Interesting Mini CEO Half Thoughts

Ask anyone why they blog and inevitably the expression "it's a good place for sharing half thoughts" will come up.

So here's a half thought.

Someone asked me the other day what percentage of my day was spent doing what. Yesterday it was approximately one third general admin type stuff, one third client liaison type stuff and one third designing type stuff. If we ignore the fact that there isn't really such a thing as a typical day - that is a pretty much a typical day.

The same person then asked me what advice I would give a graduate today and the one thought I can't get rid of is that I think today graduates should be aware that if they want to get anywhere in this industry they'll have to start up on their own. Write a list of all the designers you admire; I'll bet all of them either run their own consultancy or used to, like Jonathan Ive. From Glaser and Fletcher through Ive and Saville all the way through to Eatock.

I don't mean you have to have a business degree or read the FT everyday, but just bear in the back of your mind that one day, probably, you'll have to run your own show.

Which reminds me of Iain's post about Mini CEO's. You see if we have a bunch of people who are thinking about starting up on their own, we'll then have an industry (and a pool of people) who have other skills than just designing. People who can read a balance sheet and who can present and string a sentence together and write and handle difficult clients and handle difficult staff and design stuff. And that will be a good thing.

Half thought over.

Comments

[Will]

I completely agree mate - I'd be lying if I said I didn't have entrepreneurial thoughts myself (though perhaps not in design).

It's the ambition to want to do great things, I think, whether or not the start up dream is ever realised. It manifests itself in care and attention, which is oh so important.

[davidthedesigner]

Well, you know I'm always banging on about Milton, but he really did nail this one on the head when he said:-

"IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE NEVER HAVE A JOB.
One night I was sitting in my car outside Columbia University where my wife Shirley was studying Anthropology. While I was waiting I was listening to the radio and heard an interviewer ask ‘Now that you have reached 75 have you any advice for our audience about how to prepare for your old age?’ An irritated voice said ‘Why is everyone asking me about old age these days?’ I recognised the voice as John Cage. I am sure that many of you know who he was – the composer and philosopher who influenced people like Jasper Johns and Merce Cunningham as well as the music world in general. I knew him slightly and admired his contribution to our times. ‘You know, I do know how to prepare for old age’ he said. ‘Never have a job, because if you have a job someday someone will take it away from you and then you will be unprepared for your old age. For me, it has always been the same every since the age of 12. I wake up in the morning and I try to figure out how am I going to put bread on the table today? It is the same at 75, I wake up every morning and I think how am I going to put bread on the table today? I am exceedingly well prepared for my old age’ he said."

[David Airey]

David, thanks for that addition to Ben's thought-provoking post. I'm in the fortunate position where I don't see myself as having a job. Currently, I'm doing what I enjoy, with the responsibility of putting bread on the table.

I often think about expanding from a one-man show, hiring others, but I'm not sure if I'd enjoy removing the freedom.

[karl escritt]

Nice thought Ben, and the above comments say good things too.

As I run a freelance studio I can certainly relate to this post. I have thought many times about joining a big studio full time, but like David above I enjoy the freedom that comes with being your own boss.

It a great feeling to see designed by Karl Escritt on a job thats just come back from the printers.

[John Dodds]

Are you saying you have difficult staff Ben?

[nitin]

Good thought ben,i like it.