Direct, Collaborative & Agile
FREELANCER OR AGENCY?
I’m not a typical freelance designer, and I’m not a full-service brand agency. I’m something in between. My fees are generally higher than those of a typical freelance designer and lower than those of an agency. My model sits deliberately between the two so I can provide senior-level strategy, creative direction and execution, without the staffing structure and overhead (delays and costs) required to support a full agency.
Every project is different, but the basic approach is straightforward: Understand the problem, establish what success looks like, explore intelligently, narrow the field, and keep moving toward a solution.
START WITH A PROBLEM.
A well-developed brief is welcome, but not required. Existing strategy, research and background can be put to work quickly. When the brief still needs definition, that can be worked out together to establishing a clear understanding of the problem before trying to solve it.
WORKING TOGETHER IN STAGES.
Creative work shouldn't disappear behind a curtain for six weeks and return as a grand reveal. Progress is shared at meaningful stages, with discussion and decisions along the way. Early exploration stays broad enough to find the right territory, then becomes increasingly focused as the strongest ideas emerge.
This keeps everyone involved, catches bad assumptions early and avoids wasting time polishing ideas that were headed in the wrong direction.
Work is priced by project rather than by the hour. The cost is established around the scope and value of the work, not around a running clock – keeping attention where it belongs: on solving the problem, not counting hours.
DIRECT ACCESS. SENIOR INVOLVEMENT.
There are no layers between the client and the person doing the work. Business development, account management, strategy, creative direction and design all happen in one place.
That means the person in the first meeting (that’s me) is also the person thinking about the problem, doing the work, presenting it and responding when something changes. No “account team,” no handoffs to junior designers. No internal meetings billed back to the project. No game of telephone.
The result is a process that can be unusually nimble, responsive and efficient without sacrificing senior-level thinking or execution.
“I just wanted to thank you for your support and amazing job in this project since the beginning. It was a pleasure working with you and hope we can work together again soon on another project!”
– Diageo Brand Manager