I was asked to give a talk on important things to consider for young professionals looking to start their own design business. I did my best to distill my entrepreneurial advice to 10 tips based on my own experience, but in reality, this list could have been 45 points long. There are tons of things that need to come together to make a successful design business—from good creative, to talented team members, to excellent customer service, continuous networking, efficient management and being smart with finances.

Starting a business can be one of the most fulfilling and exciting things you can do. It takes faith and it takes commitment. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. There are highs and lows, good times and bad. Times you want to jump for joy, and times you want to curl up into a ball. But like anything in life, you get what you put in!

I hope the following points act as a good starting point for anyone looking to make the leap from student (or employee) to entrepreneur.

1. Define why you want to go out on your own.

When it comes to starting a new business, we often talk about the how, and the what, as opposed to the why. Figuring out why you really want to start a business requires a bit of self reflection. Is it because you don’t feel fulfilled at your current job? Is it because you’re not doing the type of work you want to do? Is it because you feel you have such an innovative approach to design that starting your own business is the only right option for you? Are you looking for a more flexible schedule so you can spend more time with your kids, or traveling the globe?

If you’re looking to live the laptop lifestyle where you can set your own hours, work from wherever you want and only be held down by yourself and your clients, a solo freelance gig is likely the best choice for you.

On the other hand, if you’re looking to collaborate with others, bring on employees and/or partners and you’re looking to leverage the skills of others to grow your business, then a more structured business may be a better fit for you. This option obviously requires more management, accountability to others and diplomacy than the solo gig.

Both options are viable, but determining your motivations for starting a business will allow you to choose the best model to reach your goals.

2. Determine who else is doing what you want to do.

For two reasons mostly. Firstly, especially if you’re planning to service clients locally and/or regionally, you’ll need to know which companies you’re up against. What other options do clients have to explore in your area? What services do they offer? Who do they serve? How can you be better than them?

More importantly, determining who else is doing what you want to do can lead you to individuals who are willing to show you the way. Often times, especially if they’re not in direct competition with you, people are willing to help you out and share valuable advice with you. Entrepreneurs nearing the end of their careers are goldmines of knowledge and are generally willing to open up and give back. Early in my career I was lucky enough to be mentored by a former boss (newly retired, of course). Over the years he’s given me a treasure trove of advice which I continue to use to this day.

3. Define your strengths and weaknesses.

This step, if you want to do it correctly, requires digging deep and being honest with yourself. What are you really good at and what are you only okay at? In this exercise, defining your weaknesses is important. This allows you to outline what you need to improve, what you may want to avoid, and who you may want to add to your team (or subcontract) to help fill those voids.

4. Avoid being a generalist. Become a specialist.

In today’s increasingly competitive marketplace, clients are seeking out experts, and they’re willing to pay more for that expertise. Think about how we search online, for example. Our searches are hyper specific because we want to find the most fitting solution to our search as quickly as possible. We seek out the “best camera lenses”, “best boutique hotels in Toronto”, “best invoicing software”, “swift developers in San Francisco” because we want our immediate needs fulfilled by those who specialize in precisely what we’re looking for. Clients are willing to pay more for those they perceive to have a higher degree of knowledge or skill, because it will likely result in better service, a higher competitive edge and a bigger return on investment. Being great at something, is typically more attractive, and easier to sell than being okay at a whole bunch of things. There are only so many hours in a day and it is best to concentrate on what you’re great at. It’s okay to dabble in a whole bunch of things if that’s what you want to do, but it’s always easier for a prospective client to remember what you are great at, as opposed to trying to recall your laundry list of things you do from time to time.

*PS - I’m not suggesting you put “expert” next to your name. That just seems phony and self-absorbed. However, demonstrating a superior level of skill or knowledge in a particular subject based on your education and work experience will help position you as a leader.

5. Know who you’re trying to sell to.

This may seem simple enough, but it’s not. If your answer is everyone and anyone who needs marketing/design, then you’re probably looking too broadly and need to narrow in on more specific targets. Find your niche. Determine exactly who will be looking for your particular service, the type of work you want to do and those who will jive with your unique approach. Which companies are actively looking for what you offer and have recurring budgets dedicated to your types of services? Where are they located? Who are the decision makers? How old are they? What is their level of education? What are their behaviours and how can you reach them? Throwing a bottled message into the ocean and hoping someone picks it up on the other side is a surefire way for your message to fall on deaf ears. Make a list of those you want to work with, make contact and make sure you’ve got a good offer for them. Even if you only manage to get a small fraction of the clients on your list, at least they’ll be the ones you actually wanted to work with.

6. Partnerships are a lot like marriages. Choose wisely.

This may sound ominous, but it’s the truth. Much like any other long-term relationship (long-term friendship, dating, marriage etc), partnerships require a lot of work and communication. If you’re looking to bring on partners, you’ll want to choose someone you can trust, someone who is dependable and someone who is committed. It’s easy for people to be passionate at the start when things are hyped, but your business will hopefully last a long time, and will ultimately become your livelihood, so you’ll want to be certain you’ve chosen someone who is stable, in it for the long term and won’t flip the switch and negatively affect your business out of nowhere. I hear a lot of young designers mention that they’re hoping to start a business with a friend, or a fellow student, or a colleague seemingly without having known them for very long. Much like marriage, don’t rush into anything too quickly. Ensure you’ve known your potential partner long enough to know their true character, what their strengths and weaknesses are and how they react to stressful challenges.

7. Partnership/shareholder agreements are your friend.

So you’ve found the right partner that compliments your skills and is fully committed to your business. You’re off to a great start! Now, you’ll want to make it legal. A partnership/shareholder agreement outlines what’s expected of you and your partner(s), the consequences of not fulfilling your expectations, how to proceed if a partner wants out, or what happens if one of you are unable to perform your work due to illness or death.

A common mistake for green entrepreneurs is to defer drafting up agreements early on. The “we’ll deal with it later” mentality just may come back to haunt them. I mean, who wants to pay thousands of dollars right out of the gates to set up an agreement when there are so many other start-up costs to deal with?

In reality, there are several reasons why you should. Over time, life happens—people can get bored, start conflicting side projects that interfere with business, get offered other opportunities, become greedy, or start to get flaky and lazy.  It’s not all doom and gloom, but it’s a fact that things can change over time so you should prepare for the unexpected.

Once your company has built equity, your brand has enough good will attached to it and there is significant money in the bank, it’s much more difficult to work backwards to try and address organizational issues when the legalities weren’t laid out correctly in the first place. Add in a dose of emotion, angst and stress and you may be in for a doozy!

Setting up your legal structure correctly in the beginning will ensure you agree on how to run the business, where you’re headed and how you’ll get there. It’s a pressure cooker of commitment. You have to think long and hard before signing on the dotted line. If you’re all at the lawyers’ ready to sign, you can rest assured that you’re likely all truly committed.

8. Work for others first.

Now, I considered making this recommendation #1 because I believe it is of utmost importance. Starting your own company right out of school is not impossible, and there are anomalies who have become very successful with their first endeavour, but for the most part, working for others is crucial. This is where you learn how things are done—what works and what doesn’t, how to present to clients, what clients expect from client-agency(or supplier) relationships, how to manage a project, how to respond to RFPs, etc. I worked for a few different companies before starting my first business and it helped me realize how it all works and how I could do things differently.

9. Your first few projects will set the stage.

Be conscious and strategic about the first few projects you advertise under your new solo/business identity. It’s a common mistake to hastily throw a few projects together into a portfolio when a sudden opportunity presents itself so try and be prepared. First impressions stick, and your selection choices will communicate to your prospective clients what you’re all about, the type of work you want to do, and the quality of work you plan to do for them.

10. Have fun doing it.

No matter what you do in life, if you don’t love it, it’s going to be hard to keep pushing when things get tough. Especially in the early stages of building your business, you’ll be faced with significant challenges and you’ll have to be ready to work when others are resting, grind when your friends are out socializing and keep the faith in your vision if success comes slow. If you’re not having fun, the grind will wear you down. Whether you’re going it alone, or you’ve got partners or employees to help back you up, you have to keep it fun. You have to laugh, celebrate and embrace all the ups and downs of this crazy entrepreneurial life. Make sure you bring on people that nourish and inspire you so you can grow together and don’t forget to return the favour and celebrate them when they work hard and propel your business.

Running a business isn’t for the faint of heart, but at the end of the day there’s nothing more satisfying than knowing you did it all your own way.

- Nico Taus, RGD
Co-founder / Creative Director at Studio123

To celebrate 2016, we are giving back to the community we love.

We’ll also be donating $1,000 to Place des Arts du Grand Sudbury — the future home of seven francophone organizations who plan to build downtown in the coming years.

Feeling inspired? Donate today.

NEO Kids Foundation:
https://www.neokidsfoundation.ca/donate/

Place des Arts du Grand Sudbury:
http://www.maplacedesarts.ca/en/make-a-donation/

It’s that time of year again! We’re super excited to welcome two interns from Cambrian College’s Graphic Design program into the studio for the next month. We always jump at the opportunity to collaborate with young minds in our community in an effort to give back, and hopefully have some impact on the future of design. This time around, we have two 3rd year keeners with an interest in web design and problem solving. They’ve been here a week already and are absolutely killing it so far. Meet Matti and Alex.

MATTI SCHERZINGER

Age: 22

What attracted you to pursue a career in Design?
I started making posters for local concerts when I was 16 or 17 and loved it. I started looking into design around that time, and it became clear that it would make a fulfilling career for me.

What do you hope to learn through this internship?
I hope to learn a little more about client interaction, get some more experience working as part of a creative team, and broaden my design skills.

Why did you choose Studio123?
I’d been following the work of Studio123 for a few years, and have always been inspired and encouraged by its quality. You also seemed like cool people, and I wanted a chance to work with you!

Where you hope to be in 10 years?
In 10 years, I hope to have a secure position in the design field—specifically in the UI/UX field. I’d love to be designing for new user experiences in the future as technology advances.

Favourite hobbies?
When I’m not designing (behance.net/mattischerzinger), I love playing music with my band, reading books, drinking coffee, wearing sweaters, petting my dog, and walking briskly.

Last movie you saw? Did it suck or was it awesome?
I think it was I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House. I fell asleep, but it seemed cool!

You’re stranded on an island and only have 3 albums with you. What albums would they be?

Currently, they would be:
Picture You Staring – TOPS
Summertime ‘06 – Vince Staples
Closing Time – Tom Waits

ALEX BERENS-FIRTH

Age: 26

What attracted you to pursue a career in Design?
I watched a documentary called Beautiful Losers and saw the work of Geoff McFetridge, Mike Mills, and Stephen Powers and figured that design looked like a way to still work with art but not be broke. I quickly realized that design and design thinking have the potential to improve almost anything.

What do you hope to learn through this internship?
I want to learn more about how clients are involved, how compromises and decisions are made in work, how long-term projects are managed, and how everyone stays inspired and disciplined in their work and personal projects.

Why did you choose Studio123?
I’ve followed their work for years, and have always related to the do-it-yourself attitude of the studio. It seems easier to go practice design in a big city, but I have a deep respect for the pioneering spirit it takes to run a studio like this in Northern Ontario.

Where you hope to be in 10 years?
I’ve got a lot to learn, but I hope to be working in UI/UX design. There are so many ways humans can interact with technology and I’m really excited to start participating in that. I’m a big podcast nerd, so starting a design podcast is also a dream of mine.

Favourite hobbies?
I have religiously documented train graffiti for many years (instagram.com/alexandrathegreat). I also make zines, started a design club on campus (instagram.com/ccgddoce), and coordinate the murals for Up Here (instagram.com/upherefestival)

Last movie you saw? Did it suck or was it awesome?
Cartel Land, a documentary about the vigilante groups involved in the drug problem across the Mexican border. It was pretty intense, but I recommend it.

You’re stranded on an island and only have 3 albums with you. What albums would they be?

Madvillainy – Madvillain
Paul’s Boutique – Beastie Boys
Black Up – Shabazz Palaces

Once in a generation, a project comes along that mobilizes an entire community.

Place des Arts brings together seven professional francophone arts organizations under one roof. It is a bistro, a 300 seat concert hall, an art gallery, a modern administrative work space, a cultural boutique and a multifunctional studio—all in Sudbury’s downtown core 

Working closely with key stakeholders, we designed a simple and versatile brand for this ambitious project in order to create buzz and build community momentum. 

The arts are intangible. The brand needed to be fairly versatile in order to act as an umbrella for the seven founding organizations and their dynamic range of programming. The brand also had to include a symbol that is independent of the name Place des Arts.

After exploring many directions, we settled on a unique concept that explores the architectural silhouette of the Place des Arts building designed by renowned architect Pierre Thibault as seen from the perspective of Elgin and Larch Street. 

The brand is simple and dynamic in order to keep the attention drawn on the seven organizations that will operate under the Place des Arts. The angled roof represents a bridge between communities: francophone and anglophone, artists and public, past and future.

We then strategized a social media driven launch campaign to help Place des Arts build community momentum leading up to important City council meetings.

Dynamic Website

Our next step was to craft a beautiful bilingual website to showcase their project and act as a sales tool to attract large donors. Custom built with subtle interactions, attractive imagery and all the latest technologies, the Place des Arts website includes a detailed overview of the facilities, architectural drawings and renderings, their achievements since 2007 and a clear call to action to get involved.

Who keeps saying downtown Sudbury is dead? That’s cute.

We love our community and pride ourselves on being community-minded. So, when a local soup kitchen approached us for help with their branding, we were excited to have the opportunity to give back.

Blue Door Soup Kitchen relies on the generosity of their volunteers, as well as donors and funders. As demand for this type of service grows and accessing funding becomes more challenging, it was important to establish a professional look for Blue Door Soup Kitchen. In order to continue providing this vital service to our community, Blue Door Soup Kitchen required a strong, modern brand—one that would engage community and funders alike.

When we started the project, there was something that was immediately apparent; Blue Door Soup Kitchen was run by an extremely compassionate group of individuals. Members of our community who are genuinely dedicated to enriching the lives of those who are desperately in need give time, effort and energy to making sure the less fortunate don’t go hungry. This sense of compassion would become the focus of Blue Door Soup Kitchen’s new identity.

The new identity was built on the idea of “opening doors”, a symbolic gesture that is at the heart of Blue Door Soup Kitchen. As the logo started to take shape, we quickly realized that it would be hard to get away from the imagery within the business name, so we embraced it and let it guide our creative process. We experimented with many iterations of the door within the logo, but the magic didn’t happen until we completely removed the door from our initial logo concepts. Then, we found a subtle way to include that little door. At first glance, the viewer can clearly read “Blue Door Soup Kitchen,” and as the viewer interacts with the brand more… Well, we don’t want to spoil it for you, but here’s a hint! If you look between Blue and Door, you may find just that.

We applied the brand to letterhead, business cards, ads, a new responsive website and (our personal favourite) an awesome delivery van decal that incorporates the main concept behind the brand, “opening doors for people in need.” We are grateful for the opportunity to lend our talents to a most deserving cause, and we hope it inspires others to do the same.

The International Mines Rescue Competition (IMRC) brings together international mining teams from across the world around one common goal—health and safety in the mining industry. As the host for IMRC’s 10th edition, the eyes of the mining industry were fixed on Sudbury.

This global competition attracted 27 international teams representing 13 nations to our city to take part in this incredible skills competition that featured first aid, firefighting and unexpected underground scenarios that tested the training and preparedness of the competitors.

Health and safety in industrial fields are international values and we were so happy to have been afforded the opportunity to help share the collective expertise of so many mining teams with the goal of making everyone underground safer.

We’ve been working closely with the IMRC, Workplace Safety North, and Ontario Mine Rescue teams for over a year in preparation for this unforgettable global event. We created a custom brand for Sudbury’s edition of IMRC and designed all marketing collateral including roll-up banners, exhibit booth backdrops, apparel, event programme, as well as video production.

The Northern Lights Festival Boréal (NLFB) is among Canada’s longest running outdoor music festivals: they are holding their 45th edition in July. First held in 1972, the festival is known for presenting Canadian roots and modern music from emerging and highly acclaimed artists. The NLFB organizers were looking for a more youthful and vibrant brand for this year’s festival and came to us to help make it happen. Here’s a look at the design process behind the branding.

We’re excited to have Cody Marcoux join our growing team. Cody just recently graduated from Cambrian College’s Graphic Design program and brings a youthful energy and a dynamic range of skills to the table. As a junior designer, Cody will be jumping right into our creative process—getting his hands dirty in both the web and print environments. Cody is an eager learner and multi talented designer. We know he will integrate seamlessly into the mix. After all, he did complete an internship with us in 2014 and did an amazing job. Welcome back, old friend!

What lessons from the Cambrian College Graphic Design program will you remember forever?

While I’ve learned many technical skills from the program, it was always the life lessons that stuck with me more. I’d be preaching to the choir if I said my college experience was rough, so now that it’s over, I think the lesson that really stuck is that “we won the lottery.” What this means is that we tend to have a case of tunnel vision when everything seems grim around us and we don’t look at the full picture. What might seem like a monster of a problem becomes minuscule when you think of all of the great things you have around you in your life. It’s amazing how we take life for granted when we are overcome with stress, and I’ve learned to question if things are really as bad as I’m making them seem.

What designers do you look up to?

Being the music nerd that I am, I’m a huge fan of the work Peter Saville did for Factory Records throughout the 80’s, as well as Storm Thorgerson’s work for Pink Floyd. I’ve also always loved looking though Saul Bass’ posters and corporate identity work. Stefan Sagmeister is another one of my favourites.

If I had to pick one it would be UX/UI. There’s something about the great feeling you get while using an app or website that is designed well, and I wish every application could feel like that. I also admire that there is some psychology behind how people use their devices and that there are design trends and rules to be followed that really go unnoticed by people, until they’re broken of course. It’s also always changing as we have access to new devices, so the challenge stays fresh with every project.

What unique skills do you bring to Studio123?

I think the best skill I have to offer is that I’m not afraid to learn new things, regardless of how hard it may be. Over the years, this is what allowed me to learn design, sound and video production, programming, and too many musical instruments to name. If a project I’m working on needs a certain skill to be considered finished, I’ve always taken it upon myself to learn how to do it.

In the creative field, you’re only as good as the team you bring together. That is why we always seek to find passionate, talented individuals.

Most recently, we’ve added Sahana Dharmaraj, a third year architecture student at the Laurentian School of Architecture. We were immediately impressed with her versatile skill set, her passion and drive. From architecture and graphic design, to building interactive experiences and creative writing—we’re very excited to have her join our team. 

What sparked your interest in architecture?

I became interested in architecture because it coalesces a lot of my interests into one subject. Architecture can be so many things, from a skyscraper to a bus shelter; learning how humans interact with space on different scales is, for me, the most exciting part.

You’re originally from Toronto, so what made you choose to study in Sudbury?

I visited the Laurentian School of Architecture prior to choosing to attend, and that is when I met our director, Terrance Galvin, for the first time. His passion for the new school combined with the amazing faculty on board, plus the vision that is held for LAL is really what convinced me to leave home and move to Sudbury.

What has been your favourite part of the program so far?

The most challenging yet rewarding experience has been being a part of the charter class of students at LAL. We’ve had so much input in our education, very close relationships with our professors, and we feel as if we’re helping shape the school from the ground up. Not very many people get such a unique university experience, and despite its obstacles, I love every minute of it.

What do you hope to learn through this internship?

I hope to strengthen my ability to communicate graphically, because it is essential in an architect’s career. I also hope to learn more about the design and communications industry, as well as continue learning about client-firm relationships.

We were a little surprised when an architecture student came walking through our doors looking for an internship, because you know… we’re not an architecture firm. So what made you choose Studio123?

For my co-op placement this term, I was looking heavily into graphic design firms because I wanted to strengthen my skills in graphic communication. I chose Studio123 for the amazing work they have done with the local community, for their collaborative approach, and also for their super vibrant and exciting personalities.

Where do you hope to be in 10 years?

It seems hard to imagine where I will be in 10 years because I am often changing my mind, but as of now I see myself as a practicing architect working on community based projects.

Favourite hobbies?

During the school year I have little time for hobbies, but when I am free I enjoy reading, pen + ink illustrations, learning to play my uke, and hunting for new places to eat.

Last movie you saw? Did it suck or was it awesome?

The animated movie “The Little Prince”, based off Antonie de Saint-Exupéry’s Le Petit Prince. It was amazing!

You’re stranded on an island and only have 3 albums with you. What albums would they be?

Crazy for You - Best Coast
Brothers - The Black Keys
The Lumineers - The Lumineers

We are very pleased to announce the launch of the new Yallowega Bélanger Salach Architecture website—brought to life with an elegant, modern design that represents the evolution of YBSA.

Yallowega Bélanger Salach Architecture is a full-service architectural firm based in Sudbury, Ontario. Established in 1964, this firm has shaped the landscape throughout Northern Ontario.

Having designed many of Northern Ontario’s most prominent landmarks, YBSA has also influenced the built environment across Ontario and internationally with award-winning and innovative designs in the education, healthcare, recreation and tourism sectors.

We designed and developed a website that features key information about YBSA’s origins, work, place in the community, and of course, the team behind it all. Equally important to the project’s success, was delivering a website for today’s ever-evolving user. The website functions flawlessly on mobile, tablet and desktop, and also integrates a simplified Content Management System which allows staff to add projects to the online portfolio and edit information on the fly.

Utilizing subtle, yet dynamic user interactions and designing with a simplified user experience in mind, ultimately resulted in intuitive usability.

The team at YBSA is a regional leader in architecture. It was time to make their website the industry leader as well.

We’d like to thank the partners at YBSA for trusting in our vision and allowing us the freedom to build what we believe to be the best online experience for their clients and potential clients. Kudos to over 50 years of amazing work. Here’s to the next 50.