Unplanned Creative

Social Media wasn't always a thing. Now it is almost impossible to succeed as a business without some sort of social media presence. Today I want to share three things to remember as you navigate the often choppy waters of social media as a business this week.

I have shared my brand philosophy before, but it is always good to revisit something. This time around I boil everything about Head First Studios down into two words. Take a few minutes out of your day to listen to this episode and find out not only what those two words are, but how my passion might be able to help you in your own business ventures.

As independent creatives and freelancers we are taught that we must always be hustling and moving forward to succeed. But is there another element to success? How important is self-care to a freelancer? Today I want to share three things that are necessary for every independent creative to remember to avoid burnout in your field.

The rise of social media created a need for businesses to market themselves visually in ways that we never thought necessary before the dawn of the internet. Today I am going to share the three main types of images that people look for, and some useful tools that will help you create simple images that will allow you to stand out online. All without needing to hire a graphic designer. =========== Episode Links Adobe Spark Post: https://spark.adobe.com Pixlr: https://pixlr.com/ Mextures: https://www.mextures.com/ Over: https://madewithover.com/ TitleFX: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/titlefx-write-on-pictures-add-text-captions-to-photos/id585663626?mt=8

Successful businesses can often point to their logo as a reason that people chose them over their competitors. But what makes a logo great? What makes a logo stand out, and be worthy of someone's attention? Today, find out the three things that every great logo has in common.

Have you ever worked with a client who made you wish you never met them? I think we all have at one point or another. Today I share a little story about one client who wasted my time, his time, and taught me a lot about who I do not want to work with in my field. =========== Episode links Clients From Hell: https://clientsfromhell.net/

You as a creative need to provide your clients with a fantastic experience when they work with you. Sometimes that needs to start before you even know the client is looking for you. Take a few minutes today to learn about the importance of (and how to) connecting with your clients.

All Independent Creatives need a way to keep their books and travels in order. Today I am sharing the best resource I have found that lets me do just that. And best of all... it's free! ==================== Episode Links: Expensify: https://www.expensify.com/

Apps make life easier... or at least better right? And Everyone loves a good list. So here are my list of my top 5 most commonly-used apps, whether for personal or business use. ==================== Episode Links: Overcast: https://overcast.fm/ Buffer: https://buffer.com/ Netflix: http://www.netflix.com Mazey: https://www.mazey.co/ Good Task: http://goodtaskapp.com/

You have completed your project for your client and it is time to collect your fee. Here are two huge items you need to remember to include in your process when you complete your projects. ==================== Episode Links: Wave: https://www.waveapps.com/ Square: https://squareup.com/ Stripe: https://stripe.com/ Clients From Hell: https://clientsfromhell.net/ Honeybook: https://www.honeybook.com/

Contract can often be a dirty word to creatives. Take five minutes in this episode to find out why they are not merely a necessary evil, but something that can benefit you (and your client) greatly! ==================== Episode Links: AIGA: https://www.aiga.org/standard-agreement Contract Killer: https://stuffandnonsense.co.uk/projects/contract-killer Bidsketch: https://www.bidsketch.com Media Surgery: https://mediasurgery.co.uk/blog/web-design-contract Legal Zoom: https://www.legalzoom.com/ Akron U Small Business Development Center: http://akronsbdc.org/

Today I get to share one of my favorite projects with you. As you can probably tell from the episode art it is a sports logo. ============ See more from this episode: * The Story Behind the Brand: http://headfirststudios.net/project/rust-belt-dynasty-baseball-league-branding/ * Behance Page: https://www.behance.net/gallery/63455127/Rust-Belt-Dynasty-Baseball-League-Branding * http://www.eartothegroundmusic.co * Rust Belt Dynasty on RedBubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/doctorheadly/works/28721342-rust-belt-dynasty-fantasy-baseball?asc=u&p=t-shirt

Sometimes we struggle with reaching our audience in our creative endeavors. But have you ever sat down and asked who you are trying to reach in your business?

What are the pros and cons of 4 of the most popular Social Media accounts... and one bonus that you might not have thought of using.

Social Media is something that has become the norm for just about everyone. But where is the value for you to be utilizing social media in your business?

This episode I break down the Head First Studios brand to share how it communicates what I offer as a creative

What goes into the brand for my business? Take a few minutes and find out...

A brief preview of what to expect from Unplanned Creative each week