posted
There's a line in a song I heard lately that says 'just cause you're breathing don't mean you're living...'
In the sense of our professional career I think many of us tend to do little more than breathe. I know I occasionally go there. We should instead live on the edge and enjoy what we do.
Do you find yourself knocking out designs and work just to make a living??? Or do you instead go for the gusto?
It's so easy to play it safe, and rely on standard design... to only do what works and little else. The danger is that your work will in the process become boring and your own career too.
Instead I would challenge everyone to tackle ONE job this week and do it creatively. LIVE instead of just breathing. Be outrageous! Try a different color pallet, a different font than what you would normally rely on. Cut the outline of the sign to a different shape. Use layers of MDO with sraps arouynd the shop. Do ONE sign creatively.
Do one job this week for your soul and not just for the money.
You will find the time will fly by, you will get a rush of creativity. It will be enjoyable!!!
It will also build your skills and reputation in the process. It may just bring you more creative work in the future.
A whole new exciting CREATIVE career could develop... who knows????
Do more than breathe!!!
-dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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But I've sorta closed the shop to "do more than breathe".
I am a volunteer firefighter, and signed on for "standby" with forestry and our local coastal fire centre. As you would have heard from our local news, our province is on fire! All the unit crews from here have been forward based to the big fires and other danger zones in the interior.
That leaves nobody here, so I am now on standby as an emergency firefighter. I am being paid to wait for the phone to ring. And if it rings, which will be more than likely with the lightning expected this evening, then I'm outta here.
We are a 3 man crew, and will be pushed to initial attack status. That means heli-attack! Yup, jumping out of a helicopter, right into the fire zone! I am charged! I can't wait to get the call.
Now, I dont mean that in a bad way of course. I really dont want to see acres of trees gettin burnt or homes being threatened, but if I am needed, I want to put all my hard work and training into action.
I want to do more than breathe!
-------------------- Tim Rieck Signs Halfmoon Bay, BC Posts: 736 | From: Halfmoon Bay, BC, Canada | Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
Interesting point Dan. I just read a post by Steve Thomas Greer wondering whether to lose money by giving more than the client can afford in the hopes that it will be good advertising for the cool work he does. We don't want to advertise that we give stuff away, but using it to learn a new process may have it's merits too.
Be careful out there Tim!!
Suelynn
-------------------- "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -George Eliot
Suelynn Sedor Sedor Signs Carnduff, SK Canada Posts: 2863 | From: Carnduff, SK Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Dan - you certainly have hit the nail on the head.
Way back there, Chester Cunningham gave me some advice - "do more than the customer expects". To some that is not good business sense, but it pays off in the long run.
We have done some very high profile jobs at about half what they should have cost just to get the exposure and advertising. And they have more than paid for themselves in additional work. Yesterday I sent an article to Sign Business (will be in the August issue) about just one such job.
It is really a battery charger to do something you love and then have it appreciated by others. One of the reasons that I left my former job and went into business for myself almost 12 years ago was that I was turning out run-of-the-mill designs day after day and it was very depressing.
We still do a load of everyday type work, but I get to choose which is everyday and which is a "go for it".
Putting a check in the bank is very nice, but feeling your heart beat a little faster as you work on one of the "go for it" types is very rewarding also. It may not pay the rent this week but in the long haul it will put a few more nickels in your pocket. And you get to feel better about your self as an added bonus.
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
A few years ago I was redoing the theme of a 'jumping fountain' in West Edmonton Mall. The water jumped from one concrete ring to another... there were 5 of them . Our task was to build a theme of a cartoon space planet over the original fountain. There was a giant cartoon blue tree with three aliens and funky rockwork all around. A fun project!
Three days in I quickly figured out that my bid was low... ridiculously low. I had blown it big time!
The job was supposed to take two weeks and I had bid accodingly. We weren't going to make it. With the orininal plans as drawn I now estimated it would take about 4 weeks to do - not the two I had bid.
I went to my boss and explained the situation and asked him for permission to throw away the plans. He didn't understand.
I told him I had no hope of making money and therefore wanted to 'do it for me - my way' ... one for the portfolio. Hang the cost but still come in at the original bid price. He couldn't believe I wasn't asking for more money. I explained that a bid was a bid and I would honor it. I just wanted to do the project 'my way' at this point.
HOnce he understood that I didn't want to cut corners he gave me his blessing and we spent 6 weeks on the project instead of the original two I had bid. The final result was outrageous and exceeded our customer's expectations by a mile. We had a blast doing it and some awesome pictures for our portfolio. I 'lost' a substancial amount of money on the project... or did I?
A couple of weeks later the same client signed off on a $400,000 contract no questions asked, no negotiating, no whining about the price. I never even brought up the fountain as I felt the two projects weren't related.
Since then we have done literally millions of dollars of work for this same client. They allow us to go crazy with our designs... a hands off, see how outrageous you can be type of customer. And they understand we will do our best to deliver VALUE!
And we get to do the work we dream of.
We leave Sunday to do another month of on-site work for this same client. The prefab was done in our shop over the last month and delivered last week.
And it's more outrageous than ever!
-dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
i love hearing someone loving what they do. you are richer by far than any man, when you feed your soul.so many make it all business, my jillbean is one like you.she will put heart and soul into a project, just for the love of creating.i also have a brother who is a lawyer. he will never be a rich man, but God blesses him soo much. be proud of yourself, and your work. i am proud of you.
I am panting now.....and not for the passionate reasons you may think!!!! If you don't enjoy the ride.....get off the roller coaster. Dan you are inspiration for us all. I too absolutely love what I do...I can't wait to get to my shop and play....everyday! Yes, of course, there is the hum-drum everyday stuff, but I love any chance to step out of the usual box...and let go with the imagination and the extras on production of something special. Thanks for the extra encouragement with this post.
-------------------- Susan Banasky Source Signs Nanaimo, British Columbia sourcesigns@shaw.ca
When in need....go directly to the "Source"!
Proud Supporter of this "Knowledge Network"! Posts: 1323 | From: Nanaimo, B.C. Canada | Registered: Oct 1999
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