The Experiment

I’m starting over, and maybe you are too. This blog will document the experience I have in recreating my “design business”, such as it is, from scratch. Except it isn’t really from scratch, because I’ve been doing this for a long time; perhaps it’s more accurate to say that I’m curious to see what will happen if I break with some assumptions about business.

  • First: share everything I create and do.
  • Second: be transparent.
  • Third: show the inner decision making, the books, and the source code.

The immediate reason for taking this approach is that I know I will be motivated to share about what I’m learning because I get to write about it, and that’s something that gives me great pleasure. And I will need that pleasure because starting from scratch is quite daunting. There are easily three dozen basic services that a typical design agency may be called to perform, not to mention the struggle of establishing a reputation, finding and acquiring clients, and running the day-to-day of a small business. I’m interested in making it as easy as possible for me, so I have the time to continue to write and explore the world.

I believe that good things happen when you put good stuff out there for people to see. However, you’ve gotta be diligent and purposeful about it, otherwise nothing happens. Which leads to stage 2: having something to show. As I build each design product and make the bones of them available, I create my portfolio of knowledge. I may find like-minded designers and programmers who appreciate what I do, and click with me. I could create tutorials or books. I will also clarify my own understanding of best practices, and attract people who believe in the same openness of information sharing as I. But that’s all conjecture…I don’t know what really will happen, but I want to see what does.

And so, I’m going to be running this as a simulation, for myself and others who wish to watch. This blog you’re reading right now is kind of like the agency’s intranet. There will be a public website at agenceum.com.