Enterprise lecture - 'Don't just get a job!'

Starting a business (Become a freelance creative)


Why you should start a business - 'Bongoboy' Johnney Cupcakes (t-shirt factory)
itsbongoboy.com
Never taken classes in any criteria before creating business.
"Nows a time to start a business, no time like the present.'







Collaborated with Disney and Warner Bros
Is passionate, wants best for business. Decided not to sell work within chain stores, kept work as 'one off'. 4Ps. Talks of products, price, promotion and place. Tee shirts, regular and limited edition, USA tour and fantasy bakery 'on steroids'.
Risk. Take a chance, learn from mistakes.
Overseas trades, recognises needs for this. To open a store in London?




Getting started.
Mark Bolton - web designer.
' They thing it takes luck, a clever idea of just knowing the right people. Thats not true, It's about you.'


www.growingbusiness.co.uk


- Do what you love
- Start business while your still a student or still employed
- Don't do it alone - Feed off other people and collaborate. 
- Write a business plan
- Do the research
- Get professional help
- Get legal and tax issues right first time


Come up with a good business idea
Write a business plan
Choose a winning name for your business
Choose a legal status for your business
Register your business name


Bytstart.co.uk
Betterbusiness.co.uk


Why are you starting a business?
- Company structure
- Skills
- Funding
- Competition 
- Market place
- Network
- Business plan
- Staff
- See professional advice
- Biggest causes of failure




What is a business plan
'A business plan is a written statement of your business; what you want to achieve with it and how you will do that.'

• Activity and skills required, missions and values
• resources and equipment needed (overheads)
• Marketing, 4P's and your competitors
• Money, finance needed, budgeting, money management systems

WHat are you going to do?

What is the value proposition?

What resources you need?

How much it will cost to get it started?

How will you pay for it?

Who are your target customers?

Why do we need a business plan?

• To focus your efforts
• Set some clear objectives
• To enable you to track your growth
• To raise finance
• Attract collaborators

freelanceuk.com

Where to find a business plan

- A high street bank

- The arts council

- How write a business plan - businessball.com

- www.businesslink.gov.uk

Where to find the funding

- By helping others to get grants

- Crowd funding - Websites offering you to publicise projects, for people to invest 'wedidthis' fuinding website

- We did this - Funding website

- Start a Cooperative. 

How do we get organised?

Work alone, in a tema, as an equal partner to others, as an employee in an organisation?

Meredith Belbin

' A teams is not a bunch of people with job titles, but a congregation of individuals, each of whom has a role that is understood by other members.'

- Action - Completer finisher

- Social - Co-ordinator

- Thinking - Monitor evaluator

- Action - Implementer

- Social - Resource investigator

- Thinking - Plant

- Action - Shaper

- Social - Team worker

- Thinking - Specialist

Charles Handy (1985)

- power culture - Small business with one boss. e.g family restaurant 

- Task culture - Group of people which come together to organise a project, a temporary 'thing', collaborators, a team of workers to achieve project.

- Role culture - Large organisations. E.g - LCA, triangle like senior management,  Head > deputy head etc

- Person Culture - e.g dental practise. 4 dentists, with own clients, own way of working. Need receptionists, cleaners, dental nurses, to keep place running.

How will you organise your practise

- What skills do you need to get the job done?

- Will you work alone?

- Will you be more productive if you work as a team?

Income streams

- Private commissions

- Freelance design work

- Workshops

- Part time teaching

- Royalties from book sales

- Professionals seminars

Why I started a business

Case study - Amazon - Jeff Bezos

What type of company?

Status determined by - What you choose to do with your profits

• Profitable growth of business
• Increasing income for the people in the business
• have just enough money to be able to continue practising
• Share the profits with everyone in the business
• Give all profits to charity
• Use profits to fund community projects
• Share profits with customers / members

A list of legal types

• Sole trader
• Partnership
• Limited comapny
• Limited liability partnership
• Public limited company
• Social enterprise

Determines how the business is run

What records must be kept

Whether you should be registered with companies house or not

How much tax you pay

How You pay your employees and yourself

Useful links

Business link

Companies house

Social enterprise coalition 

Co-operatives

Taxation in the UK

This is the money that educates us, protects us, keeps us healthy and enables economic growth. 

Personal taxation rates

Tax bands

0 - 35,000 - 20%

35,001 - 150,000  40%

Over 150,000 - 50%

Applies to self employed, sole traders and employees

NIC's

National insurance contributions

Class 2 (self employed) weekly - £2.50

Or monthly direct debit

Class 4 (self employed) Collected aunually on tax return

9% of profits up to £42,475

+2% over £42, 475

Class 1 (paid on behalf of employees) 3.7%

Sole trader obligations

• Keep records safe
• Seperate personal from business expenses
• Private and business use of car
• NIC _ £2.30 oer week + 8% profits at year end
• Inform inland revenue - thinking of starting a business
• Self assessment tax return - Jan 31st

Partnership

• Run by tow or more people
• Share of profits
• Share of debts
• Share need not to be equal shares

Limited company

• Directors and shareholders liability for debts is limited to their % of ownership
• Your are an employee of the company
• Corporation tax will be paid on profits

Limited company obligations


AGMs to recieve and approve accounts
Annual return to companies house
At least two employees 
e.g - Plumbers, nail artist, bands


Corporation tax

• Turnover of less that £300,000

Value Added Tax

- 20% on all goods and services

- 5% on

Children's car seats

Some property renovations

Insulation

Gas and elec

etc

Zero rated 

Advertsiing for charities

Some protective workwear

Food, other than takeaways

Exempt

- Admission charges

- Building sales and rental

- Burial and cremation

- Sight tests

- Health services

- Tolls

- Postal services

VAT Threshholds

If your annual turnover exceeds £70,000 you must register to collect and claim VAT

Enterprise - Response to task 5

Research // Illustration


I have always enjoyed drawing and doodling away, this has grown into an interest into illustration. As part of my research for personal development I decided to look some illustrators as its something I feel I could push forward once I graduate from university, as a form of Freelance design.


I've decided to look at some existing illustrators which inspire my passion for illustration. The illustrators I'm going to look at are:


- Robbie Porter
- Sarah Coleman
- Kate Moross






Robbie Porter
Link:http://robbieporter.co.uk/TheSkinny-June.html


An illustrator and designer based in Scotland. He approaches his work in a range of medias, processes and techniques, using a brilliant combination and balance between illustration, texture, line and colour application. His clients includes UCLA Magazine, Edinburgh Print Company, and sold work with exhibitions for PaperGirl in Glasglow and Urban Outfitters to name a few. 


I find his work outstanding and his excellent use of colour and pastel tones inspires me to make similar decisions within my own work. I really find his approach to line quality and weight aesthetically realistic to the objects being vectored, his lines change in weight to represent outline and detail to objects.


His style is something I wish to be able to achieve within my own illustrations and work in the future.

Helen - Memo

Link:http://hellomemo.com/bio

Helen is a freelance Illustrator and screen printer based in Leeds. She graduated from Norwich school of art, with a first class degree in visual studies. Her works consists of hand drawn and screen printed illustration, self-published zines, greetings cards, hand printed stationery, limited edition prints, tote bags and accessories. She has also put together a collaborative zine called 'ten fingers'.

Here range of diverse creative work is something I most defiantly aspire to be able to achieve in my own future work. Here child like approach to colour and illustration is similar to my own style, obviously her work is far more finished in terms of quality than my own! But it's definitely something to improve on for the future. I really like Helens choice of colour within her screen printing processes, using just 3 colours she has produced the below print. By using a variety of block colour and line, it creates the illusion of far more colour. 

Helens child like drawings, use of colour and detail create fun, bright and happy designs, I absolutely love her and aspire to create work of the same quality when as if I approach freelance illustrative work after graduation.

Kate Moross

Link: http://www.katemoross.com/work/detail/magic-trip/

Kate Moross is a 25 year old London based creative. She also runs ISO & Isomorph Records. She has a slight fascination with three sided shapes, illegible typography, and freeform lettering. Her studio is located on the First Floor / Portland House / 164 New Cavendish Street / London / W1W 6YT. I love her use of colour and montage between hand rendered type and image. Her typographic style is amazing, and very impacting. She certainly knows how best to use colour, its very inspiring and certainly something I want to achieve. She has a very distinctive style, her photographic work is something I very much like too, creating montage of photo, image and type. 

She has such an extensive range of clients, but alongside this has a lot of 'play time' doing competition briefs and her own freelance work. I long for this in the future, having fun with my graphic design skills and using them for both personal and work use is something I feel will be best to keep my sanity and keep me happy :)

Research // Paper Craft


Owen Gildersleeve
Link: http://www.owengildersleeve.com/work_pages/morris.html


Owen is an illustrator, designer and set maker. He produces a work relating to a range of other media, the below work relating to literature, art and craft. Which shows the amazing range of skills and medias he can work across, which is one of the main reasons Owen is a favourite designer of mine. His work is so imaginative, 3 dimensional and uses a vast array of colours and textures. He is based in London, working in his own studio. He graduated from the University of Brighton in 2008. He has worked with both local and international clients ranging from UK and America to Tokyo and Bangkok.


I have a personal interest in papercraft, using it a lot in my own work, along with illustration. Owen managed to combine these two elements beautiful alongside his obvious knowledge of colour theory. I have know about Owen for at least 5 years and he has been very influential in many of my college and university projects. 


His clients include: Rolex, Cadbury, The New York Times, Procter & Gamble, Wallpaper*, Royal Mail.

Julene Harrison

Link: http://www.centralillustration.com/artists/Julene-Harrison/

Jane started out as a constructed textile designer based in West Sussex, she only recently began paper craft. Her work is primarily text and illustration based. Her work is amazingly precise. She has produced work for Virgin trains, creates book front and cards, and has worked for Citgo and Tesco. 

I would love to begin working with laser cut as I work very similar in illustrative style, but laser cutting my work would give me more of an edge and have more variety to my usual black and white approach. The fact that she has worked for such a variety of companies, each very different in their services, is appealing. It just shows you this style of work can be used broadly across a range of uses.

Research // Editorial

Julene Harrison

Link: http://www.centralillustration.com/artists/Julene-Harrison/

I absolutely love book cover designs, especially those I've seen produced by paper craft artists. Julene one I've previously talked about, her paper crafts works across a range of media, books included. I would certainly like to work with book covers, but not primarily. I like to keep range within my workload to keep me interested and forever picking up new skills and interests. There is a lot of book covers like Julenes out there, so its a crowded market of competition. I would have to bring something unique and different to the market, which would have a mass appeal to audience.

Grumpy Love cards

Link: http://www.centralillustration.com/shop-prints-detail.asp?stock_id=312

For many years I have produced my own hand made, crafted and painted cards, and would love to produce them professionally in regard to freelance at some point! I have been to craft clubs, and found people wanting to buy them in the family, and had a regular customer at one point who would order 40 at a time. Grumpy love cards is certainly I style I idolise, her hand painted approach makes her design unique and personal. One problem I would find would be time, you need to make your hourly rate, and painting, as a graphic designer, is certainly a slow approach to take. Grumpy love cards has been clever in its approach, keeping design simple, quick, and easy enough to re-produce. I'm very tempted to start now, set up and Etsy account and get selling!

Research // Craft Fair // Freelance

I haven't been able to get on board with crafts fairs and freelance work. I've tried a few times but not been completely full on in my approach, its been a thing I would always do 'later on'. There are many opportunities within Uni and Leeds to attend and sell at craft fairs. Once I've graduated, its something I most certainly want to do, its a bit more money on the side, and I'll it will be pleasurable to produce something completely of my own interest, and to gain personal feedback - its always nice.

Research // Packaging


Kate Moross
Link: http://www.katemoross.com/work/detail/smd-delicacies/

Kate Moross is a 25 year old London based creative. She also runs ISO & Isomorph Records. She has a slight fascination with three sided shapes, illegible typography, and freeform lettering. Her studio is located on the First Floor / Portland House / 164 New Cavendish Street / London / W1W 6YT. She has such an extensive range of clients, but alongside this has a lot of 'play time' doing competition briefs and her own freelance work. Her approach to the below packaging in so inspirational, its very much 'me', its looks classical, old and simple in its approach to design and illustration. Here illustrative style is so detailed, its looks photo like in quality. I really like working with packaging, I've always been very hands on, getting the feel of a final product is my favourite pat of the process. I think I could quite easily work within a business which produces packaging alone, as there is such a wide variety of forms, nets and processes to consider which would keep me interested!

Nina Chakrabarti

Link: http://www.ninachakrabarti.com/2009/09/15/marks-and-spencer/


An artist I've always loved is Nina Chakrabarti, she has a abstract approach to floral pattern and design, she certainly loves producing it, she works primarily with this content. I love to work in a similar style so she's definitely a huge competitor regarding the clients shes had, she certainly has a reputation within the industry, its something I need to consider, especially as I would love to work with packaging one day!

Research // Retail Graphics


Nina Chakrabarti
Link: http://www.ninachakrabarti.com/2009/09/15/marks-and-spencer/


I love retail graphics, always have, always will. The impact and effect it have have on a store is certainly what attracts me to this area within graphics.

Gemma Correll

Link:http://www.gemmacorrell.com/portfolio/murals-and-installations/

The skills in which I believe I have, each at different stages of development and experience. Each I intend to grow strong in over time with university and the work environment.

• Illustration
• Collage
• Layout
• Drawing
• Painting
• Using multimedia
• Digital Design
• Working with back and white
• Paper craft
• Applying illustration to design
• Editorial 

The few skills which need developing:

• Animation
• Colour application
• Colour theory
• Freelancing
• Packaging design

10 point position statement

1. I would like to work part time freelance, creating detailed, personalised illustrative pieces either digitally, by hand or using paper crafting.
2. To visit studios and gain some knowledge about the industry, how it works, and get a better understanding of whats already out there.
3. To contact printers, experience them dealing with my work, also getting some experience to see how the process works. Also to help me decide where in the design industry I want to work within, as printing is a interest of mine.
4. To contact several studios who work in the same way as me, and those who work very differently. To hopefully get several placements to hopefully lead to an internship.
5. I would like to obtain some experience working within a different country, seeing and understanding the differences in design, culture and processes.
6. I want to work within a small, individual company who deal with local and global clients, who's work is very distinctive within the market.
7. I would like to gain some experience and work within retail retail graphics for monsoon, accessorise and topshop. Creating illustrative, abstract floral designs.
8. Overall I want to be a designer who focuses on illustration and paper craft, working with a broad range of clients, locally and globally. Collaborating with those who are both similar in style to myself, and very different. Giving my work some variety and learning new skills and design styles along the way.
9. Eventually I would like to set up my own studio, with a partner or team working for both clients, and creating my own work. Producing designs which can be placed and worked on a series of products, creating work for charities and the community.
10. I would like to, through experience within a range of practises, collaborations and briefs have an extensive and forever growing knowledge and set of transferable skills within Graphic Design.

Enterprise - Task four - Response

Three practitioners 


 What opportunities for your own practice have revealed themselves to you as a result of this analysis and evaluation? 


Do not use subjective language or make unfounded comments about other people's businesses. It is essential that you make references to SWOT and evaluate it's usefulness as an analysis or evaluation tool. 


 In responding to this task, you will need to consider the following questions: Who am I competing against? What do they offer? What makes me better? What makes me different? 


 250 word statment/evaluation 

Three practitioners 

 What opportunities for your own practice have revealed themselves to you as a result of this analysis and evaluation? 

Do not use subjective language or make unfounded comments about other people's businesses. It is essential that you make references to SWOT and evaluate it's usefulness as an analysis or evaluation tool. 

 In responding to this task, you will need to consider the following questions: Who am I competing against? What do they offer? What makes me better? What makes me different? 

 250 word statment/evaluation 

 Owen Gildersleeve:

 http://www.owengildersleeve.com 

Strengths:

No copyright issues 

Beautiful precise work 

Unique - Many clients will want his work 

Work is diverse Paper is free to construct 

Work one of a kind

Weaknesses: 

Time consuming - hand crafted

Some what hard to communicate

Freelance work is time concuming, hard to get 'going', financially unstable, 

Very personal style - not everyone will like it 

http://www.madebysix.com

SIX STUDIO

Strengths:

Has a variety of services as a company 

Has access to a range of printing methods 

They work hard in creating lasting relationships with clients, thus gaining further work 

Works globally 

Weaknesses 

Restricts itself by listing services 

Possibly to large a company to produce work for smaller companies, thus loosing out on a niche market Its work seems commercial, its not very personal to a client, its work may not be to everyones taste 

http://www.andfold.co.uk/ 

ANDFOLD

Strengths 

Specialises in branding and identity so will be an 'expert' on the matter 

Because branding and identity is widely seen, it is advertised through other companies, creating work without the effort 

They collaborate with a range of artists illustrators and photographers so work is always diverse

Theres not a huge amount of designers in Leicester

Weaknesses

Based in Leicester, not in CBD, central business district, work opportunities could be higher if business was in a CBD. It would be more financially rewarding. Although studio space / rent would be higher, the work load would pay off.

250 EVALUATION

After evaluating the three designers, I have come to realise each, although very different, each similarise in that each have a strong client list, reputation, regular work load and each have their own unique approach to design and style. It's made me realise that in order to break into the over crowded design market, you have to bring something new to the table. To be unique in your style and approach to design, to be strong willed and to have a strong body of work to achieve status. For potential clients to be able to pick you out of the crowd. Creating a good reputation takes some time, but people talk, designers talk, do a favour or give that bit more to a client every once and again and it can pay off.
Having a USP (unique selling point) is also key, to gain clients and for your work to be distinctive in the market. It puts a stamp on your work, people can tell who designed the piece, without having to find a name.


When it comes down to business, its most important to know about finances, after all, get this wrong, and you could go under. You need to make the balance between income and outcome logical. Another element of business is location; being close to travel links, business and passing trade is a must. After all you need to be where your potential clients and market are, you need to be local to people, businesses and collaborators, to keep personal as a business.


Yourself as a design, your personality, the way you come across and the reputation you carry is significant in the industry. The range of skills you have is just one asset, knowing how to use them appropriately, for which products, briefs and clients. Also the style you have come to love, may not be to the interest of everyone. You must work for your client, a little less for yourself. To gain work, you must work to everyones taste, or at least have a wide range and variety of work you can produce.


I have learnt, after looking at the practises, that to gain work, you must not restrict yourself. You must try new things all the time, find new things, new collaborations, new clients, styles, methods and approaches to design. Don't just work with local businesses, work globally, find clients within a range of countries, don't restrict yourself. 


Word count: 402 ( a little overboard)

ENTERPRISE TASK 5

TASK 5 - PROPOSED POSITION STATEMENT

TASK

Over the past 10 weeks you have been asked you to research and respond to 5 key questions in the form of a set of tasks. These are:-    o Who am I – who are they ?   o Where are they – How will they find me ?   o How will I promote myself – what do they want to hear ?   o Who else is out there – how good are they ?   Statements summarising your research should have been posted to your enterprise blog and should form the basis of an ongoing inquiry. Write 10 short but informative statements that identify your distinctive ‘positioning’ as a Graphic Designer. Your statements should consider your ambitions, skills and areas of creative interest in relation to the market, your clients, competition and possible collaborators and should be based on the information that you have collected in response to the set tasks. You will need to compare a list of your skills and services against customer/client needs to those of yourcompetitors, this should help you determine how your company is unique.

Research Sources / Further Information

Insert Text

Mandatory Requirements / Deliverables

You should have posted your response to your Enterprise blog and printed a copy for your statements by the Progress Tutorials timetabled after xmas (see google calendar for further details).

Studio Deadline	Module Deadline
10 / 01 / 2012 -  you will need a printed copy of your response for the Enterprise  workshop on 17th January 2012	28 / 02 / 2012 - 4pm