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HOW Singles: Organically Grown
No pro formas, no elevator pitches, no 5-year plans. These entrepreneurs watched their businesses blossom, thanks to a dynamic mix of both client work and product design. See how they did it so you can grow your own thriving business.
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Management
Design industry veterans and respected consultants will help you learn how to successfully manage a creative team, become an effective business leader, encourage collaboration and develop a positive creative culture for your design firm or in-house department.
2 Keys for Successful Brand Extensions
A creative brief hits your desk: Your client or executive team wants to launch a brand extension. But before you start designing, there are two key things to consider that can make or break any brand extension.
Categories: Business Issues, Clients, Design + Business, Featured, Management
Tags: branding, business advice
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37 Ways to Get Fired
In the book “The Corporate Creative,” Andy Epstein offers tips and tactics for thriving in an in-house environment. Here, he lays out a tongue-in-cheek list of ways to get fired in the hopes that you’ll not try them.
Categories: Featured, In-House, Management, On the Job
Tags: career tips, corporate creative, in-house department, in-house designer
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Smart Hiring Tactic
Design-firm principal turned business coach Peleg Top writes about smart hiring practices for design firms. One of his more unconventional recommendations is requiring job candidates to fill out a detailed application form—by hand—and to return it to you by mail or fax. Download a sample application.
Categories: Business Issues, Design + Business, Job-Search Tips, Management
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Surviving as a Creative in Corporate Environments
Check out this exclusive interview with author Andy Epstein, and find out why he compares client management to "herding cats" in the new book The Corporate Creative. More
Categories: Design Career, HOW Books, In-House, Management, On the Job
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Keep Your Firm and Clients, But Ditch the Office
Technology makes it increasingly easy for designers to work just about anywhere. Meet Dustin W Design, an interactive design agency in Los Angeles, that closed doors to their physical office and made the virtual transition—a decision that leaves Leslie Pollock, vice president of client services and strategic planning, with no regrets.
Categories: Design + Business, Design Career, Management, On the Job
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Managing Through a Downturn
Overseeing a team through uncertain times may be one of your greatest management challenges, but it comes with some potential rewards.
Categories: Design + Business, Management
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5 Morale Busters
Following are five common pitfalls supervisors make in lean times, along with tips for avoiding them.
Categories: Design + Business, Management
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Motivating Creatives
Letting your creative team know that you appreciate their work is essential to maintaining a happy and satisfied workforce. Following are four common creative personality types and ideas for keeping them inspired.
Categories: Design + Business, Management
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Getting Employees to Share Their Problems With You
While you don’t want employees to bring every little problem to your attention, it’s important to encourage staff members to mention more serious productivity issues as they arise. Following are some suggestions to prompt employees to do so.
Categories: Design + Business, Management
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Improving Employee Retention
It doesn’t take a lot of money to create the type of work environment that will convince your creative staff to stay. Following are some suggestions for improving employee retention.
Categories: Design + Business, Management
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