To celebrate 25 years of great design in Los Angeles, AIGA/LA, Unisource and Mohawk Paper are giving away a copy of the remarkable compendium “Dangerous Curves,” a retrospective of work by our local AIGA Fellow Doyald Young. Doyald will be receiving a 2009 AIGA Medal at this year’s AIGA Design Legends Gala in New York City on September 17 for his contributions as a calligrapher, an educator and an author.

Congrats to Doyald and good luck to you!

Ask your friends, your teachers and other AIGA/LA members! Do whatever it takes to get your answer posted here so you don't miss your chance to win. Please post your answer by 6:00pm PST September 17, 2009 with your full name and valid email address. The winner will be contacted via email. This giveaway is sponsored by GET SMART with Unisource and Mohawk Paper.

A correct answer posted below this post will be considered a valid entry. The final prize winner will be drawn randomly from all correctly answered entries. Past and present AIGA/LA board members, Unisource employees and Mohawk Paper employees are not eligible for this giveaway.

Update: Thank you for entering! Laurice Manuel has won the drawing! Congratulations! Unisource will be contacting you next week.

There was an interesting mix of breakout sessions with productive and informative discussions: Creating Regional Design Competitions, Managing Chapter Finances, Growing a Diverse Chapter Membership, and many more. I led a discussion centered on reaching in-house designers and building value into their membership, both nationally and locally. Talking with in-house folks never fails to remind me that this group, like many others, has unique concerns and hopes, and that our organization needs to do all we can to address and represent them.

But the real meal, as it were, was the Constitutional Convention. This year, we had gathered to consider and ratify a mandate for the future of AIGA, which marks 100 years as the professional association for design in 2014. Prior to meeting in Portland, each of us had read the Findings compiled by AIGA's staff, a series of conclusions culled from the nationwide member survey, chapter roundtable discussions, and data about designers of every age. You'll soon be reading and hearing about these in detail; the work we did in Portland will finesse AIGA's plan for the future and we'll push out the results to every member.

There was lively, sometimes intense discussion at small group sessions about each of the findings. At one, we debated just how to present the value and effectiveness of design to business. At another, we talked about how to overcome geography by making lectures from inspiring designers available digitally, so that every member and chapter could experience them.

The retreat culminated in the Constitutional Convention, which took place Saturday. One by one, the 60+ chapters with representation at the retreat were called upon to declare or deny their support of the 2014 mandate. When it came time for us to represent, I could not have been prouder to stand at the microphone, as fellow board member Jane Lee waved our placard, to declare, "In this, the 25th anniversary year of the Los Angeles chapter, the 1,305 tanned, fit and decidedly NOT shallow members of AIGA|LA say 'yea' to the new mandate."

It was, in the end, a unanimous show of support for AIGA's new direction. And kudos to Josh Silverman, from Rhode Island, for adding the most hilarious caveat of all, bringing the proceedings to a standstill as we all roared with laughter. I won't reveal the punch line, but if you track down Josh, he may choose to share it. Then again, Sean Adams may be good for a hint as well.

Each of AIGA's 17,000 members will be hearing soon about where we're headed together. And then, just as it's always been, it's up to us. There is no "they" in AIGA. It's an organization formed of, and driven by, volunteer members. This is both the strength and the challenge of forging ahead into a second century of service. Collectively, the paths we make to represent, expand, and share the particular joys and challenges of our amazing - and deeply impactful - profession will be a historic journey. And each of us will be a teller of the tale.

Michael Lejeune
President, AIGA|LA

Why did you start this project?

I really wanted to build something I owned and could do whatever I wanted to with. I don't think I really realized it at the time, but I desperately needed to do something that wasn't client-driven. I was also really inspired (read: jealous) by people like Dooce or Pitchfork who were getting real attention without traditional media connections or corporate backing.

Between my partners and I, we had the skills to do it. I was hoping we'd get tons of free stuff (which rarely happens), meet tons of cool people (which happens all the time), and hopefully make enough money to grow (which is happening slowly).

I think if you're creative, you have to find things that challenge you. I always liked to write but like anything else, the more you do it the better you become. Neu Black is a medium that gives me the opportunity create a lot of different things and show them to a lot of different people.

To me, this is the American dream. You start from scratch, have a good idea, work hard, and you make it. We have a voice that reaches millions. I get to communicate my ideas to people all over the globe and I don't need Conde Nast or News Corp to do it.

What in design, culture, and style do readers get from Neu Black that they don't get anywhere else?

Everyone has a different voice and different experiences. Even when we talk about the same things like as other sites, we always have our own take on it. I met Alex at Art Center so we were both used to seeing drawings of concept cars, product sketches, designer furniture, and all sorts of illustration on a daily basis. We got to know a lot of those people and I think it's the reason why we cover such a broad range of content. We see how different creative disciplines inspire each other and we carry that message.

If you're a fashion designer and fashion's all you look at, it's really difficult to come up with an idea that doesn't look like what everyone else is doing. But maybe if you see what someone is doing with architecture, it will give you new ideas about structure. Maybe you look at a painting and see what some one is doing with color or line work and a light bulb goes on. When you re-contextualize those ideas, you can find something that feels like it's part of the current culture, but it's also pushing what you're doing a step forward.

Since we live in LA, we try to reflect the creative community around us. It's unfortunate that no matter how talented you are, if no one sees your work it's hard to get respect make a living off of that talent. There are some really amazing creative people in Los Angeles that I'd expect everyone would know about, and yet they don't. Galleries, fashion shows, film festivals, and design expos, all play a crucial role in introducing artists on a local level, but the problem with those is that you have to be there attend them to see it. them. We have a format that's instantly accessible to a global audience at any time of day, and on top of that, it's free. We also publish twice (or more) a day, which is challenging in and of itself. As you'd imagine we're always looking for new content, so for all of you reading this, send your stuff to submissions@neublack.com.

It sounds challenging to have to publish so frequently. Do you have time to do anything else outside of Neu Black and Soda?

Well I've been trying to get a little bit more exercise. Once you start sitting at a desk all day you have to work a little harder to keep that spare tire from forming. When I had Roland Young's class he asked me one day if I wanted to be a weight lifter or an artist. I didn't go to the gym for three years after that.

I've been making a conscious effort to plan physical activities. I started rock climbing last summer, but it's gotten chilly lately so I've been snowboarding. I ran my first half marathon last month, which was really challenging. I really had to take a piece of my life back from my career. It turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me, because I had to find a way to get things done faster with less effort. As it turns out being creative is useful for all sorts of things. Jose Caballer turned me on to "The 4 Hour Work Week" by Tim Feriss and I can't thank him enough. Though I'm not quite down to 4 hours, I highly recommend it.

What is your background?

I split my time between Neu Black (Online Publishing) and Soda (Interactive Experience & Art Direction). I should mention, it would be impossible for me to do all of this by myself and I have the best partners I could ever ask for. It all sort or runs together at some point because the publishing and the design influence each other so much. I started getting into design about ten years ago and doing interactive work about six years ago.

In terms of design, Neu Black taught me a lot about how to work for myself. Being your own client is a little scary a first, then intensely liberating once you get used to it. It also shoved me into being a writer, producer, editor, developer, and most importantly it forced me to get out and meet people.

As a result, I got first-hand experience on how interactive communication works and as it turns out, there's a need for that. I think it's natural for creatives, producers, developers, and marketing to all have their own agendas, but when you have to think about all those things collectively you get a different perspective. I think of it my job as giving the Internet what it wants. If you're I'm not doing that it will let you me know with either a deafening roar or complete silence. Figuring out "what the Internet wants today" is an art form in and of itself.

What trends do you see happening now?

As interactive publishing has been growing over the past few years we've noticed that the Internet has started to form it's own creative communities just like you see in cities. It's really interesting to see artists and designers in Los Angeles, Moscow, Buenos Aires, and Lisbon all riffing off of each other. You have to know where to look, but if you read Neu Black, you'll definitely see that happening. When I look at our analytics and see people in Paris or Rio De Janeiro looking at Neu Black, I know they are getting a piece of what's happening in LA and I get a little jazzed on that.

In the creative world, there's always a certain amount of hype going on-whether it's art, design, music, fashion, etc. While the web is certainly used to create that, it also filters the hype in a way that print and TV can't. If something's good, people link to it, and that link acts as a vote of confidence. When we link to something we're saying, "this is cool, you should check it out."

Agreed. That does seem to be the trend on how the word is spread now-through "reputation." Do you feel that spreading the word about one's creative talent is easier now with the Internet?

When I started designing a decade or so ago, the only way to see good work was to buy really expensive books, assuming you could find a book store that carried them. These days you can find amazing artists and designers from around the world on sites like Neu Black for free and educate yourself in a way that wasn't possible a few years ago. I mentioned earlier that re-contextualizing ideas from other disciplines used to come with a hefty price tag. Now you can find what everyone is doing from architecture to performance art for free on the web.

On the other side of that coin, if you're doing something noteworthy you can let people know about it with a lot less effort. You can put up a site, and if it's good you'll be recognized by your peers without creative reps, PR people, or publishing houses. In the past you had to put up a lot of money to get known, and being known can often make or break a career. Sites like Neu Black help artists get attention based on merit, and if I can help talented people succeed I'm just fine with that.

Rachel Elnar is a co-founder and interactive director of Ramp Creative in downtown LA.

AIGA/LA will be co-sponsoring a screening the film this summer. For more info about the film, check out http://www.objectifiedfilm.com/

Kevin O'Donnell, Director, WD Ecologic and Lecturer Al Gore's Climate Project

What was your first great lesson in 'environmental evangelism' that led you to the place you are today?
KO: It started with very simple questions asked by my clients. I was already interested in the effect design decisions have on the environment, but I didn't have a strong reason to educate myself beyond casual knowledge. My clients were stumping me with questions as simple as - what is this made of, where is this manufactured, are there any toxins in this, how much energy is consumed producing this, and more. I had no answers, so I started digging. It was then that I realized how large an impact the built environment has on the natural environment. In addition to educating myself I knew I needed to reach out to other designers and spread that knowledge.

Consider sustainability and the role of branding, what are the most pressing concerns we should be exploring as marketers and designers?
KO: What I see too much of is message inconsistency. I believe it's a bad move for any retailer or manufacturer to dip their toe in the water with regard to sustainability. Those who just add a line of products, or even a single product, are only giving lip service to the larger issue and will always appear to be disingenuous. Non-green companies that offer a few green alternatives are not presenting an authentic message.

What role does the current economy play in affecting this thinking?
KO: I think a weak economy reinforces or supports sustainable thinking. I've lectured at a number of events over the past six months since the economy started to slide. I've seen two things. One, green conferences, expos, or conventions are experiencing record attendance. Events where green is not the primary focus, are seeing the opposite - tanking attendance. I think there is still a growing interest in sustainability that is driving more people to learn about the subject. Two, many green issues include efficiency, thriftiness, frugality, life cycle planning, and more that support similar efforts in economically difficult times. Getting people over the preconception that green is automatically more expensive is a more difficult hurdle now, but economic challenges require innovative thinking. And I've come to believe that at its core sustainable design is all about innovation. I think green initiatives will only intensify over the next eighteen months.

Give us a highlight of what you will speaking about at SEEing Green.
KO: Too much green conversation focuses on final products, or deliverables. Less discussion centers on process. Most of my clients, and many of those who attend my lectures, seem to have analysis paralysis - they cannot move forward because they don't know what to do first. I'll present a framework for green planning and decision making. I call this framework the ecologic matrix and it's meant to help people set their own course, but to do so in a way that is matched to their capabilities and tied to a manageable time line.

Duke Stump, Chief Architect The Northstar Manifesto

What was your first great lesson in 'environmental evangelism' that led you to the place you are today?
DS: It started when I attended my undergraduate studies at the University of Vermont, but really grew during my tenure as CMO for Seventh Generation. I found the design question of how one can do the right thing and do well, a tremendous source of inspiration and exploration.

Consider sustainability and the role of branding, what are the most pressing concerns we should be exploring as marketers and designers?
DS: First, widen the lens and look at the big picture. The lens should capture both environmental stress-ors as well as stress-ors connected to social equity and justice. In doing so we will intuitively capturing the real essence of the movement which is upgrading our appreciation for humanity.

Second, create a positioning based on your strengths, your sense of the emerging future and those you serve. It is my fervent belief that we need to allow each brand/individual the space to create anew based on their interpretation and sense of what could be versus mimicking our neighbors or working from a template. It truly is a white canvas in which to design and create a new possibility. Unleash the creativity that rests within your brand.

Third, work from a place of inspiration versus desperation. The latter (negative visioning) is rarely sustainable over time. That said it is important to create a vision or northstar that inspires and empowers each individual culture.

What role does the current economy play in affecting this thinking?
DS: Regardless of good times or bad, the strongest brands are the ones that are most relevant. That said it is interesting to see how purpose based brands (e.g. Seventh Generation Patagonia etc.) are actually doing well in this period of economic malaise. My sense is that folks will be more discriminate in their purchase behavior going forward and brands that are earnest in terms of corporate responsibility (environmental stewardship, social equity and justice) will be the ones that will thrive.

Give us a highlight of what you will speaking about at SEEing Green.
DS: My hope is to widen the lens for everyone by sharing key principles that can unlock the true potential. SHIFT HAPPENS is the premise that cultural shifts can indeed happen if we are willing to think in a way that inspires new possibility.

Aaris Sherin, Author SustainAble: A handbook of materials and applications for graphic designers and their clients (Rockport Publishers)

What was your first great lesson in 'environmental evangelism' that led you to the place you are today?
AS: When I was a very young child, my parents were part of the "back to the land" movement and were trying to live in a way that was in tune with nature and didn't disrupt the environment. Those ideas may have worked for some, but I saw the difficulty that educated people had trying to live outside of modern society. It seemed inefficient for everyone to have to grow their own food considering the range of skills and interests that people possess. I really rejected the notion of 'environmental evangelism' until graduate school when I began to read about emerging ideas that shifted focus from the environment towards the more holistic concept of sustainability. The balanced use of economic, social and environmental resources made so much more sense to me and seemed to provide a way forward that didn't depend exclusively on sacrifice. Today, I am confident that through collaboration and adoption of responsible practices we can find design, strategy and marketing solutions that will allow us to continue to prosper while not compromising the ability of future generations to survive and thrive.

Consider sustainability and the role of branding, what are the most pressing concerns we should be exploring as marketers and designers?
AS: Given the range of media and messaging that consumers are exposed to, it is important that brands that align themselves with environmental and social issues provide a clear and consistent voice. Incorporating sustainable values into mission statements and corporate charters is a good place to start but communications materials should continue to inform and educate consumers. Exposure to confusing and inconsistent messages risks consumers and stakeholders experiencing "environmental exhaustion" - something we should all be on the lookout for because it can negatively affect the tried and true environmental pioneers as well as companies that are just beginning to shift their practices.

What role does the current economy play in affecting this thinking?
AS: The current economic situation challenges marketers and designers to be even better at what they do well. A down economy means that both consumers and clients have to make tough choices about where and how to allocate resources. Therefore it is vital that designers and marketers are able to show that their work adds value to brands and positively impacts a company's bottom line. Adopting more environmental and socially responsible practices is an opportunity for companies to differentiate themselves. However, as advocates, we have to understand that a shift in this direction may be an ongoing process and that it can be advantageous to continue to work with companies that are making changes in stages and/or have a long term plan even though they may not be able to make a shift all at once.

Give us a highlight of what you will speaking about at SEEing Green.
AS: I will address topics relevant to attendees new to sustainability as well as those already working with environmental and social issues. Customized criteria and framework for working sustainably will be discussed. In addition, utilizing case studies from designers, studios, and companies, I will present examples of how sustainable design thinking and execution can be applied in a variety of settings with a range of outcomes and resulting deliverables.

The success of this event, and the quality of the work that is in the show, is a testament to the talented and dedicated faculty who assembled and presented this show.

The winners are:

Art Center College of Design
Christopher Becker

Art Institute of California - Los Angeles
Ching Yu Wong

California Institute of the Arts
Lorin Brown

Loyola Marymount University
Phil Di Giacomo

California State Polytechnic University Pomona
Christopher Wang

California State University Long Beach
April Larivee

California State University Los Angeles
Jósel Cruz Arbona

California State University Northridge
Kim Rountree

UCLA Extension
Ericke Schulze

Westwood College
KeAsha Rogers

Woodbury University
Kristopher Helmick

University of Southern California
John Coleman, V

Otis College of Art and Design
Erin Fleiner

As a cultural barometer, it's interesting. i.e., seeing how design has graphically defined the times. Design makes me feel good about the products I use on a daily basis. Every time I call someone on my iPhone, I feel happy.
Natasha Wang
Los Angeles, CA

I love the the process and idea-producing. I'm interested in how designers come up with the ideas.
Calvin Lee,
Los Angeles

Great design is a universal language. It can bridge cultural, industry and language gaps and it can provide a common ground for collaboration among seemingly disparate groups of people.
Ryan Ku
Los Angeles, CA

What I love about design is the problem-solving and creating what's in the imagination and dreams of my clients. I love designing a challenging room or floorplan for a client who is at a loss of what to do.
Wendy Huffman
Canoga Park, CA

I love that design breaks down barriers and can communicate without language.
Tawny Rose
Santa Ana, CA

I love design because it's stealthy. It's everywhere and sometimes you don't even notice it (well, if you're not a designer). It blends in but it feels right.
Laurel Scribner
Los Angeles, CA

What I love about design is never knowing who my next client will be-one day I may be doing research on high end faucets, the next day I'm reading up on the newest burger joints, followed by a day learning about wealth management and insurance sales. The surprise factor of never knowing what I'll be able to submerge myself in next keeps me going, project to project.
Abby Bennett
Santa Monica, CA

What I love about design is that it is always evolving.
Tom McCracken
Glendale, CA

It's the ability to make wearable art through custom prints and unique shapes. For women's clothing, the best part of design is interpreting a concept into a print, then into a dress, and then onto a person!
Hillary Justin
Los Angeles, CA

I love that everything we see, touch, and interact with was designed at some level. That means each and everyone of us has the ability to change and shape perception. Mostly, I love design because design loves me.
John Taylor
Beverly Hills, CA

I love clean layouts with excellent photography, typeface choice that is apt but minimal. Great design results when a designer isn't afraid to work simply. For example: choosing a well-shot, well-composed image then creating an unobtrusive layout that serves for mostly to frame that image. And lastly choosing a typeface (for its shape and obvious relationship to the image/subject matter) and setting that type sizewise, colorwise, and shapewise to compliment the image without competing with it.
Alan Natale
Los Angeles, CA

More and more companies realize that they have to make products with the least amount of harm to the environment. In simplest terms, there are some fundamental sustainable best practices companies can follow to begin the process towards environmental wellness. And there's new thinking, which re-looks at the meaning of the brand and its purpose.

The former is really a tactical approach that in its cumulative effect does make a difference for the environment but is not the only answer. Some basic principles organizations can employ are:

• sustainable purchasing (recycled paper products and office supplies, natural cleaning products, compostable plateware/flatware and accessories, changing to compact fluorescent lightbulbs aka CFLs, bring your own coffee mugs and water bottles, using filtered water rather than supplying plastic bottled water, ecological furnishings and interiors and renovations using environmentally friendly materials);


• waste management programs (including reduction and recycling);


• energy conservation (internal operations, manufacturing, energy efficient equipment);


• assessing water efficiencies and renewable practices (conservation, leaks management, efficient landscaping; reclamation);


• providing credits to those who use sustainable transportation (public rail and bus systems, hybrid cars, carpooling, biking to work)


• education (internal: posting your sustainability accord and updates with accomplishments, and external: communicating your sustainability practices and/or brand DNA to the public)

Some well-known corporations are transparent about their sustainability efforts. Patagonia (who is tracking their environmental impact here: http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/footprint/index.jsp) and Whole Foods are two great examples. Walmart uses daylight harvesting to reduce electricity and white roofs for better cooling efficiencies. Walmart and other retail companies are changing their outdoor lighting and signage to LEDs in order to limit energy waste and create maintenance savings from replacing bulb outages. UPS has been eliminating left turns on driving routes which saves fuel and creates less emissions by reducing idling time. Fiji Water has been working to reduce the amount of materials used in product packaging as well as increasing the amount of recycled content in packaging. Wells Fargo Bank has eliminated check deposit envelopes at ATMs and has new technology that scans checks instead. Many of these initiatives are good for the planet and for the purse-strings.

In the design industry, recycled papers, tree-free papers and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified papers and printers are chosen for marketing and sales materials, retail packaging materials, POP campaigns, catalogs, etc; packaging footprints are being reduced through clever and thoughtful design and manufacturing; making the switch to electronic mail and campaigns and interactive marketing reduces paper usage; and being creative with re-use makes the most of waste elimination.

Tricycle Inc. in Chattanooga transformed the interiors industry by improving efficiency and waste reduction in sampling programs. Printed swatches which retained the appearance of the physical sample were used first to promote carpet samples; interior designers would only order physical samples at the very end of the decision making process. Rockport Publishers' book designer for SustainAble kept all the make-readies from the proofing phase to re-use for the book's cover. Bloomberg collaborated with industrial design firm MIO to find a way to re-use old company business cards from employees around the world and turned out a stool design for offices that was functional and sustainable. Twist's sponge packaging can be re-made into a bird feeder or mobile and Terracycle founded the company on liquid plant food made from waste (worm poop) and packaged in waste (reused soda bottles), not to mention bags made from Clif Bar wrappers and fire logs made from cardboard box waste.

There is a growing trend that consumers are now voting for the social ethics of a company or "buycotting." Which means we are buying only what we believe in. Are "green" tactics enough to get consumer buy-in? What if companies took a new look at their brands and developed authentically purpose-driven brand strategies? What if we ask a few new questions on our creative briefs: What happens at the end of the product's lifecycle? Does this project deserve to exist in a tangible form?

Echoing this mindset, what some pioneers in the sustainable industry are saying is let's get beyond the deliverable. Duke Stump of North Star Manifesto (and x-CMO of Seventh Generation) says, "the real opportunity isn't so much defaulting to a 'green product,' but rather understanding the effect you want to create." It's about the ethos of a brand and this must reflect the culture of the company from the founders through to all employees, operations, the brand and its messaging. This kind of new thinking will be the next green wave. And especially in tough economic times, the brands with the most relevance and resonance should escape much of the turmoil.

The lesson in all of this, as Jane Savage of Nike Considered says, "you can't do business on a dead planet!"

If you practice any sustainable design, take the pledge at the Designer's Accord:
http://www.designersaccord.org/

Since my business is now a part-time endeavor, I don't have to worry about surviving tough economic times. After 2 years working as a partner in a design firm, and 8 years as and art director in various local ad agencies, I decided in 1974, when I started to work on my masters degree at USC, that I needed a base to bring in steady income and benefits.

I became a tenured professor at California State University Long Beach, and ran my business with the assistance of part-time graduates, that were in-between full-time jobs. I did this for 10 years with an office on Pico and Fairfax. The building was burned down during the LA Riots of 1992. I moved my office into my residence by adding on two rooms.

Since then, I have had a low overhead, and moved into selling more than design services, but also collectible items (Books, DVDs and posters) on eBay and my web site, which has been more lucrative than my design services.

The secret to overcoming difficulties is to add a contingency plan to your business plan.

Archie Boston
Principal
Archie Boston Graphic Design

I just always try and do work I love, try to go to gatherings and events of people I like, admire, and in fields that I think our work is best suited for. No secret, just perseverance and love!

April Greiman
Principal
Made In Space

I have gone through some slow periods during my 30-year career in Detroit between 1957 and 1987 (since those years I have only been teaching in California and have done no professional work here)...but the funny thing is, I can't remember any of the details of the tough times and there must have been some! But I think at my age (70), I just blocked them out, because in the end they never amounted to anything really severe for me, and I have always truly loved working in a graphic design and commercial art business which only left me with "happy" memories (of course, easy to say from and during the last 20 years of not working in it !) So I guess the secret is, we will in the end simply forget the bad and when it's over, remember the rest as good enough!

Ed Fella
Educator
Cal Arts

I do have a secret! Face difficulties with joy and optimism knowing that all challenges build character and add wisdom. Unless frozen by fear, tough economic times force people to take risks they would never dare to take. I don't remember tougher economic times than the one we are facing now... maybe shortly after 9/11... but the duration of the current economic crisis is unprecedented in my business-lifetime. A major business challenge in tough economic times is keeping up with financial obligations under negative cash flow conditions, but we've always made sure that we meet our obligations to those vendors and associates who extended their support when we needed their service, even if it takes time and sacrifice to do so. I try to surround myself with clients and colleagues who are productive, positive and hopeful.

Agustin G. Garza
Principal
Garza Group Communications

Dealing with tough times and difficult situations for me always comes back to being honest with the situation and with myself. Getting to really know, understand, and appreciate me--discovering my weaknesses and my strengths and loving myself through my difficulties is what has worked for me. We all have been given gifts and we need to use them. When there is adversity or difficult times the challenges are there to expand us and to bring out our character.. Its all about gaining awareness--growth, adaptation, and surrender to what is. It is not always easy but you have to get that it is always interesting and ultimately what makes us who we are...so we need to embrace it as if it is our good friend and see what it can teach us.

Johnathan Coy
Principal
JMCoy.com

Actually we've been in business 20 years, but it seems a lot longer. We've dealt with tough economic times by always being very conservative financially, in both good times and bad, and that's helped us weather the tough turns. A creative business is really no different than any other--if you spend more than you make then you're in trouble, so you have to track where every penny is going at all times. Luckily my business partner drives a hard line on this and we've kept on track.

Planning is also important, with new hires, equipment, software, etc. As you can imagine, with around 50 employees this can be a daunting task. We have a schedule planned for a year in advance, and we review it several times a year to make sure we're still aligned with our needs. We only hire new people when it's absolutely necessary, and we try not to be "knee-jerk" reactive to every need that pops up. Sometimes it's frustrating but we're still here, and we've always managed to pay competitive salaries and to fund our profit sharing and 401k.

That being said, we've also been lucky to be working in particular areas (most notably video games) that haven't been hit as hard as others. We've only laid off people once in 20 years, during the aftermath of the dot com bust. But even then it was less than 15% of the staff, and it was a year later than most other firms were hit.

So to sum up our philosophy: there's no silver bullet, run a business like a business, plan carefully, move cautiously, stay flexible. And, of course, do great work, or none of it means anything.

Justin Carroll
Principal/Executive Creative Director
Hamagami/Carroll, Inc.