As life decisions go, making the jump to self-employment is a biggie. There are so many risks and rewards to weigh. And lots of things you’ll learn as you go.

In January 2011, I flipped the switch and went from a senior copywriter at an ad agency to a full-time freelance writer. Here are a few things I’ve learned in the process—about the creative community, about the business, and about myself.

Plan ahead. Decide who you are.

Before you make the jump, think about what you really want to do as an indie.
As you put your portfolio together, look at the clients and industries you’ve worked on. Think about the ones you love. Not just award winners. Not just those you worked on with your favorite people.

· What were the projects that left you with a warm sense of satisfaction in your gut?
· Are you passionate about a certain medium? TV? Web?
· Are you moved by working on non-profits? Health care?
· What’s going to make you different from everybody else?

Then do some homework. Follow industries that interest you. Set up an an RSS feed and follow news about companies you admire—and the agencies that do business with them.

It’s as important to know who they are as it is to know who you are.

Introduce yourself. And be findable.
Be direct and open about making professional contacts. I was always a reluctant networker. In college, career counselors always urged us to network like crazy. But it felt phony and self-serving. I see it differently now.
You share common interests with a big group of people, so it’s safe to assume we all want to get acquainted—from students to seasoned pros. Meet people.

· Show up at professional functions. Keep your cards handy.
· Research professionals at potential clients and ad agencies. Connect with them online.
· Send people a straightforward email and ask for a meeting to introduce yourself.
· Before you approach them, know a thing or two about their business. If you’re going to call a creative director at a local agency, first find out what they’re working on. Let them know you took the time.
There are lots of ways to be findable. Social media is an obvious route. Some others:
· Set up a website, or use a creative portfolio site such as behance.net where you can showcase your best work. Keep it simple. Make it easy for people to get in touch.
· Join the RAF and get listed in their directory.
· Another good local resource is AdHub, which features listings of freelancers and agencies from all over New York. It offers tiered pricing, and the basic plan is a bargain considering the profile page it includes.

And for those of you who hire freelancers, the RAF directory and the AdHub directory are good resources when you’re looking for a freelance creative partner. Bookmark ‘em.

Ask for help. You’re bigger than you.
There’s a great community of independent creatives in Rochester. Some have been doing this for many years, and they’re really, really smart. Buy them coffee. Ask for advice. When they tell you their life story, be a good listener. Most people are happy to offer advice. And someday, you’ll return the favor with somebody in the same boat.

You’ve got more than yourself to lean on—and more to offer. That’s important to share with your prospective clients. Let them know that you’re connected to people in many creative fields, and that you can easily bring them in on projects.
And if you work with freelancers, consider us when it’s pitch time if you haven’t before. Rochester freelance creatives bring centuries of experience in hundreds of industries to the table. Get to know us and we could help you win your next client (and help you serve them, too!).

So go ahead. Stalk me.

Be the toughest boss you’ve ever had.
We are creatures of routine. Now you get to make one for yourself. But you are more than a graphic designer or photographer or copywriter or producer. You’re the boss.

· Keep good records. Track what you charge for projects and be consistent about it. Put a system in place for estimates and invoices, and stick to it.
· Set goals for your week, month, and quarter and pay attention to how you’re doing. If you’re in this to earn a living and you’re not making money, it doesn’t matter how great your work is.

I hate alarm clocks. So I do everything in my power not to use one. But there’s a dark side to that. Especially if you procrastinate. In a word: don’t. Break that habit immediately. Get up in the morning. Create routine for yourself and stick to it. If you have two weeks to get a project done and you know you only need one day, DO IT TODAY.

Time spent procrastinating isn’t free. It costs you. So don’t let things hang over your head just because they aren’t due yet.

Be tough on yourself. Tougher than any boss you’ve ever had.

Last thoughts. Stay hungry. Stay humble.

Even if you’re slammed right now, remember to have an eye on the horizon. Don’t get so caught up in the day-to-day madness that you forget to look ahead to your prospects in the months ahead. Leave yourself time to keep new leads coming in.
Speaking of staying hungry, be fair to yourself in pricing, too. When you’re slow, you might be tempted to underprice a project just to make sure you grab it. Be careful. Once you set certain precedents on the value of your work, that’s where clients will expect the bar to stay. You’re helping set the bar for fellow freelancers, too. Keep it at a fair height for you and your community.

Now for the humble part. You’re going to find out that some of the things you resented about your old job are exactly the same. You’ll have a new appreciation for the folks in account service, the folks in accounts payable, and the partners who owned your agency. You’ll have a new respect for your own clients, too.

Didn’t like their decisions? Good news: now those decisions are all yours.
So stay humble, boss.

PRESENTATION

#9 – It’s one more opportunity to be able to write off a whole evening of partying as a business expense.

#8 – Where else can you give a rival agency the “stink-eye” without the risk of a fist fight?

#7 – Drink orders via Tweet.

#6 – Your work will be seen by the entire Rochester Advertising Community, not just the 15 people in the “target audience.”

#5 – You may show up single, but you could leave with a new client.

#4 – Rumor has it that Joe Mayernik is planning an interpretive digital dance routine.

#3 – Side-effects may include a swelling of your network and increased visibility in the Ad community.

#2 – There’s no penalty for excessive celebration.

#1 – We need to show those sissies in Minneapolis (aka judges) just what the Rochester Ad community’s made of.

Submitted by Andrea Zuegel and Matt Smythe

Entering the ADDYs also means exposure. When was the last time a large sampling of your colleagues and creative mentors were all in the same room together? We work hard to make sure event attendees have plenty of time to see the complete gallery of entrants. Think about the amount of time you spend posting, e-mailing, or otherwise promoting your work. Now factor in all of that time plus your resources vs. the expense of an ADDY entry where you can guarantee your work will be seen by those who matter to you. Would you rather just mingle with people or have something to show them while you’re catching up?

Granted, nobody should base their creative goals solely on winning an ADDY, but because you can never handicap your kind of talent or even the judging, you should never NOT try. An event like this should also incite friendly competition and dare we say, inspiration. In a market like ours, when has it ever paid to be divisive?

In addition to the usual ADDY book we publish post ceremony, this year, a microsite will go live after the initial judging showcasing all entrants. This means your entries will live well beyond the night of the show, “win” or “lose.”

We’ve got a simple ADDY mantra of “Don’t just do good work, do extraordinary work.” We all know what it feels like to become attached to an idea, or a sketch, and then a final product. Why not take a final step to see what other professionals think beyond the client and the market itself?

T.C. Pellett, RAF V.P., 1-19-12

6x6x2011 Global is the fourth exhibition of thousands of original artworks, made and donated by celebrities, international & local artists, designers, college students, youths, and YOU. Each artwork must be 6×6 square inches and signed only on the back, to be exhibited anonymously. All artworks will be for sale to the public for $20 each (at RoCo and online) to benefit RoCo. Artist names will be revealed to the buyer upon purchase and all artworks remain on display through July 10, 2011.

For more information go to www.roco6x6.org.

So how are you supposed to keep generating smart, fresh work when life is laced with personal loss, financial struggle, or heartbreak? You know time will eventually change your situation and feelings—but your creative deadline is two days from now and you’re not sure you’ll even make it past lunch.

As creatives it’s vital for us to be connected to our positive and negative emotional experiences—it’s an important source for much of our creative inspiration. But when emotions are a crushing tsunami, how can you survive and begin to allow for an even flow of creative thinking?

According to Julia Cameron, author of the classic guide to creative recovery “The Artist’s Way”, survival lies in sanity, and sanity lies in paying attention:

‘The reward for attention is always healing…In times of pain, when the future is too terrifying to contemplate and the past too painful to remember, I have learned to pay attention to right now. The precise moment I was in was always the only safe place for me. Each moment, taken alone, was always bearable…’

Often getting into the moment is something you can do at your desk over a cup of coffee and a good blank stare out the window. Maybe you have to find a spot in the sun somewhere. Wherever you are, in that moment and then the next, focus your attention on something that delights you. The pool of sunlight that rakes across your desk, the smell of fresh cut grass through your studio window, the sound of kids laughing on the playground outside your building.

Cameron believes ‘…the quality of life is in proportion, always, to the capacity for delight. The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention.’

I’ve just got to say, from my own experience, it’s finding delight in the moments surrounding a dark event that’s pulled me though a workday or work session with my creative partner—productively. A heightened radar for delight can even lead you to more inspiration than you’ve experience in quite a while—or even ever. Also, know that pain, once passed through, will lead to emotional knowledge you can write about, create an image of, or use to better understand a once foreign demographic you need to communicate to.

Bright new idea spots. To come.

If you’re in a place like this right now, I hope this is of some help to you.

In the coaching world we call them “tolerations.” Things you tolerate on some level every waking moment that take a drop or teaspoon or gallon from that creative body of water of yours. They weigh you down and hold you back from doing you best work and truly connecting with the people and experiences that nourish and inspire you.

And they keep you from growing.

A big one for me was the reoccurring worry-set around tax preparation and filing. As a freelancer I absolutely dread what my tax bill will be. So I have a tendency to procrastinate the visit to my accountant. Adding weight to the distraction and extending the fret-time long beyond tax season. Which caused me to delay planning a summer vacation, getting a new Mac, buying CS5— things that would support my creative production.

But the good news is every toleration is somehow fixable and as you take on each one you lighten up. You’ll feel more like the grown-up you really are, have a clearer head and notice the inspiring nuances in the life around you.

You know where I’m going with this.

So, what can you do? Simple. Identify the top three things you’re tolerating right now. Write them down. One of them might be a pivotal one that when dealt with can knock off some of the others. Once I saw what my tax toleration was doing to my overall energy, I took some constructive steps to deal with it. You can too. Step by step. One at a time. Then start on the next batch of three, or 10 or whatever.

In fact, why the hell wouldn’t you?

One of the more widespread misconceptions about The Rochester Advertising Federation’s ADDY Awards is that the winners are decided by local creative professionals. Not true. Traditionally, seasoned creative professionals of diverse skill sets from around the U.S. are invited to judge the entries submitted by Rochester’s creative community. Then, representatives of the RAF’s Board of Directors typically travel with all of the work to a single city/district where the group of judges is located. To celebrate our 20th Anniversary we did it a little different for 2011. We used our association with the National American Advertising Federation and chose one judge each from four major markets that we had utilized in past years. The RAF is an affiliate of the AAF, empowered by 50,000 professionals in 220 advertising clubs, 220 college chapters, and 100 corporations.

JUDGEMENT WEEKEND IMAGE GALLERY
All images by T.C. Pellett except where noted – thanks so much John!

I had attended the awards in the past and had even volunteered on the committee, but was still intrigued about a side of the process most participants don’t get to see. After being asked to join the Board of Directors just about a year ago and being a relative rookie, I saw a chance to get more involved with what’s widely considered to be the RAF’s signature affair. Of course, the ADDYs are like a lot of events. There’s a roller coaster ride to find a theme, arrange for a venue, and constantly explore how the event can remain relevant to the membership and beyond. But this event dares people to offer up the results of their art and creativity in advertising, beyond the customer, to their peers. And then that day came, where thirty or so six-foot tables later, more than 300 entries were organized according to their submission numbers and categories.

We watched the airport arrivals ticker with despair

All we needed then was for the judges to arrive. However, one of the more annoying snow storms of the year hit the Rochester area the exact Friday we were bringing everyone into town. We watched the airport arrivals ticker with despair and by Friday night, we only had one judge safely in Rochester while the other three were stuck in the throes of domestic travel. Needless to say we were worried, not only for the safety of the nice people we invited here, but for the execution of the judging process as a whole. One judge unfortunately became stranded in Washington D.C. and never even made it to Rochester – but the other two eventually made their way and we were ready to get the process moving again.

By late morning Saturday everyone was settled in and ready to start. What was most refreshing was that the judges were a lively panel of individuals who set a tone mixed with levity and professionalism. Certainly a good group to be with for an entire weekend. All the judges we invited had typically done about two to four of these types of events a year so they have seen a real diversity of work. Given the “salvation” theme of the awards show this year, we thought it was a little more than coincidence that two of the judge’s names were Mark and John.

“You guys made it very hard for us…”

The judges were more than complimentary of “the work coming out of a market our size” with one going so far as to say, “You guys made it very hard for us because so much of the work was truly great. Definitely one of the better crops of work I’ve seen.” By early evening Saturday most, if not all, of the printed pieces, mounted campaigns, etc. was rated while some interactive pieces had been viewed and scored as well. Sunday morning would mean wrapping up the rest of the interactive pieces and then viewing all of the broadcast entries.

Representing the RAF in a situation like this is interesting in that you have to be helpful in making sure the judges understand the entries without any sort of bias or extra info. Even the thought of laughing at very funny broadcast pieces could feel awkward in their presence knowing their interpretation of the work has to be pure.

Once all of the judging was done it was time for them to select Best of Show and the pieces that were their personal favorites. Fellow board member Wayne Calabrese was on hand to film interviews and reactions to the work. Those interviews will then be put together for inclusion in the actual awards show. And that marked the end of “judgment weekend.” We all shook hands and exchanged contact info and thankfully, their exit from Rochester was much less dramatic than their entrance.

You’ll find out more about our great judges the night of the ADDYs – salvation can be found starting at 6:30 on March 24th – you can find all of the event details at rafconnect.org/events/addys so get your tickets and we will soon see who will be saved!

Find out about membership in the RAF by going to rafconnect.org/membership
Follow the conversation @RAFconnect
Really, really like us at facebook.com/rafconnect

I have lived in Rochester for almost ten years. Within that time I have seen many ad agencies sadly close their doors. Saatchi & Saatchi, Buck & Pulleyn, EMA’s strong Rochester presence, and ICE to name a few. Our industry in Rochester cannot sustain losing one advertising agency every two years. For our creative community to thrive, we as an industry, need to work together to stop the bleeding. One way we can accomplish this is to stop the brain drain. The RAF is dedicated to our creative community by developing programs, fostering mentorship and sponsorships that educate, inspire and celebrate great work. Our program, 20 Minutes & a Beer, is a huge success. It’s a program designed to showcase the talented individuals in our market, while drinking a cold one with peers. I have seen over a dozen of these events thus far. Each attended by at least 30 people, and the crowd is always different. It’s a true testament that we are tailoring the content of these events to appeal to all facets of our industry. We are fighting the brain drain.

Our newest program is the RAF Backstage Pass. It’s a series of events tailored specifically to the broadcast community. Last fall was the first annual Cannes Lion Event, where we brought Rochester industry professionals together to give insights on the winners and how it relates to us in our market.

We are ushering in a new age of the Rochester advertising scene. Many new agencies, design shops, and interactive agencies have started to have success. These small 2 to 5 person shops are the future of our industry. They have been forced to adapt to the ever changing rules of our business. Bygone are the days of traditional media. Guerilla marketing, the internet, social media and phone apps are their wheelhouse. 10 years from now they will emerge to be the next Partners + Napier, Martino Flynn, or Jay Advertising. They will be rewriting the rules of how to grow a clients brand.

Since our market has changed so too has the RAF board. We realigned the members, formed new board seats, and cut the outdated. Our board is now comprised of a nice mix of agencies, freelancers, marketing professionals, and key client contacts. We polled our membership, asked tough questions, and got back honest responses. These responses have already been placed into action. Look for some major revisions in the Addy’s this year.

We cut socials from the RAF calendar. Not because we don’t like to drink (trust me, we like to drink). But we realized that social only events do not ladder back to our core mission of inspiration, education, and celebration of great work. Social only events only served to continue the stigma of the RAF being a closed tight knit advertising fraternity. A stigma that we have spent a lot of time tying to break. And for us to grow we needed to adapt, and listen to our membership. We are fighting the brain drain.

We better aligned ourselves with the national organization of the AAF. There are many benefits RAF members receive from this affiliation. Benefits like savings on FedEx shipments, discounted publication subscriptions and savings of supplies for the office. I urge you to take advantage of these benefits. Let your membership work harder for you. Your membership perk is not only discounted tickets to the Addy’s.

We are in the process of creating a new program for the freelance community. Realizing the past Freelance Expo had it’s place but now the dwindling number of advertising agencies and the birth of the information age has forced us to refresh, renew this staple of the event calendar. Big things are in the works and I am happy to say that by the 2011-2012 RAF season, we’ll have a new program and initiatives directed to the freelance community. Think of it as the Freelance Expo 2.0.

We have renewed our commitment to the students of Upstate, New York. Our expanded partnership with RIT has forced us to look out our organization with a fresh perspective. To put in processes that insure the RAF is working as hard and as efficiently as it can, to realize that accountability is our greatest ally in an organization comprised entirely of volunteers. We created a new program, 20 Minutes and a Pizza. In this program the RAF brings agency and marketing professionals to the campus of RIT, to inspire the students, to educate and mentor. We at the RAF want to ensure that after students graduate they stay here in this area. To grow our industry in Rochester, not shrink it. Their talent and creativity is key to the revitalization our creative community. We need them to help us fight the brain drain.

This is a great city. It’s a place where many blue chip clients call home. In fact, the RAF stays strong due to the generosity of corporations like Xerox. I would love for our city to be viewed as the next Minneapolis, or dare I say Miami. There certainly is enough talent here. Each year at the Addy’s we prove that even though Rochester may not be a big city, we do big things, service big clients and think up big ideas. Our addy winners are successful in the District 2 and national level Addy Awards, and this success is just one of the ways Rochester can become a creative powerhouse. This year the Addy’s turns 20. Our theme is the old time revival. We’re getting back to our roots to celebrate what is really important to our profession. The creative idea.

And finally, I urge you to get involved. Help us help the creative community. If you’ve ever wanted to take an expanded role, or maybe even serve as RAF board member, please let us know. Rochester needs bright and eager marketing and advertising professionals to lead the RAF for the next 20 years. The state of the RAF is good, but the involvement of others will make it great. President Obama talked about the past vs the future. He spoke of not fighting over what has been, but look to what we all can do moving forward. I’d say we could do the same.

Thanks and let’s party hard at the Addy’s on March 24th, but the only way to salvation is through submission. Enter you work today, the final call for entries due February 11th. And, like our President after his speech… If you want my autograph… I can oblige.

Prez Joe

20 Minutes & A Beer is an educational/social program started by the RAF as a way to showcase our local authorities on various topics that are relevant to our industry and market. On Tuesday November 16th at the Tap & Mallet, Mike Davis from Butler/Till gave a talk about trends and possibilities in the world of mobile advertising.

The RAF is the Rochester NY chapter of the National AAF and is a group dedicated to enriching the creative community through programs and sponsorships that educate, celebrate and inspire great work.

The Tap & Mallet is located at 381 Gregory Street, Rochester, NY 14620
(585) 473-0503

- Scott Wolf