Ok, it's a tricky one! Like me, many of you are both designer and entrepreneur, meaning you've started your own design company, you're freelance or in a freelances team. And it really makes sence, because to be an entrepreneur is to create everyday.
You create links
You gather all around you your partners, associates, employees, interns, students, clients, prospectives, suppliers... and always try to figure a way to keep these links between people healthy.
You create opportunities
You have to find jobs and be at iniciative of projects, not only to feed you but also to fill your desire to work with the talented people you like. Remember, possibilities rarely just happen on their own!
You create answers
Every problematic situation that dropped by each day is different and is a challenge to take up. You have to use your imagination and your creativity to solve problems and invent new ways to be or to act, that you would never have imagined beforehand.
"Creativity is not just a skill but an attitude – a rebellious desire to be different." – Chaipranin Visudhipol, TBWA
Sounds perfect? Hum... not really.
Because this personal investment that you put in, requires a lot of your time, energy and self-sacrifice and is rarely adequately appreciated and even less rewarded. So here's a few things I've learned through my own experience:
Never forget who you are
Don't forget that there's a time for others and a time for you. Sometimes, being individualist is not a bad thing, it will protect you from frustrations and impatience and it will keep your personal creativity alive.
Set yourself realistic goals
Everybody wants to achieve the three "F" - Fun, Fortune and Fame - but determine wich is your favourite and try to get close to it. It's more satisfying to follow through a small project than never finish a promising big one!
Time isn't always money
They are projects that bring you money and projects that bring you value, unfortunately they are rarely the same. You have to figure what importance should be given to these two types and how much time you should spend on doing it.
So I hope this will help you!
As a designer entrepreneur, what kind of problem are you dealing with?
Hey! You want to go further:
Watch Designer as Entrepreneur by Chris Do and Jose Caballer
Watch We love Entrepreneurs (in French)
Watch The 6 Characteristics of Truly Creative People by Tina Seelig
Photo: Like me, half designer, half entrepreneur...