Hello, my name is Jhames

A friend and former coworker of mine is venturing into business for himself: a “have IA – will travel” enterprise, if you will. He’s enjoyed my past entries about freelance and has mentioned (more than once) that we should talk more over drinks sometime – code for “I want to pick your brain” – as he ventures into sole proprietorship. Since my upkeep in this blog has been less than exemplary, I thought his search for knowledge would be as good a time as any to post what (and what not) to do in business. I should preface this entry by stating a) I’ve learned these lessons first-hand and b) you shouldn’t take what I say as gospel truth. Obviously, mileage will vary depending on how you choose to work. Without further adieu!

We interrupt VeganMoFo to address a question I was sent regarding payment after completing a project without having a contract. What sucks most about this type of situation is that you can end up looking like the bad guy if you don’t resolve the matter in a diplomatic fashion. Especially when dealing with companies that do not understand or appreciate the cost of design services. Not only am I going to help you get your money, I’ll even tell you how you can win over potential clients that balk at your hourly rate!

A friend on LiveJournal asked me* to write a little something about managing client relationships. I assume this question is the product of countless less-than-ideal clients who could have made people’s lives a lot easier if they were ideal. Yes, the ideal client does exist. This type of client has done his/her homework on the target market, knows what the creative strategy should incorporate, has prepared all necessary materials for you to do your job, and understands that your time equals money. You meet on a frequent basis with this client to review progress on the project, receive constructive feedback, and coordinate with other team members on final deliverables without anyone getting in the way. You love this client. Managing this relationship is, by far, the easiest since you are being treated with the respect due any working professional and you will always look … Continue reading →

Last Saturday evening I received an e-mail from a friend: I wonder if you have already developed, from lots and lots of years of cohorts asking you stuff like this, a primer  à la So You’re Thinking of Freelance Web Design for Weensy Could Be Micromanager Clients! laying around. As it just so happens… no. Mostly, my friends/cohorts ask questions about contract language or how much should they charge for their services. Project management is one of the many hats a freelance designer must wear whilst working but, to date, no one ever asked me how to manage a project. I had to think about my friend’s request: I have an approach to project management but nothing officially captured in a formal process. So I sat at my desk and typed a response to my friend—and a mutual friend who works in print for her … Continue reading →

Get burned enough times and you find yourself coming up with trademark phrases like Learn From My Mistakes™. A lot of little mistakes with past projects added up to one giant mistake: overlooking the importance of risk management. During the course of a project lifecycle, it’s important to mitigate any and all risks so neither you nor the client waste time or money.