Journal — July Edition

Running my own art and design studio can be challenging. Besides the actual work, there’s the almost full-time job of finding clients, marketing, administration, and continuous self-improvement - the boring but crucial stuff.

After experiencing a couple of client projects that went over deadline and didn’t run as smoothly as I would have liked, I decided to dedicate the next couple of weeks to improving the client process within SOWN. This involves rethinking how I find clients, frame and price projects, handle legal documents, and manage client communication. I'm hoping that all of these updates will not only free up my time but, more importantly, my mental space. It feels like so much of my headspace is taken up with the thought of these things due to inefficient processes which then spill into the creative aspect of the work.

First, there's the issue of not being easily found. This, like each part of the process, is a multi-faceted problem. As you know, I’ve been building Scribble, which will act as my social media and newsletter hub. I’m polishing a couple of posts now for the end of next week, and everything seems to be working smoothly. Another area for improvement is my Google ranking, so I’ve sat down with some friends to help with presenting case studies, SEO (a website's visibility on search engines to attract more organic visits), and code optimisation. We won’t see these improvements for a few days, but fingers crossed.

I’ve neglected legal documents in the past, such as contracts, and luckily haven’t needed them much so far. However, I’ve read too many horror stories of projects going wrong and studios being ruined because of that. On a more positive note, contracts keep everyone involved on the same page regarding expectations, timelines, and various scenarios, leading to clarity. I worked with my friend Bas on the Fruitslagers website, and he did a great job in setting expectations and keeping stakeholders aligned. Inspired by this, I’ve updated most of my documents and included online digital signature software. I just need one pass from a lawyer to ensure everything is legal and fair before incorporating this into the process.

Once I have a client onboard, effective communication during the project is crucial. Currently, I’m handling this via WhatsApp and random emails. While this approach has a personal touch, it often leads to things falling through the cracks and can appear unprofessional. After researching how other studios manage client communication, I found that most use some type of client portal or dashboard. To achieve this, I aim to stay within the tools I currently use rather than building a custom tool or subscribing to a new app. I’m considering Notion as a solution. Although it's not completely ideal—since each client will need a separate database to maintain confidentiality—it seems to be the best option available for now.

I’m quite excited to try this new system with my future clients. A new enquiry form is also in the works, expected to be ready within a month or two. I'm hoping that all of these updates will not only free up my time but, more importantly, mentally. It feels like so much of my mental space is wasted due to inefficient processes which then spill into the creative aspect of the work.

Recap

I like the idea of recapping the last month, seeing what I've done and where I can improve. It's a way of looking back while keeping myself accountable.

The main task this month was launching the new CrowdBuilding campaign. Getting the story right with the group proved very difficult, as everyone had a different angle they believed we should focus on. Eventually, we settled on the mission of creating 100,000 houses within the Netherlands in an alternative way to standard housing development. We successfully integrated the campaign site and the platform with a new member system using Memberstack, which has evolved enormously since I last used it. After extensive testing, it launched, and the feedback we’ve received is already helping to shape upcoming features. Next steps will involve experimenting with a more focused approach to building group creators and updating the design of the platform.

Scribble has soft-launched and currently testing and testing. A few design tweaks (mostly on mobile) remain and one big bug with the comments only loading after restart. Will fix soon.

Watching

We recently rewatched one of my favourite films - About Time. It's one of Richard Curtises best, and Bill Nighy shines. Yes, the time traveling aspect is heavily flawed, but it doesn't matter. It's romantic and funny and amazing. I won't spoil anything else except - bring tissues.

Listening

After watching the above film I started listening to the soundtrack. Not great, except for this gem. Beautiful (if not a bit corny).