just do it - contracting as a designer
TRANSCRIPT
JUST DO IT
Contracting as a designer
Who am I?
@jonathanzwhite
“Please don’t listen to this guy”
“My son is a special person”
FRIEND MOM
Why?
ANYHOW
ANYWAY
ANYWHERE
ANYHOW
Design your own creative process
Brainstorm
1
ANYHOW
Design your own creative process
Brainstorm Sketch
1 2
ANYHOW
Design your own creative process
Brainstorm Sketch Prototype
1 2 3
ANYHOW
Design your own creative process
Brainstorm Sketch Prototype Iterate
1 2 3 4
ANYHOW
Design your own creative process
Remind yourself. Nobody built like you, you designed yourself.
- Jay Z
ANYWAY
ANYWAY
Build the life you want to live
CONTRACTINGPay the bills
ANYWAY
Build the life you want to live
CONTRACTINGPay the bills
Pursue your passions
ANYWAY
Build the life you want to live
CONTRACTINGPay the bills
Pursue your passions
Better your craft
ANYWAY
Build the life you want to live
CONTRACTINGPay the bills
Pursue your passions
Better your craft
Meet new people
ANYWHERE
ANYWHERE
Live in the places you’ve always wanted to visit
ANYWHERE
Live in the places you’ve always wanted to visit
ANYWHERE
Live in the places you’ve always wanted to visit
ANYWHERE
Live in the places you’ve always wanted to visit
ANYWHERE
Live in the places you’ve always wanted to visit
Wait. What.
ANYWHERE
Live in the places you’ve always wanted to visit
Chiang MaiTHAILAND
$802/m90F
PhuketTHAILAND
$822/m86F
BandungINDONESIA
$559/m86F
GuangzhouChina
$666/m85F
How?
HOW
01
HUSTLE
HUSTLE
Starting out it’s going to be hard
HUSTLE
Starting out it’s going to be hard
HUSTLE
Starting out it’s going to be hard
HUSTLE
Starting out it’s going to be hard
“There is no substitute for patience and hard work”
- RJ McCollam
HUSTLE
Starting out it’s going to be hard
HOW
02
WORK SMART
“It’s not about hard work, it’s about solving hard problems with the least amount of work”
- Jason Calacanis
WORK SMART
Not everyone can work smart
HOW
03
DOCUMENT
DOCUMENT
Show the world your process
WORK SMART
Show the world your process
WORK SMART
Show the world your process
WORK SMART
Show the world your process
Let’s talk money.
A LITTLE MATH
A LITTLE MATH
It’s not about the money. Except when it is.
$50 x 40 hours x 4 weeks x 12 months = $96,000
$70 x 40 hours x 4 weeks x 12 months = $134,000
$90 x 40 hours x 4 weeks x 12 months = $172,800
A LITTLE MATH
It’s not about the money. Except when it is.
Income Tax
A LITTLE MATH
It’s not about the money. Except when it is.
Income Tax
Social Security
A LITTLE MATH
It’s not about the money. Except when it is.
Income Tax
Social Security
Healthcare
A LITTLE MATH
It’s not about the money. Except when it is.
Income Tax
Social Security
Healthcare
Deductions
A LITTLE MATH
It’s not about the money. Except when it is.
Creative work time + management time + 20% buffer = estimated project time
(Estimated project time x break even rate) + other project expenses = project cost
HOURS
“You are NOT the hours you work”
- @InVisionApp
HOURS
Time is your most valuable asset
Picasso was sketching in a park one day when a woman recognized him and asked if he’d sketch a portrait of her. He took a few seconds to look at her before putting his pen to the paper. In a few strokes, he was done.
HOURS
Time is your most valuable asset
Picasso was sketching in a park one day when a woman recognized him and asked if he’d sketch a portrait of her. He took a few seconds to look at her before putting his pen to the paper. In a few strokes, he was done.
She was thrilled when she saw the sketch, and then she asked him how much she owed him.
HOURS
Time is your most valuable asset
Picasso was sketching in a park one day when a woman recognized him and asked if he’d sketch a portrait of her. He took a few seconds to look at her before putting his pen to the paper. In a few strokes, he was done.
She was thrilled when she saw the sketch, and then she asked him how much she owed him.
“5,000 francs,” Picasso replied.
HOURS
Time is your most valuable asset
Picasso was sketching in a park one day when a woman recognized him and asked if he’d sketch a portrait of her. He took a few seconds to look at her before putting his pen to the paper. In a few strokes, he was done.
She was thrilled when she saw the sketch, and then she asked him how much she owed him.
“5,000 francs,” Picasso replied.
She asked, “Why so much? It only took you a second.” And Picasso said, “No, madam. It took me my entire life.”
HOURS
Time is your most valuable asset
Pitfalls
PITFALLS
Everyone makes mistakes
There will always be people better than you.
Always be working on your craft.
01
PITFALLS
Everyone makes mistakes
There will always be people better than you.
Always be working on your craft.
01
Runway is everything.
You are your own manager, calculate your expenses.
02
PITFALLS
Everyone makes mistakes
There will always be people better than you.
Always be working on your craft.
01
Runway is everything.
You are your own manager, calculate your expenses.
02
Don’t leave things to the last minute.
Try have a client lined up
03
PITFALLS
Everyone makes mistakes
There will always be people better than you.
Always be working on your craft.
01
Runway is everything.
You are your own manager, calculate your expenses.
02
Don’t leave things to the last minute.
Try have a client lined up
03
Remember, you’re just a designer.
And that’s okay.
04
Can I do this forever?
Sure.
If you want to look like him.
“Opportunities don't often come along. So, when they do, you have to grab them.”
- Audrey Hepburn
