new name / new business-y stuff

Oh, change. It's exciting, always. But let's be honest: It also almost always looses it's charm before long. Once I incorporated the studio under a new name, I had to got to tackle the colossal chore of updating all of my business communication documents (that's just a fancy word for things like business cards, letterhead, invoices, envelopes and other business-y stuff). Let me tell you: a dirty chore it is.

Happily, I've waded all the way through and things are looking pretty darn bright from this side of the to-do list.

See those business cards? They're just one of the pieces I'm proud to unveil for Clark & Co. (You probably saw the website placeholder last week.)

Studio Olivine so kindly partnered with me to letterpress the cards; I can now turn my logo loose in the real world. Next time you see me, ask for one. Then, you can turn it into a keychain, necklace pendant, hang tag, gift tag, dog tag or any other kind of tag you'd like. It's ridiculous fun, right? (Read about the luxury and awesomeness of letterpress from some previous client work while you're here.)

Friends and clients, thanks for bearing with me through this transition. Even if we don't work together, I'm (sadly) certain you've been subject to a look and/or word that contained a tinge of my self-inflicted suffering. Being self-employed is hard work! Fortunately, it's also completely worth all the work that's hard. As for the work that's not hard....er....well....that's conversation's for another day.

:)

Clark & Co.

The studio site placeholder's finally up, people. Hallelujah. Who remembers when I had a full portfolio site? Yeah, me either. That day will come. For now, I'm still working through the adrenaline rush of getting my new logo finalized. I'll be moving everything over to clark-and-co.com and theexceptionalcreative.com, but will be sure to announce it all here, too, so you can follow along if you'd like. Until then, let's not let summer run away from us. Go!

The Exceptional Creative

Hello! It's been a long while since I've hung out here on the studiom blog, but it's for good reason. I've been pushing through a few new rhino-sized projects as referenced earlier. I'm thrilled to announce that one of them has launched. It's a website for entrepreneurial graphic designers looking to take their business to the next level. You can read all about it below.

It's official. We've launched.

The Exceptional Creative is built on the principle that success comes from being the exception to the rule. As creatives (designers, copywriters, art directors, photographers, etc), we are the subject of some less-than-savory stereotypes. Let’s face it. We have a reputation for being pretentious, flighty, fragile, stubborn, bitter, bohemian and totally self-absorbed. Insulted yet?

On the other side of those stereotypes lies limitless success. Exceptional Creatives make the most money, get the most interesting jobs, have a never ending stream of referrals and experience the most satisfaction in their work.

A revolution is underway, led by a new generation of creatives who are exceptions to the rule. If you’re serious about getting, doing and keeping exceptional work, please join us. Get on our website, check out the toolkit, and start thinking about what it means to rise above the status quo.

While you're there, be sure to grab our free download and start keeping your clients happy and organized today. If you decide you'd like to purchase the kit, move fast: the first 50 purchasers will get $20 off (use the code HELLOWORLD).

We're happy to have you!

Join us on facebook too: www.facebook.com/theexceptionalcreative

Oh, and Twitter of course: @ExceptionalC

"The Exceptional Creative’s debut project is a downloadable kit, packed with business templates created specifically for graphic designers. With years of experience in exceeding her clients’ expectations when it comes to communication and professionalism, Clark’s toolkit provides designers with the same strong, effective communication and organizational tools she uses every day. Whether you’re a longtime freelancer or newly self-employed, you’ll find all the documents you need to implement a step-by-step professional workflow in A Toolkit for Designers, including contracts, questionnaires, invoices and and even a Client Contract, drafted by a business attorney. The all-in-one kit also includes a PDF guide with instructions, tips and tricks."

If you have any questions, suggestions or just plain 'ol thoughts about the new endeavor, please holler. I'd love to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Megan