Synopses & Reviews
For thirty years, consultant Keith Granet has enjoyed helping design professionals turn their passion into profit. In his new book,
The Business of Design: Balancing Creativity and Profitability, Granet debunks the myth that business sense and creative talent are mutually exclusive.
The Business of Design: Balancing Creativity and Profitability provides all of the necessary tools to create and run a thriving design business - from billing and human resources to branding and project management to marketing and licensing- in one easy-to-use guide.
Inspired by Granet's own course on running a successful design practice as well as his experience guiding over four hundred design firms, The Business of Design is organized into six clear chapters interwoven with stories, the author's own experiences and life lessons. The Business of Design guides the reader through the steps of creating a successful firm, from the initial foundation of a design practice, to financial management, marketing and public relations, human resources, and project management. The last chapter, on product development, explores the growing trend in the design profession to develop products and bring them to the marketplace, allowing designers to share their voice with a larger audience. The Business of Design includes a foreword by M. Arthur Gensler and interviews with individual architects and designers who have made their mark on the profession, including Michael Graves, John Merrill, A. Eugene Kohn, Victoria Hagan, and Richard Meier. These esteemed architects and designers share the benefits of their experience as well as their own take on the business of design. A vibrant and enticing look at the business side of design practice, this graphically beautiful book is neither dry nor intimidating.
"Think it's impossible to make a business using your creativity? Think again! Keith Granet shows you how to make your design business a success. This book is a must-read for every designer."-Jonathan Adler
"The Business of Design is the essential guide about the design business. It's filled with invaluable information that covers all aspects of this often complicated and challenging business. Keith's straightforward, no-nonsense approach to finding success makes this a must-read for established designers or anyone just starting out. I've made this mandatory reading for everyone at Thom Filicia Incorporated!" - Thom Filicia
"Down to earth , common sense advice drawn from good old fashioned experience, Keith Granet gives the industry what it has been waiting for, THE book on just that. Concise, clearly written, this is NO textbook boilerplate. Trust me, you will underline. . . and feel good about what you do know and aspire to all the rest. READ ON. You will be referring to it often." - Charlotte Moss
"Architecture may be an art, but it's also a service profession. To become a good architect requires a passionate dedication to the creative design process. To become a successful one means also understanding that it's a business, a unique one perhaps, but still a business. Keith Granet's The Business of Design will help get you there faster, creative talent intact." - Marc Appleton
Review
"A comprehensive and approachable guide to making a living while following your bliss... Filled with helpful (and attractive) illustrations and easy-to-follow advice tailored specifically to the needs of creative types." --Lonny magazine
Review
"The book is truly encyclopedic, offering advise and practical examples... Interviews with five eminently successful designers (including Interior Design Hall of Fame members Michael Graves, Victoria Hagan, and Richard Meier) join the nuts-and-bolts information." --Interior Design
Review
"Mr. Granet has become to decorators what Swifty Lazar was to screenwriters and starlets." --The New York Times
Review
"Keith Granet's new book The Business of Design is especially welcome... His Los Angeles company, Granet and Associates, provides management consultant services to some of the best-known architecture and interior design offices in the country." --AIArchitect.org
Review
"In an industry perceived more for its beauty than its money-making ability, Granet's book offers the first steps for designers and architects to start, as the title suggests, balancing creativity and profitability... The business advice he imparts could be applicable to any small-business owner." --USA Today
Review
"Granet's book isn't about designing a room-- it's about designing a career-- or giving an existing one a better bottom line." --Veranda.com
Review
"Asking yourself what you would do for work if you didn't need money can help you choose a career. But keeping your business afloat requires financial savvy. In The Business of Design, Keith Granet interviews architects Michael Graves, A. Eugene Kohn, Richard Meier, and John Merrill to supplement his own years of business knowledge." -- Architect magazine
Synopsis
For near thirty years, consultant Keith Granet has helped design professionals advising designers and architects oneverything from billing to branding, from client management to marketing and licensing successfully run businessesthat allows them to pursue their passion for design and be profitable. The Business of Design: Balancing Creativity andProfitability collects the knowledge Granet has gathered during his years of experience guiding architects and interiordesigners and reveals the tools necessary to create and run a thriving design business. Inspired by Granet s own course on running a successful design practice he teaches at the University of California LosAngeles as well as his experience consulting over four hundred design firms, The Business of Design is organized intosix clear chapters interwoven with experiences and lessons from the author s own life that guide the reader from thefoundations of a design business, financial management, marketing and public relation, human resources, to projectmanagement. The last chapter on product management explores the trend in the design profession to developproducts. The book includes a foreword by M. Arthur Gensler as well as interviews with architects and designers, including Michael Graves, John Merrill, A. Eugene Kohn, Victoria Hagan, and Richard Meier, who have made their markon the profession to share with the reader the benefits of their experience as well as their take on the business ofdesign. The Business of Design debunks the myth that business sense and creative talent are mutually exclusive, andunlike other business books, it is written and illustrated to captivate a visually thinking audience
Synopsis
"Granet's book offers the first steps for designers and architects to start, as the title suggests, balancing creativity and profitability... The business advice he imparts could be applicable to any small-business owner."--USA Today The Business of Design debunks the myth that business sense and creative talent are mutually exclusive, providing the necessary tools to create and run a thriving business. Keith Granet provides a comprehensive guide to running a design business, drawing on over thirty years of experience helping design professionals turn their passion into profit.
- Marketing and public relations
- Business and financial management
- Human resources
- Project Management
- Product Development
Granet explains in detail all aspects of business design, tailored to creative industries, from forming a business plan, to billing, to website design, to learning how to say no to projects. Charts and graphics illuminate each process for a visual audience.
Includes case studies and interviews with successful design practices. Each chapter is interwoven with stories and life lessons from Granet's work with over 400 design firms. Individual architects and designers who have made their mark share their experience in interviews, including John Merrill, A. Eugene Kohn, Victoria Hagan, and Richard Meier.
A vibrant and enticing look at the business side of design practice, this graphically beautiful book is a comprehensive and accessible guide to creating a successful design business.