advice for starting a graphic design/web business
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- esquise
I am thinking about starting my own design agency and would welcome any advice or links anyone could offer,
thanks in advance
- dsmith70
make sure you have a trust fund or a rich uncle because times are tough and you'll only stay above if ya got the skills.
Join your local SBA and milk the members for leads and services.
Give people solid leads for things they need and they will often reciprocate by sending work your way.
write a business plan and stick to it!
- dstlb0
Turf the entire office, take the whole company on holiday twice a year, free drinks every Friday night, employ me etc.
What experience do you have? Are you planning on employing anyone else or just marketing yourself as a business?
- k0na_an0k0
margarita mondays
topless tuesdays
whirrly ball wednesdays
tackle football thursdays (in office)
forget about work fridayscan't fail!
- esquise0
Its myself (designer) a friend (programmer/designer) and another graphic designer. There are a lot of web design businesses in Northern Ireland that don't have too much talent but still make money. I think theres room for a talented group off people to start a successfull company.
- sparker0
Business Plan Business Plan Business Plan Business Plan Business Plan Business Plan Business Plan.
Hire a lawyer to write up the contracts, check the business model/plan, etc...
Make sure you have all your shit in order with the city/state/etc...tax id's, licenses...
Hire an accountant to manage the books (unless you're a mba or something).
Remember at ALL times, it is a business...and in order to survive, it needs to be run as such.
- gravityroom0
What sparker said.
Just get one solid client first - the office and all that jive will come later.
- Mimio0
Come up with a minimum amount of billable time for each principle in the company. That way all the partners are aware if one isn't pulling their weight.
- Tyrone0
talent has little to do with it. RELATIONSHIPS!!!! Go out there and talk it up. Get those solidified first. The most important thing though would be a line of credit from a bank. At least 6 months of operating costs secured. Otherwise you're fucked.
- davetufts0
I'm going to partially agree with sparker:
(1) hire a good accountant - even if [s]he only comes in once a week, have a professional handle the bling
(2) hire a great full-time sales person
I personally think that business plans are totally over-rated, but it's a good excersize to write one (but after your first year, don't freak out if you're not following it)
- gravityroom0
Do NOT get a line of credit from a Bank!!!!!
That's how you kill your business from the start - go in the whole when you have no money.
Get one solid client and that will determine if you can build a studio or not.
- Tyrone0
business plan is only usefull for securing a loan. other than that the plan is simple. MAKE MONEY! you don't need to write that down.
- Tyrone0
gravity room would be wrong.
- sparker0
ok, a business plan is NOT only for getting money, folks. sorry to burst your bubbles...a proper business plan should not only include your company structure, but the goals and kpi for the business, the cost -> price equations for what you charge clients and, probably most importantly the definitions of your contracts, licensing and intellectual property rights.
this is where you set, in stone legally, how and what clients are able to do with your work once you hand it off to them.
this is what keeps you from getting fucked, either in lawsuits or from clients a) not paying or b) stealing your work.
this is also where patent/copyright definitions would be housed.
this is why designers get fucked so often by clients...they simply don't know how important doing things right can be.
- jevad0
here's some advice - give yourself atleast 4 weeks holiday a year!
- Tyrone0
work for hire contracts and business plans are VERY different things. hate to busrt YOUR bubble.
- mrdobolina0
right, contracts are drawn up at each new endeavor, why would they be included in a business plan?
Another good idea to include in your contracts is a client inactivity clause, so you dont have business hanging out for 6 months waiting to be paid for set it for like 30 days or tailor it to the scope of the project.
- whiteSneaks0
to state a business plan isn't needed is pure ignorance. if one is successful without one it is purely luck. creating a business is process. have you made many excellent websites without mapping out the structure first?
I would say formal business plans aren't needed unless you are seeking investment capital.
this book http://www.onepagebusinessplan.c… has been helpful in my pursuit of some biz ideas i am pursuing.
great designer does not equal great business. many successful design companies turn profits with mediocre work and vice versa
- unknown0
Define business legal structure. (ie sole proprieter, partnership, LLC, LLP, etc.)
Register your name at all levels, state and federal.
Join local chamber of commerce and BBB.
You're only going to land good accounts from people you know and from people they know.
Hit up your non-profits, they always have free money.
Develop partnerships.
Finally, sell your soul to the devil.
1-10
Good luck....
- ninelobsters0
commit a certain amount of time each day to marketing the company and stick to it - especially if it's just you guys.
Don't get caught up in the current project(s) and forget about getting your name out there.
- joyride0
1st thing should be a business plan. it will give you a guide. Plan on spending at least a month working on it. Should be less then 50 pages. It should be used to address problems when they arise, and they will arise. if you have a plan of attack for them then it should not be a big deal. just do what you planned to do. You can always change it, but its a good idea to have one. People that don't have a plan usually arn't in business too long. Just what i have noticed.