Looking for a new designer to take the company forward!

M

MyMag

New Member
Hi Guys,

I am working on a very exciting new project but recognise that I just can’t do it all on my own! I have the business brains but I am looking for a designer sidekick  I am in the process of developing a new online magazine and print and am looking for an incredible designer to help take on the project. Unfortunately, this is a labour of love and, at this stage, there is no money in the pot, however, I hope that will change very quickly and there could be a very good paid opportunity here for someone and possibly business partnership. I see the business split and the design role absolutely key to the company’s success and am looking for someone totally passionate, wants to work for themselves or as a partnership and watch an amazing business grow.

With so many talented people all in one place, I thought this would be a good place to start. I live and am based in Gloucestershire and it would be ideal if I could find someone based in the same region (but not essential). This is a very exciting project and I hope to move things forward quickly but am held up by my lack of design skills! Could you be the perfect designer I am looking for? Are you looking to be part of an amazing project? I know there is no money in it yet but I am not greedy and reward hard work so would look to pay someone when the money comes in (I’m in the same boat).

If you are interested, please get in touch. I’d love to hear from you.

Many thanks,

Emily
 
Hi Emily,

Asking designers to work for free on something that may or may not reward them in future isn't very appealing and as such you will probably find a lack of response from experienced professional designers (it's their years of expertise you're looking to use after all).

You haven't even told us what the magazine is about, which further restricts the amount of interest you're likely to get.

Since the design is an important part of the process, you should budget for hiring a designer or two, which will certainly peak peoples interest on here.

Paul
 
Hi Emily

I think if you explained your idea further there might be a potential opportunity to approach lenders and investors to help fund your project.

I am an experienced designer and a bit of an entrepreneur, and I believe that you are on the right tracks by posting on this forum, if only I lived closer I would listen to the business idea and see how to progress it. Unfortunately time and distance would be the factor that puts me off, but don't be put off by what Paul says, he isn't speaking for every designer on this forum. Money is important to many 'Professional Designers' but sometimes a 'Professional Designer' like myself can also look beyond the immediate rewards if a business idea looks to be beneficial further down the line. Good luck with your search, and you should definitely try and put a rough business plan together and approach lenders.

Thanks
Tony
 
I have to agree with the points Paul has raised.

For this project to work, you have to have a budget to enable you to attract the best designers.

I don't believe there are going to be too many professional designers who are willing to work for free on the off-chance that this will be a success.
 
Thank you all for your responses. They are all very helpful in pointing me in the right direction. It is not my intention to offend any very talented designers by asking a designer to trust my business acumen and work for free. In fact, I am ideally looking to work with someone as equals and with someone who has a passion for business and development.

I feel I am working on a potentially lucrative project and one that is designed to help young people better their prospects and business potential. I am developing an 18-30’s regional interest magazine designed to help realise talent, business news, information, resources and advice from globally recognised business figures. I am a girl with big ideas but a very small budget and aiming to make something out of nothing.
I am steadily building a team of talented young people but am missing that key element of a great designer. This is a working progress and a designer does not have to have a huge amount of experience, just good ideas and a passion for innovation.

I am looking for sponsorship rather than investment as I aim to encourage the “local & vocal” element in my media, therefore not be pushed into a corner by investors.

I hope that gives you a little more info into what I am trying to achieve without giving too much away!
Thank you for your time.
 
Hi Dean,
Thank you very much for getting in contact. I would be delighted to talk to you and see what we can come up with. I am looking for a very modern 3d angle to go down. Something very new and different and it could be very exciting for the right person. i will send you an email with a bit more info asap.
Thanks,
Emily
 
Your comment about the prospective designer not needing to be experienced is an odd one. To take complete creative responsibility for a magazine is a massive undertaking and one which requires years of experience working in editorial design and dealing with printers, writers, photographers, proof readers etc... If you employ someone who's got none of the above experience because they'd do it for free, you're on a hiding to absolute failure!

You simply cannot launch a magazine without any money! I'm sure you think whatever idea you've had is a good one but that doesn't mean it genuinely is! If you can't get financial backing from a bank or a trust then the likelihood is the people holding the purse strings, will know from experience that its not viable. Look at organisations such as the princes trust or research local business initiatives to help people such as your self get a business going.

Just out of interest, why are you printing this magazine when all market research points towards online publishing being the future for magazines (especially a magazine targeted towards a specific sector which has an overwhelming understanding of technology).
 
The amount of magazine print quotes we get asked for is unbelievable, usually people who think they will sell some advertising space to local businesses to pay for it all, in reality only a very small % come to anything, very difficult to get off the ground without a good budget behind you from the start.
 
Thank you to all those taking part in my thread.

I am a firm believer in giving others with a talent opportunities. The whole point in my magazine & business is to give those trying to find a great job, the opportunity to get real life experience and build their portfolios, it is just as much their project as it is mine. All too often we hear "over qualified/under qualified" or "not enough experience" but how about giving young people the opportunity to gain both? Work on a working portfolio while gaining a qualification? Or gaining valuable work experience after newly qualifying? Employers want to see evidence of work and I am hoping my business can become a catalyst for helping young people get what they need in order to get ahead in their careers. I don't see how someone’s age and experience can dictate how good they are at design? I don’t believe you can learn to be a designer, you’ve either got it in your blood or not. It is all a learning curve and we all have to start somewhere. Full support and guidance will be available to all my staff. This is an opportunity for them to embrace what they are good at and push boundaries.

I am fully aware of the financial implication and investment opportunities and having been in business for a number of years, am in full control of my business venture. Just because I have set a target to achieve something from nothing does not make me stupid or set me up from failure, it is called being an entrepreneur. Also, if you have not already read, the magazine is going to be an online magazine. I am not entering into this with my eyes shut, I have spent a year conducting market research and with my years of experience working in media, I am confident that my venture will be a real success.

Thank you once again for all your comments... please keep them coming good or bad because it really does all help and makes me even more determined! :) To those that have private messaged me, I will get back to you today.

Emily
 
While you're right that creativity isnt something that can be taught, the point you're missing is that inexperienced or newly graduated designers often don't have the knowledge or understanding of the industry required to implement their creativity correctly. The only way you can learn that is through spending time working alongside other desigers with industry experience. You say that your staff will have full support and guidance but who's going to give that guidance if the person needing it is the most senior designer in the business?

I commend your business idea. As I'm sure we'll all agree talented youngsters need a foot up sometimes and anything that can help promote or encourage personal development is a good thing. However, giving someone who essentially doesn't know what they're doing absolute responsibility is fool hardy to say the least.
 
Another quick question (actually it's the same one but it is genuine): where is the money coming from that will turn this into a proper business that rewards the input of your design partner? I think someone entering into this as an equal partner would be interested in the answer to that one as a priority.
 
Dave L said:
Another quick question (actually it's the same one but it is genuine): where is the money coming from that will turn this into a proper business that rewards the input of your design partner? I think someone entering into this as an equal partner would be interested in the answer to that one as a priority.
Click to expand...

Hi Dave,
As I've said
before, funding will initially be coming from sponsors and turnover will be generated (like all magazines) through advertisement and paid editorial. I am also running a number of events and festivals and again, sponsorship will be involved. I hope this makes things clear.

For those of you that are genuinely interested in getting involved in this venture, I am happy to go into further details. I am and have been receiving mentorship from the best in the industry in including past editors of the Times, Telegraph and many high end media groups that produce the countries top glossy mags. I am not going in with my eyes shut but as you can appreciate (for those sceptics out there) I am not prepaid to openly discuss my business ides to anyone and everyone. I am looking to build a team and a close team at that to build something great. Those involved will be told the ins and outs.
Thanks.
 
Thanks for taking the time to reply, Emily. I know we're only really scratching the surface here in terms of detail but it all sounds to me like an altruistic enterprise which, although laudible, is something I'd imagine is going to be difficult to shift into the 'lucrative' territory you're targetting.

I wish you luck and hope you can build something useful and meaningful but I struggle to foresee a going-rate financial pay-off for your design partner any time soon; you'll hopefully get a decent response from start-up designers who are interested in the experience (and this looks to be the key platform of your pitch) but the carrot of future riches sounds - on the available evidence - speculative at best.
 
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