YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER
Creative business stories to inspire
by Bernadette Jiwa
With contributions from
ERIC KARJALUTO
NUBBY TWIGLET
CHRIS GUILLEBEAU
DAVID AIREY
LEE NEWHAM
MARK BLOOM
REESE SPYKERMAN
JESSICA HISCHE
DEREK SIVERS
JONATHAN WOODWARD
BLAIR THOMSON
LEA WOODWARD
TARA GENTILE
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER
Creative business stories to inspire
Creative business stories to inspire
by Bernadette Jiwa
by Bernadette Jiwa
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58 / 59
EDGES AND WINDOWS
60 / 61
CREATIVE SUCCESS, IT S
NEVER TOO LATE
Jonathan Woodward
62 / 63
ATTENTION BEYOND THE
COLUMN INCH
66 / 67
28 / 31 ALL THE MONEY YOU MAKE WILL
WHAT DO YOU SELL? NEVER BUY BACK YOUR SOUL
Blair Thomson
32 / 33
VALUE YOURSELF AND WHAT YOU DO 68 / 69
David Airey REMEMBER WHY YOU STARTED
34 / 35 70 / 71
WHAT S WRONG WITH BEING HUMAN? CREATIVE SUCCESS WHERE TALENT,
PASSION & PURPOSE MEET
36 / 37 Lea Woodward
QUESTION WHAT YOU DO
Contents Lee Newham 72 / 73
CHANGE ONE THING
04 / 05 38 / 39
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER THINK BIG ACT SMALL 74 / 75
Bernadette Jiwa DON T WAIT FOR THE APPROVAL
40 / 42 OF OTHERS TO START
06 / 07 GO FOR IT Tara Gentile
FOREWORD Mark Bloom
08 / 09 44 / 45
WHY DO WE COMPETE FIND AND BUILD AN AUDIENCE THAT
TO BE AVERAGE? WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU
10 / 12 46 / 47
RUNNING YOUR OWN RACE TAKE CARE OF YOUR SOUL
Eric Karjaluto Reese Spykerman
14 / 15 48 / 49
EDGECRAFT BUILD A CURRENCY OF TRUST
16 / 19 50 / 53
LESSONS FOR DESIGNERS HOW DO I GET FREELANCE WORK?
TO EMBRACE Jessica Hische
Nubby Twiglet
54 / 55
20 / 23 THE PARADOX OF A MARKETING STRATEGY
BEYOND POSTIONING
56 / 57
24 / 27 WHY WRECK A BLANK CANVAS
UNCONVENTIONAL BUISNESS IDEAS Derek Sivers
Chris Guillebeau
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
2
Contents
3
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This is the start of a journey. This book is for them and for
One where you will be challenged you. Each and every one of
to take your self-doubt bundle the contributors here gave
it up and chuck it overboard. their ideas and time for free
You have just downloaded and without hesitation. Every
YOU ARE
insights from 13 of the most  aha moment you have here is
creative and resourceful entirely down to their generosity.
entrepreneurs on the planet. I also want to thank Seth Godin
What s unique about for understanding how to gently
these people, whether they nudge, then get out of the
are designers, entrepreneurs, way, especially at times when
leaders of movements or I didn t want him to do either.
THE
strategists, is that they started The book design was
out with nothing but their talent undertaken by Blair Thomson
and determination. Without and the team at Believe in"!
a guidebook or instructions, with, uncompromising kindness
perhaps from a place where and a huge heart. I want to
you are right now, they went thank them from the bottom
MAP MAKER
on (and still do), to achieve of mine for Believing in you
amazing things in their creative and this idea enough to bring
ventures on their own terms. it to life.
The thing to remember as you
read this is that these people Bernadette Jiwa
are no different from you or
the girl next door, except in one
tiny detail. They gave themselves
permission to believe in the
power of their own ideas
and started out on a journey
to make their dreams a reality.
BERNADETTE JIWA Every day I work with
people who are equally talented
is a brand strategist, business and resourceful, people who
are on a journey to make their
storyteller and verbal designer mark. Creative entrepreneurs
like you, who are trying to find
at TheStoryofTelling.com the right path to achieve their
potential, but who sometimes
lose their way.
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
4
Contents
5
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ERIC KARJALUTO
THIS IS A BOOK OF STORIES
NUBBY TWIGLET
CHRIS GUILLEBEAU
NOT TACTICS. IT S A BOOK OF
DAVID AIREY
LEE NEWHAM
INSPIRATION AND NOT FACTS.
MARK BLOOM
IT WAS WRIT TEN TO INSPIRE YOU
REESE SPYKERMAN
JESSICA HISCHE
TO BRING WHO YOU ARE INTO YOUR
DEREK SIVERS
JONATHAN WOODWARD
LIFE AND YOUR WORK SO
BLAIR THOMSON
LEA WOODWARD
YOU CAN REALISE YOUR OWN
TARA GENTILE
UNIQUE POTENTIAL.
IT MAY NOT BE A MAP BUT IT
MIGHT JUST BE THE COMPASS
YOU NEED TO HELP YOU ONTO
THE RIGHT TRACK TO MAKING
YOUR OWN.
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
6
Contents
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Google can t optimise your best
WHY DO WE COMPETE TO BE AVERAGE?
offering. It can t optimise what
makes you and your designs

unique. And most of all Google
In a Googlised world where the potential customer
can t really optimise what
based in your city is as likely to choose a designer from
the non-average, exceptional,
Mumbai or Melbourne, it is important to formulate a
client you would kill for and
strategy for building your own brand. These days that s
wants rather than needs to buy.
as much about selling  you as it is about showcasing
Google can t optimise
and demonstrating your talent.
your purpose, your heart or
your soul, your art or judgement,
your professionalism and
enthusiasm. Google is terrible
at defining your talent and your
edge, your clarity of vision or
communication skills. Google
SEO will rarely demonstrate
your work ethic and dedication,
your inspiration or your ability
to solve problems and overcome
obstacles. Google can t tell
clients who will be the best in
their world. Only you can do that.
Most of us are guilty
of wanting to follow instead
of leading. It feels safer to
trod well-worn paths than to
go exploring in a wilderness.
What happens though is that
all we end up doing is rushing
to be average.
Our creativity sapped
we look to see what the other
guy is doing for inspiration.
That doesn t make us inspired.
That renders us a cheap
imitation. Might be an idea
to stop competing for average
and just concentrate on
being great.
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
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Why do we compete to be average?
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In the past year we ve been from this as well. Although the
approached by six different notion of a big firm is exciting,
agencies wishing to acquire many people who work in them
smashLAB. Some were big seem to hate what they do.
players, two were regional This morning I dropped
RUNNING
firms, and the others were Amea my wife and Oscar at the
working as agents for other airport. They are off to see family
operations. Needless to say, in Ontario, and I ll join them
we found all of this quite next week for some time at the
flattering, even if it wasn t Wilburs cottage. On the return
really on our agenda. trip I turned onto Cambie Street.
We toured a couple of I hadn t intended to, as it s under
YOUR OWN
the offices of those who construction; but I was in the
contacted us. We found lovely wrong lane and couldn t switch
spaces and met some nice to another fast enough. To my
people. In a way it looked pretty surprise, I found the route to
damned nice. We knew that be completely smooth sailing.
if we d agree to something As I reached the bridge,
RACE
like what was being discussed, I noticed the few cars in front
we d have better benefit of me all turning onto the
packages, regular holidays, off-ramp. I looked ahead to see
and we d likely make more that the Cambie Street Bridge
money. Nevertheless, we didn t have a single car on it. This
found that our interest dissolved immediately left me feeling as
rather quickly. Over the past though I was making a mistake
decade, Eric Shelkie, the by proceeding, but I eventually
smashLAB crew, and I, have did. I know& I know& You re not
worked a great number of hours. all that interested in hearing
At times it has seemed a story about my drive to work;
a little ridiculous in fact (Eric nevertheless, there s a point
ERIC KARJALUTO and I didn t take Christmas Day here. It s that even with the road
off until a couple of years ago), ahead of me as clear as could
co founder of smash LAB but it sure has been a hell of be, it seemed counter-intuitive
a lot of fun. to take it. I wanted to follow the
a digital agency. At the same time, we ve others, even though it wouldn t
often found ourselves chasing have been the direction I
something  better . In recent needed to take. The right
years, some of those desires road was before me all along,
have been satiated. We ve been and if I hadn t remained open
lucky enough to have our work to happy accidents and an
mentioned in a few magazines alternate path, it wouldn t
and we ve won a couple of have turned out as nicely.
awards. We were really excited We ve all heard the old parable
about these honors, but to be about the  road less traveled .
He and his partner Eric Shelkie are behind great innovations completely honest, the thrill As with most parables, this
like MakeFive, shiftCMS, undrln, and Design Can Change. didn t last very long. On occasion one sounds great, but remains
He is the author of Speak Human a book about how to outmarket we ve landed a really big job difficult to put into practice in
the big guys by getting personal. He lives in Vancouver with and as a result have entertained actuality. I have a theory about
his lovely wife and their two little boys. the notion of growing the firm. award shows, colorful agency
This has also proved exciting, offices and great perks. I think
www.smashlab.com but ultimately we ve shied away they re  golden handcuffs .
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
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Running your own race
2
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They keep us following a dream Would we be happier if we that s terrific. All of those are
that none of us really had, started to work at less fun things. I don t blame you
but instead were told that we conventional times? Should we for liking them and frankly, they
should have. Here we are, the consider leaving behind what appeal to me in some part as
most creative people, and still we re used to and instead create well. Every once in a while
YOUR BEST
we find ourselves in the same only the things that we love? though, I ask myself if those are
trappings as most others. We might find something that really the things that I aspire to;
As Chekhov once noted, suits us better. Or, maybe we d or, do they simply take my focus
 The art of keeping slaves is find out that everything s off of what I really want to do?
being progressively refined. pretty good as it is, and that we Maybe the problem
Many of us are on a track and can just enjoy how we have it. with success is that we don t
that is difficult to break-free Our office is small and take enough time to define it
IDEA MIGHT
from. A lot of us use money as on days like today, it s really quite for ourselves.
an excuse to keep from changing hot. There are no corner offices,
this. I have to wonder what and we don t have a staff lounge
our lives might look like if or anything of the sort. You
we re-evaluated what we probably make more money than
actually wanted. What would I do. (If you don t, just give it a few
BE THE
happen if we chose to live in years& you will). That being said,
a foreign place? we get to have a lot of fun around
here. We get to work on whatever
we want almost every day. There
are still things that we re not as
happy to do, but hey& that s life.
Everyone in the studio
ONE PEOPLE
gets along, and our clients are
really nice to work with. And
given our size, we ve been able
to say  thanks, but no thanks
to those few who have been
overly difficult. We get to create
LAUGH AT
our own projects (like MakeFive)
something that few traditional
agencies would have much
tolerance for. I guess we could
be bigger and make more
money. (Heck, I really like the
sound of the last part.) The miracle of your mind isn t that
At the same time I find you can see the world as it is but that
myself thinking about something you can see the world as it isn t.
Steve Wozniak said:  All the
best things that I did at Apple Kathryn Schultz.
came from (a) not having
money and (b) not having done
it before, ever. I m not trying
to tell you how to live your life
far from it. If you love working at
a big agency, attending award
shows, and seeing your name
in Communication Arts,
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
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EDGE CRAFT
Remember though that your

client really isn t your client at
Design is often the conversation starter, the tool that
all. They may be the one paying
communicates the essence of a brand or a message to the
the design fee, but ultimately
audience. Consider what a powerful tool it is. Creatives are
you are working to please your
commissioned with the responsibility of manifesting the
client s customers.
visual hooks on which everything else hangs. We re not
You can t go wrong with
just talking colours and clever layouts here. The designer
your designs or marketing if
literally has the task of communicating the DNA of the
you truly are putting your real
business, or the idea and more importantly evoking
customer s feelings, (not just
an emotional connection with the audience.
your paying client s) front and
centre. So think about taking
the opportunity to practice a
little Edgecraft.
Find, as Seth Godin
describes in Free Prize Inside,
 the element that transcends
the utility of the original idea
and adds a special, unique
element, worth paying extra
for, worth commenting on. As
a designer or business owner
you have the freedom to use
your creativity to stand out,
discover exactly what your edge
is, and do something remarkable.
Put your energy into
creating something that
changes the way people feel.
Something people want to buy
into. Think about using these
metrics& Did she love it?
Will she talk about it? Why?
Why not?
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
14
Edgecraft
EDGE
CRAFT
15
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LESSONS
1 2 3
FOR DESIGNERS
IF A CLIENT IMMEDIATELY IF YOU WORK FOR DON T TAKE NEGATIVE
LOVES EVERYTHING YOURSELF, FIND FEEDBACK TOO
THAT YOU VE DONE, A SURROGATE ART PERSONALLY.
TO EMBRACE
THERE S STILL ROOM DIRECTOR. If a client isn t excited about
what you re presenting, ask
FOR IMPROVEMENT. It s awesome working at an for some honest, constructive
agency because you usually feedback and build off of it.
It does occasionally happen have an art director at your Clear up any misunderstandings,
and it s the best feeling in the disposal that can provide but don t get defensive. After
world when you receive positive immediate feedback. But if all, if they re paying you, they re
affirmations based on you work at home and are entitled to an opinion. Stand
something that you created. left to your own devices, the your ground if you think that
Though it is a huge outcome can be dangerous! something s not right but
ego boost, you re not perfect. Find someone that you can also listen.
Get feedback from a few trust to give you brutally Take some time to
NUBBY TWIGLET peers and then take it a honest feedback. I am blessed process the information and
step further. that my boyfriend and my then present a revision. If you ve
is more than a blog; brother are both designers given it your best shot and are
so I try to have them review confident with the output but
it s a brand. my work before I send it out. they still don t like it, at least
Nine times out of ten, they you have some peace of mind
have a suggestion that takes knowing that you did your
the piece from good to great. personal best.
Founded in 2003 and run full-time by graphic designer and online personality
Nubby, it encompasses a world in which aesthetics rule supreme. With an eye
for modern and avant garde nuances, she showcases a colour-coordinated
world that transforms the seemingly mundane into simple, everyday luxury.
As a graphic designer with a background in marketing, Nubby seeks to teach
and inspire others through sharing her knowledge gained from working at
multiple advertising agencies while running an online business.
www.nubbytwiglet.com
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
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Lessons for designers to embrace
17
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4 5 6 7 8 10
WINNING NEW WORK CLEAN AND DESIGN THAT LOOKS ACCEPT THE FACT THAT EVERYTHING SHOULD LEARN FROM THOSE
IS HARD WORK. SIMPLE DOES NOT EFFORTLESS IS USUALLY NOT EVERYONE WILL LIKE HAVE A PURPOSE. THAT CAME BEFORE YOU.
I ve been incredibly lucky EQUAL BORING. AN ILLUSION. YOUR WORK. More, more, more isn t always Technology has dramatically
(my biggest clients including better. Don t add more elements changed the landscape of
Forever 21 and Virgin contacted When I was first starting out, You see something that looks Design is subjective and so just because. By adding, graphic design and the  old
me directly) but this is not I felt that I needed to prove so simple and think,  I could do are people s opinions. I ve had ask yourself what you re you schoolers have so much to
always the case. There will be that I could design. This meant that! Then you get started and times where on the very same taking away. teach us! I ve never had to
times when you have to pitch adding in extra flourishes, realize that it isn t so easy. It day, one viewer of my portfolio use French curves or rub-on
against a handful of other brushes and layers of things takes some serious skills to get offered me work on the spot letters by choice. By watching
designers and convince the that, looking back, were that effortless look! The colors, while another had a laundry list established designers
client that you re the best option. totally unnecessary. As you the kerning, the negative space of changes that I should make. from previous generations
It may be tedious and lacking in get more comfortable with and the type choices all As long as you re content with use their unique skill sets
compensation, but if you win the your style and receive more contribute to the outcome. your output, that s all that and tools, it opens us up to
work, you ll know that you ve got training through school, matters at the end of the day. a new way of thinking.
something that the client wants. internships and jobs you ll Remember that if you re
You re officially the teacher s realize that there s no need making everyone happy, then
pet for a fleeting moment! to shout from the mountaintops, you re doing something wrong.
9
 Look what I did! The work
will speak for itself.
IF YOU WANT TO BREAK
THE RULES, YOU NEED
TO LEARN THEM FIRST.
This advice from a fellow
designer is what made me
decide to go to school for
design in the first place.
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
18
Lessons for designers to embrace
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BEYOND POSITIONING
There is a lot of talk out there Building any brand is an and the hard sell. Fighting
in the blogosphere about the ongoing process, with much a battle for people s minds

dumbing-down of the design tweaking and re-alignment is a traditional old message,
Consumers are walking away from the mass
profession, with the advent of happening along the way. supported by a world with
market, they want to get closer and get more
increasing amounts of spec work Therefore, thinking about new just three TV channels and
personal. They want to talk as well as listen, to create
and cheap and cheerful online ways to increase your profile, no remote control. Shouldn t
and to have fun. The new consumer wants you
firms, selling logos designed by nurture professional we be trying to woo our way
to be in their heart not in their face.
poorly paid outsourced workers. relationships, and extend into their tweeting hearts?
Have you ever considered the equity of an established So how do you convey
Kevin Roberts
though, that this might present business, is vital for any brand s the truth and understanding
wonderful opportunities for the ongoing success. Instead of about you, your product,
best designers to differentiate asking,  What should we do business or brand to the world?
themselves? This might just next? try asking,  How could What is the basis upon which
be your chance to be known we do this better? people (clients, consumers
for doing great work, choose Jack Trout first wrote and friends) create expectations
which clients to work with and about positioning back in 1969. and thus act on what they
leverage your other talents at Decades later many still tout sense to be true?
the same time. it to be the worlds number one It starts with a quest
Of course building a business strategy. Positioning for people s hearts, something
brand doesn t happen overnight, was defined as a process by that cannot be managed or
it never has done. But the good which marketers try to create manufactured, because as it
news is that anyone with talent an image or identity in the minds is based on how people feel,
and vision can start at from of their target market, for its rather than what you can make
the bottom, with little or no product, brand or organization. them think. It is not a science
marketing budget and take The words to remember here but an art, and a new strategy
responsibility for crafting their are  try and  mind . From that for thinking about how not to
own credibility. starting point businesses compete in the marketplace.
went on to identify a market
niche for their brand, product
or service utilizing traditional
marketing placement
strategies (i.e. price, promotion,
distribution, packaging,
and competition).
Traditionally there were
a lot of  how and  what tactics
involved. How do we identify
our customers? How do we
dominate the market? How can
we eliminate the competition?
What can we tell them that
they will believe? What
message are we selling?
Positioning as a strategy
was designed to gain mindshare
of consumers. Businesses
strove for their products to be
uppermost in consumer s minds
and achieved this by pushing
their message out relentlessly
through advertising promotion
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
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Beyond positioning
21
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WHAT ELSE?
COMMUNICATING YOUR ESSENCE


As a creative you are not trying to corner the
The foundations of communicating your
market in washing powder sales or own the words
essence are what you say and what you do to
 whiter whites. You are not boxes of cereal
make people feel that they matter.
competing for shelf space at Wal-Mart.
You don t have to be the same. It s your job to
Things like:
be different, not just to think different.
BEING DIFFERENT.
DOING SOMETHING YOU LOVE.
WORKING WITH PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT.
LOOKING FOR NICHES AND EDGES.
SPENDING TIME LISTENING TO CUSTOMERS.
SHOWING NOT TELLING.
BEING GENEROUS AND SHARING YOUR INSIGHTS.
NOT WORRYING ABOUT THE COMPETITION.
FULFILLING THE UNEXPRESSED DESIRES OF YOUR CLIENTS.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS.
DELIVERING VALUE.
DOING SOMETHING UNEXPECTED.
SPEAKING HUMAN.
CREATING SURPRISE.
GENERATING DELIGHT.
CONNECTING PEOPLE TO EACH OTHER.
COMPELLING CLIENTS TO SAY;
 I LOVE THIS!
COMPELLING CLIENT S CUSTOMERS TO SAY;
 I LOVE THIS, WHERE DID YOU GET IT?
BEING YOURSELF.
?
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
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Beyond positioning
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Even though I ve made my living look at his subscriber base, If you re in a business where
as an entrepreneur for more my estimate is that he s living you compete with the store
than 10 years, I d like to let you pretty damn well by encouraging down the street and one of you
in on a secret: I don t much care people to steal his content. has to lower prices to bring in
for business either& at least, not customers, good luck. Instead
UNCONVENTIONAL
in the traditional sense. What I Don t use people help them. of external competition, the
care about instead is business I didn t have business cards competition you face every
that a) doesn t feel like work and for the first decade of my day is INERTIA. The competition
b) is centred around building self-employment. Since I comes from within to get
real relationships. Here are a few meet a lot of people these days, up every day and help people
unconventional business ideas I finally gave in and ordered change the world.
that reflect this philosophy. some recently  but it took
BUSINESS
None of these ideas are truly 10 years. I don t go to Avoid (Almost) All Meetings
original (most ideas aren t). Toastmasters, Rotary Club, Seth Godin is often asked how
Chamber of Commerce, or any he has time to do everything,
Give Everything Away other networking events. The especially write back to everyone
From time to time I meet with problem I have with traditional who emails him. His answer is
business people who ask the networking is that it frequently that he doesn t watch TV and
IDEAS
behind-the-scenes questions involves scoping people out to doesn t go to meetings, so that
about how things work over here. see what they can do for you. I gives him 4-5 more hours a day
They enjoy using their corporate hate this. I know it isn t all about than most people have.
credit card to buy coffee for that  but some of it is, and I just I completely agree. I also
us, and I enjoy drinking coffee. don t like the pretentiousness. don t watch TV and don t go to
Most of them don t understand However& The kind of meetings. Instead I go around
how I can write for free and networking I do now is the world  that does take some
still manage to pay the bills. extremely important. I spend time  and I like to go to coffee
The traditional business about two hours a day shops almost every afternoon.
model of sharing information is connecting with people. I do this I also don t take many phone
to give away 10% as a  teaser primarily through Twitter and calls, but we ll come to that later.
and sell people on the 90% 75-100 emails a day. Everyone
CHRIS GUILLEBEAU behind the curtain. I do the who writes gets a real response Lose the hard sell, or any
opposite  90% (or more) is (sometimes it takes a while, sell at all.
travels the world and writes for a free. The 10% is for the fans and but I take it seriously). The thought of hard selling is
those who need specific help Instead of asking,  What a complete turn-off to me. I
small army of remarkable people best suited to a more in-depth can you do for me? this kind of regularly walk out of stores that
format. Products are available, networking is externally focused. use guilt or scarcity tactics to
at chrisguillebeau.com. in other words  but all of It asks the questions,  How can sell me.  Are you sure you don t
the regular writing is free. I help you? What can I do to tell want the extended warranty?
Oh, and no ads either. other people about you? What Because, just between us, these
Another good example are your goals? I love it. products tend to break down
of giving everything away a lot. Selling that plays on
is Leo Babauta s decision to There is No Competition. fear, guilt, or greed establishes
 uncopyright his work  Someone asked me in a radio negative relationships. I d
everything on ZenHabits is in interview recently if Tim Ferriss rather build my business, and
the public domain. This was was my competitor. Um, no. As my relationships in general,
a masterstroke in building his I see it, there is no competition on positive connections.
network and establishing broad in this business. Tim has helped
authority, even after he had a huge number of people think
He is the author of the bestselling book The Art of Non become quite successful. I differently about life and work,
Conformity. Follow his live updates from every country don t know the private details and that s pretty much my goal
in the world at twitter.com/chrisguillebeau of Leo s finances, but when I too, albeit in a different way.
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
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Unconventional Business Ideas
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If someone writes in and says Regularly turn down money. If your business (or your job, or
IS YOUR PRODUCT A
I m thinking of buying this, can The first part is easy  turn down whatever it is you do every day)
you sell me on it? My answer money from difficult people. is built on taking something
GOOD IDEA?
is no, sorry. I can tell you about Don t hard sell; invite customers from somebody else, I don t
it, I can answer questions, but to participate with you. Give envy you. If you asked me, I d
HERE S A TEST. CHECK
I cannot sell you. money back and walk away from say you re in the wrong business.
Also, if someone ever anyone who becomes difficult. You might as well go out and
THIS LIST:
complains about something I The second part, however, is repossess cars or work for a
sell (it s extremely rare, but more difficult to come to terms collection agency.
some people do go around the with. The second part involves Thankfully, businesses
Internet downloading things turning down money not that  get it are becoming
1
and asking for refunds the same because of rude people but just more common. I m far from
day), I give their money back because something isn t right alone in this. In fact, I really
DESPERATE NEED
IMMEDIATELY. Life is too short for you. Years ago, for example, think that a huge subset of
to worry about those people. I used to feel guilty for giving entrepreneurs who adopt this
PEOPLE NEED (OR THINK
This brings us to the next point: up thousands of dollars in lost mindset will become more
sales because I didn t want to and more successful while
THEY NEED) YOUR PRODUCT
Give people what they want. call people on the phone. I ve traditional business models
If you don t think this is an matured over the years  now continue to struggle.
OR SERVICE.
unconventional business idea, I don t feel guilty about it.
good for you that means you re Wrap-Up
somewhat isolated from Internet Don t listen to anyone By the way, the people who
marketing, or stores that try to (listen to everyone). say  Welcome to the Real
2
sell you things you don t want. I try to follow this rule not only World will say the same thing
My view is that if you have in business but also in life in about some of these ideas
HIGH VALUE
to persuade, you re in the wrong general. If one person doesn t in the business world.
business. Meet people s needs like your work, don t worry.  That s not how it works&
YOU DELIVER HIGH VALUE.
instead. Sell what people buy. Instead, listen to what everyone that s unrealistic&  etc.
If your project meets needs and says. Get feedback from the If you re in business,
YOU RE PROUD OF WHAT
expands the pie (we re coming entire world. Use Google Alerts you can safely ignore this
to that), you re on to something. for your name, search for feedback. The better question
YOU SELL.
what people are saying, (I m to ask is, who is the judge
Don t outsource, just stop @chrisguillebeau  have we of your success? What does
doing stuff. connected yet?), and generally success look like for you?
If you feel overwhelmed and are pay attention to what s going on. I m well aware that my
3
thinking about outsourcing, you business is unsuccessful
can also just stop doing stuff. And the MOST IMPORTANT OF by some standards. I ve
HIGH MARGINS
It works surprisingly well. A good ALL Always Expand the Pie. foregone expansion, turned
question to ask yourself is,  If I In my business, I don t lose if away money, and done almost
YOU MAKE REAL MONEY
stop doing x, will the world come someone else gains. When I everything myself. In the
to an end? If yes, you should gain, no one else loses. This is hands of a more skilled
FROM IT.
probably find a way to do it. If a result of some of the ideas I businessperson, I don t
not, it will probably be OK. True, explained above  the fact that doubt that they could achieve
you may not be able to build a there is no competition, I try higher returns  perhaps
seven-figure business this way, to give people what they want, even with less work. It s
IF YOU HAVE ALL THREE,
but is that your goal? Again, if I don t play sales games, etc. just not who I am.
that s what you want, then you
YOU RE PROBABLY ON
might need to outsource. If not,
you can probably just let some
TO SOMETHING.
things go.
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
26
Unconventional Business Ideas
27
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WHAT DO YOU SELL?
UNDERSTAND YOURSELF

Selling design is very different from selling tall
skinny lattés, boxes of cereal, or tubes of toothpaste,
WHY DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO?
unless you own a logo warehouse that is. Great design
is not a mere commodity and this is what makes
WHAT DO YOU CARE ABOUT AND BELIEVE IN?
differentiating your product a challenge at times.
As a creative would you want it any other way?
WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?
WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES?
HOW CAN YOU BEST PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS?
HOW WILL YOU MITIGATE AGAINST YOUR WEAKNESSES?
WHO DO YOU WANT TO WORK WITH?
WHICH DESIGNERS DO YOU ADMIRE AND WHY?
HOW COULD YOU EMULATE SOME OF WHAT THEY
HAVE DONE TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL?
HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT?
WHAT WILL MAKE YOU BETTER?
Many designers struggle to UNDERSTAND HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE
define their product because it
is more than just the sum of its YOUR PRODUCT
parts, logo, website or layout.
Your product is something pretty
special. You give form to ideas.
Your  art is the ability to take
something abstract or imagined
and create the visual connection
which helps the world to
make sense of that idea,
product or company. Designers
and creatives are the conduit
between the imagined and
reality. You are not just selling
logos, identities and websites.
You are enabling your client to
tell their story better.
How do you tell your
own story better? How do you
reach the audience you want
to hear and believe that story?
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
28
What do you sell?
29
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DOES YOUR STORY REALLY DEFINE WHAT YOU DO?
You have the privilege and the power to change
how people feel about an idea. Your work not only
influences others to make a myriad of choices each day.
It moves people. Your product breathes life into ideas.
WHAT MAKES YOUR DESIGN STAND OUT?
You galvanise, captivate and woo. I can t think
of anything better to market.
WHAT MAKES YOUR WORK BLEND IN?

HOW IS YOUR PRODUCT DIFFERENT?
HOW IS YOUR SERVICE SPECIAL?
ARE YOU DELIVERING ON YOUR
UNDERSTAND YOUR TARGET MARKET
PROMISE, ORIGINAL, UNIQUE, TIMELESS,
FLEXIBLE, ENDURING?
WHAT DRIVES THEM?
CAN YOU CREATE A NEW MARKET AND DO
HOW DO THEY CHOOSE?
SOMETHING THAT HASN T BEEN DONE BEFORE?
WHAT COMMUNICATION CHANNELSDO THEY USE?
CAN YOU REINVENT SOMETHING THAT S ALREADY
HOW CAN YOU NURTURE PROFESSIONAL
BEEN DONE AND DO IT BETTER?
RELATIONSHIPS?
WHAT IS SELLING RIGHT NOW?
HOW CAN YOU PACKAGE YOUR PRODUCT TO
WHAT S NOT SELLING TODAY THAT
MEET THE WORLDVIEW OF THE AUDIENCE YOU ARE
COULD SELL IF IT WAS MARKETED IN
TRYING TO REACH?
NEW WAYS TOMORROW?
WHAT ARE THE TOOLS YOU WILL NEED TO CREATE
COULD YOU PRODUCE SOMETHING
A PRESENCE IN YOUR CHOSEN MARKET?
THAT S SCALABLE?
ARE YOU DESIGNING FOR EVERYONE OR PERHAPS
IS IT POSSIBLE TO CREATE SCARCITY?
CREATING THINGS THAT SOME MIGHT DISLIKE?
WHAT MAKES YOUR PRODUCT REMARKABLE?
ARE YOU ASKING PEOPLE TO SWITCH TO YOU OR ARE
DOES YOUR DESIGN START CONVERSATIONS?
YOU CREATING A WHOLE NEW MARKET?
IF NOT HOW COULD YOU MAKE
WHY WOULD I BUY FROM YOU AND NOT THE
THAT HAPPEN?
DESIGNER WHO RANKS IN THE TOP TEN
IN GOOGLE?
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
30
What do you sell?
31
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I rarely reply to the weekly
email requests that ask for
spec work. For whatever reason,
today I did. Here s the pitch,
and how I responded.
VALUE
Spec work request received
this morning
Hello, I m reaching out to you
to let you know about this
unique project to work with DJ
YOURSELF
Rusko. Talenthouse has partnered
with KarmaloopTV and top
English DJ and producer, DJ
Rusko, to offer graphic designers
the opportunity to participate in
a worldwide project for which
AND WHAT
they can receive global recognition
for their creativity.
The project asks that
graphic designers design the official
 R logo for DJ Rusko which he And my reply
will use on all of his merchandise
and marketing material worldwide Hello,
YOU DO
during 2011. The selected designer Thanks for the kind offer.
will also receive $1,000 (USD) In return, I m reaching
for their design. back to let you know about a
To participate or get unique project opportunity
more information, go to: for DJ Rusko.
DAVID AIREY www.talenthouse.com/rusko- The project asks that
design-official-logo DJ Rusko record and produce
is a graphic designer based in If you have any questions a new music track  one that
feel free to send me an e-mail. mentions my name and my title
the UK. He is the author of the as a graphic designer. I ll play
the track on my website to a
book Logo Design Love. worldwide audience, giving
full credit. I ll also pay $1,000.
If I don t like the track,
or if I prefer one created by
another DJ (I m contacting
thousands of others with the
same unique opportunity),
I won t play it on my site. Nor
will I pay the monetary prize.
To participate, have DJ
Rusko send the completed
MP3 file to my email address.
David has built a huge and respected online following within
the design community from his three blogs, Logo Design Love, Kind regards,
www.davidairey.com and Identity Designed. David
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
32
Value yourself and what you do
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 We have some samples here. The word promotion is defined
WHAT S WRONG WITH BEING HUMAN?
If you give me your address I ll as a message issued on behalf
send you one. Slightly stunned, of some product cause or idea.

I emailed my address asking Promotion then is just a way of
Whilst looking through some design portfolios online
if they were sure this was okay, signalling the world about what
earlier this month I came across a fantastic poster
I live in Australia, Mine"! are we want the world to believe
promoting  Mill Valley Film Festival by Mine"!.
based in San Francisco. The and ultimately act upon. In
It was the perfect Christmas gift for my son (a film student)
postage would not be cheap, many ways it was a heck of a lot
so I contacted Mine"! and asked where I could get
so I sort of forgot about the easier to be heard in the old days.
hold of one. Just five hours later I got this reply;
whole thing. Although we had fewer channels
Yesterday, only three through which to send our
weeks later, a courier arrived messages to a tiny audience,
at my door with a container we also had a lot less noise to
sent first-class by Christopher compete with.
Simmons. Inside carefully We ve gone way beyond
wrapped in tissue like a special the point of no return as far
gift were two posters (I ve paid as promotion is concerned.
$35 for an unframed print to You, the business owner, vendor
be shipped from a gallery in the or artist no longer decides
US and it wasn t presented like who will listen to your message.
this). Although I ve never met People are switching off to
Christopher, been a client of the old messaging signals of
Mine"! or sent clients to them advertising and selfish look
for branding, their message at me tactics. Sure, you can
came over loud and clear. Not decide how to shout but
only do these guys work on shouting isn t going to get you
creating amazing, innovative, very far. Consumers are now
clever and original design, choosing to work with people
they are actually good people they trust and not just those
who care about what they do. who can shout the loudest.
So what s my point? Building trust into
The point is there is no formula messaging is a new way (for
to being successful. There is some) to reach the ideal
no one way or silver bullet audience, client or customer.
to building a successful creative Earning trust is actually
business. You can surf for  how scalable and is built interaction
to links, follow marketing gurus by interaction. Yes, there are
looking for ideas about how a bucket load of tools, apps,
to promote your business, and communities and networks
use a ton of great online and you can use to do this. The key
offline tools and tactics. Those though is to use them to build
tools and tactics might help connections based on genuine
you to interact, but what makes trust. How do you do that?
the quality of your interactions,
messaging, or promotion is
you. Bringing your personality
and your humanness (yes, it s
a real word) into your business
is what will make it fly.
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
34
What s wrong with being human?
35
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One of the great things about they had taken in was an orphan; We set up our agency,
being a designer is that you her parents had died in the 2001  Designed by Good People .
never stop learning. On every earthquake. It was the most We wanted to use what
project you have to understand humbling experience. We have we had learnt working for the
the product or service you are everything back home in the likes of Coca Cola, Unilever,
QUESTION
working on. This includes a lot UK and yet these people didn t Travelex, M&S, Nestle, Axa,
of research and fact finding. even have enough money to buy the UK government, various
If there was ever a pub quiz school uniforms to send their financial, food and ethical
that included the history of kids to school. But at that point brands including all the major
chocolate*, where the phase  The in time they had more than UK supermarkets (and a few
Real McCoy comes from** or we did and they were willing to overseas) to help smaller and
which supermarket spends the share it with us. more ethical brands. We had
WHAT
most money on ingredients for By the time we left they amassed thirty international
ready meals*** we would walk had enough money for the design awards and nominations
home with the trophy. school uniforms. When we went over the years but the most
Over time you gain an back a year later we took a sack satisfaction we had was
insight into products, human of toys as Santa had forgotten working for ethical brands such
behaviour and brands that you them that year. We made as Fairtrade, Liberation and
YOU DO
wouldn t normally experience excuses for Santa, as  he didn t Waitrose or smaller brands such
outside of a creative profession. see them beneath the trees . as Loseley and Berry Brothers.
Working for the worlds largest The smiles on their faces have Our aim is to make a
companies across the globe been the greatest reward we have difference by using some of our
has been eye opening. ever had. It makes you question profits for a good causes (last
In El Salvador, we were the morals and ethics of the year we spent the money we
on a road trip to see some Mayan business you work in and the would have used on a printed
Ruins. Our hire car seemed to clients you work for when Christmas Card on buying
slowly die one component at you have an experience like that. shelters, hygiene kits, school
a time. First the radio went, then Work is a huge part of supplies and mosquito nets for
the air conditioning died, the your life and it s important to people in need). We supported
automatic gearbox only worked enjoy what you do. Once we various local campaigns, created
LEE NEWHAM in one gear and then it finally were happy to provide creative a much talked about blog to make
slowed to a stop. Opposite solutions but now we felt our local high street better and
is Creative Director of was an adobe shack with a something was missing. We encourage people to shop locally.
cardboard roof made out of wanted what we did to mean We do as much as we can to
Designed by Good People old advertising signs and rice something, to be constructive, reduce our carbon footprint.
sacks. You see lots of them in El to be more ethical and By narrowing the focus
Salvador as you zoom by in a car. sustainable. We wanted to believe of our business, by being true
We weren t zooming by this time. in what we did and perhaps even to our values we found people
We crossed the road to find help people like Ancelmo, started talking about us. People
shelter from the scorching sun. Candida, Carlos, Fredy, Carolina, who believe in the same things
The family living there greeted Delmy, Meidy, Yuri, and Maria. you do will spread your idea
us with bright smiles and wide Inspired by this great quote by and word of mouth is the sort
Before setting up  Designed by Good People in 2010 we gained vast experience at various design eyes. They had no running economist Tim Jackson: of advertising money can t buy.
and advertising agencies, amassing 30+ design awards and nominations. During that time we water, electricity or modern I once read somewhere that,
produced work for clients as diverse as Tesco, Nat West, Unilever, Axa, Sainsbury s, Loseley, Marks conveniences. The husband  People& are encouraged to  you get the clients you deserve .
& Spencer, Whittard of Chelsea, Travelex, Diaggio, Skype, J&B, Coca Cola, Asda, Birds Eye and boys were out harvesting spend money we don t have, on We encourage our clients not
Wall s, The National Trust, Liberation CIC, Dreams, Waitrose, Fresh & Easy and Fairtrade. corn. The mother offered us things we don t need, to create to try to be all things to all
We set up  Designed by Good People to focus on work for clients we believed in. Our motto is: food despite the fact that there impressions that wont last, on people. But to be everything
 We believe in ethics, environment and ideas, well crafted,  Designed by Good People . wasn t enough to go around. people we don t care about . to the people they want as
They borrowed beans from a clients. Stay true to your
www.designedbygoodpeople.wordpress.com neighbour. One of the children values. You do better work when
you believe in what you do.
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
36
Question what you do
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The company stands by the  Being the biggest in the world
values it aspired to when it was is not necessarily the best.
THINK BIG, ACT SMALL
just Kylie, her husband Richard We want to be known for being
and their dog Morrison. the best airline in the world.

I think that s part of their Richard Branson
Kylie Radford still remembers the day she wrapped
secret, sticking to the values
her first customer s purchase with shaking hands in her
of the small business as they Don t stop thinking big.
tucked away little shop. Now just a few years later she
grew. They didn t need to jump Just remember to act small.
has a thriving fashion label and six retail stores.
up and down shouting for
attention. That s what enabled
this company to create
something that women desired.
Being small meant Morrison
could understand what really
worked. It meant that they could
decide to allow the panicked
lady with the broken credit
card to take shopping home
on Christmas Eve and come
THINK
back and pay after the holidays.
Smallness enables that kind
of trust.
Being small means
you are agile. You can make
decisions fast without waiting
for the committee to get its
heads together around the
boardroom table. Small gives
you the power to make human
decisions based on what you
know is right for your business.
Small means you are more
responsive and ready to adapt
quickly to your customer s
needs and anticipate their
undeclared desires. Small
businesses remember client s
BIG
names and answer emails
quickly. Being small means you
have regulars and evangelists
not just a big advertising budget.
Small acting, big
thinking businesses grow to
accommodate the wants of
customers, not just to
ACT manufacture something they
might need one day. Your
ability to act small is what
makes customers love you.
SMALL
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
38
Think Big, Act Small
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I set up Mash Creative in belt I had really caught the Plenty of people have what they
November 2009, by Feb 2010 bug and was already thinking consider to be great ideas but
I had produced my first piece about what other products I how many people actually put
of self promotion  an A1 could design and sell, the their money where their mouth
Limited Edition Calendar  question was though  What? is? I was committed to my idea
GO
albeit 2 months into the year! Then an idea came to and after talking to some close
The calendar was originally me. I remember the day well, family and friends about it
intended as a promotional tool it was Sunday 31st July 2010, I decided it was worth a shot.
to be sent to potential clients was sitting on the sofa drinking The first of many challenges
but after some great feedback a cup of tea when I had a eureka was trying to find suppliers to
I decided to make it available moment. I looked at the mug I print my products. This has
to buy. The poster was sold was holding in my hand and possibly been the hardest part
FOR
on Counter Objects, a well- thought why hasn t anyone of producing a collection of
respected online design shop branded a product that states products. The quality of the
based in the UK and sold out what it is  essentially stating product had to be good but at
within a few months. You get the obvious, in this case;  This the same time I would need to
a real buzz when people buy is my Mug ? I spoke to my wife buy them in cheap enough to
something you have designed about the idea and then got allow for a reasonable mark-up.
IT!
and it also served its purpose really excited about the endless As well as the four
as a promotional tool as the possibilities of branding products I also designed and
calendar was featured on products using their description. produced a custom made box
several design blogs as well I had a clear vision right to house the mug, embroidered
as landing me with a freelance from the start about how I labels for the t-shirts and tote
commission from a well wanted the design of the mug bags, and a choice of two
know publishing house. After to look  black with simple notebooks  silver and clear
seeing how well the calendars white typography to keep foil, this resulted in 8 separate
sold I thought that producing consistent with the Mash suppliers to produce just 4
products aimed at other Creative branding. A few days products. If you are going to
designers might give me later I decided to mock up some do something you may as well
another string to my bow. rough designs, the mug didn t do it right from the start, of
MARK BLOOM Counter Objects got in take long to design, from there course some compromises had
touch with me several months the idea just snowballed into to be made along the way due
is Creative Director later asking if I would produce several products. to budget or print constraints
another calendar to be sold I wanted to produce but where possible I always
of Mash Creative and exclusively through their site items that people would want tried to find the best solution
because the first one had been to buy, be seen in or use. The for that particular product.
State of the Obvious® so successful. By mid summer original collection was aimed at Sometimes things just
during a quiet period between designers. I knew that I wanted seem to have a habit of coming
jobs I designed my second t-shirts, mugs, notebooks together, for instance coming up
poster for resale, a glow in the and tote bags in the collection with the brand name. I wanted a
dark, screen-printed limited because they are functional and name that would simply sum up
edition calendar echoing the would sell well. Four products what the collection was about,
theme from the previous years seemed ambitious and I knew the name State of the Obvious®
calendar. Personal projects it would mean an investment was the first name that came
are a lot of fun to work on as from me, both financially and to me and seemed logical. I had
A collection by Mash Creative State of the Obvious® is a collection unlike client work there are in personal time but I was big plans for the collection
of products produced by UK design studio Mash Creative. State of the no deadlines to speak of and convinced that for a collection and after some more research
Obvious® went from an idea to production and being sold internationally you have full, unrestricted of products to sell I would have to make sure  State of the
in just 2 months and with a very limited budget. creative control. So having two to show how the theme could Obvious® hadn t already been
calendar designs under my be rolled out. used I decided to trademark it.
www.mashcreative.co.uk
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
40
Go for it!
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With Christmas fast approaching out of their original order in just
I gave myself a launch date of over three weeks. I re-invested
October, just two months to all the money I had earned
design, make and prepare for into new stock. Several months
sale the State of the Obvious® on S/O/T/O continues to go
PEOPLE WILL
collection. I knew that if I was from strength to strength, we
to stand any sort of chance have received interest from
of making back my original big galleries both in the UK and
investment I would really need Australia. Been featured in IDN
to cash in on pre-Christmas magazine, Eight:48 magazine
sales. It s hard to explain the as well as several design books
amount of unseen work that and numerous design blogs
CALL ON YOU
goes into a project like this, the including, I.D, September
design actually only makes up Industry and Design Milk to
a small part of it. Most of my name but a few. With resellers
time was spent dealing with lined up in the USA and with
several suppliers at once and several new products due for
trying to get pre-production release who knows what the
TO BE REALISTIC
samples sent out before future holds.
pushing the button. If I m honest with myself
Of course, it would have I would say that State of the
been no good spending months Obvious® has been quite a
of my time and investing self-indulgent project although
several thousand pounds into I wouldn t have spent money
the project without resellers on on it if I wasn t convinced the
AND
board. I had already received products would sell. S/O/T/O
interest from Counter Objects and the Ltd edition posters I
who committed to selling the produce do bring in a bit of extra
collection without even seeing cash but I think of them as
the design based on Mash promotional tools more than
Creative s portfolio of work. a revenue generating venture.
SENSIBLE.
A friend of a friend then put Could I make State of the
me in touch with Magma books Obvious® a full time business?
 probably the best know I believe so.
design bookshop in London. I once read,  Do
Much to my delight they something, anything and
expressed a keen interest and good things will start to happen . Just like them. They will urge you to wait for the
placed an order, which pretty If you believe in your product  right time . And maybe you will.
much bought up my entire stock! or have a great idea why not
With just days to go just go for it? You might wait to work on the idea that simply can t
before my October deadline I fail. Why? Because you don t want to feel like you are
got in contact with several six years old again. Because you can t bear the thought
design blogs. I knew that if I of putting something imperfect out into the world.
could get the collection seen Something that might fail.
by other designers that it might
generate enough interest to
produce sales and on October
1st right on deadline I received a
feature on September Industry.
The next few weeks were a huge
success with Magma selling
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
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FIND AND BUILD AN AUDIENCE
HELP PEOPLE OUT WHERE YOU CAN.
THAT WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU
LOOK FOR PROBLEMS TO SOLVE.

Commit time to interacting with people both
CREATE AN AMAZING IDENTITY FOR YOURSELF, SOMETHING
online and offline. Enable your interactions with
people by telling a consistent story that is authentic.
WORTH TALKING ABOUT.
Everything about you from your blog comments
to your website design and the tone of your emails
REFLECT YOUR EXPERTISE AND VALUES TO YOUR
is part of the story. True stories work best.
POTENTIAL CLIENTS (NOT JUST YOUR PEERS) THROUGH YOUR WEBSITE
BRANDING.
WRITE A BLOG.
CONNECT USING TWITTER, FACEBOOK, LINKEDIN,
HASHABLE AND ON AND ON.
GUEST POST ON OTHER BLOGS.
LEAVE VALUABLE COMMENTS ON BLOGS YOU RESPECT.
SEND SAMPLES.
RUN A COMPETITION.
BECOME A SPEAKER.
Create something people PUBLISH BOOKS OR EBOOKS.
want to talk about
Focus on doing great work. SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE.
Design things that people love
and can t help sharing. Allow HOST A NETWORKING GROUP LOCALLY FOR DESIGNERS.
your work to speak for itself.
People like you who give form ATTEND BUSINESS NETWORKING EVENTS WHERE
to ideas have the opportunity
to be unique. That s an edge YOU ARE BASED.
in itself.
Make it easy for people TAKE A GENUINE INTEREST IN PEOPLE.
to spread word about you
Consider how people BE INTERESTING.
interact with each other.
Work out new ways to make
it easy for them to spread
your work, ideas and designs. HOW HAVE YOU MADE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE
Although there is no
map, here s a short list of TO HEAR ABOUT YOU?
potential routes to think about.
HOW COULD YOU DO IT BETTER?
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
44
Find and build an audience that wants to hear from you
45
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There s this miracle when I am not walk out that door is another you want to go because you begin
outside or just chilling in bed  day your joints cry silently inside to relish the journey, pain and
they come like beautiful fairy and your heart wonders what it walls and distractions and all.
tales. And then when I sit down ever did to piss you off so badly. Your end creation is a
to type, it s crickets. Or it s crap. When you don t exercise, you mash up of that journey and if it
TAKE CARE
The part of me with all the pent let down your heart, your arteries, is beautiful and affects people,
up poignancy freezes like a your joints and your belly. it s because of its warts and
camera-shy 15-year-old boy. When you don t push through rocky path. Go see the movie Run
A very large wall exists the creative blocks, you let down Fatboy Run. Watch the scene of
in the world of creativity, and your soul. him coming to a psychological
pushing through it is no magical Absorb that for a minute; wall. Watch him beat himself into
thing. It is an act of persistence, you let down your soul. You feel a pulp on it. You have your wall.
OF YOUR
an inner screw to resistance. emptier and emptier until it seems It might feel right now like twenty
It s noting the resistance and the like there s no resolution in sight feet of deep concrete. And you
block and doing your damnedest to this creative roadblock, and feel like you have no bulldozer or
to push through it anyway. why should you bother when wrecking crane to tear it down.
Sometimes it doesn t work. it s that far gone? Kind of like There is no bulldozer or
You wonder if you are split, if there when you gain a hundred pounds, wrecking crane. But there s that
SOUL
really is the  you that has the and the journey looks too far to small hammer and chisel in your
Oscar-worthy dreams during your even begin to take a step. I know. hands. The tools are the effort you
evening walks or in bed at 2am. You want quick gratification. put in each day. It s seeing behind
Then there s the  you that You want to sit down and paint the tiny chips that matters. It s
sits down to do  the work and you or write the chapter of that knowing that with concerted
might as well be a burger flipper book and within ten pages feel effort, the wall begins to crumble.
at that point. You have to push like Ernest Bloody Hemingway. That momentum takes over.
through. You give up too easily at Poor Ernest. One tiny chip at a time, every day.
the smallest sign of resistance, I would venture to guess Start today. Ten minutes
of blockage. You throw up your on many days; even he didn t feel of taking a small step toward
hands and declare you must not like Ernest Bloody Hemingway. fulfilling a dream. Write a
be creative, or at least not tonight, The magic, most days, won t miniature piece. List what you d
REESE SPYKERMAN and each time you do this, you come within ten minutes or ten do with your life if money were
let a moment leave a nugget of pages. You will do your thing, no object. Visit the art store at
A designer, recovering journalism a legacy behind. look at the output, and feel it s lunch. Write a greeting card to
I know this because I am a waste of time. But your soul an old friend. Each day, do
school grad and introvert. you and I have done that and doesn t think so. something small to honor your
some days, when I wake up an Does the five-year-old dreams, to move a step closer
inbox of thirty requests, I am still who jumps in your piles of raked to doing more of what you love,
you. I don t push, either. Pushing leaves think your sweeping of and less of what you hate. You
is hard. It s like when we don t them was a waste of time? Do don t have to write the whole
exercise enough. Some people YOU? The five-year-old jumps into symphony. But it will never get
get these eye-rolling highs off the leaves for a sliver of a moment written if you don t sit down at
sprinting marathons, but not us. of joy. It is enough. The five-year- the piano and plough your way
We exercise because we know it s old fuels her soul each day with through hot cross buns, mistakes
good for us, and fifteen minutes these kinds of morsels of joy, and all. Your dream is in the
into it, we feel freer, but it s a drag without regard for their  value . distance. Each day of hot cross
Reese Spykerman s biggest claim to fame is bringing small moments to get there every morning. The No gesture of creativity, however, buns edges you closer to your
of beauty into the world. A designer, recovering journalism school grad push is the same. It s like putting fleeting, is ever wasted. symphony and closer to the
and introvert, Reese runs Design by Reese. You can connect with her on the yoga pants and getting thee You are worth the time. part of you you ve left behind
(and she d love to hear from you) on twitter @reese. out the door. There are a million You are worth the push. Today, for too long.
reasons and excuses why you will for this moment, it is not about
www.designbyreese.com not do this, and each day you do the outcome. You get to where Your soul will thank you later.
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
46
Take care of your soul
47
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BUILD A CURRENCY
Now more than ever as our
networks expand and we
OF TRUST
operate in the global village,
not just our neighbourhoods our

transactions are built on trust.
It s tempting when selling your product, service
Trust is built over time. Bit by
or idea to just focus on what it takes to make
bit. Interaction by interaction.
a particular transaction happen. That transaction might
It doesn t matter whether that s
make a dent in the balance sheet in the short term
via Twitter, in your agency or
but it s important not to lose sight of what will make
on your Facebook page.
a long-term difference to your business.
Becoming  social is big
business and is set to become
even more so, with new ways for
us to help us interact and gain
kudos popping up every other
day. Are we are so busy trying
to interact with customers and
become influencers, that we
are losing sight of the reasons
that interacting was important
in the first place?
If people trust you,
they will listen to what you have
to say and if they want to, they
will buy what you sell.
The purpose of interacting
is not to sell your idea or your
answer. It is to foster the next
interaction. To build a currency
of trust.
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
48
Build a currency of trust
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Dear Designer McDesignperson, Imagine if you had to put Befriend other designers.
I am a current senior together your own  dream office It seems so simple, so many
majoring in design/illustration. environment . Who would young designers see their peers
I was wondering what I can you populate it with? At first as competition rather than the
do to promote myself and you might think to take the most folks that will eventually be
HOW DO
get freelance work?& (five talented folks you know, stick sending them all of their work.
paragraphs of life story) & them in a room together, and If that restaurant owner s friend
any advice you can give would wait for the magic to happen, is a bit savvy, she might have
be greatly appreciated! Thanks! but you would ultimately be recommended a really great
I, and other designers disappointed with the results. designer to her friend. That
and illustrators that are doing You need a good team dynamic, designer s pricing may be above
fairly well in the field are asked you need people that can keep what the restaurant owner can
I GET
this question constantly. Each their egos in check, and most afford, so she recommends a
time, I wish I had a precise and importantly you need people designer friend that is slightly
perfect answer to give to the that you generally want to be less expensive. That friend really
sender, but I don t not because around if you re going to be wants to do it but is a little too
I forget what it s like to struggle spending nine (or more likely busy at the time (and the budget
for work, but because what sixteen) hours a day with them. is decent but too low to warrant
FREELANCE
works for one person does not Designers. You guys might several all-nighters). But wait!
necessarily work for all people. have a harder time getting (paid) Didn t some really nice recent
If you are a student or someone client work than illustrators. grad just send her a (VERY
starting out in the field, There aren t any direct venues SHORT AND NICE) email with
here s a bit of advice I can give for promoting yourself as a a link to a really great portfolio?
you on how to get work and designer other than winning Maybe that new designer
promote yourself. design competitions, and even would be willing to work within
WORK?
If you are friendly and then you are only really promoting the budget? Problem solved.
enjoy talking to new people, yourself to other people within Restaurant owner gets a
you will hands-down have an the design industry or not far beautiful new logo, and
easier time promoting yourself removed from it. Think about it. fresh-out-of-school designer
and getting work than folks that If you were a normal person in gets paid by making use of her
JESSICA HISCHE are not (sorry anti-socialites, the process of opening your own network of friends.
but it is true). The truth is, it restaurant, how would you go Have a website. This
is a typographer and illustrator doesn t matter how talented about hiring a designer? You might be a no-brainer, but a ton
you are, if you are a total a-hole certainly wouldn t think;  hey, of young people looking for work
working in Brooklyn, New York. or incapable of talking to other why don t I go see what s don t have a functioning website
human beings, it will be a happening on Design Observer because they re still struggling
massive struggle for you to today or,  why don t I spend to build some crazy flash
get repeat clients or even to the day browsing that obscure bonanza themselves. STOP.
secure clients first time around. design magazine? . You would Unless you want to do web
So much of the design ask your friends if they knew any work for a living, sites like cargo
and illustration industry is designers. And those friends collective, Indexhibit, and
After graduating from Tyler School of Art with a degree in Graphic Design, she worked for Headcase Design
about building relationships would ask their friends. So Carbonmade are perfectly fine
in Philadelphia before taking a position as Senior Designer at Louise Fili Ltd. While working for Louise, she
with people. It s a bit different essentially, if you re not a few ways to make portfolio sites.
continued developing her freelance career, working for clients such as Tiffany & Co., Chronicle Books, and
for illustrators than designers, degrees away from that potential Many professionals use them
The New York Times. In September of 2009, after two and a half years of little sleep and a lot of hand
(illustrators tend to not meet client, your chances of working as they are easy to update,
lettering, she left Louise Fili to pursue her freelance career. Jessica has been featured in most major design
most of their clients face to face with them are slim. And how which you will learn is THE MOST
and illustration publications including Communication Arts, Print Magazine, How Magazine, The Graphis
nowadays), but nonetheless, if do you promote yourself to important function a portfolio
Design Annual, American Illustration and the Society of Illustrators. She was featured as one of Step
you are personable the chances people that don t know they website should have. Illustrators,
Magazine s 25 Emerging Artists, Communication Arts  Fresh , Print Magazine s New Visual Artists 2009
that an art director will want need design yet? This is the this goes for you too. Do work
(commonly referred to as Print s 20 under 30), and The Art Directors Club Young Guns.
to hire or work with you are toughest question but one that for friends.
way higher than if you aren t. has a couple of solutions:
www.jessicahische.is
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
50
How do I get freelance work?
51
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The first point is more about approved (if they trust you, Designers have it a bit easier and Behance are also good. this kind of contact can be From experience (and from
networking with designers; by they ll be less likely to question because essentially you re trying Deviant Art might work within very helpful. judging competitions and
 work for friends I mean actually every move you make). You can to promote yourself to designers. some very specific circles, but Look into artist whatnot), humour forever wins.
do work for the people that you of course build up a reputation As an illustrator, your for the most part (I believe) is representatives. Reps don t If you re not exactly a comedian,
hang out with day to day that without winning competitions. initial bread and butter will most not highly searched by editorial, work for everyone, but some make something that will
aren t designers. If you went to Pay attention to the industry. likely be editorial work (working publishing, or advertising people benefit greatly by having make people think or just
art school, you undoubtedly You have to keep up with what s for magazines, newspapers, or art directors. an artist rep. I was one of those make something so glorious
have a whole slew of friends that happening with design, who s online publications). To promote Many of these places people. My rep helped teach and beautiful that they can t
need design work, be it business who, etc. You ll end up in a ton yourself to art directors within are free to sign up with, some me about a lot of what s listed help but show it around.
cards, logos, websites, etc. Work of professional social situations the editorial world, there are a require a low fee, but no matter above and put my work in front So there you have it, a
something out with them where where you will feel like a total few things you can do: what they will most likely be of a lot of faces within a short relatively short list of the advice
you can either be paid a friendly moron if you can t hold an Actually meet with art worth it in the beginning. time frame. One thing to keep in I can give you if you re starting
fee, or barter with them for intelligent discussion about directors. This seems really old Remember you also need a mind though is you want to work out. I ve only been doing this
something you need, even if it s a crazy famous person or school, but it works. Again, if website. Enter competitions. with someone who is there for for a couple of years, but so far
a few extra hands the next time campaign in the industry. At you re a people person, you ll While designers might not you and is not just in it to make a a number of these things have
you move house. A lot of people least work on your ability to have more luck with this, but immediately benefit freelance- buck. They should be mindful of worked for me so they may
will want free work, but if you ve fake knowledge about things. never turn down an opportunity wise from being featured in your mental health, not push you work for you. Like I said though,
ever lent money to a friend, you My favourite method is what to meet with art directors. Art annuals, illustrators absolutely to do things you don t want to do, everyone is different. Play
know the chances you re going to I call the  delayed reaction directors are content curators, do. Art directors looking for and ultimately help make your to your strengths; be nice to
be paid back are around 30/70. acknowledgement , where you even if they don t have a job for illustrators definitely check life easier rather than harder. people, and in time you ll come
It s the same with your design look confused at first, ask for you immediately, they may in the annuals to see who s who in Generally I think smaller rep out on top.
skills, giving them away for free, one more detail about the event, future, and if they feel a personal illustration and find artists for groups are better, as you get a
even to friends, probably means and then let a fake eureka connection to you over someone assignments and campaigns. more hands-on experience. What
no future return. If you have moment flood over your face that is doing similar work, they re In my personal experience, reps do definitely help with is
any doubt about whether or not  Ohhhh THAT person, of course! . more likely to hire you. This works American Illustration and price and contract negotiation,
you should do something for Works every time. best if you live in New York or Los Communication Arts tend to paperwork, and promoting you
free, I made a handy flowchart, Most importantly, don t Angeles or a city that a number have the most return, but both to the advertising field.
which you can find at www. expect that you ll get out of of publications work out of, but are very hard to get into. The Make work. One of the
shouldiworkforfree.com. school and then be immediately really there is a magazine or Society of Illustrators Annual is best things you can do for your
Contact charities. inundated with freelance work. It newspaper in every town. Worse very highly respected among the career is to be productive. If
Charities are a great jumping takes most people years to build case scenario, meeting with illustration community and is you re not getting client work,
point for getting freelance work. up enough client work to branch people helps you hone your worth submitting to if only for do self-authored personal work.
You won t necessarily be paid out on their own and work entirely people skills. glory within the industry. Most young people that are doing
anything, but at least you can feel freelance, so when you re fresh Learn proper email European annuals appeal to an anything in the industry right
good about the free work that out of the gate, expect to have a etiquette. Do not write novellas entirely different market and I now got there because of a
you re doing and hopefully garner day job of some sort to support to art directors if you re going to cannot speak extensively on personal project that propelled
some good portfolio pieces out of you while you build up your client write an art director, keep it short them as for the most part I only them into the public conscious.
the experience. Also, people that list. Designers have a leg up and sweet. Don t attach massive enter the American annuals Not only will people feel more of
work at charities know people because they can have a design pdfs of your work; don t pressure (which already add up to a lot a connection to this kind of work
that work at non-profits (paid day job while doing design them to write back to you with in fees by the end of the year). (because you poured your heart
work) and THEY usually know freelance at night. Having a day criticisms. Chances are, they are Buy lists from adbase and soul into it) but it also shows
people that work at legitimate job is also helpful for more than very busy, and if you make them or other similar services. You future art directors that you
businesses (well-paid work). just paying the bills when you  work for you, it will annoy them can actually subscribe to CARE. It shows that you love
Enter competitions. They start out, you learn SO MUCH and most likely tarnish future services that give you thousands what you do and would be
might not immediately get you about the industry from every working relationships. of contacts for art directors. happier working at it for the
client work, but having a few job you have. Even seemingly Put portfolios up everywhere This can be extremely useful rest of your life than sitting on
accolades under your belt will crappy jobs can teach you a lot online. When art directors are for sending out promotional the sofa procrastinating.
certainly make potential clients about production or at the very looking for illustrators, they material or making connections. Send out promos. They don t
feel confident when they hire you, least help narrow down what consult portfolio databases It can feel a bit  cold callish , have to be printed; they can
which can often times translate you do and don t want to do along with annuals. AltPick is but if you keep your emails light be digital, but no matter what
to less of a struggle to get things with your life. a good one, Illustrationmundo and friendly and non-spammy, they should be memorable.
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
52
How do I get freelance work?
53
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THE PARADOX OF A MARKETING STRATEGY
They had been given a Being spontaneous and
magnificent opportunity, not authentic it turns out can

just to help raise the desperately be a great way to really
It was the summer of 1985 and U2 were pretty excited.
needed money for the starving connect with people. Finding
They felt they were on the cusp of being where they wanted
in Africa but to get exposure to opportunities to get closer
to be. Not just another rock band. Their music was
a live audience of 80,000 and to your audience, customers,
gaining a following beyond Ireland, their records were
two billion more who would be clients, followers and
selling and people seemed to be taking notice. There
watching the televised Live Aid readers is not only important.
was a sense that it wouldn t be long before they broke
event around the world. It s also great marketing.
into the elusive US market.
The fifteen-minute
slot would include three songs;
 Pride their big hit being the
finale. This could be the making
of them. Half way through
their performance Bono
inexplicably left his fellow band
members helplessly filling in
on stage, he moved forward,
edging ever closer to the crowd,
reaching out, and gesturing
as if to pull them towards him.
Finally he broke every
single rule in the book and
leaped from the stage. The
yellow shirted security guys
were panic stricken. A young
woman was plucked from the
sea of faces and delivered
into Bono s arms. He embraced
her and they danced as the
band played on until he finally
released her with a kiss on
the back of the hand.
As the set came to an
abrupt end Bono realised he d
blown it. There was no time
to play  Pride and U2 left the
stage looking shell-shocked.
In the days, weeks and
even months after Live Aid
many people said that Bono
leaping down to dance with the
girl was the most memorable
moment of the event. That
unplanned performance is
now recognised as a defining
moment in U2 s career.
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
54
The paradox of a marketing strategy
55
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At the last apartment I rented, But each word you add
everything was white on white reduces its possibilities.
when I arrived. White walls, Same thing with that
counters, table, furniture, business idea you ve had
and carpet. So I took it one forever. Or that beautiful person
WHY WRECK
step further, bought five blank you haven t spoken with.
canvases, and hung them So maybe you should
around the apartment. I hung just leave them in your
one especially big one right imagination, where they re
at the entrance. at their best.
Visitors would get upset,
saying,  You ve got to put OR& MAYBE&
A BLANK
something there! You can t just The one thing that would
leave it blank! It needs color! be even better is if you&
I d say,  Good point. Like what?
What do you imagine?
CANVAS
They d say,  Y know, like some
bold splashes of dark red, but
not too heavy. Something with
clean lines.
I d say,  Hmm& I m not sure
what you mean. Can you
describe it a little more?
They d stare at the blank canvas
a bit, and go into more detail
about what should be on it.
DEREK SIVERS
Eventually I d say,  Nah. Not
entrepreneur, founder going to do it.
of CD Baby  Why not?! They d cry.
The reason I love the blank
canvas is because it makes
everyone daydream. The
process of imagining what
should be there is much more
fun than if something was
Derek Sivers is best known as the founder of CD Baby. A professional musician (and circus clown)
already there. There have been
since 1987, Derek started CD Baby by accident in 1998 when he was selling his own CD on his website,
a hundred paintings imagined
and friends asked if he could sell theirs too. CD Baby was the largest seller of independent music on the
onto that canvas. It s got
web, with over $100M in sales for over 150,000 musician clients. After he won the 2003 World Technology
unlimited potential. It d be a
Award, Esquire Magazine s annual  Best and Brightest cover story said,  Derek Sivers is changing
shame to wreck that with a
the way music is bought and sold... one of the last music-business folk heroes. In 2008, Derek sold
bunch of paint. The blank page
CD Baby to focus on his new ventures to benefit musicians, including his new company MuckWork
starts with unlimited potential.
where teams of efficient assistants help musicians do their  uncreative dirty work .
His current projects and writings are all at sivers.org
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
56
Why wreck a blank canvas
57
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They told a story and held out
a promise to us. We couldn t
EDGES AND WINDOWS
get close enough no matter how
hard we tried, it was as if we

were hoping that if we pressed
Do your remember the stunning shop window
hard enough the glass would
displays at Christmas when you were a little kid?
dissolve and that we would
The sort of displays that glittered and sparkled
be a part of the magic. That s
and shone.
the kind of experience I think
customers crave today. They
want to be part of something
that is outside of the ordinary.
The great news for
creative business owners is
that it s not so hard to give
them that. When did you last
experience that kind of magic
when you were shopping,
dining or having your nails done?
Finding an edge and working
it to make your customers love
you isn t so hard to do.
So how could you do just that?
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
&
58
Edges and Windows
&
EDGES
AND
WINDOWS
59
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Having studied Graphic Design There is no age limit on this I still have the doubts and a
at University and with nearly either. Of course it adds to the niggling lack of confidence
15 years industry experience pressure knowing that all these that perhaps I m not good
under my belt as a design super talented young things are enough but the one thing that
professional, the creative career flooding the marketplace every is bigger than all of these
CREATIVE
path was always for me. I didn t year, but the beauty of your own (self created) roadblocks is
have any other skills nor passion unique creative expression is my passion for illustration
to do anything else with my life. just that, it s unique. *You* are and the subjects I illustrate.
And yet why does the only one that does what you Do I regret the 15 years
it feel that my career as a do so you ll beat the competition it took for me to finally get to
creative entrepreneur is only every time. It s guaranteed. this point? No (well, perhaps
SUCCESS,
just beginning? I sometimes wonder, just a little bit!) but on the other
I ll let you in on a secret... knowing what I know now, hand, maybe all it means is
being a designer isn t what I what would I tell my 19 year that my time is now. Maybe
wanted to be when I grew up. old self when I graduated as a now is your time too.
Don t get me wrong  it s been Graphic Design student back
a great career path so far and in 1999. It would go a little like It s never too late  so tell
I ve enjoyed both my corporate this...  Sure Jonathan, design me: What are you going
IT S NEVER
design experience and running is probably an easier field to get to do about pursuing your
my own design business  a job in right now but have you creative passion today?
but as far as dreams go, this noticed how you tried to force
wasn t mine. fit illustration into every single
And so at the grand design assignment? Have you
old age of 35, I m finally on realised that you took life
TOO LATE
the path to pursue my dream drawing and print making
creative career... as a classes at every opportunity?
professional illustrator. Haven t you noticed that you
This has long been my only really excelled and were
hidden passion  one which I credited with top marks during
kept locked in a drawer under the illustration semester?
JONATHAN WOODWARD the bed, that I didn t pursue Any clues here as to what you
because I didn t think I had what should really be pursuing as
is a designer, illustrator and it took, constantly comparing your career path?
myself to the visionaries in my But what did I do? I
creative entrepreneur. field and falling short and quite graduated, went into
frankly, I was getting a bit old to reprographics until I landed
think about starting again. Not my first in-house Junior Designer
a great recipe for success, is it? position with a big name bank,
The frustrating, annoying worked my way up the ranks,
but ultimately amazing thing moved to London and secured
about a calling that strong  another in-house design job
a burning passion  is that it with a multi-national healthcare
refuses to stay quiet forever. company and then went
It has no choice but to come freelance pursuing only design
out and the only choice you have clients. That s not what I d call
to make, is whether you ll keep listening to my inner calling.
putting it back in that drawer But here I am 15 years
every time it pops out to say  hi later, finally listening to that
He also runs Kinetiva, with his wife, Lea  to help other creative
or set it free and see where it calling and embracing it.
people make the most of their talents and passion, faster than he did!
takes you.
You can see his art at www.JonathanWoodwardStudio.com
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
60
Creative success, it s never too late
61
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Attention in isolation isn t what
1.
business should be striving
ATTENTION BEYOND THE
for in the first place. Lasting
ADVERTISING IS THE OLD AND EXPENSIVE WAY TO
connection is the key to building
COLUMN INCH
better businesses, engaging
BUY ATTENTION. YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO BUY
loyal customers and converting

them to true fans.
There are only a handful of ways that
EYEBALLS BUT YOU CAN T GUARANTEE YOU RE
How could your business
businesses can get attention.
push for attention and pull
CHANGING MINDS.
connection beyond the limiting
perspective of the column inch?
2.
YOU CAN ALSO BEG PEOPLE FOR ATTENTION USING
YOUR SALES TEAM, EVENTUALLY THOUGH CUSTOMERS
JUST BECOME TIRED OF HAVING TO DEAL WITH
INTERRUPTIONS THEY DON T WANT.
3.
YOU COULD JOIN THE PUBLIC RELATIONS LOTTERY
AND WAIT FOR THE CALL FROM OPRAH OR SOME
OTHER MEDIA OUTLET. IT S AN AWFULLY LONG SHOT
THOUGH AND SADLY EVEN EXPENSIVE PR QUESTS
DON T ALWAYS PAN OUT.
4.
ALTERNATIVELY YOU COULD JUST FOCUS ON
SOLVING PEOPLE S PROBLEMS, DOING WHAT
THEY VALUE OR CREATING SOMETHING
INTERESTING AND UNIQUE.
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
62
Attention beyond the column inch
63
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Paul Arden
IT S IT S
NOT HOW HOW GOOD
GOOD YOU
YOU WANT
ARE TO BE
 A brand is a person s gut feeling about a product,
We can t manage how our customers feel about us.
service, or company& It s a person s gut feeling, because
What we can do is send them honest signals so they
in the end the brand is defined by individuals,
can understand if our business resonates with them.
not by companies, markets, or the so-called general
public. Each person creates his or her own version of it.
If you really understand what your customers want
then you can show them you ve got just that.
Marty Neumeier


YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
64
Attention beyond the column inch
65
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enthusiasm she had never
I was recently asked to answer philosophical vision. Of which
experienced before. No longer
ten questions for a design it was now clear  there was
merely a supplier in the chain
blog profile feature. One of the very little. I had a lot to learn
her role was instantly more
questions put to me was  which and experience is a fine thing
valued and assured from the
advice has helped you most? . in hindsight. Over time I have
ALL THE MONEY
outset. What I m getting at
Now I could have pulled a grown as a designer and
here is that whilst a lot of
handful of trusty responses business owner, and so has the
commercial clients may fall
out of the hat, but after careful agency. What can I gleen from
into the stereotypical role of
consideration my response, this? Lesson one. Become your
simply seeking a supplier who
whilst it wasn t directly first client and practice what
can follow their commands,
prescribed to me, was a notable you preach by building your
there are actually ones who will
YOU MAKE WILL
line from a Bob Dylan song.  All brand and standing behind it.
share in your vision and wish
the money you make will never 15 years on we only work
you to work in partnership with
buy back your soul . My logic with clients we believe in and
them and inject your magic into
was that successful and who believe in us. We live up
their world  and they will love
respected creative businesses to our brand name. If there is a
you for it too. In this case it just
should never do work  just for change in the client / designer
happened to be private clients.
the money . Whilst the allure of dynamic and there is some
NEVER BUY BACK
But they are there in the
the  get rich(ish) quick approach meandering away from this rule,
commercial arena too. In all
has its attraction, in reality we will initially seek a resolution
shapes and sizes waiting to
the passionate and obsessive and failing that, we take a deep
be discovered. You just need
creative could never sustain breath, step back, and move on.
to have the confidence and
such a notion. Their integrity and As with most
belief in your creative self.
desire to consume themselves relationships, if there s an
Over the last year we have
YOUR SOUL
in the process of their craft will apparent lack of mutual respect
made space in our working week
always get the better of them. and appreciation, you re going
to step away from the Macs and
When I started in to need to make some difficult
engage in non-design, non-client
business 15 years ago, I will decisions to rectify things one
stuff. We watch inspiring videos,
freely admit, I had no real clue. way on another  and fast. In
listen to podcasts, enter awards
In an attempt to prove to myself my eyes, business should be
BLAIR THOMSON and visit galleries, talks and
that I could actually do this just the same.
conferences. We are planning
I fell into the age-old trap of Here s an anecdote
is Creative Director of on building into our business
master and slave  with me that kind of demonstrates
strategy an annual programme
being the slave (naturally). I my thinking. My wife is a
independent design and branding of self-initiated projects and
took on everything and anything. photographer and for many
idea generation sessions and are
I had no plan, no ideology, no years she worked in the
agency Believe in"!. about to start our first long-term
confidence. Steady, organic commercial field. When we
self-promotion project which will
growth pursued but on reflection started planning for our family
run through the course of 2011.
I knew I was not wholeheartedly she made the difficult decision
The primary objectives of
happy with the path I had taken to shift into working with
a brand are to produce positive
and I struggled to embrace the private clients (mainly weddings
perception and experiences and
work being commissioned and and portraiture). To her
to delight stakeholders at every
produced. Taking a step to the astonishment, she found these
touch point. Have passion and
Established in 1996 Believe in"! exist to articulate engaging, provocative side and scrutinising the position new clients would show her an
pride in what you do. Rejoice in
and effective brand experiences driven by ideas and solid research. They push I now found myself in, it was overwhelming sense of gratitude
the knowledge that positivity
boundaries and exploit possibilities, working in partnership with ambitious perfectly clear that we weren t and profound appreciation for
breeds positivity. Delight in your
clients to realise the full potential of their brands. Experience encompasses delivering any meaningful and the work she produced for them.
brand and it will almost certainly
branding, identity, print, packaging, illustration, art direction, digital, satisfying output. There was very Having a direct and personal
delight you in return, as well
advertising and environment. little I could really feel proud of, connection with the commission
as your clients and end users.
let alone anything which could they would express themselves
www.believein.co.uk represent the studio s with a level of emotion and
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
66
All the money you make will never buy back your soul
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She remembered the She was dreading having to never to take on a custom
excitement of finding the sit down and work to finish design again. It just felt like
REMEMBER WHY YOU STARTED
shabby little two roomed the designs that Allison Joyce the right thing to do. She had
workshop, choosing colours the local councillor had to stop being a shadow of the

for the walls and installing commissioned. Somehow she designer she could be by being
Jessica couldn t believe it had been only three years
makeshift shelving and clothing realised that in trying to build a the designer she wanted to be.
since she opened the doors to the tiny clothing boutique
racks where she could display successful business she d lost I m sure Jess made the
she d dreamt of owning one day.
all her original pieces. She a sense of her original purpose right decision. If you get no
wanted to make clothes that and a bit of her soul along the joy from what you do it begins
were one offs, the sorts of way. She got little joy from the to show. You can tweak the
clothes she would be proud ooohs and aaahs of customers compromise a little here and
to own and accessories wearing garments she didn t there but sometimes what is
people would covet. care she had designed. The required is extreme bravery
One by one people money was great but the work and a radical shift.
found her, loved the designs was soul destroying.
only Jess was making and Jess was now left Remember why you started
then told their friends. The local feeling like she d sold out, not just what you started.
newspaper came and did an she d traded her passion and
interview and took photographs her art for a traditional measure
and before Jess knew it the of success and that made her
Lady Mayor of the town was uncomfortable. Mostly she was
ordering a whole custom angry at herself for allowing her
wardrobe. It was too good an ego to get in the way of doing
opportunity to pass up even if what she really loved, what she d
she felt a little uncomfortable set out to do and be. She realised
about compromising on that what made her a success
some of the styles she was in the first place was doing
required to design. The what mattered to her.
exposure was incredible! So on Monday Jess didn t
Wealthy ladies came open the shop. She stopped
from miles around looking for answering the phone, went for
new wardrobes. They loved the walks and thought long and hard
idea of being able to have a big about what it was that made
say in the design process and her want to do this job in the first
Jessica was so helpful. place. Jess took time to go to the
Now though Jess was art gallery, the local market and
so busy creating stuff that other the design museum. It was a
people wanted her to create she tough time and she realised that
had no time to experiment with some people might judge her
her own designs. She didn t have harshly for making changes.
time for sketching wacky ideas. Jess knew though that change
She no longer had space to had to happen, that the first
dream up designs for beautiful step to helping dreams come
original accessories. She true was putting a stake in the
had email enquiries to field ground for her own dreams.
and phone calls to return. So that s what she did.
On a rare Sunday stroll It meant not just tweaking the
by the river with a friend Jess model she now had only to be
realised that she wasn t looking back where she started in few
forward to opening her newly weeks time. No, Jess made a
extended shop on Monday. radical shift and a decision
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
68
Remember why you started
69
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Most creative entrepreneurs " Is this what I m really here " Share it  infuse others with
 designers, artists, illustrators, to do on this Earth? your passion; mentor those on
musicians and those of us in " Isn t there any way to make a the ladder below you and show
the  creative ideas business  better living from my talents? people what makes you so
don t have a choice about the " How can I do more with passionate about what you
CREATIVE SUCCESS
career path we take. what I have? do. This is how to be inspiring
Our creative skills are And when the tiniest without even trying.
often the only thing we re really, of sparks is ignited, that s the
really good at  a natural talent time to fan the flames. But Without purpose, what you do
 and so that s the route we to do this well, requires this will feel directionless, it will
aim for but we frequently end ideal combination of talent, feel like you re always getting
up on path which is worlds away passion and purpose. You lost and having to find your
WHERE TALENT,
from the one we dreamed of. are fortunate  you probably way back. Here s what you do
Sometimes, this talent already have it. Hold on to it with your purpose...
is rationalised out of us. We re tightly and never let go.
told,  You can t make a good Expand it  thinking and
living doing that, do this instead . Without your talent, you ll being small serves no-one,
And so we listen to these trusted have to work twice as hard to especially not you. This doesn t
PASSION &
advisors, the ones who are be good at what you do. Here s mean you have to go big, be
supposed to know better than what you do with your talent& big or do big things, it simply
we do and we follow their advice. means you have to think big.
We compromise; we Acknowledge it  recognise Give yourself a big mission,
make choices based upon your talent. Accept it and live expand your purpose and
what they tell us we should do with it. Don t stifle it  do what you ll find that your talent
and we quieten our inner talent, you can, when you can to let and passion will grow to fill it.
PURPOSE MEET
ignore our passion and stray it out, let it be seen and let Communicate it  you might
off the path of what is really it breathe. call this branding but whatever
our life s purpose. Nurture it  carve precious you call it, you need to be able
time out to practise your skills to communicate your purpose
But when we re on that path, regularly. No compromises  to others. In the same way
LEA WOODWARD something doesn t feel right. set dates in your diary and that your passion is infused into
stick to them. Be thankful for everything you do, your purpose
runs Kinetiva  an organisation, Our natural talent, passion and your talent, not everyone has needs to guide everything
purpose is still burning brightly it so don t take it for granted. you do. Communicating your
which helps creative entrepreneurs inside, but it s been dulled Praise it, encourage it  praise purpose is what will engage
by the layers created by the yourself, encourage yourself. and compel people to work
rational mind and it s been with you. It benefits no-one if
stifled by convention. Without passion, it will feel you hide your talent and passion
We ignore the questions like a job rather than a joy. Your from the world. Get good at
that fight to make themselves passion is what sets you apart communicating your purpose
heard  too frightened to from everyone else. You by whatever means you can.
listen to them, too scared to may not be the most talented
address them because of the at what you do, but you can be There is no map but figuring
Lea Woodward came into her creative power late in life. With a
implications the answers might the most passionate. Here s out how to infuse and combine
left-brained education & corporate career path, it was only once she stepped
have; because of the self- what you do with your passion... talent, passion and purpose
off this path that she found her own creative talent, passion & purpose...
judgment it ll cause us to pass into your creative business
conceiving of and implementing ideas. Along with her very right-brained
on the decisions we ve made. Express it  show your passion helps. It really does.
Designer & illustrator husband, Jonathan, she runs Kinetiva 
in everything you do. If this
an organisation, which helps creative entrepreneurs find that perfect blend
But the questions still remain: is your passion, it won t be
of talent, passion and purpose for their own creative success.
" Surely there s more to life hard so let your passion flag
than this? fly... all the time.
www.kinetiva.com
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
70
Creative Success Where Talent, Passion & Purpose Meet
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STUCK FOR IDEAS.
CHANGE ONE THING

STUCK WITH TOO MANY IDEAS PERHAPS.
There are days in whatever line of work
you do when you just feel stuck.
STUCK WITHOUT DIRECTION, UNABLE TO CREATE
THE MOMENTUM TO TAKE THINGS FORWARD.
STUCK BEING BUSY. OR MAYBE STUCK MAKING
YOURSELF  LOOK BUSY.
STUCK IN POINTLESS MEETINGS.
STUCK SPOUTING JARGON AT YOUR EQUALLY
STUCK COLLEAGUES.
STUCK STARING AT A SCARY BLANK PAGE.
STUCK LOSING MONEY. MAYBE STUCK DOING SOMETHING
YOU D NEVER DREAMED YOU D END UP DOING?
STUCK NOT SEEING YOUR FAMILY.
STUCK WITHOUT A WAY TO BECOME UNSTUCK.
OFTEN WHAT YOU NEED IS TO CHANGE JUST ONE THING.
THEN THAT ONE THING BECOMES THE CATALYST FOR THE
SUBSEQUENT CHANGES YOU MAKE.
COMMITTING TO MAKING A CHANGE ISN T THE SAME AS
MAKING CHANGE HAPPEN. COMMIT, AND THEN CHANGE
ONE THING. OKAY, THAT S TWO THINGS.
BUT NOW YOU HAVE A STRATEGY.
11
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
72
Change one thing
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There are naysayers in our with getting started or
THE RESULT IS THE KEY.
lives who reinforce our own keeping momentum because
fear of action & creation. of unsupportive people
These aren t people around her?
who live on the periphery or He said,  Tell her to just
DON T WAIT FOR PEOPLE  YES, EVEN
hang out in the shadows; keep going. And leave a trail.
they re our husbands, wives, Wow! Sometimes I DO
THAT CANTANKEROUS
sisters, friends, parents& remember why I married him.
They mean well  they re Yes! Leave a trail of results.
PERSON YOU RE
not trying to squash our dreams Leave a trail of ideas initiated.
or ridicule our ideas. They just Leave a trail of breadcrumbs
THINKING OF RIGHT NOW
THE APPROVAL don t want to see us get hurt, so your naysayers can come
they don t want to see us fail. find you in the forest of success.
 RESPECT RESULTS.
They ve been taught If you are waiting to start
over & over again that  doing until you have the approval of
something different doesn t others, even those closest to
get rewarded, it gets punished. you, you will be waiting forever.
EVEN IF THEY DON T
When I first started You need to start so
OF OTHERS
blogging, my husband didn t that you can show results.
UNDERSTAND HOW THE
get it. I told him I was building Results matter.
a business, that I was working, It doesn t mean you need
RESULT WAS ACHIEVED.
that I was trying to contribute to succeed at everything you
to the family. do. In fact, I ve failed a lot on this
EVEN IF THEY
Each time I opened path. You can fail and still have
TO START the laptop, I could feel his results that mean something.
DISAPPROVE OF THE
disapproval. It weighed on me. In fact, failing gives you
I felt guilty for researching an incredibly valuable result.
PROCESS.
artists while breastfeeding It s one thing you no longer have
(what the heck else was I to try, one thing not weighing
supposed to do?). I rushed on your consciousness of ideas.
TARA GENTILE through writing in the evening When I work with a
EVEN IF THEY CAN T
so that he could putz around client or compose an email,
Tara Gentile helps passion-driven on Facebook. it s always with results in
IMAGINE LIVING THAT
I made every mind. It s not enough for me
entrepreneurs find the profit in the accommodation I could while to communicate a message.
WAY OR NEVER
still working towards my goal. I need to say something that
great work of their souls. Little by little, things creates a result for you.
IMAGINED YOU D
started to change. The goals I have, the
 Working went from blog posts I write, the projects
LIVE THAT WAY.
a euphemistic put down to a I start  it s all to create a
legitimate call to arms. Small result. Sometimes the results
victories brought larger ones. are financial. Sometimes
I m going to tell you that they re mental. Sometimes they
THE RESULT IS
it wasn t easy to change his mean my family doesn t see
mind. In fact, I never really did. me for awhile and sometimes
WHAT LASTS.
His support doesn t come it means they get sick of me.
from understanding the work 
Tara s ideal world is one where people think for themselves, BUT YOU HAVE TO
it comes from seeing the results.
where face value has the least value, where careful thought
In fact, I asked him,
& consideration is money in the bank. GET STARTED TO GET
 What advice would you have
for someone who s struggling
You can find her at TaraGentile.com A RESULT.
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
74
How do you know when your branding is broken?
75
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Credits
DESIGN & ART DIRECTION
Believe in "!
www.believein.co.uk
WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY
Bernadette Jiwa
www.thestoryoftelling.com
THANKS TO
Eric Karjaluto
Nubby Twiglet
Chris Guillebeau
David Airey
Lee Newham
Mark Bloom
Reese Spykerman
Jessica Hische
Derek Sivers
Jonathan Woodward
Blair Thomson
Lea Woodward
Tara Gentile
VISIT
www.youarethemapmaker.com
© 2011 You are the Map Maker.
All Rights Reserved.
YOU ARE THE MAP MAKER.
76
Credits
77
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