November marks five years since we started Lex Design Agency. What have I learned about running a retail design agency in those five years?
1. Creativity is a fitness. The more you use it, the more you get. And creativity is useful for everything from coming up with concepts, to solving design problems.
2. Hard work is secretly fun. We've done some very long days over the past five years and whenever I feel overwhelmed, I ask myself, is there anything else I'd rather be doing? And the answer is always no, running Lex is my favourite thing to do.
3. Coming up with ideas is the the easy bit. It's creating strategies, doing the planning and executing the plan that are the hard parts of any project.
4. Working with clients is a two-step dance; we bring our skills and experience to the table, and they bring theirs. Working together is the best bit and it's how we create great design.
5. Keep it light. If we're not laughing throughout the day, then it's a sign to rejig the energy, the workloads or our mindsets. There has to be a sprinkle of fun across every day, otherwise it's all retch and no vomit.