Starting out

If you are looking at starting a design studio there are a number of things that need to be considered before you start out.

Pros and cons of a full time job vs. freelance

A quick drink with some designer mates the other day turned into the old full time vs. freelance discussion. It's always an interesting. Read more...

When do you register for GST?

A recent discussion with one of the students we mentored turned to what they were going to do next year and that lead to whether they should register for GST? Read more...

Start up or buy existing?

One of the first questions that you ask once you decide you want to work for yourself is: should I start a business from scratch or buy an existing business. Read more...

Sharing spaces

Everywhere I look lately someone is talking about a shared space. It’s a great concept and one I think we would have embraced if it had been around when we started. Read more...

The 5 hardest things about starting a design business

Many 'employed' designers dream of one day starting their own studio. It can be a little isolating when the dream turns into a reality.. Read more...

The 3 stages of learning

Years ago we attended one of the How Magazine's Mind Your Own Business design management seminars in New Orleans. The most valuable sessions I attended was by a designer in her 30's... Read more...

Three common mistakes that small businesses make.

Design studios are small businesses, and some errors of judgment can be common to all small businesses. Scan down this list to see how you rate. Read more...

Working from home

Managing our work/life balance is difficult for most of us, juggling a successful design practice, a home, children and a part-time teaching career is pure skill. Read more...

Choose studio management software

When all of your studio information is scattered in different places, the best way to leverage and organise that data would be to manage it in one system. Read more...

Are you a creative business owner?

Are you a business person at all? Designers don’t usually go broke from being bad designers, they fail through being bad business people.

Designers as entrepreneurs

In researching The business of design I developed a model that shows how I think the design industry is shaped. Read more...

Three ways to start a design business.

Just returned from another great DIA Dialogue breakfast titled Start up to stand out. So interesting and such good value - $20 for a DIA member including a breakfast. Understandably it was a sellout. Read more...