Handling it All

I get asked all of the time, "How do you keep up with it all? Especially in the busy season of summer." While I often feel like my head is spinning with the endless to-do list, I do feel like we have set up a great structure for all four of our businesses to run. 

Whether you are a freelancer with one brand or a few under your belt, here are some tips on how to keep it all together:

1// Self Discipline - Absolutely none of the other words in this blog matter without self discipline. When you run your own business, you simply have to be self-motivated. I laugh when people say "it must be nice to write my own schedule." It is nice and sometimes has its perks, but it also means that I have to be real with myself when it is time to rest and when it is time to continue the hustle. 

2// Work Smart - Creating an efficient structure around the studio has greatly helped with our workflow and the production time that it takes after a shoot is complete. Time management is essential (along with self discipline as noted above) and structure (yes, and all those google docs) really help our studio go-round. We try and stay focused, yet flexible with our work days. Lets break this down a bit:

• Focus - Our production deadlines and turnarounds are quick. When I am working on a job, I definitely focus on the edit immediately afterwards. I like to turn around complete editorial projects in 1-2 weeks and wedding edits in 4-6 weeks. A strict timeline like this helps us to stay on top of the work and our clients' deadlines, but it also allows us to not get buried in production. I like to work in the present and not feel like I'm behind. This is challenging sometimes, because the various distractions in our lives (the internet, social media and phones) are just waiting to pull us away from the hustle. We're not perfect, but we do try and stay focused. 

• Flexibility - Every day around here is truly different. We stay very flexible within our structure, so should a meeting, new job, or urgent deadline happen, we can accommodate accordingly with our clients. It is a WIN when we leave the studio feeling entirely accomplished. But we also know how those days go when you come into the studio, your internet is down and you need to re-think ALL the things you were going to get done that day. 

3// Build Your Team - Whether it's bringing help into your business through an intern, hiring your first employee, or simply outsourcing certain areas, building your team is essential to your sanity and your growth. Here is some of the roles we have to make our business happily function: 

• Editor: Outsource editing, both weddings, editorial and commercial work 

• Studio Manager: Social media support, behind the scene work and special projects. 

• Bookkeeper: We meet once a month to reconcile our books and pay taxes.

• Photographers: All independent contractors full of talent to help assist and to lead our Rivets team. 

• Producer + Agent : Our agent is pounding the pavement every day to show our latest work, while our producer helps write estimates and produce commercial shoots.

• CPA: For help with all those taxes and corporate filings every year, while also assisting with financial planning. 

• Lawyer: I am going to say this once, if you have a business, please, please, please invest in a good business lawyer. It matters to protect yourself and your business. Creating strong contracts and having someone to bounce legal advice off of when needed, is essential. 

4// Communication - Our team is in constant communication with each other. During our busy season, we are all very clear in communicating about how everything is going. Whether it is one of my own shoots that I need assistance for, or a Rivets shoot where I need to give support to our team, it is incredibly important for me that all of our team feels supported. If our team is happy, our clients are definitely happy, so that is a major priority for me. We have a monthly email that goes out to our crew as well, keeping everyone up to date! 

5// Know When To Take A Break - Work hard, play hard. Some work days for us are 15 hours. others are 2 hours. We know when we need to push it and we also know when we need a break. As the owner of this operation, I need to often remind myself that a break is necessary. When we rest, we refuel, and are ready to go for all of our clients! 

6// Give Yourself A Boost - Seriously, everyone deserves more high fives in life. Yoga is a luxury for me, so I make the effort to get there when I can. Earlier this year, I also set aside two whole weeks for myself in Tulum, Mexico -- just to relax. This was the first time in 10 years that I had done such a thing and now I am a believer. 

7// Look Ahead - I keep a quote on my phone as a reminder that says, "Be Proactive, not Reactive." I love this quote; it reminds me to always look ahead and think about what is next. A lot of our job is reacting to others' requests. We could spend ALL day taking care of others, and though that is an important part of our job, we also have to look at the big picture of the work we are doing and make sure we are happy. We need to make sure we are pushing into areas that are inspiring to us and helping us grow. 

8// Have Fun -  My work is my life, but I also have a life outside of work. I feel so very grateful to wake up every morning and be SO excited about going to work. I am surrounded by THE most amazing artists, clients, and freelancers who I am lucky enough to collaborate with on a daily basis. The longer I do this, I am slowly but surely finding a balance between my work life and personal life - both of which are amazing. It's so important to let loose and have some fun. For me, there is nothing better than booking a plane ticket and seeing the world! 

I know a lot of these tips might be common sense; however, as I kept getting asked this question about "how I manage it all?", I realized this: 

The secret to 'doing it all' is that there is no secret. You just actually have. to. do. it. You have to wake up every morning with that self discipline, determination, and desire to pursue the dream. 

It also takes way more than just yourself. It take the support from those around you to help realize the dream every single day. 

So, find your people. They will be your greatest asset. 

And then figure it out.

Little by little.

And then one day you wake up and realize you are 'doing it all' and absolutely living the dream.

LOVEe 

Real Talk // with Martha McQuade

The gorgeous MAD studio in NE Minneapolis.

COMPANY

MAD--WORK

YEARS AS A BUSINESS OWNER: 8

Martha McQuade is one half of the design house MAD. Along with her creative partner, Dan Clark, these two create everything from architectural spaces to textiles and clothing. Martha is also an Architecture Professor at the U of M.

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You are an artist + business woman who has a lot of different projects going on. Why does this work for you?

The way I think about everything I do is related - from the projects I am working on at MAD, to the classes I teach at the U of M and to raising my kids. There isn't a lot of separation in terms of the process. 

I encourage both my students, my children and myself to explore our ideas and be flexible in our expectations and embrace what happens in a curious and open way. This approach leads to happiness and surprise, rather than disappointment.  Learning to look for the surprises and then explore these unexpected findings in a rigorous way can lead to new directions in our work. 

At MAD, I move back and forth between design projects without worrying what 'category' they fall into. Having multiple projects across many different disciplines going on at the same time is beneficial as they all inform each other. 

You are a woman who seems to be 'doing it all'. How do you manage your time? 

I have a lot of help! I have an incredibly supportive husband and a great work partner, Dan Clark, and our interns at MAD. 

I wish I had this advice when I first started: 

To trust my intuition more. I am not a naturally confident person, so I would often seek out advice from others and then assume they knew best - even if I felt their advice wasn't the best for me. Especially when it came to things like marketing and business, which I knew nothing about. 

What has been a game changer for you?

Moving into a studio space outside of my house. Having a beautiful, light filled environment to work in every day. It is big enough to have all the work visible, which has been really motivating!

How do you actively seek inspiration?

I am so inspired all the time by my surroundings. The things I see as I drive through the city, instagram and online magazines, art shows, podcasts, my kids and my students! It can all be a bit overwhelming at times, so I don't think I ever actively seek inspiration, but I often seek the opposite of it. 

The photographer Andrew Zuckerman gave a talk for 99u titled "On Curiosity, Rigor and Learning as you Go." In it, he talks about inspiration overload and how too much can actually shut you down. 

Sometimes when I feel like I'm not sure which direction my work is going in, I will look back through my process work. I have two hashtags, #MWMProcess & #MADProcess and I find looking back at these incredibly inspiring. It is quite motivating to see all of the previous work - it pushes me to work harder and make better work. 

The best part about being a freelancer is:

The ability and freedom to do what I think is best in every situation and not try and guess what my boss would want. 

The most annoying part about being a freelancer is:

Nothing is 'annoying'. It IS scary not having a regular paycheck to rely on though. 

Lets talk about social media. Do you love it or hate it? More so, what value do you think it beings to the world these days?

There is so much discussion around social media currently. Is it good or bad? Are we using it too much? I think it is different for everyone and you have to use it in a way that works for you, your business and life in general. 

My first social media experience was on Flickr, which is image based. It was a way of communicating with people online through how I saw the world. It also quickly became a way to record the process of what I was making and designing. I also connected with a lot of designers, photographers and artists. I am an introvert and it was a great way to meet people and break the ice with artists and brands I am interested in. 

I currently use instagram a lot, because that was an easy transition for me onto this platform that I could use similarly to Flickr. 

I think the number one value social media brings is that it allows us to show our process and work to allow the public to engage with that process. It lets art be accessible to everyone. when people engage and follow along in the creation through social media, you build a relationship with them  and the work you make has more meaning. 

This engagement is valuable to us as artists, both on the creative and financial ends, as it allows us to be visible and in turn, be able to make a living. I really like that social media is interactive, unlike traditional marketing of the past which was costly and not really appropriate for individuals or small business. 

You are also an educator at the U of M. What do you think prepares students most for being a full time artist?

Working for someone else. I encourage all of my students to go out and get experience working with and for others. Even if the work isn't exactly what you would do, if you are working with good people, you are going to learn so many valuable things. You will also make connections with people that might lead to opportunities in the future. 

What makes you happy with your work?

When I am surprised by something that happens that I haven't intended. 

What does success mean to you?

Seeing people enjoy the things and spaces we have made. 

To stay in touch with Martha and Dan, follow all of their work @MAD__Work and @mwmmpls 

Thoughts on Creative Process //

Ramen Kazama

I came across the image above on my desktop and it got me thinking about my creative process - and the weird, but helpful 'systems' I've created over the years to make our work. When I'm editing a shoot for a client, I have to see the overall scope of the shoot and how the images flow together. Have I told a story? Have I done it well? Is there an energy to the work that fits the client? Is there moment and beauty and expression? Are all of the colors on? 

Putting together a little random screen shot is super helpful to me, because I'm a visual person. Part of what I love about consulting is tapping into what makes each person successful and what their creative process is! I think it is both fascinating and brilliant how we each develop such a personal approach for making the things we do. Most of all, that process shifts, changes and grows over the years so our work gets stronger.  

I found this quote below that I love and speaks to the creative process:

"The creative process is not like a situation where you get struck by a single lightning bolt. You have ongoing discoveries, and there's ongoing creative revelations. Yes, it's really helpful to be marching toward a specific destination, but, along the way, you must allow yourself room for your ideas to blossom, take root and grow."

- Carlton Cuse, screenwriter

What is they key to your creative process?

Real Talk // with Raoul Benavides

Yes, Raoul and I like to share a few glasses of champagne while working. Thats how the best work gets done, right?

YEARS as a BUSINESS Owner: 23

Raoul is a linchpin of our photo industry and his company Flashlight Photo Rental supports us for many of our shoots throughout the year. More than that, Raoul is an entrepreneur, always chasing new ideas. He's about to open his next venture - a record shop called Flashlight Vinyl. 

COMPANY

Flashlight Photo Rental

Flashlight Vinyl

Sedgwick Cedar

You've been around the photo industry for a long time. What's the most common mistake you see freelancers making? 

The beauty of being a freelancer is that you can use your resources (money) now to set up the business life that you want to have in five years. 

If you have a vision of what you want your life to be, you can invest in it and lower your tax bill at the same time. The mistake is in the shortsightedness that comes with youth. 

How long did you work before you became a business owner? 

I did not actually work to become a freelancer. I did my first photo internship when I was fourteen and learned quickly that I did not want to be a staffer. 

I wish I knew this advice when I first started:

Invest in yourself and use every financial loophole that you legally can as a freelancer / entrepreneur. 

You're about to open a record shop, which is a complete departure from running Flashlight Photo Rental. What is the importance of this new venture for you and why you chose to do it?

I love music and I have been trying to find a new business that was ultra tactile and stress reducing. Photography, Food and Music are my passion centers. I use to DJ as a teenager and a  record shop is the perfect fit for my life right now. 

What makes you happy with your Work?

My work now is a product of my creative needs and a personal vision. I wake up to work in an environment that I created or better yet - that I want to create. It's very satisfying. 

How do you view your competition?

I wish my competition thought more nationally. It seems like a lot of photo companies are use to thinking small and not investing into their businesses emotionally or completely. 

After all of this time, what is your definition of success?

My thoughts on what is successful has changed a lot over the years. I thought we all wanted the same thing. I think that success is a way of life that is authentic to your creativity and your heart.