Partnering with Other Creatives - Creating a Virtual Studio or a Reality Nightmare?
I was asked to have drinks by someone I knew from a graphic design group. He seemed normal (excuse me while I shudder, as he turned out to be a stalking maniac) so we met for a couple of drinks, which turned into dinner, against my better judgment, and shortly into the meal, he announced we should ?open a studio together!?
He had given it thought as he already had the name, ?Two Guys Studio.?
I took a long drink to give me time to answer and, hopefully, time for him to die of a sudden heart attack. ?No thanks,? I replied.
Hey looked shocked and continued trying to sell me on the idea. The reasoning behind my quick refusal was not only based on past experience of mine but in the reality of what he brought to the table in a partnership, which would be nothing but trouble.
My first studio was almost an equivalent of a present day virtual studio but there was no email or jpegs involved. I trafficked original art and boards and went into meetings with printouts of web sites and print pieces because nobody had office computers yet (just gaining popularity around the time 8MB of RAM cost $500). With 12-14 illustrators and designers, who worked from their own homes across the country, I was able to partner with them, taking a percentage of the job as my fee and between phone, fax and FedEx, everything ran smoothly -- more or less.
The problems were always people based. When I announced my intentions to start a studio after my departure from the board of directors and several committees for the Graphic Artists Guild, naturally there was a lot of interest from members. Narrowing hundreds of letters asking to be represented by the studio, I settled on 14 people whose work I knew and with whom I had some kind of relationship. In a span of two weeks, I had lost two people and two friends. They were nice enough but horrid when it came to professionalism.
The examples I hear of friends going into business together to open a flower shop, or knitting store, etc. ALWAYS ends badly. Sure, there are exceptions. Must be between some very laid-back people or one partner just doesn?t care.
I did work as a studio manager for two friends who were partners. One handled screwing up the business side and the other hid in her studio, painting. When the business ended after a few short years, which is the average lifetime of a bad partnership, they ceased being friends.
With my partnership, after a rocky couple of months with the ?staff? one of my two partners brought up that the third partner wasn?t pulling his weight with the workload. Seemed going to parties was priority number one and building the business was number 16 or so. Lucky me, I got to tell someone with whom I had attended art school and been in his family?s home numerous holidays, that he was out. Friendship over. Bridge burned. This is two of the worst things that can happen in a partnership. The third is; you are broke.
The other partner, who I still have retained a friendship and professional relationship, decided to just bow out. He became one of my top earners in the studio and we still collaborate when we can. I count myself lucky there were no tax liabilities or suits as a result. I don?t remember how strong or even legal our agreements were.
I don?t know why people still believe friendship and trust overpowers legalities. As I explain to skittish design clients, it?s not between you and me; it?s about the property and the entities of our respective businesses that need to be protected. Simply, if you drop dead, so does your word and I have to deal with your estate/replacement.
A heartfelt talk between partners on expectations, followed by a strong contract should not make anyone nervous. There are huge investments made and people are responsible for their part of the team. Drop the ball too many times and why would the team need or want you?
I suppose it?s easier for friends who can openly communicate with each other or even know the little quirks, learned over many years that may limit a partner?s ability for certain tasks. As with the staffs I have tortured with my humor, it?s important to play to people?s strengths and make sure their weaknesses are covered. More often than not, the partnership is between a creative and a business-savvy person. Certainly makes sense! One creates the product and the other sells it. If partners can get past the left-brain, right brain habits and oddities, then a well-oiled machine runs.
Why, indeed? To increase your income potential! Print designers have something to share with web designers and developers and vice versa. Ideas are sometimes too big for just one person. I did the same with some iApps. Sure, the guy who begged me to partner with him and come up with ideas sat on them for over a year, telling me they were ?90% there.? That partnership ended badly. One of the most promising ideas has been released to the Android market and has over 700,000 downloads. That represents a huge loss of income potential to the both of us. It also drives some huge resentment on my part and embarrassment on his.
From this there is a great lesson: business is business and friendship is friendship. Sometimes it can work but as the old saying goes, ?strong fences makes good neighbors,? a strong contract keeps friendships.
Despite all of this, I maintain that partnering can be beneficial. If these examples of failures on my part can create a list for your successful partnering, then clip and save this one:
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We ALL Partner With Others, Everyday!
I actually get asked to partner with people quite often, as do you. When someone asks you to do creative work for free or at a discounted price, they are asking to partner with you. As with many of these ?partnerships,? they want you to do the work and they get the money. Have you asked about a partnership with those who want you to help launch their start-up and will ?remember you? or will ?consider you (their) creative source in the future?? That refusal to share equitably is the downfall of most partnerships, right up there with stealing and incompetence.- What did I see in this ?Two Guys? person that launched a thousand red flags?
- Firstly, why was he asking to partner with someone he really didn?t know?
- His tales of woe included nothing but unfinished work for freelance clients and not getting paid.
- He called his one-time clients, ?idiots.?
- While showing me his portfolio, he repeatedly asked if I thought he was a ?good designer.?
- He apparently didn?t have any friends.
- He had no idea what a contract was.
- His social mannerisms creeped me out!
My First Business Partnering And Some Heavy Lessons
My first studio was almost an equivalent of a present day virtual studio but there was no email or jpegs involved. I trafficked original art and boards and went into meetings with printouts of web sites and print pieces because nobody had office computers yet (just gaining popularity around the time 8MB of RAM cost $500). With 12-14 illustrators and designers, who worked from their own homes across the country, I was able to partner with them, taking a percentage of the job as my fee and between phone, fax and FedEx, everything ran smoothly -- more or less.
The problems were always people based. When I announced my intentions to start a studio after my departure from the board of directors and several committees for the Graphic Artists Guild, naturally there was a lot of interest from members. Narrowing hundreds of letters asking to be represented by the studio, I settled on 14 people whose work I knew and with whom I had some kind of relationship. In a span of two weeks, I had lost two people and two friends. They were nice enough but horrid when it came to professionalism.
The examples I hear of friends going into business together to open a flower shop, or knitting store, etc. ALWAYS ends badly. Sure, there are exceptions. Must be between some very laid-back people or one partner just doesn?t care.
I did work as a studio manager for two friends who were partners. One handled screwing up the business side and the other hid in her studio, painting. When the business ended after a few short years, which is the average lifetime of a bad partnership, they ceased being friends.
With my partnership, after a rocky couple of months with the ?staff? one of my two partners brought up that the third partner wasn?t pulling his weight with the workload. Seemed going to parties was priority number one and building the business was number 16 or so. Lucky me, I got to tell someone with whom I had attended art school and been in his family?s home numerous holidays, that he was out. Friendship over. Bridge burned. This is two of the worst things that can happen in a partnership. The third is; you are broke.
The other partner, who I still have retained a friendship and professional relationship, decided to just bow out. He became one of my top earners in the studio and we still collaborate when we can. I count myself lucky there were no tax liabilities or suits as a result. I don?t remember how strong or even legal our agreements were.
Partnerships Can Be As Strong As The Contract Between You.
I don?t know why people still believe friendship and trust overpowers legalities. As I explain to skittish design clients, it?s not between you and me; it?s about the property and the entities of our respective businesses that need to be protected. Simply, if you drop dead, so does your word and I have to deal with your estate/replacement.
A heartfelt talk between partners on expectations, followed by a strong contract should not make anyone nervous. There are huge investments made and people are responsible for their part of the team. Drop the ball too many times and why would the team need or want you?
I suppose it?s easier for friends who can openly communicate with each other or even know the little quirks, learned over many years that may limit a partner?s ability for certain tasks. As with the staffs I have tortured with my humor, it?s important to play to people?s strengths and make sure their weaknesses are covered. More often than not, the partnership is between a creative and a business-savvy person. Certainly makes sense! One creates the product and the other sells it. If partners can get past the left-brain, right brain habits and oddities, then a well-oiled machine runs.
Why Partner?
Why, indeed? To increase your income potential! Print designers have something to share with web designers and developers and vice versa. Ideas are sometimes too big for just one person. I did the same with some iApps. Sure, the guy who begged me to partner with him and come up with ideas sat on them for over a year, telling me they were ?90% there.? That partnership ended badly. One of the most promising ideas has been released to the Android market and has over 700,000 downloads. That represents a huge loss of income potential to the both of us. It also drives some huge resentment on my part and embarrassment on his.
From this there is a great lesson: business is business and friendship is friendship. Sometimes it can work but as the old saying goes, ?strong fences makes good neighbors,? a strong contract keeps friendships.
Despite all of this, I maintain that partnering can be beneficial. If these examples of failures on my part can create a list for your successful partnering, then clip and save this one:
- Be frank about what the goals are of the partnership and who has what responsibilities. It?s best if there are three people so there are no ties when voting or problems arise.
- A strong contract is a must. Part of that has to include monetary compensation as a partner bows out, retires, wants to sell his/her share or is kicked out of the partnership.
- A penalty has to loom over the partners for failure to uphold one?s responsibilities. As with any position of responsibility, if you don?t do your job, you are fired and losing all interest and payments keeps people on the straight and narrow!
- People are human and will make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes are costly. That?s why limited liability and incorporation are two legal entities you must consider for any partnership. One mistake can bankrupt all partners for life. Partners who argue about everything while you plan your partnership know no give and take ? so forget partnering with them! If you see red flags or don?t feel comfortable in your gut, then it?s not right.
- If it works, you can enjoy a workplace that is more like a friendly picnic with people you love and trust.
- If you feel you can?t partner with someone, then you need to play the boss and pay out to hire the people with whom you would work on equal profit, risk and headaches. In the beginning, you need to decide how much you can take on yourself and no article in the world can decide that for you. If you do partner, stay away from the name, ?Two Guys Studio? -- it?s cursed!
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