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Slide 2: Alternate Titles that we considered... • How I went from working hard at home to playing games at the office. • No really, who needs clients? • The Designer of Tomorrow

Slide 3: A Few Caveats Just so you know... • Your results may vary • Not everything will apply • Be prepared for Happy Accidents • Transitions are key • There is no boardroom

Slide 4: Boss Bedroom Band Boardroom Beach

Slide 5: Discover Your D.N.A. (Designer’s Natural Aptitude) • Personality • Family & Upbringing • Education • Interests, Hobbies & Passions • Bent

Slide 6: Dealing w the Boss

Slide 7: Embrace Your Place • If you are working for The Man — or The Woman — make sure they’re willing to invest in you • Don’t rely on the office to be your creative exercise

Slide 8: Success in Bedroom

Slide 9: Narrow Services Broad Interests • Focus professionally on niches • Become an expert or advocate • Get outside of yourself on a “personal” level

Slide 10: Beware of the Good Embrace the Great • Avoid projects — even seemingly profitable ones — if they do not fit your designer DNA • Narrow focus enables growth and sparks profits • Misfit projects drag you down

Slide 11: Prepare for Calamity • Growth will make you a target • Some people can be mean • Remember “Happy Accidents”

Slide 12: Assembling Band

Slide 13: When One is Not Enough • Focus allows you to identity compatible and complementary people for your team • Know the DNA of your team • Don’t align with others simply for the sake of alignment. Be careful working with friends & family

Slide 14: Building Product

Slide 15: Transition Time • Stay true to your niche • Use profits to fuel projects • Be persistent throughout mistakes, shortcomings, and miscalculations

Slide 16: Building Awareness • Keep an email list • Bake in the buzz • Make it remarkable

Slide 17: Some Stories

Slide 18: Blinksale DNA = Fascination with business finance met disdain for desktop software solutions Lesson = Products almost always take more time to hit mass than you think Result = Blinksale is profitable & growing

Slide 19: IconBuffet DNA = Team’s obsession with iconic art and a love for design community sites Lesson = Profits not always key success Result = IconBuffet’s primary success was the visibility that it brought to our studio. Our best clients were landed via IconBuffet.

Slide 20: PackRat DNA = Team’s obsession with iconic art and a love for community sites ...and gaming Lesson = Happy Accidents Result = We have no idea

Slide 21: e Designer Tomorrow • Goes beyond design, embraces creation • Transitions skillfully between focused niches and multiple disciplines • Raises the bar for the industry • Brings other designers along for the ride