Category: Design

  • This Is The Perfect Year To Do Something Bold

    This Is The Perfect Year To Do Something Bold

    New Year resolutions are often broken early on in the year; in fact, many of us who made a resolution at the turn of the year will probably have already at least bent – if not entirely broken – it. That’s not so much a comment on our strength or weakness as human beings, and more on the simple fact that giving things up is more complicated than just deciding to do it on a set date. It’s about being ready, and having the support, to actually stick to it.

    Pixabay – CC0 Licence

    It could be argued that taking the turn of the calendar as a good time to stop doing something is a bad idea – there is no benefit from attaching an arbitrary time frame to a decision like that. On the other hand, another year can offer the best trigger to get you to start doing something. This year more than any other really makes that point all the clearer. One way or another, there is going to be more time in lockdown this year, and at the end of it all we’re going to face a world radically changed from before the pandemic. So there’s no better time to add a new string to your bow – for employment purposes or just for your own enjoyment.

    Pick a new language to learn

    There is a lot to gain from upskilling on the language front. You can get the best from overseas holidays (when we start having those again, anyway!). You can increase employment prospects and give your business a boost. Aside from these reasons, learning a language is fun in itself and also can open up a new world of cultural delights for you. You can gain an understanding of Korean and better enjoy the expanding K-pop and K-drama scenes, or maybe brush up on your French; building on an existing understanding can be fun and more simple.

    Get a handle on digital art

    If your self-improvement goals are in any way business-oriented, then it is always useful to find a way of expanding your own abilities. You may be a solid salesperson or gifted in procurement, but if you want your business to catch people’s eyes you need to know how to sell it. You can gain an understanding of the visual side of this by seeking out a beginners photography course and gaining an appreciation of how to take more outstanding photos. Even if your goals aren’t business-related, photography is a hugely relaxing pursuit.

    Get into volunteering

    There is never a bad time to give something back to society, and there are going to be plenty of opportunities to do precisely that as we wait for the world to get back to something resembling normal. There will, without a doubt, be opportunities for voluntary projects near to you, and it is worth looking for a chance to get involved. In some cases, these projects will require that you be vaccinated before they’ll let you start, but if you haven’t been immunised yet there will be opportunities for volunteering from home, too. Volunteering is an excellent chance to meet people and gain new perspectives, and if you want to help people as a living in future it is a great place to start.

  • What We’ve Learnt About Growing A Business Brand

    A successful business relies on a variety of different elements. However, nothing else you do in business will count for anything if people can’t buy into your brand. If you cannot perfect this area, then your company simply isn’t ready.

    Here are five crucial requirements that will help you handle this task like a pro. Incorporate them immediately, and your hopes of success will soar.

    untitled-2

    Credit:

    You Need Passion

    When you’ve interviewed as many entrepreneurs as we have, you quickly pick up on a few shared qualities. A raw passion for business is undoubtedly top of that list. Whether it’s artistic innovations or providing IT support, you must feel strongly about the cause.

    Even the greatest businesses have encountered difficult moment along their journeys. In all honesty, your company will be no different. Without a genuine love for your ideas, overcoming those early obstacles will become impossible. Besides, consumers can tell whether your venture is built on a foundation of passion. If it is, they’ll be far more likely to buy into those concepts.

    You Need A Niche

    It goes without saying that every business needs a customer base. However, the big mistake that many entrepreneurs fall for is trying to please everyone. Sadly, cutting yourself too thin will only alienate the people that may have been interested.

    Trying to appeal to people that aren’t going to buy your products is futile anyway. Find your place in the market at the earliest stage possible, and increasing your conversion rates will become far easier.

    untitled-3

    Credit:

    You Need Character

    Knowing your audience is one thing, but attracting their interest is another altogether. Of course, tailoring products and marketing tools to their preferences will serve you well. But your competitors will be doing the same. You need to do something that sets your business aside from the others.

    Organising a special promotional event is a great way to make your company stand out from the crowd. Hiring a special act through a professional booking agent will spice up any launch event or hosted evening. And when you create those unforgettable experiences, your company becomes unforgettable too. Once customers are thinking about it on a regular basis, the regularity of sales should increase too.

    You Need Presence

    No business can make its mark if people aren’t aware of its existence, though. Visibility is a crucial factor for obvious reasons, but it also verifies the professionalism of the venture too.

    In today’s market, online activities provide the perfect opportunity to pass this test with flying colours. A well-designed website supported by great SEO and social media streams will become one of your greatest marketing tools. Let’s face it; customers are constantly using the internet to research companies before completing a sale. If your online presence paints a positive picture, the overall perceptions will be greatly improved.

    You Need Support

    As an entrepreneur, you should know that you can’t do everything alone. For starters, employees can have a huge influence on productivity while their ideas may also help with branding and marketing. Perhaps the biggest asset at your disposal, however, is the customer.

    Nobody knows what they want better than the customer. Interacting with them will allow you to fine-tune those ideas. It also encourages them to participate in the growth of your business too. Moreover, customer testimonials inject an added sense of trust that can make a big difference to recruiting new clients.

    These five elements won’t suddenly guarantee overnight success, but they will define the brand. If nothing else, that should make the road ahead far less bumpy.

    Save

    Save

    Save

  • Remote Work Trends in The Future | What Will Happen?

    Many years earlier, many employers believed it would be a distraction if they worked from home. With advanced technology and COVID-19 worldwide, working remotely is in demand. However, since technology has advanced, remote work and many businesses have boomed. It is now common for employees to work from home.


    Featured image by Sigmund on Unsplash

    Workers Have The Desire And Flexibility To Remote Work

    What are remote entry-level jobs that employees do today? One entry job is being a writer. The truth is that being a writer is a good start when working from home. Even if you do not have a writing degree, you can still do this from home.

    A writer creates independent jobs for the best locations, regardless of whether you work as a freelancer or a single employer. Always have a good Internet connection and a word document.

    Remote work is ideal if you are a Remote Software Engineer

    Software engineering is a wide-ranging field that includes web development, mobile app development, and more that aids companies to improve their advertising.

    Software Engineers can earn a good salary depending on their experience and working part-time or full-time. A software engineer is easy to get into for remote work. A demand to be a software engineer is on the rise.

    Being a web designer is a great career to get involved in if you enjoy working on web pages for other people. With fast and ideal web design software, you still need some experience learning how to create web pages for clients, but this field is suitable for remote work trends in the future. You can work remotely as a freelancer, agency, or business organization. Online Full Stack Developer courses are also easier to find nowadays so getting certified is more accessible to everyone.

    Project managers are in the top ten in remote work for a good work environment. Suppose you want to work as a project manager. In that case, you can be assigned to multiple teams, supervise large projects, and be responsible for project timelines, so projects are complete on time without delay.

    A Project Manager can make a good salary, but good communication and organization are required. If you have good communication skills, this is a good fit.

    Remote Work Is Growing

    Since COVID-19 has changed the way we work, working remotely is growing all the time.

    Working from home is now the new normal for many people. Employees like new schedules since it provides flexibility instead of being inside an office five days a week. Employees who work at home can desire to continue their schedules since they have more freedom and say than before.

    Over seventy per cent of employers say that remote work has created more time to focus on their work without distractions and without using their vehicles to drive to their job. Most feel very little pressure and are relaxed when working.

    Conclusion

    With remote work trends becoming ideal in the future, there are many benefits that employees like as we move forward. Not just with freedom, but many workers today can enjoy working more or whenever they can than before. Also, scheduling work and spending more time with family are important.

     

    About the Author

    Monica is a passionate writer and content creator. Her interests include outdoor activities, fitness, technology, entrepreneurship and everything in between. Say hi to Monica on Twitter @monical_lee.

     

     

  • Interview: Urbanears

    Interview: Urbanears

    Urbanears is a collective out of Scandinavia founded by Norra Norr, a Stockholm-based industrial design consultancy, and Zound Industries. Created in 2009, Urbanears, has changed the way we look at personal electronics.  

    The Urbanears headphones are made of coloured plastic, steel with aluminium detailing and handmade drivers. They are treated with a rubber coating that gives the headphone a matte look and a smooth feel. The headbands and cables are textile rather than plastic, making the products look and feel more like a fashion accessory rather than a mechanical product. The branding on each model is minimal and the overall design remains true to the Scandinavian design heritage.

    We had the amazing opportunity to speak to Marcus Rudbäck, who is the design director and co-founder of Zound Industries and part of Norra Norr.

    Could you tell us a little bit about your background; how you and your partners met, and started Norra Norr?

    Marcus Rudbäck: I’m the design director and co-founder of Zound Industries and part of the design group Norra Norr. I had worked as a Industrial designer for many different companies and as a consultant before Zound Industries, and mainly together with Norra Norr and Syntes Studio which I co-founded.

    My focus has been on consumer electronics, toys and games and sports equipment. Norra Norr is part of the collective that started Urbanears and founded the company Zound industries.

    Norra Norr is the product design part of the founders that started the company but today we work full time and have a great team of designers and engineers to bring you new products that make people proud and hopefully happy.

    The collective had a shared vision that we could make headphones and audio products relevant to the users and needs of the times we live in. We were pioneers with a inline mic and remote, as well as, the first to introduce legal music sharing through a smart extra socket which your friend can use to plug in an extra pair of headphones and listen together.

    We met through a need to make it our way and the urge to make it real. We came from a 50% fashion background and 50% electronic industry but all of use were determined to make a difference in the headphone world. This is something we have already done and we aim to do for a long time – when we started, headphones where black or fake silver and only a few made you look good in the street or had the modern everyday user in mind.

    How did you and your partners at Zound Industries come up with the idea of Urbanears? What the design process looked like?

    MR: The man with the plan, Konrad Bergström, brought us together as a collective. We wanted to make designer headphones affordable and in many colours but still normal enough and with minimal branding so that people of any age or style can feel good rocking a pair of Urbanears – you can still choose a bright colour if you want to be different but a pair of black should still feel tailored, with fabric headband and a cord with minimalistic design features and some metal accents, real metal, no fake stuff on Urbanears : )

    We strongly believe in design and innovation as well as good quality in everything we do: from the products to the campaigns, movies, etc.  During every product development we try to add some new innovation and not only style to the people that wear them. For example: the friend plug in Plattan, cable lasso in Kransen, turn cable in Zinken and the snap lock in Bagis, washable headband and ear-cushions in Humlan and a DJ equipment in your pocket with Slussen.

    Scandinavian design is praised for its simplicity and functionality around the world. What, in your opinion, influences Scandinavian aesthetics?

    MR: As Industrial designers for Urbanears we strive to make very minimal design and we have a saying: when no one would remove anything else from a design, we try to get ride of three more unnecessary features, split-lines etc. We say internally that we have to design Urbanears products with a small brush keeping close attention to proportions, materials, details and finish.

    Being Scandinavians we are very true to our heritage in engineering, acoustics and functionality, but we hope we bring some new edge and some rebel spirit alive between the lines in the products just by being true to what we believe in.

    www.urbanears.com

  • Claire Sambrook: Creative Portsmouth

    Claire Sambrook: Creative Portsmouth

    Claire Sambrook is a photographer and a lecturer in Creative Technologies at the University of Portsmouth. She is also involved in a number of creative projects happening around the UK including Creating Balance Project with Anglepoise. Claire also curated Creative Portsmouth, a guide exploring the creative elements of the city through its people, community, businesses and students. 

    Claire talks to us about her background, why she chose to settle down in the UK’s only island city and why creative industries flourish in the city.

    Could you tell us more about your background and how you got involved in all the creative projects in the city. I saw that you used live in London, what made you to move to Portsmouth?

    Claire: I went to art college in Swansea and Cardiff and dabbled in lots of disciplines including stained glass, set-design, screen-printing and then settled on photography because it enabled me to capture moments and control light. In London I spent many years learning the craft and specialised in large format photography and studio lighting. I moved to Portsmouth because of the location – it is the UK’s only Island city. Growing up by the Gower coast in Wales was wonderful and Portsmouth was a good compromise.

    I have been aware of how much the creative profile of the city has grown especially in the past few years it has a real strength which is built upon a community that has started to believe in itself. There are great support networks like Strong Island, Portsmouth Creative Movement and a constant influx of creative and talented students at The University of Portsmouth that are helping to promote and raise the creative offer. We also have working artist studios like Art Space, Clay Station, the soon to be opened Neon Studios and Coastguard Studios. Aspex Gallery and space gallery at the University always have a constant stream of emerging local and national artists. International creative superstars like design studio I Love Dust and artist My Dog Sighs also call Portsmouth home. Other people and businesses to mention – Anglepoise UK, Southsea Deckchairs, The Caravan Gallery, Climax Games, Jeannie Driver, Pete Codling, Karen Ryan and numerous photographers with national and international profiles like Andrew Whyte, Russell Squires, Matt Sills and Paul Gonella.

    Whilst teaching at The University of Portsmouth I wanted to work with local artists, designers, businesses and collaborate with students to try and aid with their skill set and employability profile. This started by working with Southsea Deckchairs and 25 creatives each being given a chair to design. The chairs then went on a tour around the city making the location part of the final photograph.

    Other projects I have run include Bike Stand Designs working with Portsmouth City Council and the designer Wayne Hemingway, Love Your Bike Portsmouth – an exploration into bike customisation with designer Ben Wilson, Visual Libraries – putting sketchbooks into libraries in UK, US and India and then the production of the Creative Portsmouth book. Working with I Love Dust and supported by The University of Portsmouth I wanted to explore the different elements of the city by talking to and promoting the work of creative practitioners, businesses and students. I also worked with community group Strong Island on The Round Tower exhibition featuring 60 local artists and designers, Primary an Phoneography exhibition and lastly the Creating Balance Project with Anglepoise UK and 20 local artists, designers and photographers.

    The Creating Balance Project has been a wonderful experience because we launched it as part of The London Design Festival and it was also chosen to be part of the Icon Design Trail and V&A seminar programme. Collaborating with industry, education and community has been very rewarding each providing support and encouragement leading onto future projects and deeper relationships.

    Could you tell us more about Portsmouth? Why is the city so great for creatives? What does it offer and how it supports the industry?

    Claire: Portsmouth is on the south coast of England just over 100 miles from London. It has a strong maritime history, is a naval port and home to HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and the recently opened Mary Rose Museum. As a result of this history the city has been at the forefront of industrial innovation and design with Marc Brunel’s first mass produced production line at Block Mills in the naval dockyard, it’s shipbuilders and craftspeople.

    Creative people are drawn to the area due to the heritage and location. Living and working by the sea has so many benefits to the creative mind – a place to think and walk, cycle, run. Room to breathe.

    I am always on the look-out for unusual buildings, their history and what stories can be told. So many creative people strive to find these haunts to set-up in business and show off their studios surrounded by the sea with an ever changing multi-cultual population.

    My love of all things creative and a ‘doing’ attitude has never really stopped. I am always open and curious to numerous methods of creating and fascinated by processes. My photography is now more documentation in approach I love to gain insights into working methods and expose the detail in the process.

    My old dog Twm was also featured on the cover Seasick Steve’s album ‘You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks’ with Steve having found the photo on my Flickr set. I lost Twm last year and over the years took over 3,000 photographs of him. He was a huge part of my life inspiration and fuelled my obsession of photography and exploring the city on our walks.

    clairesambrook.tumblr.com

    creativeportsmouth.wordpress.com

    @create_up

    For a chance to win a copy of Creative Portsmouth simply comment below & let us know what is your favourite creative place in the city you live in. Don’t forget to login with your email when you leave a comment so we can contact you in case you win! Good luck! – THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSES! THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION!