Hasta La Ideas

The final installment of Jennifer Bove’s Starting a Design Studio During a Downturn has been posted on her blog at Fast Company, useful for anyone in the midst of starting their own practice or even thinking about it. A combination of reflection, encouragement, and survival tactics, Jennifer recounts her own experiences starting the design studio Kicker in September 2008 and surviving one year of economic downturn, emerging with four paying clients and a few showcase pieces.

A short excerpt follows below, but be sure to read the whole series here.

We’ve met the challenges of the new economy head on and come out fighting. We had a strong message, and now a strong showpiece. So when our pipeline began to thin again, we did what any designers would do–primary research. We needed to get our message to the right people. So we talked to experts in the field, devised a plan, and charged ahead. It’s all or nothing when your business’s future is on the line.

Thanks, Alissa!

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