The Value of Design & Entrepreneurship
Designers. Builders of brands. Architects of websites. Makers of unique experiences. Crafters of beautifully functional products. There is immense value in what we do for others. Sometimes, this value is underappreciated or worse, ignored. There is no argument about the value we deliver. We identify potentially complex problems across countless industries and we invent seemingly simple solutions. We are able to deliver these solutions in the form of visually compelling narratives. As designers, you can utilize these narratives in order to pursue your own ideas.
Stories move people towards a specific call to action, whether it is to connect with friends across the world or simply share thoughts with others. Some of us help craft the story where others may help dictate how it is shared with the intended audience. This type of value is desperately needed by countless others. It may be easy for clients 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 our value with others. Due to the access to others we have received from the internet and other emerging technologies, we are able to create our own opportunities and speak directly to our intended audiences, which in turn allows us to take on potential risk ourselves.
It is this cross-section of design and entrepreneurship that creates unique opportunity for designers that are willing to question norms and strive for more. When design principles and methodologies are applied to the creation of new ideas, products, services, solutions and other entrepreneurial endeavors, entrepreneurial design materializes as a viable path.
This path is much more of a natural fit than you may think. Take a second and review everything you have learned as a design student or professional. I don’t mean the pen tool in Photoshop or how to layout a magazine in InDesign. I’m referring to all of the principles, processes and methods you have utilized in order to solve the problems you face everyday. Whether you are using a highly iterative process with a client branding project or split testing copy for a website, these approaches can be applied directly to designing your own solutions for the problems of others.
Creating solutions for others as a designer is more similar to creating solutions as an entrepreneur than you may think. If doing their jobs correctly, both individuals allow their users and customers’ clients to inform the construction of their solutions. Furthermore, both the designer and entrepreneur can and should wield an extremely effective weapon when creating solutions: empathy. The ability to understand and share the feelings of others is a crucial tool for both individuals.
If there is still any doubt in your ability to create your own path as a designer, all you have to do is study the current landscape for design in entrepreneurship. There are more startups with design co-founders than ever before. Startups such as Airbnb and Nest realized from day one that design is an investment and not a cost. Additionally, tech-based companies are also acquiring creative firms (based on both talent acquisition and intellectual property).
Admittedly, entrepreneurship is not an ideal path for everyone. In fact, if you are risk averse and crave stability, this may not be that path for you. However, if you are constantly seeking for ways in which life can be richer, more fulfilling by proactively identifying problems in everyday life, you just might make the perfect entrepreneur. The thing is, you’ll never know until you try.
