i work one on one with love-minded leaders and business visionaries.

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what this means: off the top, it needs to be made clear that experientially i have concluded that the strongest solutions and most empowered successes are found when i work one on one with the primary stakeholders in any business-

this is how i operate my business, and i will continue to apply this methodology- though respective of the dynamic of any business.

 

in short: any key decisions or business elements need to be primarily approved and/or determined & completed by the stakeholders themselves.

 

in the cases in which businesses have internal resources or teams with marketing expertise, or other third party peeps that they have assigned the power of attourney to:

it is essential to the overall dynamic and success of any project we undertake, that i am able to assess the unique skills and areas of strength of team members- in order to identify and assign the appropriate accountabilites through which those members will contribute the best possible efforts towards the outcome.

 

inshort/ for example: when working with teams, to execute a plan- i will assess the strengths and unique talents of the team members in order to define their niche within the project, leading to the development of delegated tasks and accountabilities for each member of the team to be responsible for.

 

in any instance, it is essential for me to get a sense of what and whom you are working with, ( and ultimately who i am collaborating with ) understanding your team members skills and abilities, in order to best identify how she is able to serve the project- is a necessary and required step to beginning any business venture.

 

businesses that are working with internal resources such as marketing support and advisers within their organization, have found the greatest results in working with myself as a third party consultant - when all internal resources commit to being a support system for the work that we will do together. ( a support system vs. an opposing force. ( t's unfortunate when this happens, but it does. )

 

i believe that synergy, and a harmonious dynamic is the only way to achieve the highest level results which of course we all seek, and to that point- while i am always happy to have more than one or two members collaborating towards the vision- it is important that the client understands that by engaging my professional expertise, they are agreeing to allow me to exercise my own methodology, applying experiential expertise to developing a plan of execution that involves all members, but at an overall allows me to apply my vision for what is best for the business and my work.

 

 

love & devotion:

 

i expect you to care just as much about the success of your business as i do. i am fiercely and ruthlessly devoted to my clients business- i have often times been accused of putting so much of myself into other people's businesses- that i treat them as if they are my own, and often have trouble extracting myself if and when when the time comes.

what this means is just that i am full of love, passion and creative fire for moving the momentum of your success and fueling the success of your business.

my clients should feel this way about their businesses too, otherwise it's just weird- akin doing a one-woman show while the other performers are texting.

 

 

process:

 

over the years i have spent alot of time, energy and effort into educating my clients on all aspects of a project- and all aspects of the creative process itself and since i haven't had the time to blog it all out- i have decided to just put some key notes down here into my terms- so that it's all out there, on the table for you to see what you are getting into- before you make the jump.

 

 

a proverb~

the more simple you go - the higher the level of execution.

 

aka: a simple note about 'simple'    

 

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aside from the basic integrity and truth driven principles defined herein- as a general rule- i don't have 'rules' or regulations but this is one particular topic that i feel strongly about, and believe is vital to put out there at the onset of our work together.

 

"simple" - is an over-used phrase that nearly always brings up issues.

asking for something 'quick and simple' 

ie:  asking any of the following questions:

 

"can you do a quick edit to this document for me?"  

" can you add a date or change some copy?"

 can you do a quick 'switch out of a photo?'- 

or " whip up a quick brochure" 

 

- is not the way to ask a professional for something you need.

 

the notion of perceiving anything i do for clients, as simple, quick and not worth more than say, a few minutes or hours of time does not really jive with me in terms of how i want to execute my own service. it also shows a lack of understanding and fundamental respect for the work i do and thus illustrates precisely why i work to ensure clear and comprehensive communication and mutual understanding from the get go.

 

in my mind, if i looked at a client's project that way- no matter how small, it would seem as if i was undermining it, or blowing it off as a quick one-off job...

and that would be fundamentally oppose to how i work in the world.

 

i always strive to empower and honor the process, for every unique project. massive or tiny :)

 

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timing:

 

at the onset of a project i always try to work with a client to get clear on collective goals.

i provide workback schedules and customized calendars when we begin a project and if at anytime we stray from it- you will always be advised and consulted.

 

when you have a burning need to get something from me- or have something done, please note that i always do my best in delivering on time, on budget and whenever possible above and beyond. many freelancers have set rates for urgent or rush jobs that require short lead times, ( for example if a magazine you want to advertise in has a strict go to press deadline and you've just raised the capital to buy your adspace ) rush fees tend to be a hefty premium on top of the standard fees, and this is a common practice in my industry.

to date- i have yet to charge this fee as i believe that if you maintain a balanced relationship with clients- and your clients are clear on expectations and your communication is solid- this ought not happen.

but if it does, please note that each and every project is subject to discretion and unique circumstance and will be discussed at the time of request. 

 i get deadlines and time restraints but please consider the entirety of what has been discussed within these terms and conditions prior to making any comments, requests or otherwise with regards to timing.

 

 

the time question:

/ with regards to how long things take: time vs. rates

for example : " how long does it take to make changes to my poster?... or how come you are charging me 8 hours to design something? " 

 

in the formula applied when considering the building of work of quality: some costs are standard hard costs- such as the time it takes to upload and properly perform production for artwork-

and other costs for some, might vary. please know that i put careful consideration into the production of all estimates and quotes and i always strive to deliver swift turnaround times- and be as efficient as possible when performing any and all work.

so before asking whether i can " change an estimate by cutting hours from a task, or perhaps asking me to rush through something-

please consider my core value is integrity-  not giving something the full attention it deserves in order to thrive- in order to facilitate ' quick' ' simple' or 'easy' 

doesn't honor your work, or my work.

investing the adequate time into something important,  is vital to the success of your business, and that is always the perspective i am taking.

 

 

on communicating:

 

over the last few years i have put significant time into rethinking refining and redefining how i operate on a day to day basis. 

shifting my model from a more traditional one- to a more liberal one. what this once meant was that my preferred modes of communication are not what many might consider 'the norm.'

i don't own a cell phone. in 2010 i threw my blackberry into the lake and i've never looked back. ) 

however; having said that- the world of technology has advanced so much in these last few years that actually, what once seemed a little out of the ordinary now is becoming the norm- skype replaces phone calls and email documents replace continuous need for conferencing live to discuss ongoing work.

words have always been my greatest gift and my greatest love- and thusly my most effective communication tool.

as most beloved clients already know- i tend to do most of my communicating in written form- which has numerous benefits from the cultivation of a perpetual papertrail- to the recording of ongoing guidance and educational material to the creative and strategic thinking that often comes out of the comprehensive communication threads that i prepare and maintain.

 

i always offer clear and comprehensive communication threads with clients, sometimes this means mile-long emails, but it is only for the increased organization, success and ease of everyone involved in the long term. it is vital for you as the client to ensure that you commit your utmost to reading my communications ( this should go without saying however i am saying it now so that in the future there is zero margin for misunderstanding. )

 

although this tends to be my standard system- i do recognize the irreplaceable value of face to face connection, the energetic exchange that takes place in person can never be replaced by gmail or evernote- and the looking into the eyes of another human being is certainly not the same as reading into the tone of their email.

to that end- i will suggest live meetings when required and am always open to this option when collaborating on an important project.

where appropriate i will also strive to schedule skype sessions or calls when working on an ongoing project with a client- ( ie: if we are building your website and the process includes work that is being done on both of our ends )  live chat is vital to ensure that our efforts are always aligned streamlined and supporting the end-goal for your business. 

 

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a note on expectations:

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of course all client needs are a priority to me, and i do work hard at making all clients feel as if they are my only clients. :)

( however sometimes, the reality is that with my hand in so many businesses at once, coupled with the reality of being a human being during this time on earth...there needs to be certain mutual management of expectations  - so that no one ever feels misunderstood, neglected or otherwise.

 

 expectation management is one of the most vital aspects of creating a happy life in general so of course it makes sense that this extends to professional relationships, this does not pertain to or effect  the level of energy i put into projects- but i do think it's vital to bear in mind what is reasonable to expect , at any given time.

 

sometimes clients tend to rely on me for consistent guidance in all aspects of their business, which i completely honor and strive to be present for- but what i sometimes need to repeat is that i am never an 'employee' i dont work 'for' anyone. i work 'with' people ... and sometimes when there are ongoing projects / multiple projects on the go @ one time, and i have offered a retainer-type agreement to peeps- that boundary between freelance engagement for collaboration and full-time 'employee' needs to be made clear.

 

as a sidenote:

please be advised,  because i operate a non-traditional freelance operation/ one woman show with my hands in multiple businesses simultaneously- i do not employ staff receptionists or assistants- and there are only so many schedule-able hours in a day, 

i cannot avail myself for immediate phone calls, live meetings or skype sessions at a client's request unless otherwise booked. 

no matter what our working agreement is, i promise to always strive to be accessible but i am not on-demand.

 

please always let me know at the get-go if you are unclear about something or require further guidance, explanation or otherwise- i will always strive to connect with my peeps for jam sessions to get clear on things.

 

 

on revisions:

 

 

i always include how many revisions are a part of a project. typically the number is three. please refer to individual project quotes before asking me to revise something a third, fourth or seventh time, so that you are not surprised if additional hourly charges apply.

 

 

i still believe in the power of the honor system:

 

 

i do not believe in the need to bill for every meeting, hit a timer for every call- or ensure that every single piece of work i do is paid in full at market value.

i make my own rules, and while my rates are competitive, i always reserve the right to make my services accessible to smaller-business peeps and startup entrepreneurs.

this does not mean you should offer me less than i ask for. it means i run a forward thinking business-  blending industry wisdom with new economy perspective- to create healthy and mutually prosperous relationships.  so i trust you to do the right thing, if i work the hours- pay for the hours. worthy business partners will understand the value in this system.

If you cannot handle or respect the above, and think it might pose an issue for you- please let me know as soon as possible so we can find an honorable way to work out an alternative solution.