Saying ‘No’ is one of the most difficult things in the world for me.
I like making people happy. I like designing and developing awesome internet things. I also really like making money. So why the hell would I say no to projects that help me do all of these things?
A few months ago I did something crazy: I QUIT MY JOB. I had noticed a growing trend in my attitude towards my work in general. I was more excited about what I was working on before and after the hours of 9-5. So I took a bit of a leap of faith and decided to strike out on my own.
If you follow me on twitter, I’m sure you know how things are going for me since I’ve been doing the freelance dance. This blog post is a bit of ‘status update’ that is more than 140 characters. I’ll talk a bit about running a business, organization, income, friends, sanity and the future.
(Awesome illustration of me by my friend Jimmynotjim)
Looking back on this past month of work and freelancing I’ve noticed a trend in how my work turns out. I’m noticing a relationship between the amount of time I spend sketching and scribbling in my notebook and my satisfaction with the end product. Take a minute and listen to my little audio ramble and let me know if you guys are the same way.
A quick audio post from a little while ago, but still on my mind this morning. What sort of relationship do you set up with clients before beginning a project? What sort of expectations do you establish upfront? How much time do you invest in this phase of a project?
Someone asked me a question on Formspring the other day regarding giving source files to clients. While I’ve never had a client ask for the source files, I thought I would ask my twitter friends what they thought. Because this question varies from designer to designer and from contract to contract. Some designers charge for source files, some designers don’t. Some designers have this spelled out in their contract (which is probably a smart thing to do.) Some designers don’t (me!).
I’m sure we have all had experiences with P.I.T.A. clients before. These types of clients require lots of meetings, phone calls, emails, special attention and hand holding. If you aren’t prepared for the time commitment, these clients can blow through the alloted hours in a design budget faster than I can down a Red Bull. I’ve had some interesting experiences with these types of clients and have some tips and suggestions that will make the client designer relationship much smoother.
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