Success Secrets from Rick Valicenti:

• If you do good work, challenging work, and work that is attentive to production values and craft, odds are you will continue to attract those kinds of projects.
• You’re only given opportunities when you’re ready for them. Enjoy the process. Enjoy the learning.
• Should you choose to hurry your life along or do it for the money, you’ll end up being pulled back, pulled aside or pulled into a place you don’t want to be.

About Rick Valicenti of Thirst: A Design Collaborative

Rick forms relationships with his clients, and he earns their trust. What results is a personal conversation which draws on all of the clients’ experiences and fuses the boundaries between expression and promotion. While each individual piece may at times seem bizarre, slick, cold or inscrutable, the work as a whole has continuity, passion and depth. While Rick’s style has been emulated, the essence of his work is seldom recaptured.

Rick has juried countless design award competitions, including the Presidential Design Awards for the National Endowment for the Arts. His work is included in the permanent collection of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and the 2006 Triennial, Design Life Now, and has been featured, critiqued and lauded in design publications worldwide, and has garnered awards from AR100, Graphis, CA, Print, Step, New York Art Directors Club, ACD100, Tokyo Art Directors and I.D. Magazine, among others. He has lectured extensively and exhibited his work around the world. Rick is a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI), has served as president of the Society of Typographic Arts and was awarded the AIGA Chicago Fellow Award in 2004 for his steadfast commitment to the education of design’s future generations and the AIGA Medal in 2006, for his sustained contribution to design excellence and development of the profession. The Medal is the highest honor in the graphic design profession.

Rick’s thoughts on patience when building and sustaining a career:

A lot of young people enter the profession with a great deal of promise, and exit shortly thereafter; wishing that the profession had fulfilled their promises. So, building and sustaining a career is an interesting question. I would say of the different qualities required, one of the most important is actually a simple one — as simple as patience. In other words, your portfolio won’t be complete after one year. It requires some patience. It also requires time, which is a bit different. Time allows you to discover who you are, how you see the world, and how you respond to opportunities. These qualities, combined with good people skills and interesting collaboration with other designers, clients and creative aptitudes that transcend the norm, can allow you to create a great life.

On getting good clients:

There are a couple of mantras that work and have proven themselves. One of them I learned from Michael Patrick Cronin, a designer in San Francisco. He said, “You get what you do.” If you do good work, challenging work, work that is attentive to production values and craft, work that is beautiful, poetic, sensual or compelling, odds are you will attract those kinds of projects when your work gets out to the world. People will ask, “Who did that?” The answer will lead back to you and other opportunities like those will follow. If the work you do is hurried, compromised, poorly crafted crap complete with messages of no value, odds are that’s what you get in return. And one day you will wake up and say, “How come am I getting such crap work?” It’s because that’s what you’re putting out there.

Rick’s thoughts on having faith in your creativity:

I think if you are patient and know that over time your work will be good, it will be. First, you must be true to yourself, true to the work you want to do, and to the level of care you want to devote to your work. Once you commit to that, I think that’s the biggest surrender you’ll have to make. It’s a big leap of faith because you are putting faith in your own ability. You’re putting faith in your own sensibilities and abilities to work with others to get the work done on time, and at the same time, make something of real value. It won’t be long before you’ll be rewarded with similar opportunities.

From what I have seen and experienced, every time I’ve chosen to hurry my life along or do it for the money, I’ve ended up being pulled back, pulled aside or pulled into a place I didn’t want to be. You can be proactive, but I think you have to be proactive in just making that leap of faith; that commitment to yourself; that commitment to the craft and to the continuum that we’re all in as we continue the trajectory and the tradition of the graphic design profession and art.

Thoughts on getting oriented to your location:

Before I became a graphic designer, I was a grad student of photography. I finished my graduate work at the University of Iowa. While there I took a letterpress class at the Writer’s Workshop. And, when I moved to Chicago, the photographic community seemed to be engaged in image making that I wasn’t either qualified for or interested in pursuing. It was very commercial work— hot dogs, corn flakes and beer. I’m sure there was better work going on in Chicago, but I really didn’t see it at first glance.

So, I decided maybe I needed to be on the other side. My other fascination was discovered in this letterpress class, and in some of my undergraduate work in design as a painting and drawing major. I went to various places only to discover I couldn’t get hired because I didn’t have a solid commercial background in design. However, I learned enough to generate a portfolio of magic marker renderings and key-line and paste up examples, which was enough to secure jobs that were production oriented and that fed me during my first two years in Chicago. And, with some good fortune, luck and a personal curiosity, I found myself at a design conference in 1978 and, finally, an opportunity to become an assistant to a very reputable designer here in Chicago who was in his late 50s, early 60s. His name was Bruce Beck. I stayed with Bruce for a little over three years, and when Bruce retired, I went out on my own.

Rick’s thoughts on getting started:

One of the first projects on my own was working as a freelancer of sorts. I wasn’t really working for other designers, but primarily as a textbook art director in a team of designers for a major Chicago textbook publisher. And, one thing lead to another. I started to secure lots of textbook work and work from smaller clients who needed identities, menus or what have you. Pretty soon I developed a reputation of being a good designer, easy to work with and reliable. And that’s what I’ve practiced ever since.

Working with Scitex:

The Scitex people actually wanted to start a school that taught people how to use Photoshop. They were looking at two designers in the final round. I remember one was April Greiman and the other was Thirst. As a fairly early adaptor to Photoshop, back in the days when there were no layers and only one undo, they gave us an opportunity to create magical images in a pretty straightforward piece. Now that was a fun project.

On the rewards of work:

Rewards for me come on a lot of levels. Looking back on all the work I’ve been involved with, whether it be individual or collaborative, I can’t say that this or that design has changed the complexion of contemporary society. There are very little examples of that kind of thing because the only one that comes to mind happened so long ago. I did that little ‘ear’ symbol in 1978. Maybe you’ve seen the little insignia at movie theatres or banks. It notifies/declares information access is available for the hearing impaired. Since then, the insignia has gone through all sorts of variations, as does any design over time. The original, however, was featured in I.D. Magazine and has become sort of a standard. That’s one little gem.

On icons and special projects:

Do I have an icon in my portfolio like Milton Glaser? Not yet. But, I do have work of mine in the Chicago community that is public and visible, and I think, it’s standing the test of time nicely, some better than others. We’re currently collaborating with an artist and group of architects on a 9/11 memorial for the victims from Hoboken, New Jersey. The memorial will be an island in the Hudson River. The island will be a kind of quiet destination, with very smart typographic narrative on the bridge. And, when you get there, each of the victims will be identified in a respectful way. This project continues to be a very good use of each of our gifts.

Rick’s thoughts on doing things differently:

Some have said that I should spell my name with an ’s’ instead of a ‘c’ — Risk. But, I don’t feel that I take a lot of risks. It’s just been the natural way I’ve gone about doing things. And, I don’t know if I would do anything differently. Though, I would be curious to know, what would have happened if I would have landed in New York or London instead of Chicago?

On new business development:

Doing this interview is at the heart of my new business development program. I often tell my story to other people with the hope that they will pass it along. So far it’s worked. This year is the 20th anniversary of Thirst. At the end of 2007, we moved the studio back to the City proper which has brought us new energy and a reduced staff. The four of us in the studio now are planning to take a more aggressive and targeted stance toward business development which should be fun. All of us want to turn our direction to people, places, and things we’ve never explored.

Thoughts on the inspiration of attending workshops and seminars:

Absolutely I attend seminars and workshops. Having been a presenter or attendee at various conferences and workshops on four continents so far, has provided me with the opportunity to meet hundreds of designers, both in and outside of their environments.

Two years ago, I took Milton Glaser’s week-long course at the School of Visual Arts in New York. And, for the two summers prior, I attended the design inquiry at MCAD in Portland, Maine. The first year I enrolled as a participant; the second, I was invited to be a workshop leader. So, yes, I do try to stay fresh. By attending conferences one can become inspired. I also try to do as much creative work outside of the studio as I can; without the influence or permission of the client.

Giving back as a new business development strategy:

For the last 10 years, every five weeks or so I’ve traveled to a different university, college or AIGA chapter. That’s a lot of visitations, and for most, I don’t charge a fee. My reason for going is to share my work. I sit in on critiques and have assigned projects for the students to complete before I arrive. Then we review those projects while I’m there. It’s a good exchange of energy, I see the future generation of designers and get a lot of enjoyment out of doing it; hopefully the students do, too. Interestingly enough, over the years I’ve had the chance to continue to work with some of those people whom I’ve met. And occasionally designers I’ve met want to collaborate with me, or provide an opportunity, and it all works out.

Final thoughts for those just starting out:

I would just like to remind those who are just starting out that this is not an easy profession to stay completely excited with all the time. It is difficult, and it requires us to put ourselves out there. When we share an idea with someone, that idea comes under scrutiny. The scrutiny that it comes under often isn’t an endorsement of our idea. Sometimes it’s a harsh critique of our idea. And those ideas come from a special place within us. It hurts when your little baby of an idea gets kicked around. So the only message I can pass along is to enjoy the process; enjoy the learning. You are only given the opportunity when you are ready to take it. Find ways to conceal compromise. Reach out to other people. And, put some good things out into the world for us to see!

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Success Secrets from Michael Schwab:

• If you’re lucky enough to find something that you’re inspired by, enjoy and that you truly have a talent for, that’s a magic combination.
• You cannot be shy.
• You have to be aggressive.
• It helps to be obsessed and driven.
• When you’re starting out, strive to work for people who really inspire you, and who you admire not only creatively, but ethically.

About Michael:

One of America’s most recognized and beloved illustrators, Michael Schwab focuses on the interplay of positive and negative space to create iconic images that are strong and simple yet always contemporary. His resonant images codify his work as thoughtful, lasting, and sustainable; characteristics that are increasingly rare and highly appreciated by clients that include: Nike, Polo, Wells Fargo, Amtrak, Sundance, Pebble Beach, Muhammad Ali, Robert Redford, and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.

From his studio in Marin County, Michael is currently winning awards in virtually every major graphic design and illustration competition and is regularly featured in publications worldwide.

Early beginnings:

Growing up, I think we all had a class ‘artist’ in school -in whatever grade we were in. I was that kid. I was the kid that people would ask to do posters, or drawings for their reports, or posters for sports rallies, or whatever. I was always available. People would say, “Oh, get Mike Schwab to do that. He can draw.”

I can’t tell you why exactly, but I was always excited about lettering design and wild illustrations. It goes back to that whole 1950’s hot rod era - flames on cars and artists like Big Daddy Roth and the Mad Magazine guys. It was then that I was probably first inspired graphically. And, of course, when the 1960’s evolved into flower power, Fillmore posters and record album covers, I became very inspired as an illustrator / designer.

I grew up in Oklahoma. Someone mentioned this little school in Texas, East Texas State University. Apparently they had a graphic design department. It was one of the first times I’d heard the term “graphic design,” and it sounded intriguing. I studied under 2 very inspiring instructors there - Jack Unruh for illustration and Rob Lawton for design and advertising. Rob really opened my eyes to the art of typography.

During my 2 ½ years at East Texas State, I kept seeing work coming out of New York, most notably from Pushpin Studios, Charlie White and Paul Davis. I also started seeing the cool images promoting the School of Visual Arts on 23rd Street.

Soon, I was actually attending school there—living in the Chelsea Hotel. But, it got to be summertime in New York. I couldn’t see the sky. It started getting hot and I realized I was ready to go back home. So I returned to Oklahoma for the summer. That year, in the fall, I ended up attending Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. That would have been in 1973.

I was entered as a 5th semester student. At Art Center, I was able to study under John Casado and Jamie Odgers. It was competitive and intense.

I still hadn’t decided if I was an illustrator or a graphic designer. I’m actually still in that quandry. I think illustrators consider me a designer and designers consider me an illustrator, but I’m happy to ride the fence. I have found my own voice.

After graduation, I worked a little bit in the Hollywood area and assisted a few different people. I considered myself privileged to be John Casado’s assistant for awhile. I also assisted Los Angeles illustrator, Dave Willardson, one of my early role models. In addition, I was working on jobs for the art directors who had been my heroes - art directors like Mike Salisbury of West magazine and Rolling Stone magazine. I worked occasionally for Roland Young, the art director at A&M Records. There was lots of new, exciting design happening in LA at the time.

Then, I visited San Francisco.

Now, please understand, I loved LA, but once I got to San Francisco, I realized that this is where I belong.

Once there, I approached Chris Blum, the creative director for Levi Strauss & Co. via their agency, Foote Cone and Belding. He was famous for the very artistic, award-winning Levi’s posters and animated commercials. Chris was a mentor that I had always wanted to work for, and I created several historic posters for Levi’s with him.

By 1976, I had my own studio. I was living and working in a loft setting on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco. With a view of The City, I was very comfortable there.

On making the transition from assistant to freelance to studio owner:

I watched and listened to my mentors and saw how they talked on the phone with clients and art directors. Truthfully, being in art school, you don’t learn anything about business. I didn’t take any MBA courses. I had to make up my own rules and keep track of what I was getting paid. No one was really there to tell me how to do it. I treated my apprenticeships as learning opportunities — like graduate studies.

I was very careful to work for people who not only inspired me creatively, but who I admired, ethically. I wanted to just be near those people who were my heroes. I wanted to be around them and watch them. I was obsessed with my work and my craft and the people around me. I wanted to study under my heroes. It’s like an actor wanting to be working with someone that they respect so they can watch and learn from them.

I had nothing going on at that time except work and my passion for it. There’s a point where it becomes almost an obsession. To get somewhere, however, you really need to be obsessed and driven, at least for a while.

On developing business contacts and relationships:

I was meeting several photographers, art directors and designers - everyone was inspired. It was a very exciting time and people really communicated about their craft with each other. There weren’t that many people that were part of this community, so everybody knew and respected each other. There were healthy rivalries, but everyone respected each other’s work and enjoyed discussing it.

Thoughts on developing new business:

As far as getting work, you can’t be shy. I would go to art directors’ offices. I would sometimes just show up with my portfolio. I wanted them to know my work. Surprisingly, or not surprisingly, they would call me back and have a job for me. You cannot be shy. You have to be aggressive. And if you’re truly inspired, nothing will hold you back.

Favorite accomplishments:

Most recently, my portrait of Lance Armstrong was selected for inclusion in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. That felt good. I’m also very proud of the Environmental Leadership Award from the San Francisco AIGA that I received several years ago for the Golden Gate National Parks logo series. Truthfully, I feel privileged to have worked with so many creative talented art directors and clients through the years.

New business development today:

At this point in my career, I seldom call people to get work (luckily). There are even times when I have to stop myself from saying, “I wish the phone wouldn’t ring so much.” That’s a frightening thought. The alternative is not very pretty.

The phone does ring a lot, and the thing is, it’s hard to rein my enthusiasm in. Once someone describes a project — and usually they’re not calling me unless my work is appropriate — it’s very hard to say no because the creative wheels start turning and it’s hard to turn it off.

Thoughts on having assistants:

I have two incredible assistants that help me out, Lisa and Carolyn. They bring digital production skills to my studio, which I have none of. I can’t do it alone. Their presence makes my work more fun. They are my ‘studio wives’.

On the power of ink on paper:

I draw on my drawing table. I do not have a computer on my drawing table. I was inspired to draw, I think, partially because of the equipment. I love the drawing table equipment. I’m very comfortable working with T-squares, triangles, and compasses. I love the drawing tools, even the French curves. In grade school, I wasn’t really sure what a French curve was. I’d see these old things laying around and now I know every curve on every one of them. Personally. (Laughter)

I never wanted to be a typist. I like to draw. I enjoy paper and pencil and ink. There’s something about ink on paper and multiple images of it that is powerful. It’s like theater. It’s like performance art. There’s something powerful about it. It’s communication - the ability to affect and influence people

On the flow of work:

I feel privileged to be working for the people I work for now. I’m creating images for huge corporations, wine companies, athletes and movie stars. It’s very exciting. The National Park series really was a defining family of images for me.

On inspiration:

I think it’s great for people to be inspired by many different genres. I get inspiration from many urelated places, whether it’s theater, travel or nature — inspiration from lots of different resources.

On attending seminars and trainings:

I’ve been asked to speak at events like that, but I never really attend seminars. It is probably my loss, but I’ve just never really found time to go. Again, I learn more from other people who are doing other unrelated things than just talking to other designers—at this point in my career anyway. Classes or seminars, when you’re young, are probably terrific, but be careful to whom you listen.

Thoughts on outside activities:

I go mountain biking here in Marin County. I do yoga. I go rock climbing. I like snow skiing, water skiing. I really like to get outside. I’m not the type of person that can sit at a drawing table all day, every day.

I have to get out and be physically active. I really pull a lot inspiration and ideas from being outdoors.

Tips on building and sustaining a successful career:

Do those things that you are passionate about. Concentrate on one powerful and memorable thing you can offer to people and do it better than anyone—instead of spreading yourself thin doing many different things. Strive to be memorable and powerful. If you’re lucky enough to find something that you’re inspired by, enjoy and that you truly have a talent for, that’s the magic combination. If you love what you do and you’re good at what you do, that’s the key. That would be the ideal. I still crave working. I enjoy it.

However, occasionally, I need time off — going skiing and spending time with my family. Traveling together with my wife and my sons nourishes and fulfills me.

But, you know - there’s a part of me, a couple of days before we go home, when I’m thinking, “Wow, I’m anxious to get back to the studio.”

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Success Secrets from Debbie Millman:

• Be fearless when asking people for business.
• Find lots of clients. Because it’s impossible to know which of them will be good.
• Work harder than anybody else that you know.
• Shoot for the stars. Seriously.

About Debbie Millman:

Debbie has been in the design business for 25 years. She is a Partner and President of the Design division at Sterling Brands, one of the leading brand identity firms in the country. Debbie is a board member of the National AIGA, and teaches at the School of Visual Arts and the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is also an author on the design blog Speak Up, a regular contributor to Print Magazine and she hosts a weekly internet talk show on the Voice America Business network titled Design Matters. Her first book, How To Think Like A Great Graphic Designer, was published by Allworth Press in 2007, and her second, Essential Principles of Graphic Design, will be published by Rotovision in Summer, 2008.

Beginnings:

I really wanted to work in graphic design. I wanted to be involved with what I thought would be the editing of the school newspaper where I went to school at State University New York (SUNY) Albany, which is a school that is essentially known for its school newspaper.

I went to SUNY Albany because I thought I wanted to be a journalist, and I worked my way up through the ranks of the school newspaper and became the editor of the Arts and Leisure section. Then very quickly found out that, in the grand scheme of things, I was much more interested in what the paper looked like than the specifics of how it ran.

I wasn’t as interested in editing, once I was assigned a story idea, as I was into designing that story. So I very quickly realized that it was really design that I should pursue and not journalism, although writing has had, and continues to have, a very big impact on my life and my career.

However, I don’t have a design degree. Instead I have a degree in English Literature, with a Minor in Russian literature, which has served me very, very well, in that I now make a pretty good living doing what I do.

Debbie’s first job:

After I graduated and started looking for a job, I saw an ad in the New York Times for a magazine job at publication that’s called Cableview and the ad specifically stated “no visitors.” But I figured I would go in person anyway, because it was literally a block away from where I lived. And I thought, well, what’s the harm in just dropping it off.

Apparently I was the first person to come by that Monday morning. The receptionist didn’t even know there was a job opening. When I dropped my resume by, she immediately called the creative director and said, “Oh somebody just dropped a resume by.” He came out. I really thought he was going to come out and yell at me. But instead he came out to see my portfolio and a half hour later I was working.

I ended up being hired as a traffic girl between the design department and the editorial department. So I continued my path of doing both, so to speak. Because I had been doing so much editing while I was in school, I still was doing editing and also doing graphic design. That was my first job.

Starting her first design business:

I went from that magazine to another magazine, a rock magazine, Rockbill. And again, I was doing the editing, the writing, and the design. Shortly thereafter, the creative director and I made a decision to start our own design firm. This was back in 1987. I had only been working for about four years at the time.

Looking back on it now, I do not know where I got the courage to start my own company. We didn’t have any money. We didn’t have any clients. We didn’t have any contacts. But we did it anyway and all of a sudden we had this business. And soon we had twenty people working for us.

Thoughts on cold calling:

To get clients, we cold called. I’m a master cold-caller as a result of that experience. And we just were fearless about asking people for business. And our company really got big within the first couple of years. When I was cold calling, a lot of people weren’t interested, but I never took that as a personal rejection. I take everything else personally though.

Thoughts on rejection:

You just get immune to the rejection. You begin to realize it has nothing to do with you.

As someone who’s constantly seeking approval, what better way than to keep plugging away? (Laughter) I’m very fortunate now, though. I have somebody at Sterling that makes the calls for me.

Changing directions:

This was in the late 80’s, which was time that was very important in the New York school of design. That’s when all of the great New York designers were in the spotlight. People like, Tibor Kalman, Stephen Doyle, and Bill Drenttel. I was enamored with the work that they were doing and I felt that the work that I was doing paled in comparison. I felt that I needed to learn a hell of a lot more before I had the audacity to start my own company.

One of the best graphic design firms was a company called Frankfurt Gips Balkind and they had done the amazing Why? annual report for Time Warner and it had changed the game in annual reports.

I was so taken by that annual report, I decided that, by hook or by crook, I needed to get a job there. And so I sold my shares in my company to my partner and made some connections and ended up being hired by Aubrey Balkind who, upon seeing my portfolio, said that he would hire me but not as a graphic designer. He said I would be better off in account management, doing new business development.

This became a pivotal time in my life. It was a very big step in how I developed, and who I am today, because essentially I did not work full-time as a designer after that. I was more involved in the business development and account management side, and then over the years, in shaping and positioning and growing a business in the way I have.

What’s really interesting is that, although I learned a tremendous amount and made friends that have become lifelong friends, I didn’t actually enjoy my experience at Frankfurt Gips Balkind.

People who impacted Debbie’s life:

If you look back on your own life, you could probably say that there aren’t many people that really impact your future. But, Aubrey said two things to me that have impacted me throughout my career, and until now.

One statement was that he would hire me, but not as a designer. The other was when I was leaving. I told him that I was going to work in brand identity, he just nodded his head and said, “You’re gonna’ do well in package design.”

When I left, I started working full-time in package design and that really was my niche. I found what I was meant to do in graphic design from that point.

Who has influenced your work in design?

Oh my God! Probably every single person in my book, How To Think Like A Great Graphic Designer has influenced my work. I mean, that’s part of what was so remarkable about being able to do that book. I think almost every single person in that book had a profound influence on me, and on the way I think.

If I had to pick specific people out, I’d say Carin Goldberg, Paula Scher, and Emily Oberman. Some other people that aren’t in the book that I might also add to the list would be Ellen Lupton and Marion Bantjes.

Greatest accomplishments:

Probably the thing I’m most proud to have accomplished is still being in this business 25 years later. It’s 25 years this year. And I feel like I’m the luckiest person on the planet to be able to do what I do.

The writer and designer, Michael Surtees used a term when describing me recently, and I thought that it was a great, great term. He called me a “finisher.” (Laughter) And I think that’s because when I start something, I feel compelled to finish it. I’m almost obsessively compelled to finish it.

It’s very hard for me to stop in the middle of something and not get back to it.

What would you do differently, if you had to do it all over?

I would not have been so afraid to want a lot.

Over the years I have struggled with admitting to myself how badly I want things. And I wish that I’d had more confidence and courage to admit that to myself.

This isn’t about how I behaved in my business, but how I behaved in regards to what I could be in my life. Now things are great. But it took a long time.

Thoughts on attending workshops and conferences:

Speaking at conferences and participating in them is a pretty good part of what I do on a regular basis.

I go to a lot of conferences and I’ve been chairing the FUSE Conference of the International Institute of Research for the last 13 years. I helped found the conference in 1996.

This year I’m chairing the GAIN Conference. I speak frequently at local AIGA chapters.

Debbie’s tips on building and sustaining a career:

Work harder than anybody else that you know. Don’t rest on your laurels. Don’t rest on any laurels. And constantly try to find out and learn about the things that you don’t know.

It’s really easy to learn about things that you know. And it’s pretty easy to learn about things that you know that you don’t know. I would suggest that people learn about all the things that they don’t know that they don’t know.

Debbie’s thoughts on working outside of her comfort zone:

I don’t’ think I feel comfortable when I’m only working within my comfort zone. I like to be striving. If I feel like if I’m in my comfort zone, then I know I’m not working hard enough.

Debbie’s suggestions on how to get good clients:

Get a lot of clients. Because it’s impossible to know which of them will be good.

Some of my best clients have come from jobs that I would have considered to be the worst. And some of my worst clients have been with jobs that I would have considered to be the best. So I think it’s very hard to determine who’s going to be a good client and who’s going to be a bad client. There’s going to be good clients and bad clients anyway, and there’s no way to project.

Additional advice:

Shoot for the stars. Seriously.

So many people start out by thinking about all the things that they can’t do and once you take that path, it’s very hard to get off of it.

The only person that can make every dream that you want to come true is you. And if you start out with limited dreams, you’ll only achieve limited dreams. And that’s really sad when that happens.

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Success secrets from Jake Lefebure of Design Army:

• You’ve really got to be passionate about this business, and you’ve got to make sure it’s what you want to do, because it tends to be very stressful.
• You’ve got to make up your mind where you want to work, and then tailor your book or your portfolio to that company
• It’s a tough business to stand out in. You have to be willing to do it differently and do it a lot harder than the other guy.

Jake Lefebure’s background

Jake Lefebure graduated with a B.A. in Graphic Design from Penn State University. Jake oversees creative look and daily management for a wide range of projects. He has a clean, exciting artistic style that complements his keen ability to understand and coordinate the needs and capabilities of clients. Over the years, Jake has developed award-winning expertise in all aspects of the design discipline. His specialties include university publications and recruitment materials, annual reports and poster design.

Jake’s thoughts on building a career in design:

First and foremost make sure this is the career that you want. Anybody can get into the design field. There’s a difference between doing it and being good at it. To be good at it, you’ve got to have passion, which takes a lot of dedication. A good designer is not made from 9:00 to 5:00 hours. You’ve got to be willing to really go above and beyond, your curriculum if you’re a student. Or if you’re a new designer at a studio, it’s not a 9 to 5 thing.

You’ve really got to be willing to do the extra work. Take a lot of self-initiative. Take a lot of self-criticism. There are a million factors that would be part of making a designer an award-winning designer. But, if I had to say 2 things, you’ve really got to be passionate about it, and you’ve got to make sure it’s what you want to do, because it tends to be a very stressful business. There are a lot of moving parts and a lot of attitudes and egos that you have to deal with, depending on what level you’re at in your career.

It really depends. There are different sides: big agencies, small agencies. They both have pros and cons. At a smaller agency you usually get a better pick of projects when you’re a young designer, if you’re at a decent studio. But at the same time it’s more demanding. You’re going to be required to do more things. Whereas at a large agency you can sort of fly under the radar a little bit, not cause many waves and ripples. You can get away with doing more things, whereas in a small studio everything is noticed.

In terms of being a successful designer, it takes self-initiative and action. It takes determination. It’s a tough business to stand out in. You have to be willing to do it differently and do it a lot harder than the other guys.

On the award-winning design produced by Design Army:

Not all of it’s mine. I still design. I still do a lot of work. but probably 80% of our staff does the majority along with proper creative direction of course. At Design Army, there’s my wife and me who own Design Army, and we have about 7 or 8 designers these days. I do a lot of new business development and some creative direction. But Pum is the day-to-day creative director on these guys, looking at their designs, pushing their designs, making sure they’re on schedule with their projects. So she’s really the creative force around here to make sure stuff’s being done.

On his award-winning staff:

Our staff is very talented. We make sure that the people that we hire are of a certain caliber, that they have a skill set that’s beneficial to the studio. They have to able to impress us before they’ll even get an interview, so when we get a resume, it’s really got to be something that says, “hey, I’m a well-rounded designer, and I have a lot to offer you guys.” At the same time we have to be sure they have passion in that cover letter when they write to us. Not ass kissing, but passion. They’ve got to be conveying that they live, breath, eat, and poop design. That’s all they do. On the weekend they go to a bookstore. They don’t go biking. The want to do it. Because that’s the way we work. Pum and I work hard to bring in new projects and the clients that are given the opportunity to really push creativity. And when the clients sign up to work with us, they know they’re going to be getting something very different, something very unique.

On being well-rounded:

You can’t rely on just one solution. When I see a body of work from a potential employee I want to see strong typography skills. Can they do illustration, can they draw. Can they paint? Are they master Photoshop wizards? Can they do print design? Can they do web design? Can they do environmental graphics? Can they do packaging? I want to see what they have to offer. Sometimes I’ll see a book that’s all posters, which is fine. Then I really hone in on the concepts. And that’s what we look at first and foremost is the concepts. If the book and the work in that book is not conceptual, it doesn’t make it very far. I can teach a designer execution. It’s a little more challenging to teach them concept. Concept is a little more innate. You’ve either got it of you don’t.

On getting started:

I graduated in 1996. I went to Penn State. And when I started, I had no idea what graphic design was. I was actually in the advertising program. And then I found out there’s this mass of statistics and other bits and pieces that need to be put into that, and that was not the creativity aspect that I was seeking. So I went to my counselor and asked what’s the fun part, and he said graphic design. It’s similar, but it’s more creativity, not as much business, and not as much management in terms of focus group studies. It’s a scaled back kind of version of it. And I said, “That sounds great.” So I went through the entry level classes, made a portfolio, was accepted into the program, and that was the end of it. It’s what I’ve been doing since.

Work experience prior to starting Design Army.

I used to be the creative director at a large agency in DC. It’s now out of business, but I was creative director there. My wife was an art director. We’ve been working together for about 10 years. About 4 years ago we decided to do our own thing because the company was facing financial difficulties. The principals had left, and basically I was in charge, and so I said if I’m going to be doing it, I’m going to do it for myself. So we both quit and decided to start Design Army.

The start and growth of Design Army

Design Army’s first client came from a yard sale flyer. We were having this yard sale and we made our flyers, and this guy came running in off the street with our flyer saying, “This is awesome. I’m starting up my business.” He goes, “I don’t have a lot of money, but I know a lot of people.” And listening to this guy, we though we’d better take this project on and really go above and beyond.

Pum and I had done freelance stuff prior, which put us mostly before AIGA, and the Art Directors Club, but they weren’t paying gigs. So our real first paying gig was this client. So we took that on and really gave him a full-blown identity that said everything. And I would say 75% or our business in the first  year came from referrals from this guy.

On new business development:

Every once in a while there will be a client or a project. We get RFPs (Requests for Proposals) all the time, so it’s not like we get up and cold call. Occasionally there will be a client that we really want to work with, but tends be a very large annual report or a promotion for a paper company, but very seldom do I have to call around. Usually they call us and say we’re doing this project, and we’d like you guys to work on it. Sometimes they have money and sometimes they don’t. So we just kind of weigh the creativity. That’s one of the things we’ve always done here. We always put creativity before cash. We want to make sure that it’s something we enjoy working on, something that we really want to bring into the studio and have the designer go wild on it. The creativity is by far the main force behind Design Army. It’s got to be something we want to do.

We don’t do trade conventions work hardly at all any more. Maybe we’ll take on one or 2 each year, but we usually try to find one that’s a little unique, a little different that will open doors for us into other areas where we want to work.

On putting creativity ahead of cash:

If a client comes to us, and it’s a start-up, and says they’re starting a shoe store or something, and they don’t have any money. So I’ll look at the situation, and determine whether the press they’ll get on opening will work to our advantage, and whether it looks like we could do something really interesting. Then based on their product, their idea, their concept and so forth, we might say we’ll do that at a reduced rate. So what happens is, they do the store. We help them out. They get launched, and people come in the store and say, “Oh, this is great stuff! Who did your graphics?” They tell them, and that’s how we get our business.

The key to Design Army’s success:There’s no key per se, other than we’re passionate about what we do, and we really focus on doing creative, conceptual work. We try not to work that’s just a look or a style. There’s more meaning to our work. We try to not put so many levels that you can’t figure out what the hell the idea is. A person can just look at and say ”Oh yeah, I get it.”

Jake’s thoughts on pride of accomplishment:

The fact that we have our brand new office is remarkable to me for a firm that’s only 4 years old, to be where we’re at, moving into our own space. It took 2 years to plan and build this thing, but in terms of the projects and the clients, we have a very high retention rate on our client base. Once they get a taste of it, they get addicted. Probably some of our favorite clients would be like the Signature Theater. Because they let us do some really fun stuff. Really highly creative stuff for their theater, for their show posters, and stuff like that.

The other projects that I personally like are the Ringling Brothers Circus program books and the Disney on Ice program books that we do. Pum tends to skew more to the fashion industries, so we have the fashion-based clients. She really likes to work on those sorts of things. It’s a mixed bag. We never know what we’re really doing from week-to-week. Somebody new is always calling and it really depends. One of the industries we’re really tried to stay out of is healthcare. It just gets to be too difficult, too many managers involved and the creative usually isn’t at the level that it should be. We’ve just turned a lot of that kind of stuff away. Even though the pay is really good, it’s not the kind of stuff we want to do daily.

Design Army’s policy on entering award competitions:

We have a standing rule here at the office. We enter design competitions quite frequently. Our standing offer to the designers, is we’ll enter anything as long as it’s good. And they really bust their ass and make even a small brochure, that seems to be a sort of a down-and dirty job, so that it does get recognized and does stand out, and we’ll enter it in the shows. And if it wins, great.

We’ve done work that we’d consider low budget, or easy out sort of brochure work that has won awards from CA and Print, and everybody. We get these random little weird things every once in a while, and this piece should not be this good, but it is.

Would you do anything differently?

No I don’t’ think so. I’ve been doing this for 10 years and in my prior job I learned a lot. I learned a lot about the business a lot of managerial work that I had to learn. So today I take that knowledge and apply it in new ways as business is always changing. I know what works, what doesn’t work. I know the importance of keeping clients happy.

Jake’s thoughts on telling a client they’re wrong:

I know the importance of telling a client when they’re wrong. They can be wrong, and they need to be told.  You just can’t ass-kiss them all the way. You’re just going to turn out a shoddy piece of work that doesn’t turn out more work for you. So we’re very up front and very blunt with our clients. There’s no candy coating. They’ll say something like, “We’ll take a little bit of this one, and this one.” And we’ll say, “No. They’re different concepts.” We ask them which one they prefer, and we can refine that one possibly, but we really discourage them from mixing and matching.

Advice to students

You need to do your homework. You need to know where you want to work. Big agency? Small agency? What kind of role do you want to play? Do you want to be really creative? Do you want to be more business oriented?  Do you want to do print? Do you want to do web? You’ve got to make up your mind where you want to work, and then tailor your book, your portfolio to that company when you’re interviewing. And you’ve got to be yourself. Ninety percent of that interview is you. It’s not your book. It’s not your work. It’s you. You may think it’s your samples, but they’ve seen that. It’s you. They need to find out what you’re like, your personality, what you think of other designers, your sense of humor, are you boring? Whatever.

At that interview, you need to come across as a genuine person. It’s okay to be nervous, but you’ve got to shake that stuff. You’ve got to be comfortable with who you are and the work that’s in your book, you’ll get hired on the spot. If you do that, you’ll get hired right on the spot.

On why Design Army is successful:

There’s’ no smoke and mirrors. There’s no hocus pocus stiff going on around here. We are creative. We enjoy what we do. We also have to enjoy the client that we’re working we. If we get a client that’s difficult or not the right fit, we tell the client. It’s nothing personal, but as a business relationship it doesn’t make sense. You keep making changes. You can’t make up your mind. You’re slow in giving us stuff. You want it the next day. If I’m doing it for the creativity, and I’m not getting that, or I’m doing it for the money, and I’m not getting that, then I really don’t need you. And they appreciate that. Some of them get offended but they understand it. Some of them are still good friends. It’s not that we don’t like them as people or we don’t thing that their organization is for good causes, but I’ve got to run a business and I’ve got to keep designers happy.

Jake’s thoughts on the drive to be successful:

There’s so much work out there, and it’s really what you do with it. There are many successful design firms here in the city that probably make three, four times the money we make, but at the same time, nobody knows about them because their work just blends. Washington gets a bad rap for being conservative, and these sorts of firms just help that along. We’re trying to make Washington cooler and hipper, and a little bit more unique, so that when people say, “I need a design firm in Washington,” the answer will come back, “Oh, Design Army is at the top of the list.” We want to stand out. We want to show off. Personally I don’t have a big ego, but Design Army does. Design Army likes to win; be #1. And when we’re not #1, we cry. But then we go back to the drawing board and we figure out a way to be #1.

On new competition:

There’s a lot of talented agencies, and smaller studios popping up in the city that are really, really good. A lot of people would say, “Oh my God, this is competition! What are we going to do?”  For me personally, I think it’s great; the more creative work, the more award-winning studios in town, the better, because it’s just going to attract better clientele to Washington for us to work with. And, it’s going to attract better people here.

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