design business coach

Why are some clients loyal while others just flit from design agency to design agency on a whim? Onlyness equals client loyalty when you explain the personal attributes…

We design for different markets because everyone absorbs information differently. In the same way, what one client needs to make a decision may differ to another.

From recent discussions with designers and their clients it’s obvious the majority of businesses are looking at where they are, where they were and where they want to go.

When expectations are managed, designers can add value managing a client’s social media presence – but it’s not to be under-estimated or under-serviced. Much reputational harm can come from inactivity or the wrong activity.

We all know it’s easier to get more work from existing clients than find new clients. Here are three great examples of creatives doing just that…

Australia is just coming out of lockdown with all the pundits predicting we will never go back to the old way of analogue communication. The virtual decade is upon us!

Or is it?

It seems everywhere we read, watch or listen there’s advice to adapt to the new normal. Problem is there’s very little consensus about what this new normal will be. Economists see a recession, business gurus see opportunities. Here’s what I think…

Working from Lisbon - part two Our annual northern hemisphere expedition to look at design practices took us to Portugal this year. We chose it partly because we wanted to see how design had faired in a country ravaged by the global financial crisis. As with each trip we researched our destination extensively before we [...]

What a Lisbon Chef taught me about studio management One of the benefits of traveling is that it gives you a completely new perspective on everyday things. Everyday things such as sitting at the bar of an open kitchen and watching a chef work. We often do it at our favourite Melbourne restaurants like Tipo [...]

Working from Lisbon Ola from Lisbon where we are currently working/holidaying. This year we decided to travel light with technology. We both purchased iPad pro’s because they seem to be the closest thing to a laptop. There seem to be very few limitations. Here’s how we do it. External hard drive Normally we take away [...]

The university that builds your business Very few universities or private providers teach studio owners business management. Business courses are too generic and don’t consider the unique needs of creative business owners. Design courses (undergraduate and postgraduate) don’t include the business knowledge a studio owner needs. Added to this every owner is seeking the holy [...]

Interns, grads, why it’s harder now than then, and a freebie. In the next month or so, in Australia, there will be approximately 2000 graphic designers graduating into around 100 jobs. You don’t need to be good at math to know that’s not going to work. But before you despair, realise that some graduates will [...]