No matter how you fared in 2017, 2018 offers the potential to thrive, seek knowledge, and grow in ways both personal and professional.
So here are this year’s first six big takeaways to help you think big about your brand, and a bunch of other little things to keep you inspired.
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Bang the Drum of Craft in All You Do
In a new series on global blog/magazine, The Drum, FINE Partner Josh Kelly examines how craft is more than a trend; it’s also a mindset for how products are made, how services are delivered, and how creatives guide the story. More installments to come.
Pick a Prediction. Find Inspiration.
Why do we predict? To constantly inspire new thought, action, and evolution. Here are our 2018 theories. From placemaking to UX getting physical, we’ll be testing these theories for ourselves and our clients.
Create Better Information. And Fewer FAQs.
FAQs can serve a valuable purpose. Or, be a catch-all for the content you forgot to plan around. Our Information Architect Lisa Wright answers your FAQs on FAQs for the industry leaders at A List Apart.
Venerable Brands: Think New. New Brands: Try Old School.
One thing we learned from a recent spate of project tours — if you’ve been around for decades like McKibbon, Conn Creek Winery, or Bounty Hunter, think like you just launched yesterday. And if you’re a fancy, new, high-tech brand like Cloudera, try a touch of old school.
Ask Questions to Add Value at Every Interaction.
Top Interactive Agencies interviewed Ops Director Lori Dunkin, whose path has been “an organic progression of curiosity about how things work and a willingness to ask questions." Sounds like good advice for any and every path. Read her perspective.
Inside FINE Minds: Brain Work is Harder Than It Looks.
Portland Egotist peeked inside our office, and our mind, to find out how we approach problems, both logical and creative, by finding real and imagined pizazz. Join us, won’t you?
13 Micro-Inspirations
- If you saw our Lisa Congdon-illustrated card, you know our usual holiday schwag took a backseat to Mexico Earthquake Relief, Hurricane Maria Community Recovery, Eagle Creek Fire Relief, and North Bay Fire Relief.
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American Pickers (and Art Director Mehran Azma) teaches us much about how the value of design is in the eye of the beholder.
- Our handy shopping list for 2018 brand, digital, content conferences.
- Creative Bloq looked to leading creatives like our own designer Rick Landers for 2018 goals, like striking a better work-life balance.
- Developer Nichole Bartlett vouches for Netflix show Dark’s Spotify playlist “because it’s awesome.”
- A blog’s not a blog without wine. Or vice versa? Either way, Frank Family Vineyard’s all set.
- Superstar client Prūf Cultivar tells Rolling Stone what’s coming in cannabis in 2018.
- Digest the state of digital design in one article.
- Our Sarah Mackenzie eloquently rants against SEO snake oil and how the industry can earn more respect.
- The Residences at Seafire wins a prestigious Adrian Award.
- I thought I knew open source. I was wrong.
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Tenaya Capital's FINE site builds confidence with intrepid entrepreneurs.
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Todoist, Anydo, Trello, Asana, MinimaList, Things, Clean Todo, Google Cal Tasks, and a good old-fashioned notebook. Designer Adam Parry asked for to-do apps and got a barrage of recommendations.
Thanks for reading. Write me anytime. I live on my email.
Your FINE Friend,
Steve
P.S. We’re looking for a Senior Project Director and a Junior Web Developer — please spread the word.
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