#55 Regularly review student portfolios whether you are hiring or not. Great way to stay connected, help grow community & even be inspired.

Typically we are trying to encourage cutting things out of a schedule but we all can remember how important it was to get professional feedback. Being able to see what a real design firm looks like, get interview and presentation practice, and the humbling denial. But there is also a great opportunity on the other side of the table..and that is sharing your experience from design, business and life. Being able to point young designers in the right direction, help them make connections or teaching them about the business is a huge contribution that you can make (We will talk later about how to give a great interview).

I’m not one that believes in Karma, but I do believe if you do what you can for others good things happen in return. Whatever your reason, one of the best is realizing that YOU have a lot of knowledge. Advice. Guidance. Support. Sharing it sure feels good, and you never know you may just be inspired on the youthful energy, creative thinking and possibly introduced to new technologies or ways of doing things.

So when time is seemingly nonexistent, think about taking a break now and then and rapping with the future leaders of our profession.

June 2009 will mark the one-year anniversary I first gave “The Designer Sobriety” talk. Above is the opening video for the talk which highlights some of the spirit of this initiative. As a business owner and/or decision maker, a lot of things fly at you during the day. What do you do to manage it? How do you still try to enjoy it and just flat-out have a life outside of this crazy business that we’re in? The idea for this blog was born from wanting to share the various tips and advice we’ve learned, observed, or read about. Our posts are intended to be useful and inspirational. We’ll also share design-minded products we discover that you can implement and utilize to keep you going.

We hope you read, enjoy, share and comment. This community is only as good as its content and participation - so please be a part of it.