Friday, June 22, 2007
Another cartoon created for a magazine that goes to automobile dealers throughout the U.S. The subject matter is based upon a report on sales numbers from this week. They showed that as gas prices eased a bit, consumers responded immediately by eschewing small cars for big SUV's again. (How short-sighted are these folks? Are they the same ones who go out and eat two Big Macs and super sized fries after they lose 8 ounces in their diets? ) Unfortunately, the attached cartoon is more an illustration of reality than a satire.
This is another advertising illustration created for the insurance & retirement fund firm back east.
As depicted in this scene, business owners typically don't like taking a back seat to their offspring at the companies they founded. They often end up being pushed to the sidelines by their eager heirs, maintaining an office for appearances and title, only...which is a tough transition for a person who had the drive to get the whole enterprise started.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
An advertising illustration done for a large east coast-based insurance & investment company. This was one of a series of illustrations done for newpaper advertisements tailored toward their clientele who may be planning to sell a business or company.
On a related note, I recall my father going through the process of selling his business just a few years ago. What seems like a carefree time of one's life can be very emotional...afterall, it's your creation; the product of your efforts and struggles over many years that is being sold. And (in many cases), it's being sold to a stranger. It's hard to just walk away.
That's one reason I think it's a good thing that most cartoonists and illustrators don't really retire or sell their business...they just keep on working well into their golden years. (That will be me...drawing until I'm 95 or until my incessant drooling ruins too much of my clients' artwork. (Well, actually, until my drooling shorts out my Wacom tablet...since it's mostly digital now anyway.)
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Words that inspire - Courtesy of Daniel Pink
I thought I'd post something about a business book that inspired me. I can't claim the idea...it came from a client and friend, (Brad Shorr), who suggested a group blogging effort about favorite business books.
My favorite business book is called "Free Agent Nation", by Daniel H. Pink. It's a book that is viewed by many as 'the handbook' on how to start your own business. I found it while walking around in Barnes & Noble one day about three years ago with my toddler daughter. (She led the way, waddling right to the table where it sat, knocking two copies from their perch.) I picked them up, leafed through one and noticed it was endorsed by business guru, Tom Peters ("In Search Of Excellence"), so I had to buy it.
Free Agent Nation details how to take your expertise, (in whatever your field), and go out on your own. Dan's friendly, engaging writing style, (which he honed as a White House speech-writer), glides you effortlesssly through the pages. He covers everything from work ethic, building confidence (important in the formative stages), networking, finding clients and avoiding roadblocks.
There are lots of books that offer direction and expertise. But this was different. Besides imparting valuable advice, the main thing the book did was to get me inspired enough to take action. I'm glad my daughter bumped into it...as it helped get me started on the road to self-employment.
Update:
An interesting & fairly exciting thing happened shortly after reading his book...th author of the above book, Daniel Pink contacted hired me to illustrate his follow-up book, about the increased value of right-brained 'creative types' in the future economy.
Here's a photo of Dan discussing it at a TED Talk, (in the background is one of my illustrations.)