The Most Important Post I’ve Ever Written

UPDATE – The irony of this post is almost laughable now, and I toyed with the idea of deleting it, but for the sake of posterity, I’m going to leave it in tact because it’ll get a good laugh at some point. Enjoy.

Ok, maybe not the most important post ever, but definitely the most important business post I’ve ever written. Sit back for awhile, get a drink maybe; this is going to be a long one.

To those who know me well, it’s no secret that I try to do too many things at once, or rather, I take on projects and bog myself down with them before I’m fully invested. Anyone who has followed my comings and goings over the past few years will tell you I am doing WAY too much. The truth is, I’m not doing too much; I’m not doing enough toward any one project, of which there are many. In short, I am unfocused; that is my own self discovered analysis.

So it shouldn’t be of any surprise or consequence when I tell you that I have a new project I’ve started, but before you roll your eyes allow me to give a little backstory.

I work with paper. It’s the core material in just about any piece of art or design I have created over the past 15+ years. It’s safe to say that paper and print work is the center of my professional universe. However, that universe steadily moving more toward a digital black hole with each passing day… or is it? I have conversations almost daily with people about how digital design is the future and I need to get with the program, but those same people are also the ones talking about how an ipad will never replace the tactile aspect of reading books or magazines, and they are right. Digital is a reality, but I would never be so bold to say that print is dead. In fact, it is my opinion that print is thriving, just not in the ways we may be accustomed.

Due in some part to those digital aspects of our world, paper is actually flourishing. Because of marketplaces like Etsy, ImageKind, and eBay, artists and designers have a way to get their art or design projects into the hands of people they never would have imagined before. Web resources like Lulu and Magcloud are giving would-be publishers a voice in print publishing regardless of available space on the local newsstand. A new rise of “hip” art and craft shows are popping up in every major city showcasing the works of local artists, and giving them a whole host of new customers, from neighbors to tourists.

The massively large head of the traditional print world might be moving toward digital because the economics of doing business are making it inevitable, but the tail portion is surviving. More and more of my friends who work with paper goods are quitting their “day job” and going full time. It’s inspiring to me and I believe it needs to be celebrated. This is where my new project comes into play.

One thing I’ve learned about myself recently; I’m a facilitator—a pimp for my friends and their wares. I love sharing cool stuff with others, and I love seeing someone get a little more popular or successful in part through my efforts. That makes me happy and I want more of it. If I combine that facilitation with my passion for paper goods, the result is Fresh Rag, where design, art and paper come together.

At the moment, Fresh Rag is a blog only, but I have plans, big plans for awesome things. Before I get to those awesome things, I want to make Fresh Rag the go-to joint for all things paper related. I wish Fresh Rag to be the Design*Sponge or Cool Hunting of paper goods, but then go the next level. I want to hold events and have a marketplace and maybe even a community unto itself. Sure, its a lofty goal, but I believe there is value in it and I’m pushing forward head on.

“But Dave, you already have so many other things on your plate”

Yes, I do, which is something I plan on rectifying immediately. From this point forward, I am simplifying. My priorities family first, then Fresh Rag and everything else comes after that when and if I have time. I’m putting on my networking hat and strapping on my boots and I’m ready to go out and kill it in the name of paper.

Forget what you know about what I’ve done. Fresh Rag is what I am from here on out. Want to help or have me showcase some of your cool paper things, hit me up: dave[at]freshrag[dot]com. Bring your friends—we’ll make it a party.

 

Filed Under: Business and Entrepreneurship Tagged With: , , , , ,

The 10 Best Things – Part Two

I’m counting down what I consider to be the best things in my life right now. Sometimes its easy to get down about all the bad crap going on in our lives, so to keep from jumping off a cliff over stupid stuff, it’s good to reflect on the positive elements in our lives. This is my list. If you missed the first part of this list, check it out here.

#5 – My Day Job

I complain about this job a lot because of the direction the upper management is taking the company. I do not feel any kind of security there because any one of us can be axed at the drop of a hat, making every payday very tense since that’s when pink slips are generally handed out.

Being in magazine publishing, business isn’t good. Books are dying off all the time and if you’ve been to a newsstand lately, not many are filling the empty holes. The mags that remain are having their pages cut regularly, advertisers are bailing for greener pastures in social media and online advertising, and it’s making for extremely tight budgets. Our editorial staff has been cut and my editor is asked to do more with less every month. It’s not a fun situation to be in.

On the other hand, why would I complain about a job that allows me to dress in t-shirts and shorts every day, gives me a flexible enough schedule to get home to hang out with my family and pays me to use my creativity on a daily basis? I’m not highly paid, probably marginal compared to a lot of art directors, maybe higher than some at my company, but I have good benefits and lots of vacation time and I have a whole bunch of really cool people I get to hang out with. I also have a boss that is by far the best boss I’ve ever had. He doesn’t micro manage, gives guidance when needed and backs up his team when their pushed into a corner. Answering directly to a Senior VP has its privileges.

Yes, the job can get mundane at times, doing the same thing month in and month out, but the long and short of the story is I get paid decent to use my right brain often. Compared to a lot of people in corporate America, my job is golden.

#4 – My Friends & Family

This is one of those no-brainer items. Of course my friends and family are on the list. Without them, I’m a pretty uninteresting person, really. I combined the two groups here because many of my friends are like family to me. In fact, a lot of my family members are less important to me than my group of close friends. I have some buddies I’ve known for 20+ years that I would jump in front of a bullet for, and some family members that I wouldn’t, but they all are responsible for partially making me who I am today.

I also married into one of the best possible families I could ever imagine. My wife’s family is gigantic, to say the least, and even the quirky ones (you know who you are) are good people and I get along with them very well. I’ve also gained a lot of deep respect and admiration for the Japanese culture through them.

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t bring up my mom here. She’s been the center of my universe from the beginning. When the man who would call himself my father decided to up and leave both of us stranded and destitute, my mom stepped up and did what she had to to make it, not an easy task at 20 years old. Most would assume she’d run back home, but my mom was determined to push through. She got help from family, and we suffered many slings and arrows together, most of which I never fully appreciated until later in life.

My mom and I don’t always see eye to eye, I can be a bit rough on her at times because of my lack of vision and clarity for situations, but it’s only because I want to lift her higher than she’s ever been before. I do this because I feel I owe it to her after all she’s done for me over the years. I’m blessed to have her in my life and I’m glad she’s got a real man in her life to do take care of her better than my “father” ever could.

#3 – My Creative Mind

Again, how awesome is it that I get to create art for a living. Sure, I’m not selling so many art prints right now that I can retire on the funds. Heck, I couldn’t pay my monthly food bill with what I sell right now, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that I have an almost endless amount of creativity at my disposal to make neat stuff. Even if I wasn’t selling anything, I would still be creating art. I’ve done it all my life and I will continue on for as long as my mind will allow.

I had a conversation recently with a friend who is an art sales dynamo. He confessed to me that recently, while setting up for an art and craft fair, he looked around at some of the old dudes in the other booths and wondered if that was his destiny. Would he be in his 60s and 70s still slogging away trying to hock his art and shows every weekend. When he brought it up, it didn’t sound very appealing at all. I thought about it some more afterward and I found the other side the story.

What if these old guys came out to these art fairs every weekend, not because they had to, but because it was what made them happiest? They get out of the house, interact with people they’ve never met and get to make a few bucks. Maybe they do need the money, but as I eluded to before, how bad of a job is that really? Would they rather be working at Walmart greeting people at the door? I doubt it.

#2 – My Wife

You know that line in the wedding vows where you repeat, “for better or worse”? My wife really took that to heart. She is the angel in my life, the rock beneath my feet and a constant source of love and support no matter what we go through. We balance each other well, taking the hard times as they come, and relishing in the good times with lots of laughter.

I often reflect back to the day we got married on a beautiful beach in Maui. I saw her walking with her sister up the path to where we waited, she almost moved in slow motion. Everyone gets jitters at that point, but I somehow knew I was making the best decision of my life right then. I’ve been asked by other friends who’s marriages aren’t going as well as they’d hoped; they ask if I would get married again if I could have a do-over. The answer is always yes. I’ve told more than one person over the course of our marriage that she definitely got the raw end of the deal, and I’m lucky to have such an awesome woman in my life.

#1 – My Son

Honestly, I was going back and forth on which person was the best thing in my life, my son or my wife. It wasn’t easy, but I finally decided to add the little guy to the top of the list because nothing in this world makes me feel more special than when he crawls up onto my lap, wraps his arms around me and lays his head on my shoulder.

His smile is infectious, his antics crack me up and his affection is electric. No matter how bad my day is, no matter how tough my commute or how tired I may be, nothing gets my spirits up more than one look into his smiling face. I know I’m in for a lot of trying times between now and when he finally leaves the nest, but I will always cherish the sweetness that he brings to our lives daily. I am a better man because of him.

What about you? What are some of your best things? Write ‘em down, share them with others.

Filed Under: Ponderings Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

The 10 Best Things – Part One

Like a lot of people, I tend to dwell on things a little too much, usually the stuff I probably shouldn’t be dwelling on so much; things I either have no control over, or things I could easily fix if I focused more attention toward and got it handled. It spurred me to try and dwell on some more positive things in my life for once.

At first when I thought of coming up with 10 things in my life that bring me happiness, I wondered if I could come up with enough mostly because 2011 has been a bit of a challenging year for my family. Then I realized I was thinking too big, as if every part of this list had to be epic, or even hugely substantial. Truth is, there are tiny things that make me happy that I take for granted on a fairly regular basis, and it’s about time they got some adequate credit for the smile on my face.

#10 – This Blog

Sometimes I dread having to write. It becomes a chore. Any of you who have blogs know exactly what I’m talking about. I write because I feel the need to keep it fresh and updated, not get stagnant and lose what few readers I actually have.

Sometimes the inspiration for what to write about just isn’t there. I’ll sit in front of the computer for a long time trying to post something that actually is worth sharing, and most of those times, I’m certain my readers are going to tell me to shut the hell up and start bringing the awesome instead of this drivel.

Other times though, this writing makes me smile. The catharsis of putting the proverbial pen to paper in order to extricate a creative synapse in the form of a blog post is one of the best feelings in the world, especially typing that last punctuation mark and hitting the publish button. I thought of tossing the blog out many times, but then I remember the good feelings that come with a published piece, and the responses I get, usually in commiseration, and it pushes me forward to the next potential post.

#9 – My Customers

I love buyers, and not just in the sense of receiving dollar bills in exchange for my art. I also love my buyers because I’ve made a connection to someone. They found my artwork appealing enough to either post up on their walls or share with a friend as a gift. We connected on some small level revolving around my creativity and their inspiration. Every time I see a note in my inbox telling me I made a sale I smile, and I’m sure the person on the other end of that transaction is smiling too. At least, that’s what I hope is happening.

#8 – My Sense of Humor

As lame and egocentric as this may sound, I laugh at my own jokes all the time. I make quips and puns on a regular basis with real folks or friends on my various social networks, and I laugh anytime I say something I think will potentially make them literally LOL. I seek out these opportunities quite often.

Sometimes people don’t get the joke, or they don’t quite appreciate my twisted sense of humor. I can’t win them all. If I ultimately have to explain my point of view, then I’ve obviously failed at my attempt at humor, but that doesn’t keep my from trying. Shun me if you will, but I’m still smiling and LMAO for real.

#7 – My Car

Yes, a material object brings me joy. My little VW is a blast to drive spiritedly and I love putting it into really tight and fast corners whenever possible. Even the way it feels when I’m driving on my daily commute makes me smile. It’s not the fastest, most luxurious or the most economical, but it’s 3,600 lbs. of pure, unadulterated joy.

It’s comfortable for being a small car, both in the front seats and the back (yes, it had plenty of leg room). It can also hold a tremendous amount of crap. When I did my last art shows, I was easily able to shove all my stuff into it with the seats folded down. The stereo sounds great as well as the exhaust note, and drives like a go-cart on a cloud, but the best part is the feeling of pushing the throttle down and having it explode past anyone around me. It’s not my dream car, but it’s pretty close.

#6 – My Dog

Freckles, the deadly hunter attacks her prey

Come one, look at this face and try to keep from smiling. Can’t be done.

She’s a pain in my ass sometimes, but most of the time, she’s a smart and loving dog that loves my and my wife and tolerates the heavy handed petting of my son, who will eventually become her best friend, I’m sure.

Check back next time for the #5 through #1.

Filed Under: Ponderings Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

John W. Golden Drops Some Diversified Knowledge

John Golden is a well established artist; definitely one of my favorite Etsy purveyors, and a good source of inspiration and information. When I finally decided I needed a little more diversification in my Beach Cities shop, the first person I thought of was John. His work has a strong uniformity, but is also fairly diverse in subject matter.

I sent John a note asking his thoughts on diversity within a shop space, and if he felt diversity was a key element in his success. His insightful response was so solid, I asked if he didn’t mind me sharing it with you. Here are the key points.

  • The tricky thing is to have a niche, but to make it as broad of a niche as possible. My niche came out of a need for art for my kids’ rooms … and I have found some sub-niches within that niche.
  • I try to tie them all together with a consistency of styles (tho I sometimes push that envelope) and kind of a similar “voice” (whether it’s a certain type of humor, affection for something, etc.).
  • If the idea came to me, and it truly interests me, the execution of the idea has potential to fit my stop. If it is something I think would sell, but is not necessarily coming from that true interest in or affection for some aspect of the subject matter or the illustration style, my execution of the idea may be a harder fit for the shop.
  • I think variety of subject matter increases your chances of showing up in searches, and that will increase your presence online.
  • I think too often we think of people finding our online stores and imagine them behaving like someone walking in to a brick and mortar store. If you walked into a store with 400 items you could see all at once, it would seem overwhelming. I believe folks online find us one item at a time, so 400 items may not be as overwhelming, but increases our chance of being seen.
  • I definitely recommend having diversity in your shop if you can make it work within your vision of your shop. I think it has helped with the success of my shop.

Pretty much solidifies what I was initially thinking, but was a bit gun-shy about pushing forward on in my shop. Thanks to John for the insight. I appreciate it and I know some of you will too. Check out John W. Golden’s work on Etsy. Oh, and he’s having a big summer sale, so get in on that stuff before it’s gone.

Filed Under: Knowledge Base Tagged With: , , , , ,

Crafty GIFs

Inspired by the work of Jamie of “From Me To You”, I created this animated GIF. It’s not nearly as elegant as her work, but not bad for a start, don’t you think? Yeah, I know, another pic of A-Train, but my on hand subject matter was limited.

Head on a swivel

Filed Under: A-Train Tagged With: , , ,
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