Alternate Titlesthat we considered...

• How I went from working hard athome to playing games at the office.

• No really, who needs clients?

• The Designer of Tomorrow

A Few CaveatsJust so you know...

• Your results may vary

• Not everything will apply

• Be prepared for Happy Accidents

• Transitions are key

• There is no boardroom

! Boss! Bedroom

! Band! Boardroom

! Beach

Discover Your D.N.A.(Designer’s Natural Aptitude)

• Personality

• Family & Upbringing

• Education

• Interests, Hobbies & Passions

• Bent

Dealingw" the Boss

Embrace Your Place

• If you are working for The Man —or The Woman — make sure they’rewilling to invest in you

• Don’t rely on the office to beyour creative exercise

Successin ! Bedroom

Narrow Services

Broad Interests

• Focus professionally on niches

• Become an expert or advocate

• Get outside of yourself on a“personal” level

Beware of the Good

Embrace the Great

• Avoid projects — even seeminglyprofitable ones — if they do not fityour designer DNA

• Narrow focus enables growthand sparks profits

• Misfit projects drag you down

Prepare for Calamity

• Growth will make you a target

• Some people can be mean

• Remember “Happy Accidents”

Assembling! Band

When One is Not Enough

• Focus allows you to identitycompatible and complementarypeople for your team

• Know the DNA of your team

• Don’t align with others simplyfor the sake of alignment. Becareful working with friends & family

Building! Product

Transition Time

• Stay true to your niche

• Use profits to fuel projects

• Be persistent throughoutmistakes, shortcomings, and miscalculations

Building Awareness

• Keep an email list

• Bake in the buzz

• Make it remarkable

Some Stories

Blinksale

DNA = Fascination with business finance met disdain for desktop software solutions

Lesson = Products almost always takemore time to hit mass than you think

Result = Blinksale is profitable& growing

IconBuffet

DNA = Team’s obsession with iconic artand a love for design community sites

Lesson = Profits not always key success

Result = IconBuffet’s primarysuccess was the visibility that itbrought to our studio. Our bestclients were landed via IconBuffet.

PackRat

DNA = Team’s obsession with iconic artand a love for community sites ...and gaming

Lesson = Happy Accidents

Result = We have no idea

#e Designer $ Tomorrow

• Goes beyond design, embraces creation

• Transitions skillfully betweenfocused niches and multiple disciplines

• Raises the bar for the industry

• Brings other designers alongfor the ride