Although I prefer to lurk in online groups as a rule—unless I run them—I recently saw a thread about a publication I used to love and it’s offer for cheap design services so I found myself chiming in. It started out interesting and potentially educational but like a lot of online talk, a couple of […]

I hope your 4th of July (Canada Day for those of you who live in the North) was spectacular and that you took a moment to think about how lucky you are to be free to run a business that is an expression of what you were called to do. Philanthropy and social responsibility are important […]

In 1905, at the age of 40, Miss Elsie de Wolfe gave up her struggling acting career for good and set up residence at the historic Washington Irving House with Miss Elizabeth Marbury, a prominent theatrical agent. The combination of de Wolfe’s style and Marbury’s connections transformed Irving House into the American version of a […]

Most designers are educated enough about the design process to know that getting published is an important part of building their brand. But often in the rush to be seen, they forget that the fastest way to get the media to notice you, is to actually have something to say. I was reminded of this […]

With the rise of the Internet and designers’ increasing savvy to opportunities for licensing and information products, the phrase passive income has created a new sense of urgency. Everybody wants to start earning some, now. I get it. Earning money on the work you’ve already done, in perpetuity, sounds pretty good but unless you get […]

In 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights. It was the culmination of unrest and critical debate that had been occurring with the expansion caused by industrialization at the start of the 1900s. A year later, on the 28th day of February, the first National Woman’s […]

I love award shows and I’m particularly excited about the Oscars this year because I’ve had the opportunity to screen most of the films and also because I’m heading to a party hosted by the Producers Guild. I’m rooting for Whiplash and The Theory of Everything, films that were character-driven, high-stakes emotionally and beautifully acted […]

Recently a client of mine was going through the hiring process for her team. She had narrowed it down to the final two and told me she was going to check references. I suggested that she pay each of the gals to come in for a day, or even two, to get a sense of […]

I move quickly. I think fast. I talk fast and for the most part, I solve problems fast. I’ve always been this way. It’s probably why I was drawn to production. In one of my early Supervising Producer roles in LA, I took over mid-season and had to manage a team of people I didn’t […]

Most of us have learned that it’s not a good idea to burn bridges, because we think of that concept in terms of relationships.  But what if we reframe it in terms of risk?  Burn the bridges that keep you “safe”, that keep you from diving into running your business and your life with all […]