Who's counting days?

Recently I ran into a friend of mine who is recovering from breast cancer and I asked her how she was doing. She replied, "Well, I could cry, but then I'll lose a day." That made me stop and think, what's in the loss of a day...I have the rest of my life to live. For her a day is precious, but for me I take most days for granted and so life seems to be passing very quickly. It seems like just yesterday...well, you know the rest.

After contemplating this a few weeks, I began to think about life in days, not weeks, months or years. The average American lives 78.6 years. That comes out to 28,689 days- about the average cost of a car these days. It s a sobering thought. 

What does our life look like in days?

Most of us will spend the first 7,665 days getting educated give or take 365 days.  That puts us at around 21,000 days left, if we' blessed to live s long life. 

The next 3,650 days are most often spent building our careers, meeting the love of our lives, and getting married. All important decisions that will actually determine the course of the rest of our days.

Now we're down to 17,350 days (around age 31). We're educated, hopefully established in our career, possibly married and maybe looking forward to or having children. Children will take another 7,665 days, but after about 5,000 days they become pretty self-sufficient. Add multiple children to the picture and those numbers increase. You don't really "lose" days to children, but for the sake of planning out our lives in days, we need to count them. So, from age 30-50 we are typically building our lives, roughly 10,439 days.

I'm a 18,615 day old, self-employed graphic designer, mother of two and have been contemplating the days I hope to have left on this earth. My kids are 17 and 19, so I'm close to closing this chapter of my life and I've been in my career for almost 10,950 days (30 years) now and been married for 8,395 of those days (23 years).  I worked from home for 5,475 days (15 years). From age 40-50, my life kind of settled into this stable life. I was used to being a mom, happily married, and I loved my career. But nothing changed. Same job, same kids, same husband, same friends, heck, even the same dog... My parents were healthy and we have lived in the same house. I got very comfortable in a 10 year "Sameness". A little too comfortable. I didn't learn anything new in my career. I didn't really meet very many new people other than clients. I felt confident in my abilities to design, but afraid of new technology and change. And then something happened around day 18,000...

I Woke Up

At some point in your life, you realize that things must change or you might go crazy!! Funny how simple conversations start a thought process which eventually lead to action. About a year and a half ago a friend told me about this cool new office space in Greenville called CoWork. In my mind I've always thought ,"Why pay rent?" But in my heart I knew I was ready for a change. But this would be a BIG change. I decided to check it out and knew right away that this was something I had to do. However, it was a daunting prospect for this "old" woman", because this office was full of 25-35 year old guys. LOL! What a change THAT was. It was like culture shock! But what this decision did was actually shock me back to life. These guys were so full of energy and excitement and I wanted to be a part of that. 

Since I started there 550 days ago, my life has dramatically changed. My son left home for college. I'm out of the house and in an office for the first time in over 5,475 days (15 years). I've redesigned my own logo and created a new website for Mighty Mouse. And the biggest change of all, I started a second company! It's an online business monogramming pet products. A venture I'd have never undertaken had I not been at CoWork! The support and collaboration I've gotten from being there has been invaluable to me. 

As with all things, too much change too fast can make your head spin and make you feel out of control. I realized that I had to take a step back after my conversation about how precious days are. I did two thing: I stood in awe of all that I've been allowed to accomplish and I took a long look into the future to see where I want to go from here. At the end of my days, I want to feel like I've done some great things and learned from my mistakes. I want to KNOW what it was all for and what I lived for.

So, What Have I Learned?

I've learned that if I don't die tomorrow and I'm blessed with a long life, I want the next 10,000 days to count not so much for myself, but for others. But what does that life look like? How can I actually help others running a graphic design business and a pet business? In thinking about my new monogrammed pet company, I felt a little weird about starting a business to encourage people to spend money on their pets. It was a moral issue for me. So I asked God, "Is this business okay with You?" Shouldn't I be out saving little children? Shouldn't I create something else? I mean, we love our pets, but should we spend money on them? You probably think God laid it on my heart that it's a bad idea for a business, but He actually gave me peace about it. He made it clear to me that if I wanted to work hard (which I certainly have done) to create a business, working hard is good. It's not the pet business He's that concerned with. It's the people He's going to bring into my life through that business that will give me the opportunity to see His love. You see, you might not save the world or cure some big disease, but you have an opportunity to make every day count by how you love others. How you let them see that you care. How you're willing to take the time to actually get to know them. To what lengths are you willing to go to sacrifice yourself for others? Every day you are given is another opportunity give grace and compassion when others don't.

So what will you do with the days you have left? None of us are promised tomorrow. Today is all you have. Start with day 1 of the rest of your life and make it count.

How to Get the Best Logo.

I have been designing logos for over 18 years and if there one thing I know, it's an important piece of the puzzle in staring a new business. I tell my clients that its like putting a face on your baby. If its ugly, everyone will notice, but they might not tell you. If its average, they might just pass it by with no thought. But, if its attractive, you'll get some looks and hopefully some good recognition in the marketplace. So hiring the right graphic designer, is critical. We recommend hiring someone who specializes in logo design. Whether you're rebranding or starting a new business you need to develop a strong brand that will stand the test of time.

Are you ready for a logo?

If you don't have a good grasp on the message and concept of what your business is about and your vision is vague, you're probably not really ready for a logo. It is essential that you're ready to communicate on a deep level to your designer about your business. Bad communication will lead to bad design. On the other hand, if you're able to give clear and focused informations, a good designer should be able to pull the elements together and give you a good solution. 

The next thing you need is a name. This is one of the biggest decisions to get right and often one of the hardest to make. Keep in mind that naming your business is also like naming a child. If they have to spell it every time they say it, that might be a problem. Also words that are hard to pronounce make using it difficult. Hiring a good brand development writer can be very helpful. Often times you're too close to the project to name it or you might need a writer to help you zero in on the main concept of the company. Either way, you need the name to not only look good in print, but also sound good. Short names usually work better than long ones. But this isn't a rule, just an opinion. In the end, you're building a business on that name, so it has to be right. 

Designing logos is a tricky business.

The purpose of your logo is to create an image that represents your business. If its too busy, it means your trying to tell your whole story in the design. (Your logo will never tell the whole story, nor should it.) The type should be easy to read and the icon should be a simple solution that pulls together the basic concepts of your business. The more elements you try and put into your logo, the less effective  it will be. Logos need to be simple, because sometimes they will be viewed very small and sometimes your customers will have less than 5 seconds to look at it. The way it works is the designer will take images that represent an idea and put them together in a clever way, but sometimes it's necessary to not be too clever, then you have something that looks like you're trying too hard. In the end, the design has to hit you, not require too much explanation and give you confidence.if you're not comfortable with the design, it's probably not right. A good designer should be able to handle problems such as a potential redesign.

Is it hard to work with a creative person?

 Creative people can be difficult to work with, but your attitude toward them can make all the difference. Creative people are good at what they do because they think outside the normal parameters of the rest of the world. The process of creating comes from within the person and so therefore, they will usually be passionate about what they're doing. I can tell you that the more you try and control the designer, the less effective he or she will be in doing the best job possible. Keep in mind that you're hiring a professional who's an expert in their field. With that said, you don't want to hire a prima donna. They will try and force their design on you and refuse to budge. You might end up with a design you don't like and a large hole in your budget. Collaboration most often produces the best ideas. Look for someone that puts you at ease on the phone and who is responsive to your ideas for your business. Look for someone who calls you back and responds quickly to emails. If they're not responsive in getting the job, they probably won't be responsive once they get he job. In your interview with them, look for someone who is more interested in what you have to say than giving you their expert opinion and advise right off the bat. Don't expect creative ideas in the interview. Off -the-cuff ideas can be good, but are not thought through and can be a shallow desire to impress you. Once you've hired them remember that designers are passionate about what they do, so don't kill the heart of your designer. If their heart's not in it, you'll get substandard design.

So how long does this process take?

For us, logo design is a complex, problem-solving business that often requires hours and hours of time, then again, it can be solved in a minute. Please understand that we don't bill by the hour for logos. Great ideas can come in a variety of settings and are never predictable. Our average turnaround is 2 weeks from the initial input meeting. You will receive no less than 3 full blown designs to choose from. Once the design is finished, approved and paid for, you will own it. We only retain the rights to use it on our website. We will provide you with all of the various formats you'll need to use your new logo to its fullest. Please allow at least a month to complete this process and get business cards printed, before opening your business.

If you're ready to "give your baby a face", Mighty Mouse Productions is ready to meet your logo and business advertising needs. Call us at 864-325-2345.

Do what you love...love what you do.

If you're one of those people who hate their job, have you considered that you haven't spent time figuring out what you love and what your passions are? So many of us wonder around trying to find ourselves so long, that we forget who we were.  I think you're designed to be good at something and to spend your life doing anything is just a waste.

In first grade, we had a day where we had to dress up as what we wanted to be when we grew up. I dressed up as an artist. At the tender age of seven, most kids want to be firemen, doctors, and as one friend laughingly told me, she wanted to be a waitress. Her aspirations are a little higher at this point (she's 18), but you know what, she would be a fantastic waitress! She's so friendly and is great at letting things roll off her shoulders. But so many young American kids get pushed to do what's going to make you the most money. Which also becomes such a large part of the career path decisions.

So my next question is, "Are you only doing it for the money, or would you still do what you're doing for free?" Most people would say, "Heck no!"  Well guess what, I would definitely do my job for free (if I were independently wealthy of course). I love it that much! It's part of who I am. Now, i understand that we don't all have obvious, God-given talents, but I do believe we are all born with special abilities to do one job especially well and you might just need to spend some time pondering what yours is. 

I always tell people, "Figure out what you love doing and find out how to make money doing it". We do still live in a society where you have every opportunity to create, or recreate yourself. Why are you getting up every day and going to a job you hate? Now, hate may be a strong word for you. You might just be in the place where you're thinking, "I've been doing it too long and I wouldn't be able to start over". That is not true. You're lying to yourself to stay in our comfort zone.

So how do you begin? I really believe that what you did most as a child defines who you really are before life began to tell you who it wanted you to be. You start by thinking back to your childhood. What did you spend the most of your time doing? Playing in the sandbox, then you're probably a social person who plays well with others and you should be in a job where you're working closely with people to solve problems. Or maybe you were supposed to work in a job where you're actually moving dirt to build things. I'm no expert in this area. 

I might have dressed up in first grade as an artist, but I didn't even know I actually had some talent for drawing until I was 12. My Dad brought me a "How to Draw" book and sketch pad back from a business trip. He and I sat at the kitchen table and each took a turn at drawing the face of this little girl. His looked a little like her, but mine looked exactly like her! I was shocked! I never knew I could look at something and draw it. I'd been trying to draw out of my head all those years before and wasn't very good at it (I'm still not). But I can draw anything I can see. That was the start of a live long career, but at the time I only saw it as a lot of fun! 

By the time I hit high school, I'd learned some techniques, but still couldn't imagine how I could make a career out of art. I never considered myself a "fine artist", just a skilled one. So I kept going down the thought paths of "normal careers." Finally I took a commercial art class my senior year of high school. A whole new world was opened up to me...advertising.

I was from a small, Southern town and graphic design was like a foreign word. Now that personal computers are at everyone's fingertips, most people know what it is, but even after I graduated from college with a BA degree specializing in graphic design, my parents didn't understand exactly what it was I was going to be doing.

So from dressing up in first grade as an artist, to being an artist, I'd say I'm who I'm supposed to be and I'm doing what I was designed to do. 

I challenge you to spend some time pondering your career choice. D you love it? Are you passionate about it? What steps can you take today toward your life's calling?