The business of design : balancing creativity and profitability / Keith Granet

Includes index.

Foreword -- Introduction -- 1. The foundation of a design business : Design education ; Writing a business plan ; Starting your own firm ; Strategic plan ; Top ten business practices ; Interview with Michael Graves -- 2. Business and financial management : Financial tools ; Budgeting ; Contracts ; Managing profitability ; Interview with John Merrill -- 3. Marketing and public relations : Marketing ; Building a marketing plan ; Public outreach ; Finding a niche ; Learning how to say no ; Public relations ; Interview with A. Eugene Kohn -- 4. Human resources : Finding the right fit ; Reviewing your staff ; Mentoring your staff ; Employee benefits ; Hiring practices ; Firm structure ; Ownership transition ; Building a legacy firm ; Corporate retreats ; Interview with Victoria Hagan -- 5. Project management ; Project kickoff ; Team structure and roles ; Scheduling ; Budgeting ; Contract management ; Technology and project management ; Power of communication ; Interview with Richard Meier -- 6. Product development : Hiring a licensing agent ; Project-development process ; Negotiating the deal ; Managing the deal ; Licensing versus self-production ; Building your own brand -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgments -- Client list -- Index.

For thirty years, consultant Keith Granet has enjoyed helping design professionals turn their passion into profit. In his new book, The Business of Design: Balancing Creativity and Profitability, Granet debunks the myth that business sense and creative talent are mutually exclusive. The Business of Design: Balancing Creativity and Profitability provides all of the necessary tools to create and run a thriving design business - from billing and human resources to branding and project management to marketing and licensing- in one easy-to-use guide. Inspired by Granet's own course on running a successful design practice as well as his experience guiding over four hundred design firms, The Business of Design is organized into six clear chapters interwoven with stories, the author's own experiences and life lessons.