Design – Modality Creative Studio

Three Essential Things For Your Startup

I did a podcast episode a while back where I outlined three things every start-up needs. Today, the number of entrepreneurs that exists seem to increase with every click. After all, starting your own business is so much easier today than it’s ever been really. That’s not to say that it still doesn’t have it’s challenges, but compared to just a decade ago, you’re now able legitimately start a business online in minutes and because of technology, we can up and running much quicker for much cheaper. Furthermore, it’s a commendable decision to start a business and begin to take control of your passion but that’s not all you need. There are somethings to consider as you begin or continue your journey. There are a few, what I call, “mission critical” items that I believe are needed to be successful in a fast-changing digital world. Of course there are more than three, but these are the three that I can speak directly to:

Digital Imagery

This isn’t the most important but it is critical. I’ve met so many small business owners that have legitimate business or business ideas but they cant attract the clientele they want because their imagery doesn’t match the quality of their service. It’s no secret that people want to deal with people who at least look like they have it together. In a digital world, poor pictures and images say the opposite, fair or unfair. Additionally, there are no shortage of photographers nowadays. That means getting decent pictures won’t cost you a whole lot. You need a good headshot and just maybe a couple of action shots. You’d be surprised how much you can do with just a few quality pictures. If we’re being transparent (and cheap), they don’t even need to be your own pictures. There countless free stock sites that allow you download and utilize stock images. For example unsplash.com is a great free tool. They send you 10 free photos every 10 days. The only drawback is the lack of variety for but conversely, they might be exactly what you’re looking for. It’s free, and we all know beggars can’t be choosers. The moral of the story is: Invest some time and effort into addressing your digital images and assets. There is an immediate payoff.

Digital Real Estate

I’ve heard the term “build on your land” a lot recently is my readings and research and I believe that this nugget of wisdom is paramount in the beginning stages of a new business. Building on your land means creating a website or a digital apparatus that you have 100% control over. If you have a small business you need a website, it’s that simple. Utilizing Facebook and other social media sites as a website is a great idea if you only intend to use it as such for a temporary period of time. Just think about the steps you’d have to take to keep a prospective clients attention on Facebook. Now think about that same prospective willing client on your website. Once you have them there, you have a lot more control over the interaction and less distractions to overcome. Build on your land. There’s no better way. Infact, there are hosting sites like GoDaddy, Host Gator, and Blue Host, that have really good promotional pricing on hosting. Take advantages of the introductory pricing as you’re getting started out and build a simple landing page and then fill your site out incrementally. The lesson here, build on your own land.

A Logo

Equally important is the logo. Today this is probably the easiest to obtain. There are plenty of programs and apps that allow you to do it yourself or you can go the traditional route and hire a graphic designer. You’d be surprised what it cost to get logo done today, it’s ridiculously inexpensive. There are free apps like Logo Shop that allow you design a logo for free. It has some great tools and pre-made items that you can edit to make your own. There’s also a pro-version (paid) that unlocks hundreds of other fonts and shapes. Today there’s really no excuse if you don’t have the budget to hire someone. There’s enough free tool online to at least get you started.

This isn’t an exhaustive list but I do believe it to be essential. A little research and a little planning and you can have some great images, a nice new website, and a great logo for free or little to nothing. It’s just takes a little know-how and effort. You’d be surprised what you can do if you just put in a little time and invest in yourself.

Bonus Tip:

Tax ID:

This isn’t design related but definitely one to consider more earlier than later. Once you create your business, go apply for a Tax ID (or EIN). This not only further legitimizes your operation from a legal standpoint , but it also allows you to start building business credit, obtaining tax deductions and write-offs, and also protects your personal information from identity theft. Of course you don’t need this early on to start a business but the sooner you can obtain a Tax ID the sooner you can benefit from the aforementioned.

Inspiration Overload

I have a question. A legitimate question packaged in a blog entry.

I’m an entrepreneur who still works full-time in addition to running my start-up agency, Modality. I’m not quite ready for the proverbial “leap” just yet. Although, I’m proud to say that I’m approaching the cliff. That aside, I present a question that hit me like a ton of feathers. I was sitting at my desk handling some administrative tasks when I suddenly got the urge to update my website. While I daydreamed about these slick new site updates, I immediately shifted and thought about two new podcast topics. Then I thought about how I wanted to design an upcoming proposal for a client, create new social media posts, design new versions of my logo, and on and on. In the matter of about 20 minutes, there’s little difference between my brain and an erupting volcano. I have so many things that I now want to work on. An explosion of sorts. Of course, at a 30,000 foot view, none of these items are essential to anything immediate. However, moments like these, I sometimes feel too inspired.

Is that even a thing? Should I feel guilty about my glutenous-like intake of inspiration? These are real questions. I consider myself a creative and thus realize that I’m wired differently than most. But I wonder how many other people are “saddled” with inspiration? How many people are paralyzed with ideas? It’s like reverse writers bloc.

This happened to me the other day. I was overwhelmed with inspiration by the things I wanted to do right then and there, and things I wanted to create in the moment. I knew that I didn’t have the time, nor was I in the right place. However, the influx of inspiration still persisted nonetheless. I don’t how to categorize this state of being. It’s bliss and agony at the same time. I tried to do the responsible thing and write down my ideas as they came, but I must admit, there’s nothing like striking while the iron is hot. By the time I made it home that evening, the ideas were still there, but the motivation and urge that I experienced hours earlier had all subsided.

Am I the only one this happens to?

Maiden Voyage

One of my favorite jazz tunes is Maiden Voyage by Herbie Hancock. It was released in 1965 and is considered one of the great jazz tunes of all-time. I listen to it quite often because it’s such a relaxing song. The premise of the song centers around marine and oceanic themes. I don’t know how many versions of this song currently exist, but what I do know is that every time I hear it, i’m taken on a new journey through the lens of music and who doesn’t like a good trip?

I envision Modality Creative Studio to be a lot like this tune. The good thing is, this is one we’ll get to take together. The “Maiden Voyage of Stephen Holmes”, owner founder of Modality Creative Studio or something cheesy like that. I imagine this blog will be a bit multi-faceted and very fluid with respect to topics and content. Of course, i’ll do my best to give you the most current industry news and trends as it relates to creative design and marketing, but i’ll also share stories of my journey through the prism of an entrepreneur. So today, i’m just one guy, but hopefully this thing will take off into something more. Something that even my own eye may not be able to see.

For the time being, just make sure you continue to stop by and share along this journey with me and Modality. Feel free to share your thoughts comments, words of encouragement, issues concerns, disagreements, anything. Healthy dialogue is a key to keeping our selves socially fit. Thanks for dropping by the Modality Blog!

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