Tag: teamwork | Page 4 | Artisan Creative

How to Build a Creative Team

Wednesday, January 27th, 2016|

What’s the secret to building a great creative team? It’s a combination of professional skills, creativity, diverse personalities, strong communication skills, collaboration, and a good leader.

When bringing together a creative team, start by with expertise and core competency. You’ll want a team that has:

A big picture strategic thinker who asks “why” questions and looks beyond the short term
A tactical person who can execute the “why” into a “here’s how” plan, complete with deadlines, resources, and budget requirements
A person who can communicate the message and connect your big idea to your audience
A person to keep everyone else accountable, and keep the project on track
A copywriter or content manager, who can distill ideas into their essence and put it into impactful words for your audience
Someone who to present your ideas visually through compelling design and imagery
A leader who can manage and motivate the team to accomplish the company’s long-term goals

These additional questions are key to building a successfully aligned and productive creative team:

Does your team have the technical skills and expertise?
Do you have the flexibility to staff up or down?
Is your team productive and efficient?
Are they passionate and creative?
Are targeted deadlines and goals clearly defined?
Is team leadership clearly communicating objectives to inspire greatness?

If you’re looking to build to add to your creative team on a short-term or long term basis, Artisan Creative is here. Let us know how we can help.

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Is Your Body Language Affecting Your Presentation?

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2015|

You’ve prepared your presentation, gone over the your meeting notes, and are excited about the idea. You assume you’ve been clear, effective, and informative, yet you walk out of the meeting unsure of how it went. What happened?

Were you possibly paying too much attention to the presentation instead of your audience?

Being aware of how your audience reacts, whether it’s a short meeting or a face-to-face pitch with a client, is important in determining how your material is being received. It also helps you improve your communication skills and make needed adjustments to make the presentation work better. Here are a few tips on how to watch your body language as well as theirs:

Make eye contact. It shows you’re actively paying attention to them.
If your audience is leaning forward, they’re interested. Keep up what you’re doing.
However, if they are leaning their head on their hand it could indicate boredom!Switch up the pace or ask a question to engage them again.
Use vocal variety to re-engage your audience.
Use humor if appropriate!
Don’t slouch–stand strong to project confidence.
Use the stage, however be cognizant of erratic movements or other restless behavior. These gestures can be distracting and come off as unassured.
Keep your arms open instead of crossing them, since it could come off as defensive.
Above all, be sincere–audiences can easily spot this.
And be passionate about your subject–after all you are the expert here!
Watch your audience and adjust when needed.

By watching the nonverbal communication happening, you can hone in on what you can do to improve the next time and understand what information to give best.

To improve your presentation skills further, sign up for a local Toastmaters meeting.

What are your body language tips to watch for in your next meeting?

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20 Years in the Making: Why Stay With a Company for 20 Years?

Wednesday, April 29th, 2015|

Why stay with a company for 20 years?

Last month we celebrated a rare milestone with one of our employees: 20 years! I asked Margaret Jung (on the far left of the picture) why she’s stayed with Artisan Creative for 2 decades, through growth and success, as well as through trying times and cutbacks. We thought it would be interesting to share some of her thoughts, as this one question brought forth so many answers:

Artisan fosters a rewarding environment where I feel appreciated, recognized and supported. The people you work with must have chemistry and each other’s backs. Over time, this builds friendships & relationships that last even as people move on.

The versatility of my business development role offers flexibility, autonomy and no bureaucracy. Plus, I have the opportunity to create success, for our clients and talent, our team and my family.

I believe in being consistent and loving what you do.

I do not watch the clock.

I believe in relationships based on trust, and that honesty and integrity are essential within a company.

I enjoy working with strong personalities that come with being in the creative field. I find the dynamics of the creative mindset engaging as we are always learning and growing from this ever evolving field we work in.

I am driven by the search to find the best solution for my clients and talent.

We share and believe in common values, that set the foundation for a good business model. Compensation is in alignment with results delivered.

The president has ability to listen and make change for the better. I’m kept in the loop and frequently communicated with. I feel valued and understood, with a lot of trust in my abilities to deliver.

The entrepreneurial environment at Artisan suits my personality. An open door is truly open to share the good and the bad, in a genuine environment that cares.

I hold myself accountable to my commitments.

I have a passion for selling and a desire to perform.

I enjoy the constant learning from being in a dynamic industry and working with really smart people.

I have mentorship from the president along with a leadership responsibility to create success for the team.

I’ve learned how to manage growing pains and make tough choices.

In a lifetime you only really find a few leaders that you truly trust and respect, and know that they are there for you.

The tougher periods are handled by not listening to the negative for too long and by focusing on the positive. Always believing that more good than bad is around the corner, and never, ever, giving up!

For me, this is the difference between a career and a job. And over the past 20 years everything I gave the company, I got back and more.

How long have you been at your career, and what keeps you engaged and coming back for more year over year?

Jamie Douraghy – Artisan Founder

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Does a Huddle Help?

Wednesday, February 18th, 2015|

Several years ago when we took our company virtual, we were initially concerned with losing that face to face connection. For a small company back in 2009, IM, dial in conference calls, and Skype were the tools we had access to. Knowing the importance of keeping our personal connections dynamic, we tried a lot of different communication tools over the years, and settled on Zoom, and we still use IM for the quick inquiries. So while the distances between our team members was a lot farther than the offices we used to occupy, the concept of daily short huddles and 3x a week more in depth huddles, remained intact.

The above image was taken at a sports event using teenage volunteers. One can easily differentiate between those that are paying attention, vs. those that had other things, (such as lunch) on their minds. Even in face to face huddles, distractions are commonplace.

Earlier this week, while waiting for my turn to go through the airport body scanner at 5:00 am, I looked over to my right and saw a TSA group doing their morning huddle. I’m sure they’ve done hundreds of these on a regular basis, yet you could sense that each one knew this huddle was important. Somehow I didn’t think I should photograph this group.

What I took away from observing these two huddles:

    Huddles create connection
    All teams use them in some form
    They allow the leader to set the tone
    Huddles create a quick forum to review the plan for the day/event/competition
    Huddles block out noise and help bring focus inward to what the leader/coach is saying

During your huddles:

    Create a pulse check, are they present or not
    Ask what each person will do next to bring the team closer to goal
    Have an accountability check-in
    Just a few minutes is all that’s needed

Post event huddles

    Allow the team to redirect and recalibrate
    Ask what worked and what didn’t for that day
    Set the expectations for the next one

How do you huddle with your teams? What tools do you use? Can you share a success with huddles you’ve participated in?

Jamie Douraghy – Founder at Artisan Creative

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Holiday Shopping for Designers: 6 Gifts for the Creative in Your Life

Wednesday, December 17th, 2014|

Christmas is a little over a week away and we’re betting that most of you have presents wrapped and ready to go. For the small handful of you that have left everything to the last minute, we picked out some of our favorite gifts for your creative teammates or friends. Amazon Prime is a sure way to get your online deliveries before the big day, although many companies are offering last-minute shipping. We love giving unique gifts, things that people wouldn’t buy for themselves but will frequently use and appreciate so we picked out gifts we think designers will love.

DIY Print Shop
For those designers who love to create their own shirts or graphics, why not buy them a DIY print kit? They have a range of options including gig posters, table printing, and shirts. It’s a nifty way to learn the screen printing trade at a relatively cheap price. They are taking orders for Christmas delivery until December 22^nd.

Bamboo Keyboard and Mouse
A biodegradable and environmentally friendly keyboard and mouse made entirely out of bamboo. This is an interesting way to make your desk stand out at work or at a home office. If you really want to go all out, you can even buy a matching calculator. The letters are engraved into the wood, offering a really unique way to get your work done.

Tuts Premium Membership
Tuts is an online resource to help people build upon their creative skills by self-directed learning. You can go at your own pace and learn a multitude of topics across code, design, and illustration. If you’ve overheard conversations about wanting to create an app or brush up on photography skills, this is your chance to put the wheels in motion. They have over 18,000 tutorials available online by expert instructors. Find out more on their website.

Field Notes
If you watched this week’s viral design video, Lynda’s logo design challenge, you would have spotted the quick mention of Field Notes booklets. Inspired by old school vintage agricultural books, they are made in the USA and include some limited colors and editions. These are a must-have for any creative.

Doxie One Photo and Document Scanner
We mentioned doc scanners in last week’s blog about managing finances and the need for managing documents. With the Doxie One Scanner, you don’t have the hassle of connecting to computers and scanning your work – it sends directly to your favorite apps.

Inside The Sketchbooks of the World’s Greatest Designers
A glimpse into the minds of the world’s greatest designers and illustrators, this wonderful book aims to inspire creativity. Informative and visual, you never quite know what each page will bring. Different techniques and ideas are shown along with visual representations of some of the most creative minds. For designers who are always on a quest for new inspiration and ideas, this would be a cherished book.

What are your favorite gifts for creatives? What do you think of the gifts we’ve chosen? Share your ideas with us on Twitter @artisanupdates.

Laura Pell – Recruiter at Artisan Creative

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Goal Setting: 10 Best Practices for Setting Goals

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014|

Around this time of year, people start reflecting on the previous months and begin setting goals (and resolutions) for the coming year.

I’ve also always done this until a recent event changed my perspective completely. It happened by chance on my birthday at the 180^th Meridian, the international date line. In a split second I was simultaneously standing in today and yesterday. Quite amazing, however, it made me realize that a date is just an arbitrary number — a line literally drawn on a map.

As I reflected on a new “birth year”, it made me realize that “start dates” can be counter-productive when it comes to setting goals and resolutions. Why wait until an arbitrary date in the future like Jan 1, or next week, or even tomorrow to make a change that will be impactful in your life or in your career?

Why wait to plan that once-in a-lifetime trip, why wait to plan your financial future, why wait to get healthy and fit? All goals will require time and action steps to accomplish, so why delay the start until sometime in the future?

As human beings, we fall into a second trap of mistaking our daily to-do lists with our goals. We often set too many goals and try to change too many things at once—and then we get busy with life and only accomplish a few of them. Once we get busy, it’s easy to lose focus, and have the day-to-day to-dos of work, kids, school etc. take over the goals we want to accomplish. How many times have we all said, “ I don’t have time to go to the gym”, or “I don’t have time to go on vacation!”

“You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage—pleasantly, smilingly and unapologetically— to say “no” to other things.” -Stephen Covey

Here are 10 Best Practices for setting goals that I have learned:

1)     Set only one or two (maximum) Key Goals you want to accomplish in a certain period of time
2)     Write down your goal and WHY is it important for you to accomplish this goal
3)     What do you need to STOP doing in order to accomplish this goal?
4)     Set a specific timeframe & metrics needed to accomplish the goal
5)     Work backwards from the date above and calendar the steps below
6)     Set the specific, actionable and controllable steps needed to reach that goal
7)     Ask yourself, am I in control of these action steps, or are they dependent on someone else? If so, change your action steps because you can’t let someone else control your goal, or plan an accountability metric and share it with that person
8)     Set check points along the way to track your progress
9)     Share your goals and action items with someone else and engage them as your accountability partner
10) Don’t wait…Start today!

Without specific mini steps along the way, the goal has the danger of becoming just a wish.

Katty Douraghy – President at Artisan Creative

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Gratitude

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014|

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold rather a large amount of gratitude.” – A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

With the hustle and bustle of the Holidays right around the corner, we’d like to take a moment and express our gratitude to those around us.
We spoke with some of our talent and the Artisan team to see what they are grateful for in 2014.

Katty
To me gratitude means to be appreciative of things on a daily basis. I write down three gratitudes every day. In the rush of daily to-dos, this allows me to focus on the important things in life. Today I’m grateful that my family, friends and Artisan team are healthy, of Artisan’s virtual office setting that allows me to work yet be close to loved ones, and grateful for the beautiful weather in LA.

Margaret
I’m grateful for a job that allows a lot of flexibility, for a husband who I love very much and so lucky to have and a supportive Family who is there for me no matter what.

Jamie
I thank God every day for my family and friends. I am thankful that my children are growing up surrounded by a loving community and I am thankful to share my life with some really kind and wonderful people. For me gratitude is recognizing even the smallest blessing or gesture and not taking anything for granted, especially my health and well-being.

Jen
I’m thankful for good health, strong friendships, and a happy family. Grateful to work in the creative space where I get to connect with and be inspired by brilliant, passionate, and talented individuals and so lucky that it’s through an agency that values people, trust, and respect.

Laura
I’m grateful to have such a supportive, kind family with a devoted husband. I’m grateful to be in a position to have saved two rescue dogs and work for a company who has integrity and respect.

Jamie
Gratitude is that deeper feeling one is left with after having been a part of contributing to, or being the recipient of, someone’s contribution to a greater good.

Vicky
I am thankful my family is healthy this year. Both my husband and I have some advancement in our career. And I met a great agent, Jen at Artisan around Thanksgiving time!

Deborah
I’m thankful for my dog, Pepper! In March, my boyfriend and I adopted an abandoned mini pincher mix from the rescue organization Dogs Without Borders. She’s the most delightful, playful little bundle of joy and adopting her was the best decision we’ve ever made. Not only is it wonderful to have a dog, but by virtue of having a dog, we’ve ended up getting out and meeting many of our neighbors, making our neighborhood really feel like home

Robert Emmons, the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude states, “Gratitude makes us appreciate the value of something, and when we appreciate the value of something, we extract more benefits from it; we’re less likely to take it for granted.”

What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving? Share your responses with us on Twitter @artisanupdates.

Laura Pell – Recruiter at Artisan Creative

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Artisan Creative’s 5 Favorite Co-Working Spaces in Los Angeles

Wednesday, October 1st, 2014|

Working from home can be a luxury for many people and let’s face it; spending time at your home office instead of a traffic jam is never a bad thing. Sometimes there are those days when you just need interaction. Whether it comes in the form of friendly conversation with a guy one desk over or soaking up inspiration from beautiful architecture and surroundings, it’s good to have a change of scenery. With that in mind, we decided to share some of our favorite spots across the city to inspire your creativity and pique your mood.

The Unique Space
Arts District, Downtown
Living up to its name, The Unique Space is a beautiful historic factory turned co-working spot home to innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. We love their library filled with helpful resources and the fact that they even have bikes to borrow along with a rooftop terrace to take a break. Did we mention this spot has everything?

The Hub LA
Arts District, Downtown
The Hub is 7000 square feet of open-plan flooring and tall windows allowing plenty of light. What’s great about The Hub is that they have Media Lab which boasts post-production suites, spaces for filming and screening. You’ll also find a host of General Assembly events along with film screenings and workshops.

Kleverdog CoWorking
Chinatown
Kleverdog is an Artisan favorite and a regular place for us to hold company events and meetings. The atmosphere at Kleverdog is relaxed and as such, feels like a home away from home. With 24/7 access and a favorite with developers, designers, and writers you’re never short of finding new conversations and even a friendly office dog.

Blankspaces
Santa Monica, Downtown, Mid-Wilshire
One of the original co-working spaces opened its doors at Mid-Wilshire and most recently, Santa Monica and Downtown. The architecture of their buildings is beautiful and clearly a lot of time and effort went into the construction and layout of their spaces (owner Jerome is also an architect). We’ve used both Downtown and Mid-Wilshire locations and they’re great for meetings, co-working, and events.

Opodz
Little Tokyo
Opodz blends technology, community, and culture into one cohesive space which allows co-working, art events, and lectures. This week they’re hosting a UX Strategy lecture and they even feature their resident co-working colleagues on their website which is a thoughtful touch.

Do you have a favorite co-working space of your own that hasn’t been featured? We’re always on the lookout for new places to explore so share your recommendations in the comments.

Laura Pell | Talent Acquisition | Artisan Creative

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Vacation Planning Best Practices

Tuesday, September 9th, 2014|

We asked our team to share their pre- and post-trip planning process. Even though the summer holiday season is over, we hope the following tips help you plan for any time away from the office.

Vacation Planning Best Practices

Be Proactive. Contact clients and key stakeholders a few weeks ahead of time to let them know of your upcoming vacation schedule. This will give everyone an opportunity to address any project needs and plan accordingly.
Status updates. If you are mid-project, or have direct reports, make it a point to meet with your team before leaving and within a day upon your return for status updates.
Prioritize & Delegate. Create a step-by-step process of all pending projects. Prioritize for your team and clearly assign tasks that require a follow-up. Tools like Basecamp make it easy to keeps track of the communication and makes it easy to get caught up when you get back.
OOO. Set your out of office response with the names and contact info of colleagues who will be supporting you while you are away. This alleviates frustration and any lag time for urgent needs.
Inbox planning. Use Rules and Filters to manage your inbox while you are away. Unsubscribe from non-essentials newsletters and notifications or direct them to a specific folder.
Minimize travel day stress. Pack your bags, print out travel itineraries and make sure you’re ready a few days prior to travel so your last working day isn’t affected by any pre travel stress.
Plan your first day back to work before you leave so your expectations are set beforehand. Have your to-do list ready to go!
Tidy your desk & desktop. Coming back to paper or digital clutter is no fun.
Your body and mind need time to recharge. Trust your team to handle urgent issues while you are away.
Have Fun!

Artisan Creative Team

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Virtual Office Best Practices: 5 Tips For Working With Your Pets

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2014|

Trust me, nobody loves your ‘work from home’ job more than your pet. Despite being surrounded by all your loveable pooches, work is work no matter where your office is. You know that, your boss knows that, but guess what? Your dogs have a different scenario in mind and the majority of their plan involves play time. I mean, why else would you be at home?

Before you break the gangs’ hearts and send them to the dog hotel for the day or call up the pet sitter, read these tips on how to work with your dogs and make them your best co-workers.

1. Differentiate Between ‘Crunch Time’ and ‘Break Time’

Make a habit of taking your dogs on a long morning walk before you begin your work day. This will provide the exercise, stimulation, and bonding experience they need to take them right into a happy nap or quiet time while you attack the pile of emails waiting for you come 9am. For the same reasons, opt for a game of fetch during lunch time to help cruise into the latter part of your day. Your pups will soon learn play time is only when it is most convenient for you. Make sure to have dog toys or other stimulating activities available during “quiet time” so they can entertain themselves while you work.

2. Schedule Your Day Wisely
You certainly should not plan your day around your dogs but if they get excited every time the mailman comes, do not schedule any calls during that part of the day. Be respectful of other’s valuable time and eliminate as many nuances as possible. You may not mind the sound of dogs barking in the background but many people may find it distracting and unprofessional.

3. Have A Dog Free Zone

One of the biggest benefits of working from home is the ability to work in any Wi-Fi accessible space in your house. As comfortable as these areas may be, they are an open invitation to your dogs to hang out with you. While this is great, make sure there is an accessible space with a door you can go to for important calls, video meetings, or just an area for when you need to dedicate 120% of your attention on a task at hand.

4. Take Tiny Breaks
Instead of two 15 minutes breaks throughout the day, take several smaller ones. These will allow you to let your dogs out and an even better opportunity for you to get some fresh air, clear your mind, and come back refreshed. The best ideas and creativity flows when you relax and allow your brain time to let information settle in and “click” while you roll out one of your infamous belly rubs. Your dogs will thank you and your brain will reward you.

5. Enjoy Them!

Working from home can get lonely, but it doesn’t have to be. Your dogs will soon become your favorite office mates as you spend your days celebrating the highs and venting about the lows. During slow or routine parts of your day, let them hang out with you. Give them treats every now and then and scratches never go unnoticed.

Before you know it, your dogs will crave this structure and look forward to play time while simmering down during quiet time. They will play a vital role in boosting creativity and lowering stress levels so take advantage of your ability to work from home alongside your best furry friends.

Jen Huynh, Artisan Creative Recruiter and Dog Lover

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