Blog - Seen Creative - Web Design and Consulting

10 Secrets for Building a Successful Company, or How To Linkbait

By Nick Adams on 03.20.08

Yesterday I read this article in Wired about Apple (no, not the article about Apple you just read, or the one before it, another one) called How Apple Got Everything Right By Doing Everything Wrong. Now that is probably the dumbest title ever written, and the backwards logic at play in just those nine words is a good indication of the ridiculousness you'll be barraged with should you continue r... Read More

The New MSNBC Identity And The Importance Of A Logo

By Nick Adams on 04.19.07

One of my regular reads is Brand New, a blog about corporate identity work (it's a part of the same network as Speak Up). While logo design as a skill isn't exactly one of my strong suits, I am always interested in seeing the latest logo updates and the debate surrounding the topic. And boy is there debate. Aside from arguments of taste concerning logo design, there is a larger discussion about... Read More

Starting A Business, And Then Growing It

By Nick Adams on 03.28.07

I read two articles today that each deal with a specific stage of starting a business. One stage that we've partly gone through, and another that we are currently going through. The first is an article by Paul Graham of Y Combinator called Why to Not Not Start a Startup. Aside from the bad title, it is a pretty good article that breaks down 16 reasons why people avoid starting a business. On... Read More

Making A Tough Decision, Pt. 2

By Nick Adams on 02.15.07

I read a couple of things today that got me thinking again about the importance of making tough decisions, and why some companies often fail to do so. My take: most of the hesitation comes from the desire to please everyone -- customers and people inside the organization -- and the associated fear of pissing people off. Not exactly a Pulitzer Prize winning inference I know, but there it is. ... Read More

Focus On Your Fuel

By Nick Adams on 02.09.07

When it comes to executing ideas, many people talk about choosing between a shotgun or a rifle. Using a shotgun means taking a broad approach. Taking a couple of things, throwing them against the wall, and seeing what sticks. But this often leads to half-assed execution. Because of time constraints, no one idea can be completely developed. No one idea progresses far enough to address the little... Read More

Please Leave A Message

By Seen Creative on 12.22.06

Things will probably be pretty quiet around here for the next week or so as we head out of the office, but we'll return full-force in the new year. And as far as this past year goes, we feel it's been a fairly successful 2006. But we really view it as more of an introduction, the start of the conversation, so we aren't satisfied yet. Looking ahead, 2007 will bring some updates on the billQ ... Read More

Why Isn't Digg Profitable?

By Zack Gilbert on 12.21.06

I listened to the TalkCrunch interview with the Digg Team the other day and CEO Jay Adelson told Mike Arrington that Digg isn't cash flow positive or profitable yet. When I heard this, I had one of those Jon Stewart moments of, "wwwwwwhhhhaaaAAAA???" Digg is the "web2.0" poster child (especially after the most recent round of updates) and has become a cultural phenomenon. I mean, come on! Ke... Read More

Networking Is Not Working

By Nick Adams on 12.18.06

Warning: I am no Jack Welch or Lee Iacocca. I am not a millionaire and I don't have years of business experience. But neither are most small business owners. Which makes me wonder why many people still obsess over doing business based on dogmas. Take for instance networking. How many freakin' books have been written about what essentially amounts to talking to people. All the never eat lunc... Read More

The Best Laid Plans

By Nick Adams on 10.11.06

There are a million examples of people in careers they never planned on or went to school for. It might even be the more common situation. This is especially evident in the creative fields. How many designers do you know with a psychology degree? Probably a few. I wonder why this is so often the case. Is it because school is a false representation of life in industry? Does it do far too little ... Read More

Straight To The Source

By Nick Adams on 10.06.06

Running low on billable hours? Client work a little sparse lately? Definitely don't waste money on advertising. Instead, one of the best ways to spend your time while not on the clock is to find a local business (or two) that is lacking in the [insert your expertise here] department. Take a few hours a day after completing any billable work and put together an example of how your company could ... Read More

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