The Bureau Briefing

In this long lost episode, Tevi Hirschhorn shares with us ways in which you can build a real relationship with your users. How UX can be designed to show love for them - and get them to love you back.

While we have a lot of support, the core Bureau team is myself and Lori Averitt. When more membership money started coming in I thought maybe we should grow the team so we can do more. But once we had the results from the Better Bureau Survey I realized I was looking at it wrong. We need to focus our time on what gives Bureau members the most value vs. figuring out how to keep doing all the things at a bigger scale. So here is some of what we're rethinking. More in the newsletter too: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=fd2af4c346

The web is a funny place, and I don't just mean cat memes (but yes, I do also mean cat memes). It's weird to buy a couch online and then get nothing but couch ads for weeks like you needed a second one. Or say something online and suddenly have a mob of people show up to tell you you're wrong when you were just talking about cats on a couch memes. I'm new to taking Web 3.0 seriously so I truly welcome others to help educate me. But here's how I understand it. Web 1.0 was the democratization of information Web 2.0 was the democratization of content creation and community Web 3.0 is the democratization of the internet itself Could Web3 be the salvation of the web? And what's our role in making that happen? Read on and let's see!

Thanks to everyone who sent in their "you need to know" and "I wish I'd known" replies to our last newsletter. Your experiences and insights helped us put together this approach to finding an effective broker. Listen to the show, but also check out more in the newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=5381963ac4

I was talking with David C. Baker the other day about the high amount of webshops that are for sale right now. I've been in the digital services space for over 20 years and there has never been anything like this in our industry. He's seeing the same surge and we dug into some of the challenges owners are facing. Should they sell? How do they determine their value? What are the first steps in the process? This level of interest with a lack of experience in selling a business means many of us have to be careful. More on this topic in the email newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=78e991f706

The Bureau is 10 years old! Of course we've learned a thing or two over the past decade. So here are 2nd half of the 10-ish of those. Have you seen the weekly email newsletter yet? https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=790197d7f2

The Bureau is 10 years old! Of course we've learned a thing or two over the past decade. So here are 10-ish of those. Have you seen the weekly email newsletter yet? https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=790197d7f2

We're talking with Warren Wilansky about his company Plank's approach to designing ethically driven websites. Which is where he and his team developed and released for us all to dig into; Plank's Ethical Web Design Framework. Get the weekly email newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=790197d7f2

We've all been trying to figure out what's going on with compensation and benefits since the great resignation started. Over 3.8 million people quit their jobs in April of 2021 looking for better pay, conditions and work/life balance. For those with a career in digital, it sure looks like they found it. But is it sustainable? Read on to learn more. Oh, and if you're a member, check the #announcements channel in Slack. You'll find the complete 2022 Salary Guide waiting for you.

There are things I believe in very strongly when it comes to managing clients: We have to establish and maintain trust. We have to actively listen and confirm what we heard. We need to make sure bad news travels at the same speed as good news. But should we focus on client happiness? I think it can lead to some big problems, honestly. But happy clients bring huge benefits. And since International Happiness Day is just around the corner, let's dig into this! It's all in the email newsletter too: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=e29a8d7ff9

Most shop owners keep a mental tally of clients and finances, even if you're not the one making sales calls and running spreadsheets every day. And the last thing you want is a pissed-off client ripping you a new one for a situation that's been brewing for a while, especially when the whole thing could have been solved by a simple chat earlier. It's all in the newsletter too: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=a589f259f4

This is probably gonna sound obvious, but if it was more of us would do it. Before we can be effective and motivated we have to know what we want to achieve. Not what needs to get done, there's a big difference. And there should be alignment in your personal and professional life in what you're doing. If I do X then I can do Y. Here are some things I'm trying to regain my sense of perspective and progress. Check out the email newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=9bc3608155

Michael Scott was clearly the best part of The Office (don't @ me, Dwight stans). Because while he was not great at the business part of his job, he was even worse at the intangibles. And some of us were probably laughing because of our own insecurities. I feel confident in saying that if you're reading this, you're already a better leader than he was. But since that's a pretty low bar to clear, we probably all still have some room for improvement as leaders. It's easy for us to get caught up in the numbers without remembering that we're all people with wants and needs, and placing a little more emphasis on that side of the business can help with culture, retention and the bottom line, as well. Let's discuss! Check out the email newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=790197d7f2

Nobody likes having limits placed on them. After all, this is the land of all-you-can-eat breadsticks, right? And if more is better, unlimited vacation time might be the sweetest treat of all. But can you really let your team take as much time off as they want? What are the rules? And what's the impact if you do? Check it out in the email newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=52a3053556

Sometimes doing something yourself is the best way to get it done, like brushing your teeth. Other times, not so much. If you struggle with being a -- what's a nicer term for “control freak”? -- you're not alone. It pretty much goes with the territory of being an entrepreneur. And guess what? When you're keeping control over the small stuff you aren't allowing yourself to focus where you really are the only person for the job. Planning the future of your company! Sign up for the email newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?id=790197d7f2&u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0

There's a lot to consider as you raise your rates or grow your company or whatever as it's all related. Let's review some of these from the most recent Summit. Check out more in the email newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=790197d7f2

Well, well, well. If it isn't our old friend Covid. And just as we were getting back to in-person events. But wait one darned minute! There's a big difference this time. We're ready. Not to say that it doesn't suck, or that it's just like it used to be. But that we have a plan. Get the email newsletter here: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=790197d7f2

I spent a few hours reviewing all of the new year's resolutions for businesses and found 34 that had merit. But most of them were more about doing a specific thing versus making changes that impact everything. With that in mind, I categorized them and came up with five actions I think we can all take to make ourselves and our companies better in the new year and beyond. Of course, I could be a cotton-headed ninny muggins. So let me know what you think! Learn more with the email newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=1db76c9bc8

We're all creative leaders. And as leaders, we struggle when the need to lead takes a break. So our brains fill that space with other things we should be doing. And we often feel lazy or afraid an opportunity is slipping away from us if we don't "take advantage of the downtime." Let's collectively say to hell with that. Join us with the 12 steps to relaxing over the holidays. Get the 12 steps from the weekly newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=b7049c55f6

After two years Bureau Events are happening in-person with Owner Camp. The energy was great and there is more in store for 2022. If you aren't already, get signed up for the email newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=790197d7f2

Enough is enough, am I right? We've all been working so hard and we needed to. But now we've got to slow down and take care of ourselves. Take solace in our survival through two of the toughest years humans have collectively faced. Listen in as we go over Carl's recent Marathon, but the point is how to enjoy life… Get the weekly newsletter to read more: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=790197d7f2

We've all been there. You look up and it's December and you still haven't finalized your holiday gifts for clients. You wonder what swag can you get made in time? Or... maybe we'll make it a New Years' gift to buy some time! OK, maybe all of you are awesome and it was just me dropping the ball? Either way, keep reading to learn about some of the top client gift ideas mentioned in the Bureau Slack channels over the past couple of years. Get the list from this week's newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=ede2fca29f

We often drop a lot of references to conferences and events we've attended and even produced together, in this episode we talk about the history of the Converge conference. Get the weekly newsletter to read more. https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?id=790197d7f2&u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0

From nGen to the Bureau of Digital it's been a ride of a lifetime. Here is part four: The 3rd Act. Get the weekly newsletter to read more. https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?id=790197d7f2&u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0

From SXSW to distributed teams nGen grows and then things get dicey. Here is part Three: Saying Your Goodbyes. Get the weekly newsletter to read more. https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?id=790197d7f2&u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0

In part two of the nGen story, Gene and Carl talk about the shift from Flash to Web Standards, the collaborative nature of a young industry, finding your people, and the birth of Happy Webbies. Get the weekly newsletter to read more. https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?id=790197d7f2&u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0

Carl's experiences with starting, running and closing down nGen Works have come up a lot in our episodes. A listener mentioned we never get the full story of how nGen started, grew and eventually ended. So let's do this! Here is part one: The Origin Story. Get the weekly newsletter to read more. https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?id=790197d7f2&u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress. Feeling it? Let's go through some definitions of burnout and how you might be feeling it or dealing with it. Check out the weekly email newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=790197d7f2

Let's say you're at a conference, someone walks up to you during one of the breaks and asks what you do? What do you say? I run a digital agency? Let's find a better way to define ourselves that doesn't impact our happiness after a bad day at work or maybe during a pandemic. Read more in the newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=ef116dae21

One major difference with working remotely is how hard it can be to tell when someone is feeling down. Especially when we're all working to maintain our own mental health. Let's look at some things to look for and ways you can help. Read more in the newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=ef116dae21

Let's keep talking about other ways we can make money besides traditional services. Personally, I'm a huge fan of maintenance agreements. In my experience, they are easy to sell, provide opportunities to keep the team busy when things slow down, and frequently turn into new business opportunities. So keep your peepers on the page and let's get going! Get the weekly newsletter to read more: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?id=790197d7f2&u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0

Last week we got into vaccination policies and how you can approach that or not. This week we follow up on some of the great conversation around this topic from the Bureau Slack Channels on the same topic. More like this in the email newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=790197d7f2

It's pretty obvious we're in unchartered territory here. As the pandemic continues to make headlines, we're staying focused on what comes next. For many of us, that involves growing the team and getting back to the office. Which explains why the Bureau Slack has been very chatty regarding vaccination policies. Read on for info on what to consider plus links to articles and resources that can help. And before you put any policy in place, have your legal team look it over. This stuff is tricky.

Another rough day. Everything feels like one step forward and two steps back. Somebody new joins the team... another person leaves. And that person that left was loved by the client. A client who is now cranky because the team keeps changing. So you make time to smooth things over. But... you're tired. And for every hurdle you clear you can see two more ahead of you. So where do you find the energy to keep going? Journey on fearless reader, the answers await you below. Check out the email newsletter here: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=81923a173f

I get it. You've had that position open for two months and work isn't getting done. But bring in someone who isn't a team player, no matter how talented, and things will get worse. If you haven't before, read The No Asshole Rule. Or actually, just write "No Assholes" on a post-it note and keep it near your computer. Oh, and keep reading for more reassurances on why it's always a bad idea to hire a jerk. Get the weekly newsletter to read more. https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=2581655b45

Ever been involved in a lawsuit or gotten real close to it? Here's some war stories that Carl and Gene have been through so you can feel better about yourselves. Get the weekly newsletter to read more. https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=790197d7f2

Running a shop is hard. Especially when you never went to school for business. And never planned on having people work for you. Plus you now have clients with needs, budgets and expectations that make you nauseous. But you're here now so let's talk about it. Spoiler alert; you're doing great. Check out the Bureau Email Newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=790197d7f2

Recently in the Bureau Slack, a conversation took place about emoji usage among employees. Emojis are part of our language now. And just like words, they matter. So listen as Gene and Carl talk about the history, evolution and impact emojis are having on how we communicate.

What's the personal toll of running your own company? The emotional side, the impact it has on your family. You're going to be torn between providing for your family financially versus emotionally and it will drive your decisions. What ways would you do things differently if you had a chance to do it all again? If you haven't already, why not subscribe to the email newsletter? https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=790197d7f2

How do you build trust through transparency in your organization. How much is too much and what happens if you go too far or don't give it the respect it deserves. Check out the Bureau's weekly emails, sign up if you haven't already! https://us4.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=790197d7f2

Even shops with healthy cultures and deep pockets are experiencing turnover and struggling to hire. Look at almost any research and you'll see that a competitive salary is an important part of the equation, but not the most important. So there are opportunities to get to yes with a reasonable salary if it's partnered with great benefits and flexibility. But even that's not going to be enough. We've got to let go of some old beliefs and reinvent our companies. Because otherwise, we probably won't want to work there ourselves before too long. Read on fearless leader! More on this in the weekly newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=ca6421a6e0

It's a different kind of difficult right now. Pandemic uncertainties aside, and that's a big aside, most of us are still struggling to find people to join the team. And the people we do have are being tempted with shiny new opportunities and higher salaries. Oh, and there's still the matter of trying to get out of a lease since the office isn't gonna play the same role in the future. Or is it? Take a breath... Things are changing and we'll get through this. But make no mistake, you are not alone in this silliness. Read on for some ideas on keeping your wits about you. More in the email newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=1059072724

There are a lot of polarizing things when it comes to running a webshop. It still blows my mind that retainers are one of them. But it's a great reminder that we're all in this business for different reasons and with different needs. So let's take a look at the good, bad, and sometimes ugly reality of retainers in digital services. Read more about it in the weekly newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=3305643cca

We've all been there. You put your best effort into a proposal and the prospect is excited! You've told the team it's 99% in the bag. The agreement goes over and... crickets. A follow-up email goes out to make sure they got it. Nothing. You call and leave a voicemail. Hello? Is this thing on? So what do you do now? Well... read on and we'll look at why it may have happened and some suggestions from the Bureau community on getting them to come back. Get the weekly email to read more: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=681edb02e0

For a few years, there's been chatter in the community about B-Corps. A lot of the talk has been about how hard it is to qualify and is it worth it. Lately, with the difficulty in hiring talent, B-Corps seem to have a leg up on everyone else as people want to work for a company with a commitment to doing good things in the world. So what exactly is a "Benefit Corporation", how do you become one, and is it worth it? Get the weekly newsletter to read more: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=3a290753a2

From the moment you come in contact with a prospective client you should be laying the groundwork for a relationship built on trust. Not only does this involve being honest and transparent, but also keeping your commitments. And let them know you expect the same from them for the best outcome. For more best practices from the Bureau Community to keep things on the right path check out the weekly email newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=b1c9723a6c

Sometimes our clients misunderstand what it is we do when it comes to Design and UX for their projects, it can be treated as an afterthought or just as "make it pretty" type of work. What happens when your client wants to bring the design in-house or have their own resource handle that part of the project? Do you have strategies or tactics for how to handle this when it happens to you? For more on how to create successful client relationships make sure you on the list for the weekly email newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?id=b1c9723a6c&u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0

What's the price? What's the budget? This is still a challenging part of projects for many web studios and prospects. But it doesn't have to be! We're the experts and the professionals. It's our job to walk prospects through the process of establishing cost and options of how they'll compensate us for the work we'll do. Work that will make them more profitable. So if you've ever felt like you were in a budgeting standoff, keep reading for insights on a better way to support your prospects and ease the strain on your client relationships. Even more in this week's email newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=2d9cbb8f72

Each week we'll be highlighting what Digital Agencies in the Bureau community are excited about. This week we dig into ways to get testimonials out of your clients and how-to overcome some challenges when they don't really want to give them to you or even when it seems like you can't because of contracts or NDA's. We've got some great tips and tricks and even a little legal insight waiting for you in this week's newsletter: https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=3c7b14630509cce52d23ffec0&id=a5b17d74c1

Each week we'll be highlighting what Digital Agencies in the Bureau community are excited about. This week we take a look at the biggest lessons we've learned from working during the pandemic. For more ways it helped, check out this week's newsletter: http://bit.ly/BureauBriefing142 Also, catch the show on Youtube: https://youtu.be/Z2oPUs1asJw

With so much uncertainty in our lives, how do we decide when to reopen our offices? And when we do how do we make sure we're keeping everyone safe? Join Carl and Darin Lynch as they discuss the Irish Titan Return to Work Plan. You'll also get the opportunity to ask your questions on the air.