Social Media: Roots for Design Collaboration - Lisa Mende

1. Social Media: Roots for
Design Collaboration
Lisa Mende (www.lisamende.com, @lisamende)
design-bloggers-conference.com 1
Traci Zeller (www.tracizeller.com, @tracizeller)

2. design-bloggers-conference.com 2
Finding a “Swife”
and
Multiplying Your Impact
How We Met
What We Did Next
When to Take the Leap
Why Our Collaboration Works
Where Collaboration Can Lead
What You Should Consider

3. design-bloggers-conference.com 3
How We Met: Virtually
… one or two logos ago

4. design-bloggers-conference.com 4
How We Met: “Real” Life

5. design-bloggers-conference.com 5
What We Did Next: Lisa’s “Crazy” Idea

6. design-bloggers-conference.com 6

7. design-bloggers-conference.com 7

8. design-bloggers-conference.com 8
What We Learned: Art of Working
Together
(it’s all about the soap!)
showhouse pressure? trial by fire!

9. design-bloggers-conference.com 9
When to Take the Leap: Traci’s “Crazy” Idea

10. design-bloggers-conference.com 10

11. design-bloggers-conference.com 11

12. design-bloggers-conference.com 12
Why Our Collaboration Works
Mutual Respect and Values
Lack of Competitiveness
Desire for Other to Succeed
Complementary Strengths
Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath
Appropriate Structure
Separate Businesses
Joint Lease
Shared Pro Bono Projects
Continued Support and Dedication
“Blog One, Blog All”

13. design-bloggers-conference.com 13
Where Collaboration Can Lead
we’ve grown separately and together … and had fun

14. design-bloggers-conference.com 14
Where Collaboration Can Lead

15. design-bloggers-conference.com 15
Where Collaboration Can Lead
We’ve
Come Full
Circle!
Traditional
Home
Showhouse
2015 in High
Point, NC
Lisa: Kitchen
Traci: Foyer

16. design-bloggers-conference.com 16
Where Collaboration Can Lead
a new model for small design businesses and bloggers
The Practical?
Shared Resources
Lower Overhead
Better Work
Out of Office
“Coverage”
The Personal?
Friendship
Support
Fun!

17. design-bloggers-conference.com 17
What You Should Consider
How well do you know each other?
Have you worked together before?
Is there a low risk way to “test” a collaboration?
What result do you want?
What does that result require from each person?
How are you going to get there? What if you don’t?
How should you legally structure your relationship?
There’s no right or wrong way to collaborate!
The key?
Communication! Flexibility! Commitment!