The following article by Mark Busse was published on December 9, 2013 in Design Edge Canada Magazine. As a young design producer I was convinced my job was to keep clients happy. To service them to death. To deliver what they asked for on time, on budget, and with a smile. I also thought it […]
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The following article by Ben Garfinkel is published in the December 2013 print edition of Design Edge Canada Magazine. Pick up your own copy to read the full article or you can download the full PDF here. Key to Growth: Specialization Ask yourself this question: would I rather be one of six firms invited to […]
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The following article by Mark Busse was published on October 7, 2013 in Design Edge Canada Magazine. Boom. I hit the wall. I couldn’t think of a single idea for this month’s post. I was blocked. I had nothing. I hate feeling stuck or uninspired. But it’s in those times that years as a designer […]
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The following article by Mark Busse was published on July 2013 in Design Edge Canada Magazine and psfk.com My design firm uses six criteria to identify ideal clients and evaluate prospects and opportunities, and as a result we probably end up declining more new work than we accept. Crazy right? Wrong. It took about a […]
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The following article by Mark Busse was published in June 2013 on www.designedgecanada.com. Do you remember the first time you watched The Wizard of Oz? I do. I must have been around five years old and I’ll never forget the joy I felt watching Dorothy and Toto meet their friends and sing as they journeyed through […]
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If you can’t fork over ten bucks an hour for a young designer to contribute to your success, then it’s completely inappropriate for you to lure them with hope and false promises of exposure and experience.
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I don’t care what prestigious school you attended; your design education is incomplete without travel. Lots of it.
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The following article by Mark Busse was published in December 2012 in Design Edge Canada Magazine. The purpose of this column is to challenge some of the assumptions that many young designers and future firm owners may have entering this profession. If I can help a few of you avoid learning even one or […]
Read This ArticleImagine you’re a prospective customer or client. You saw a pretty damn sexy poster for a phone company, and it just so happens you’re in need of a new phone contract. You type their URL into Safari, eagerly expecting to find out more… only to find that the colour scheme differs from the poster, the typeface is off, the logo is inconsistent, and the whole thing feels like an entirely different company. Would you still want to trust this company with your money and rely on them for service?
Too often, this inconsistency is the result of forgotten brand standards. It can be tricky to remember all the little things that make your brand what it is, and after some time, the details will start falling through the cracks. That’s why it’s important to invest in a brand manual, or style guide.
Read This ArticleYou don’t need to join a design association. What’s the point? Your time is tight as it is—you have Mad Menepisodes to catch up on—and money is even tighter, so why give any of it to a club of stodgy old designers who don’t get it anymore anyway?
You don’t need to join a design association. I suppose it demonstrates the level to which you are committed to your career and community, but so does that tweet you sent to@JessicaHische last week. I’m sure she hasn’t responded because she’s super busy right now. #pleasenoticeme
Read This ArticleThe following article by Mark Busse was published in June 2012 in Design Edge Canada Magazine. Most of you won’t make it in the graphic design industry. Sorry if that stings, but it’s time someone told you the truth. The odds are stacked against you. Colleges and universities are churning out more design program […]
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