathy, generosity of spirit and curiosity. He was a skilled designer, not just because of his instincts, he had a life-long thirst for knowledge.

To apply, please email a brief submission outlining:

Who you are and what you do.
Three things you think you have accomplished/do well.
Three things you think you struggle to accomplish well.
Why you think the scholarship would be of value.

Please email applications for the scholarship to carol@designbusinesscouncil.com by February 14 2021.

Any problems/questions? As always, happy to discuss further, just email.

Carol Mackay

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After 30+ years running a graphic design firm, I pivoted from client-focused projects to consult to the design industry. Now with the Design Business Council I use my experience, and research, as a design mentor and coach. I help designers build robust, sustainable businesses, and help businesses integrate, and profit from, design.

The core of the DBC is the building a design community – over 85% of designers work in businesses with less than 5 employees, many less than 3. That means designers don’t have the same support network of other professionals. The DBC’s solution is supplement paid gigs with research, mentoring breakfast meet-ups, informative UNseminars and practical workshops in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

An archive of my previous career is at mbdesign.com.au.
My current work can be viewed at designbusinesscouncil.com and designbusinessschool.com.au.