»business«

Spotted this interesting categorisation of clients on freelanceswitch.com. Most of us who have had client interactions on a daily basis know exactly what this article talks about :)

Check it out.
12 Breeds of Clients & How to work with them.

Here is an interesting article by Paul Graham about why many start-ups fail:

The 18 Mistakes that Kill Start-ups

For people who are currently in the midst of managing a start-up or planning for one, I think it makes for an interesting read.

As designers, we all are expected to be 'creative' at all times! People assume that accessing the creative person inside us is as simple as using a vending machine - put a design brief into the slot and get a creative idea out of the delivery box. But it isn't that easy. Anyone in the creative industry will tell you that it takes effort, discipline & a well defined process to come out with that 'big idea'.

An interesting article that I found on Steve Pavlinas' blog addresses this issue by listing out a few pointers that help catalyse the creative productivity.

1. Define a clear purpose
2. Identify a compelling motive
3. Architect a worthy challenge
4. Provide a conducive environment
5. Allocate a committed block of time
6. Prevent interruptions and distractions
7. Master your tools

Read the entire article here with explanations and anecdotes for each of these 7 points.

Another interesting article by Steve Pavlina. It is interesting for me to read this as Exit Design is a small design firm and is run by a team who is more driven with the idea of self-employment.

Read 10 Stupid Mistakes Made by the Newly Self-Employed