Designers are a rare bunch.
When we’re called to, we can build brands, whip up websites, and create beautifully functional products.¹
There is an insane amount of value in what we do for others, but sometimes this value is under-appreciated or even worse, flat out ignored.
Don’t get it twisted. By now, the value we deliver should be crystal clear.
We identify potentially complex problems across countless industries and we design seemingly simple solutions.²
Not only that — we deliver these solutions through visually compelling stories.
As designers, we can use these stories to communicate the value behind our own ideas.
Think about this for a second.
Stories compel people towards a specific call to action, whether it’s connecting with friends across the world on Twitter or exploring that same world in-person thanks to Airbnb.
Some of us help craft the story while others may impact how it’s shared with the intended audience. Whether we’re talking about small businesses or corporate behemoths, clients desperately need this type of value.
It may be easy for them to undermine these abilities, but you as designers should never second-guess the value that you provide to others.
In a connected world where communication is seamless and ideas are infinite, there are now more opportunities than ever to share what we do with others.
Thanks to the internet and social media, we can create our own opportunities and speak directly to our audiences, which in turn allows us to take on the potential risk of starting a company all by ourselves.
This intersection of design and entrepreneurship creates a unique opportunity for designers who are willing to push back and question norms.
When we apply design principles to the creation of new ideas, products, and services, “entrepreneurial design” magically becomes a viable path forward.³
This path is much more of a natural fit than you may think.
Take a second and review everything you’ve learned as a student of design, both in class or on your own.
