Name:
How do you know when to say no to a potential client?
If they balk at any terms in the contract, if they have unreasonable time demands, or if they have history.

How much work volume do you have and do you see it growing?
full 8 hour days with a lot of intermittent overtime. It comes and goes. Not so much growing as more people wait until the last minute to get their stuff together these days.

Are there companies you will NOT work for?
Probably. Not looking for one of those.

Who would you like to design for?
No preferences at this time.

Do you think graphic designers care too much or too little about money?
They care about money in the sense of, "am I going to make enough to buy food this week."

How would you define success in terms of being a graphic designer?
A successful graphic designer is someone who knows their particular industry niche inside and out, stays current with the technology and processes of the day, and does good work for their client. Oh, and they know how to make their printer happy too.

Do you agree that the bigger an agency becomes the less inspiring and more boring it gets?
Absolutely not.

How do you know when to say no to a potential client?
If they don't have budget; if they don't want to agree to contract terms; if they have questionable history or no history at all.

How much work volume do you have and do you see it growing?
It's enough to keep business running and kid in college.

Are there companies you will NOT work for?
My personal preference is to not deal with start-ups.

Who would you like to design for?
No preferences.

Do you think graphic designers care too much or too little about money?
If you don't care enough about money, you don't eat. GD is a business, preferably one that pays ones bills.

How would you define success in terms of being a graphic designer?
A successful graphic designer has communicated the (client's) message effectively in the chosen medium(s).

Do you agree that the bigger an agency becomes the less inspiring and more boring it gets?
No.

How do you know when to say no to a potential client?
Gently inform the client that you can’t complete the job in that time frame, then offer up a time frame that could work. If the client accepts your suggestion, it will great.

How much work volume do you have and do you see it growing?
Work 9 hours in 5 days, and it will good for better my skills and impression towards my boss.

Are there companies you will NOT work for?
Yeah a lot, but i am happy with my current company and they are very supportive with all tasks they made for me.

Do you think graphic designers care too much or too little about money?
I think new fresh designers are too think about money and they trying to make money soon and not give best to their clients, i think they need to give quality work to their client and get the popularity among their competitors. For that Money will come to them easily.

Who would you like to design for?
I will design for better and commit able companies.

How would you define success in terms of being a graphic designer?
Be careful when defining success based on your reputation as a designer. There are a lot of highly successful people that are not well-known online or off.

Question List:

Name: you can use my "handle" on the left
Background: 10+ years in print design, starting now to learn the web (design/coding)

How do you know when to say no to a potential client?
When I cannot do what they ask. Whether it be a rushed timeframe or something beyond my ability. I do have a hard time with this with freelance. I like to help out a lot. But I have had a client with whom "you can say you designed my stuff" seems to be their pull, I just walk away.

How much work volume do you have and do you see it growing?
Enough to get by. The web world is picking up, especially for "app" designers and mobile platform. With print it "seems" to be declining, and it is somewhat but there is still a great need for printed pieces. The print world has had things pulled from their plate but that plate is more defined now, go to any store and you'll see design needs from product boxes to signage. People still need printed designs.

Are there companies you will NOT work for?
Companies that are too long-distance or don't seem to have things under control or expect too much for too little pay (want 5 guys in one package).

Who would you like to design for?
Idunno, I think I love packaging. Anything in that realm.

Do you think graphic designers care too much or too little about money?
Hahaha, how can they? As a person in the "arts" field, I feel there is not enough pay. That said, I make a comfortable living, nothing extravagant but looking at how I grew up, good enough. I think many designers fall into the materialistic nature of the design world, wanting all things that are designed well and not thinking about the money until afterward. I'd love to buy a lot of fonts for the typefaces I like, but I don't always have a need and thus need to pull in the reigns.

How would you define success in terms of being a graphic designer?
Differently than I would when I was in college. Success then was bigger and better, big firms downtown, fancy fancy. Now it is communicating the message that the client wants. Working at a company that treats me well and with respect and having time to spend with the family.

Do you agree that the bigger an agency becomes the less inspiring and more boring it gets?
Not sure. I am not an agency person. I can say that I think/feel a bigger agency produces a lot of great pieces, a lot of so-so pieces that seem absurd and a lot of pieces that are more production-like. They have funds that can make the whole design experience feel more cohesive than a smaller agency, not saying a smaller agency cannot make a successful campaign, but that the bigger dogs normally charge more and thus have an easier time with some things.

The big agencies have all the same problems as the little agencies. It isn't the funds that makes the experience feel more cohesive. It's communication. I know 5-person studios that can do a very cohesive experience. The "bigger dogs" charge more for their combined experience chops. Doesn't make it any 'easier' if the communication isn't there. And by communication, I mean both the liason between client and design firm AND the linkage between the design firm AD or CD and those under him.

Thank you all for your imput very much appreciated!

Regards,
Tim.