Craft

🚀 If you want to be interesting, you have to be interested. Want to know what keeps design leaders interested? Our speakers share stories, insights and opinions on the topics the design industry should know about: 👉 Priyjah Paramasivam - How&How Talk: 'Asian Other' 👉 Jay Topham - Unfound Studio Talk: 'Non-Negotiables: From Global To Challenger' 👉 Robin McNicholas & Carolina Vallejo - MARSHMALLOW LASER FEAST Common Interest connects a diverse design crowd, united by inspiration and shared thoughts. 🎟️ Buy tickets here: https://lnkd.in/era9E-Bw #design #designevent #branding #creativity #storytelling #graphicdesign #community #designcommunity #commoninterest

Why is freelance such a popular way of growing design businesses right now? 👉 We grabbed five minutes with Natalie Wilson for her headlines on the freelance market. Celebrating three years at Craft this week, Nat is a freelance specialist recruiter who knows the market inside out. "Flexibility is the word of the year when it comes to running a demanding studio. So many of our clients need design talent that suits a smart solution, not a long-term commitment." 🤔 So, ideally freelancers need to have a flexible and broad skillset? "No - in fact, demand for niche skills has really grow since Q1 this year. This summer I filled briefs for AI specialists, multilingual copywriters, niche motion software designers and creative campaign teams. The flexibility aspect of freelance isn’t about length of booking or type of design - it’s the flexibility it offers in terms of running a business. It allows studios to onboard new clients quicker, to control future cashflow, and adapt to new verticals they are trialling with growing accounts or disciplines." 🤔 Does it take a lot of time to manage so many freelancers in terms of payment? "If you manage it all yourself, there’s no denying there's a lot of admin involved. But when you book freelancers through Craft, we take care of the back office. Just sign off a timesheet and we’ll take care of payments, IR35 requirements, invoicing and queries - all around the world." 🤔 If you could offer a word of advice to studio managers on using freelance support, what would it be? "Be honest! If you’re not sure what projects are going to land next week, or who exactly you need, we can work together to find the best team for the job. Oh - and, don’t forget to invite your freelancers to your Christmas party!” 💥 Want freelance support to grow your business? There’s a reason we call her Nat Attack - she can grow your business capacity and no brief is too niche. 👉 natalie@craftagency.co.uk. #freelance #freelancedesign #designrecruitment #designagency #designbusiness #designindustry #whoyouknow

Introducing the final, wonderful, speakers at Common Interest #2, in London next month… Robin McNicholas, Co-Founder, and Carolina Vallejo, Executive Producer at MARSHMALLOW LASER FEAST. Marshmallow Laser Feast is an experiential artist collective who believe in the power of stories to tickle senses and shift perceptions. Their work takes people on a multisensory journey to where imagination and information collide. From coders to poets, chemists to ventriloquists, brands to institutions, MLF collaborate with specialists in all disciplines. To explore new forms of culture, interrogate our relationship with the world around us and leave a glittery slug trail as they journey through the cosmos… And if that isn’t an enticing introduction, we don’t know what is. Bring on the glittery slug trail! 🪩 🐌 Common Interest #2 | Wednesday 13th November | The Steel Yard, London 🎟️ Buy tickets here >> https://lnkd.in/era9E-Bw #commoninterest #designevent #design #londondesign #designindustry #designrecruitment #inspiration #designleadership

This week we’re introducing the speakers for our next event, Common Interest #2, in London next month. Creative Director of Unfound Studio , Jay Topham, will take the stage to share his non-negotiables for creating ideas that last. ‘Non-Negotiables: From Global To Challenger’ reflects on Unfound’s diverse portfolio of projects, and the standards set along the way. With a studio primed to uncover the remarkable, we’re looking forward to seeing BTS and the lessons learnt along the way. Looking forward to it - thank you Jay Topham Unfound Studio ! 🫶 Common Interest #2 | Wednesday 13th November | The Steel Yard, London 🎟️ Buy tickets here >> https://lnkd.in/era9E-Bw #commoninterest #designevent #design #londondesign #designindustry #designrecruitment #inspiration #designleadership

It’s time for a proper introduction of our speakers at Common Interest #2 in London next month. First up, let’s hear about Priyjah Paramasivam. Priyjah is a design leader at How&How, and has titled her Common Interest talk 'Asian Other’. 👉 She will share a personal story of how her culture has shaped the way she approaches creativity as a leader, and how creativity can impact culture in return. It’s time to recognise that being different is actually one of our greatest strengths. We absolutely cannot wait for this one - thanks again Priyjah Paramasivam, How&How & Cat How 🚀 Common Interest #2 | Wednesday 13th November | The Steel Yard, London 🎟️ Buy tickets here >> https://lnkd.in/era9E-Bw #commoninterest #designevent #design #londondesign #designindustry #designrecruitment #inspiration #designleadership

We’re proudly committing to another year of sponsoring Creative Lives in Progress! It’s made us all nostalgic about the past year of sponsorship too - taking part in IRL and virtual events and portfolio reviews, meeting so many incredible creatives, and learning from the fantastic CLIP team 🫶 👉 Why do we sponsor Creative Lives in Progress? 👈 CLIP are a creative careers resource on a mission to transform how emerging talent accesses the industry. This partnership gives us insight on the challenges and barriers to entering the design industry, so we can help break them down, and supports us in finding talent from diverse backgrounds. #creativelives #sponsorship #designindustry #talentattraction #design #designstudio

Now's your chance. Have your say on the future of the design industry ➡️ Design Next>> is our annual survey that looks at the state of the design industry. This year, we are looking at an area of diversity that is often overlooked: age. Take the survey to have your say on the future of the design team: https://lnkd.in/en8yjcGX There’s a profiling section and then just 16 questions to complete the survey, and the chance to win £200 Design Museum Shop or $200 MoMA Design Store vouchers. #design #designteam #designstudio #designindustry #culture #designculture #team #mutligenerationalteam

Did you know…? 👉 Our Constantly Curious Book Club takes place every six weeks, and it’s been going for nearly two years! 📚 We pay for everybody at Craft to own the books, or audio subscriptions, needed to take part. 🙋♀️ Everybody has the chance to suggest books and vote on which one we read. 🧠 The focus is on books around design, business, and personal development. 🤔 We are looking for our next great read… and suggestions are welcome! This month we took on the epic 'The Future of the Responsible Company’ from Patagonia’s Vincent Stanley and Yvon Chouinard. We discussed customer advocacy, creating a following, the success of Craft’s investment in our people, how we can make a difference to our local area, and climbing apparatus! As a result, we have greater plans for our charity initiatives for Q4, we’re going to investigate our waste and recycling facilities in the office, and Anna is going to pester her landlord about recycling. Consider this your reminder, Anna! 📍 Beehive Lofts #bookclub #learninganddevelopment #improving #personaldevelopment #development #dreamteam 

🚀 If you want to be interesting, you have to be interested. 💭 What interests do you have in common with other people in the design industry? Probably lots. Design leadership, vision, future thinking, inspiration, branding, what’s next, AI, storytelling… the list goes on. Common Interest connects a diverse design crowd, united by inspiration and shared thoughts. Our London event is on 13th November, and features incredible speakers: 👉 Priyjah Paramasivam - How&How 👉 Jay Topham - Unfound Studio   👉 Robin McNicholas & Carolina Vallejo - MARSHMALLOW LASER FEAST 🎟️ Want to get in on the action? You can buy tickets here: https://lnkd.in/era9E-Bw #design #designevent #branding #creativity #storytelling #graphicdesign #community #designcommunity #commoninterest

You heard it here first: our global event series is picking up pace. London next month, Manchester again soon, with more dates and locations coming in 2025. What's Common Interest? 🤔 If you want to be interesting, you have to be interested. These events connect a diverse design crowd, united by inspiration and shared thoughts. ➡️ The global design industry is united by hot topics including design leadership, vision, future thinking, inspiration, branding, what’s next, AI, storytelling and beyond. Guest speakers share their stories and experiences across those topics. More details will be shared next week! #commoninterest #designevent #event #design #designindustry #london #manchester #creativity