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The design industry has undergone major changes in recent years, and 2022 was no exception. Some trends continued, such as high demand for services, longer lead times, and labor shortages, but others have begun to change, especially as economic uncertainty increases. On the Trade Tales podcast, host Kaitlin Petersen hears the designer first-hand and welcomes nearly 20 professionals into the studio to discuss their biggest turning points, business gists of her process, and in-between. made it all clear. Here, we’ve rounded up some of the best insights designers have revealed in this year’s podcasts.
Social Media: Expectations and Realities
While managing an online presence has been a top priority for many designers this year, some have made the bold decision to cut back on screen time or ditch social media altogether. Did. That’s exactly what New York designer Megan Camp woke up to one morning in 2021. “It was kind of like this creative social experiment. do you see?” says Camp. “It took a weight off my shoulders. I was like, ‘Hallelujah, I did something no one else did and they think I’m crazy, but I don’t care.’ ”
An equally complicated relationship with social media prompted North Carolina-based designer Ashley Ross to share the story of her real-life transition from her day job to a full-time design career. Another story while her company found its way. Meanwhile, New York designer Alvin Wayne explained why he’s gone so far as to make his media presence central to his business.
Fighting burnout
As the lines between work and home continue to blur, it’s no surprise that designers face challenges around stress and burnout. , to find creative solutions to thorny problems. For Seattle designer Lauren Caron, that meant adopting a less is more approach to her portfolio, accepting only the most meaningful projects to preserve her energy in the long run. I came to the conclusion that I needed to make my clients ‘Marie Kondo’ and determine which ones brought me joy and which ones didn’t,” Caron says.
Other designers went in the opposite direction, enlisting others to help when the burden became too much. California designer Kevin Isbell enlisted his coach Sean Lowe to help define his goals and establish a system to protect his creativity. His fellow Californian designer, Sean, his kura, after his family’s emergency forced him into the role of full-time caregiver overnight, putting an even greater strain on his limitations, before he business took his journey one step further. “It really depleted my emotional and physical bucket,” says Crha. I realized that.”
team building
Bringing in new team members was the solution for some, but for others it was the beginning of a new challenge. When Meg Lonergan joined the podcast, she said she hired employees and then fired them all within six weeks, to the point where she left the company for good. Instead, the Houston-based designer enlists the help of a variety of experts (business her coach, therapist, burnout coach, yoga teacher, etc.) to help shape her approach and her own leadership skills. revisited the issue with a fresh perspective.
Nina Magon, another Houston designer, faced similar challenges when doing a systematic overhaul of her business. With her sights set on creating a company that embodies the luxury experience, she had to let go of employees to build a new team ready for growth. “When you’re in the creative business, it’s kind of a two-way street. You either stay small and manage all the projects, or you think bigger,” she says. “In order to do that, unfortunately, you have to let go of something.” After spending some time as a two-man team in the near future, it was most recently expanding to a five-man team and adapting to the new standard overseen by principals. Support staff.
Lessons in longevity
Navigating both booming and turbulent times in the industry proved to be one of the most satisfying challenges for our podcast guests this year. Massachusetts-based Erin Gates, a designer who made her mark during a period of change in the industry, used her blogging craze for design in the early ’20s to launch her business. When book deals and licensing deals started pouring in, she shared how she went to great lengths to create a genuine brand so her growing popularity didn’t fade into a passing trend. designer Delia Kenza followed a similar career trajectory. That trajectory began with major magazine features that set her on the path to high-profile clients and television appearances. After leaving her design her platform her Homepolish structure, she realized that embodying her own business her practice was the best way to sustain growing success. rice field.
Some of the biggest lessons about longevity come from Michael Cox, designer and co-founder of Foley&Cox. In the podcast, Cox shares how his business has dealt with the ups and downs in its 20-year history, and still insists on improving processes at every stage, including auditing the company’s operations. I promise. “One of the aspects that I have to be most aware of is that he is himself an obstacle to future growth,” he says. “What I did 20 years before him that served me and the company so much and that I am proud of is probably no longer relevant and someone else on the team has a fresh perspective, a new Ideas, you might have a better idea. Handle it.”
Homepage image: ©Boyarkina Marina/Adobe Stock
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