Design me a business

I have been working for a long time, since my first babysitting gig when I was thirteen. Through my design career, I have freelanced, worked in-house and worked for consultancies and agencies. Although I have been self-employed, I have never taken the leap and hired another person for an extended period of time, or entered into a partnership. I have cultivated many business relationships, built a reputation around my skills, but I have yet to create a formal business entity.

I tend to work a lot, and I love it. I spend a lot of time thinking about the projects I am working on, they are always in the back of my mind. Fundamentally, I am a problem solver. I pour a lot of passion and drive into finding the right solution. It’s just the way I am. I care about the work I produce, it’s a part of me, and I care about the people with whom I work. They trust me to do what I have promised them I would do, and the feeling of letting someone down is not pleasant (although let’s be honest, it happens sometimes). I strive to learn from my errors and make changes for the better the next time around. Knowing this about myself, I would love to put that energy, drive and passion into creating my own business, one that I own (or own collectively). I have learned a lot over the years on how to create a successful business, but it has always been for someone else. I also know that the bottomless fear I feel at the thought of creating a business is evidence enough that I should go for it.

What will that business be? I’m not sure yet. I know it will be focused in interaction design, possibly around education or health and wellness technologies. I’m also quite captivated by design for human sustainability, by re-engineering our everyday lifestyles and experiences to be more environmentally kind and fulfilling. I was incredibly moved by Richard Buchanan’s IxD11 keynote, when he spoke of the designer’s role in maintaining human dignity. That is something to which I aspire, especially by designing a business that supports these beliefs. I’m fascinated with different remuneration models, and I absolutely loved mentoring junior designers and fostering collaborative environments. I dream of having my own studio space one day, a place to meet and create with talented passionate people. Having my own business, I could do all of these things.

I can’t immediately see what this future business looks like, if it is a research/recommendations practice, or an end-to-end boutique that provides a finished solution, be it a product, a service or some combination of the two. I feel fortunate to have heard Michelle Kaufmann speak last year about how her business grew out of looking for eco-friendly houses. She spoke of her desire to handle every aspect of design and production, but that her business model eventually led to large overhead that was impossible to maintain in the recession. Considering she is now working with Google on modular multiplex residences that will serve many people, perhaps these sharp lessons weren’t for naught. I am inspired by her story, and it encourages me to choose one of my passions, start small, ask questions from those with experience, and keep moving forward.