Patricia van den Akker is director of The Design Trust, an online business school for designer-makers. She discusses the barriers to running a design or craft business, with 7 tips on overcoming them.
Industry Insight
Jenny Smyth works as Senior Account Manager at Red Cow Creative consultancy. She has delivered creative marketing campaigns for brands like Mr. Men, Little Miss and Where’s Wally?
Industry Insight
Fay Blakeley is a freelance brand designer and consultant in Cardiff. She discusses the joys of being her own boss, as well as the challenges of being ultimately accountable.
Develop Your Career
The fashion industry is highly competitive, and it can be hard to succeed without determination and forward-planning.
Creative Voices
Creative employers and teachers in Northern Ireland shared their views on how Creative Choices events can help to inspire and support young people to develop creative careers.
Develop Your Career
Ensuring your top people stay with you and are engaged should be the biggest priority for an employer. The Design Business Association have offered 6 tips for retaining employees.
Industry Insight
After working in the design industry for a number of companies, Adrian and Jeremy Wright set up Design Wright, a business specialising in products and furniture. They spoke about their career pathways and shared advice for starting out in design.
Develop Your Career
Jason Bruges is an interaction designer. His team create site-specific installations, set designs, lighting and architectural features. He explained why having a wide mix of skills, training and interests can help designers.
Creative Voices
What makes a designer stand out? Furniture designer Tom Dixon believes it isn't just about good design training. He spoke about the need for transferable 'peripheral skills' in the design industry.
Develop Your Career
After starting up several ecommerce websites, Alex Barton founded Student Designers, which helps design students develop their business skills. He gave 4 pieces of advice for young creatives with an entrepreneurial idea.
Plan and create stands for shows and exhibitions
Fashion designers conceive of and create clothes
Producing visual images for a range of products
Work with paper to produce bespoke objects
Designing stage settings for productions
Working with words and visual images
The skills you need to be a model maker
Design complex items that are needed by industry
Helping people understand complex information
Create ideas and designs for new shoes
