CAREER INSIGHTS
What does it take to be a..
A clear understanding of the various functions that go into the running of a design studio. These include (but are not limited to):
Finance Planning & Management
Learning the intricacies of ‘money’ vs ‘cash’ and how do you use either to the studio’s advantage. Financial targets and projections on a quarterly basis – while keeping a close on your daily and weekly money flow. Knowing how to deal with different vendors; employees, clients where it comes to money. The best way is not to treat it like the ‘M’ word – but as a day to day occurrence just as air and water and you have to deal with it.
HR Planning & Management
People make companies – it’s more this way than the other way around. Success of any company is largely driven by it’s approach to employees, how they are treated, stimulated, and kept motivated. Bringing the right resources on at the right time is key – and finances play a big part in this.
Infrastructure Management
Once you have the right people, you need to give them the right tools to succeed. These include investing in good reading and referencing material, efficient desktop systems, a professional workplace setup, a highspeed broadband connection – anything that helps the studio function more efficiently and helps employees achieve their goals.
Marketing & Business Development
Having the right marketing material in place to bring in the business and keep everyone busy. An understanding of marketing not just in the context of bringing in the enquiry – but of closing that deal as well. Networking extensively. Thinking of the big picture.
Vendor & Collaborator Database
Execution is a discipline in itself – there’s no point in creating something fantastic that can’t be executed, and that’s where your print & production vendors come into play, so identifying the right people for the job – and not just picking someone out of the yellow pages. As an extension of your networking with clients, you also need to network with fellow designers and creative people in general – to see where you can mutually benefit from each others’ experience
Beyond all this a Studio Head needs to have charisma and drive and an ability to energize people and get them to see and buy into an ‘ideal’ that might not exist – the believing in which will be tremendously beneficial to everyone; and yet they do it not for a personal benefit but for a sense of satisfaction and achievement they wouldn’t get anywhere else.