Criteria for running a succesfull design studio/agency
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- yurimon0
#1 have clients
#2 know math.
- SimonFFM0
Do what you love. It will come back to you (one day).
- Morning_star0
CASH FLOW.
- One would think this would be a consequence of running a successful studio but it's on the list. So yes, CA$H FLOW!ORAZAL
- Bluejam0
“The only difficult thing in running a design studio is not to grow; everything else is easy.”
Tibor Kalman
- set0
You want to simply have as many of those points as possible, no?
- moldero0
1. Do good work for free because you will get recognition and it will help your portfolio
2. Have a partner or partners with money
3. Enough money to start
4. Have a great team / hire the best people that already have money because you wont be able to pay them because we have no money yet
5. Networking / knowing a lot of people with money
6. Cheap Marketing because we have no money yet
7. Shitty Branding of the studio or agency because we have no money yet
8. Cash flow
9. Country or region like Somalia or somewhere very cheap because we have no money yet
10. Have a lawyer that is a friend and wont charge because we have no money yet
- moldero0
why? just team up with other freelance dudes who work from their own offices, you can run like an agency without the hassle, rent, employment hassles. unless you just want to be able to say "I have/run an agency" then good luck.
- monNom0
1. Do good work - not even a criteria. Being able to SELL work is all that matters (unfortunately)
2. Have a partner or partners - just because? Never partner with someone you can hire/replace. Only partner with someone who's so incredibly additive to the organization that it makes up for all the headaches of having to deal with a partner... think of it like marriage, it pretty much is.
3. Enough money to start - yes, but you need to build cashflow as soon as possible, otherwise you're not in business, you're just spending money.
4. Have a great team / hire the best people - this will come with time. Focus on building cashflow so you can afford good people. The best people aren't always the most expensive. but they almost never come cheap.
5. Networking / knowing a lot of people - this is almost a byproduct of getting out there and selling. You might not have a network right now, but if you start trying to sell yourself, you'll build it pretty fast.
6. Marketing - that's a pretty broad topic, not really a line item. This is pretty much the whole business other than the work you bill for.
7. Branding of the studio or agency - yes, but not that important
8. Cash flow - will come with sales/marketing work, most important bit to having a 'business'
9. Country or region - be close to your clients. Meet them in person.
10. Have a lawyer - rarely necessary and incredibly expensive. You can probably skip this one for the near-term if you use common sense and clear language in any agreements. If you are going into partnership, definitely hire a lawyer to review agreements you'll sign.
- pressplay0
Would be good to get some backround info on your position here. From my personal experience it goes the following way: you already have some experience and contacts from working in an agency. You decide to go independent. Mostly this is not on your own but with at least one or two partners who share your vision and are willing to sacrifice a good and steady income for the sake of running their own place. Starting off on your own you don’t need a lot of infrastructure. You rent a nice office, bring your laptops and do a few jobs. Do good work. Word spreads around. You grow. Or not (see below)...
So it’s:
- have partners (2)
- do not take out a loan, build slowly from the profits you gain
- network & do good work that will speak for itself (5 & 1)
- tell (6 & 7)
- profit (or not, no one knows, your partner (2) may turn out as a backstabbing psycho, clients might not pay (8), the new promising intern (4) is indeed a moron... the list goes on)
- doesnotexist0
laughter
- RIZ0
Was also thinking that you need a really clear ethos for everyone to work to. I saw a really great CD from Sydney speak at Cannes earlier in the year who had a simple system to help decide if they would take a project / client on or not:
1. Will it be great work?
2. Will it make us money?
3. Will we have fun doing it?If they could answer YES to at least two of those, then they would take on the project. If they could answer YES to only one, then they would politely decline the work.
This formed the core framework for how they would run their business...
- What agency was it? Turning down work displays a certain arrogance you probably don't start off with...MrT
- freedom0
1. Have clients.
2. Be good at contracts and invoicing.
3. Charge the right prices to make money.
4. Hire people who have valuable skills you do not.
5. Work as a team to create work that impresses clients.
6. Don't work 24/7.