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Created on my 4 x 6 windowed Levenger note cards. Sadly enough, I think Levenger is no longer making this size or style, just when I found the perfect tool. Mr. Levenger please reconsider, I think you may have a whole market of artists and designers that didn’t even know you existed.

On a side note, this post card was successfully delivered to the recipient. And in case you have trouble reading my hand writing. The Poem is as follows…

(Front)

Dear Mrs/Mr Post Carrier,

Please deliver me with love.
I need to tell someone I miss them,
I need to tell them that I care.
I need to tell them that I love them.
It’s up to you to get me there.

(Back)

Thank You!
For helping me along,
now he knows I love him,
now he knows I care.
I have you to thank,
for helping me get there.

Download now or watch on posterous

IMG_4110.MOV (2231 KB)

Problem Solved
www.hirechelsea.com

Posted via email from hirechelsea’s posterous

Weho_Halloween.m4v (14007 KB)

What happens in Weho, doesn't stay in Weho. Here's a glimpse of what happens when you follow a fairy on all hallows eve. Captured from my iPhone. Cheers.

Posted via email from hirechelsea’s posterous

Congratulations on your recent success! Now…get to work.

Portfolio. If you’re a recent grad reading this, and you don’t have a digital portfolio, stop reading and come back when you do.

Get a reality check. You may have the chops in a room full of your classmates. You may have some nice school work for your portfolio. In reality, you have a piece of paper. The same piece of paper that everyone else does, minus the experience. You’ve done nothing and have everything to prove. The best way to get past that, is to prove it. Stick it out, put your time in and whatever happens, don’t do this.

Be creative. The best design doesn’t always win, but the best solution usually does. This means backing up subjective designs with objective reasoning. You have to do more than make pretty pictures, you have to create solutions that make money. You’re a creative. You wear blue jeans. So go, create something, and if it’s a problem you create, you better have a solution. (note: sometimes you have to create a problem in order to get to a solution)

Be humble. When you need to be. Admit when you make mistakes, you’re expected to make some. Learn from them, and they’re not wasted.

Know your value. Know your strengths and your weaknesses. It’s hard to know what to expect from your first job if you have zero experience. While you should work hard, don’t work too hard. Companies love to take advantage of young, fresh talent. They will steal your ideas and take all the credit. That’s what they pay you for. You’re eager to prove yourself, you’re excited and you’re passionate. Set your boundaries and know your limits. Otherwise you’ll end up sleeping at the office working 100-hour weeks for a 40-hour paycheck at $12 an hour. You’re going to do a lot of work for free. If you are learning something, it’s okay as long as it’s not forever. Find a balance. The easiest way to get burnt out on design is to not have enough time to factor in some freshness.

Make connections. 75% of jobs are gotten through networking, most jobs never even make it to job boards. Tell everyone you meet and everyone you know what you do and why you do it better than anyone else, even if you suck. Get involved in community organizations. Go to a coffee shop. Go to a co-work space. Volunteer for local events. Just get out there. Personality goes a long way, so be personable. If you’re shy…get over it, or bring a friend.

Cover your ass. Read the fine print, know what you are getting into. And how to get out of it. Know what is legal and what isn’t in the state you live. Know what a non-disclosure and a no compete are. Some companies own you. They own your ideas and they will sue you for them. If there is no fine print, go make some. If you’re doing work for a “friend”, get the money first. Draw lines and don’t blur them. You’re bound to get screwed at least once. At least I warned you.

Never stop learning. You can’t shut off. At 5 o’clock the day doesn’t end. Always be on. Take every opportunity to learn something new. Stay up on your software and technology. Just because you are done with school doesn’t mean it’s over. Don’t fear new mediums, conquer them. If you’re not learning something new everyday, you’re behind. The market is more competitive than ever and it’s not going to get any easier. We live in a global economy, and they will outsource.

Good luck out there.

With love,
Chelsea

I make things happen.

When I was in 3rd grade, I saved my allowance in hopes to adopt an acre of rain forest. Now almost 20 years later, my interest in helping save the world has been renewed. I have a lot more to offer than my allowance this time.

I’m a problem solver. I make everyday processes easier for people to understand, use and adapt to. Life to me is a series of interactions, whether a conversation, a subway terminal, a website, a menu or a laundry machine. My job has always been to humanize those times and make them intuitive.

I observe details, and reflect them back to the world around me, shaping new experiences. I create change through precise and passionate execution. Now more than ever, I’m ready to use my influence to solve today’s toughest problems.

Best,
Chelsea Winkel

To quit your day job.
To say you’re sorry.
To go back to school.
To do what you love.
To help someone.
To let go.

The older you get.

The older you get, the more comfortable you become.
The more comfortable you are the harder it is to fail.
The harder it is to fail, the harder is to be a success.

I don’t recall a situation I didn’t have an exit strategy for. I always know where the door is. If there is no door, I know how to make one. I can’t recall a time I’ve ever truly failed. I have no safety net to catch me, so failure has never been an option. If failure is perceived, I’ve never perceived myself as failing. Tough huh? Nor have I perceived myself as a success. What am I waiting for?

I’m ready to be successful.

I’m ready to fail.

“Dad, today I learned that even the smallest of gestures can make a difference and if you do nothing, you’re guaranteed to make no difference at all.”

So do something. Even if it’s small.

1. Respect as a human being.
2. Respect for elders.
3. Respecting someone’s work.
4. Respecting someone’s opinion.
5. Respect for someone’s status.
6. Respecting someone’s position.