Final Renders of 2018 (+ELD Vintage Lighter Concept & Aurora SubLED subsea lamp)

[Speedster]

I would zero out certain items as research or just good ol loyal customer discounts.

Great idea!  I'll use that in the future.  See, even old pharts can learn new tricks!

Parting thought- my mom (single mother) was a self-employed artist and painter for almost 80 years.  She was very wise, and passed along her secret to success.  "Keep your feet on the ground, your head in the clouds, your nose to the grindstone, your shoulders to the wheel and your elbows to yourself.  Then learn to work in that position!"

Bill G

[Magnus Skogsfjord]

So much great advice here so I had to digest it a bit :

Create a really solid Terms of Sale document (TOS) and don't even think of proceeding with a new client until it is signed and returned.  It should spell out all terms, warranties and conditions, and always include a basic NDA.  You will get some static at times, as it may conflict with the client's NDA and stuff, but most won't and they see it as a mark of the professional.

Yes, this! I hired a lawyer to give me a foundation template for me. Worth it!

Be absolutely honest!  That's a given, but really important.  Some clients will want to micromanage you, and are usually wrong.  Remember, they are hiring you as a professional, and good clients will listen to and heed your advice.  You don't want the ones who refuse.

Yes, that's something i might struggle with a bit sometimes. It's all about finding a balance where you can diplomatically convey your professional opinion but at the same time preserve the Client desire and need-for-participation. I have a tendency to fall a little bit into being micro-managed sometimes, which isn't good for anyone. Let's call that a WIP I'm aware of.

Many startups are founded and staffed by young folks, most in their 30's.  They are used to, and require, "instant gratification", and are always driven by venture capital.  But design work simply takes time, especially in medical devices, and they need to understand this simple fact of life and allow for it.

Yes, this is also very true, and doesn't apply just to medical devices. Optimally I prefer it if I can walk away from the design for a little while (a few days) to let it mature. Not often have that luxury though.

Be very careful with communication!  Most of my clients (as described above) prefer to text or email, and often use emojis, which is not acceptable, at least to the FDA Design History and Data Retention rules. Communication must be clear and concise.

I often play by the "monkey see monkey do"- rule, and mirror the client if he/she uses emojis. But you actually have a good point on pointing out the importance of preserving a clear and concise communication.

Go the extra mile!  We all tend to do this anyway.  At least I do, and my clients know this.  My client retention rate is very high, about 80%.  Many have been clients for 15 or more years, and often one guy or gal moves from company to company (common in startups) and "drag" me along.  Some clients of course are one-off, and specifically project driven.  Once finished, they move on.

Always! As long as it doesn't eat up too much of your time. It's easy to get stuck in your own route to 'perfection'.

Part of the above deals with an issue we all face.  Our work is creative.  We often have to play around searching for a KeyShot (or design) solution.  It's part of the learning curve, and I feel it's unfair to bill my client for this, as they expect me to "know it all", which I don't!  I still add in the time, but will usually fudge it down to benefit them.  And they know and appreciate this!  The issue of billing for rendering time is tough, but you do have to have a payback.  I usually render as a queue at night, at 50% of my rate.

I do both CAD and rendering. And for visualization work i often offer fixed prices on different levels. I realize that not every image is the same, so the price may vary based on complexity, but I find it good for both sides to keep fixed prices. For CAD it's a starndard hourly rate.

Oh and boy.. I'm a bit envious at your BOXX. I currenly sit on a Dell laptop, but I hope to be able to afford a threadripper or another CPU monster in 2019!

Here's to a great 2019 Bill. Thanks for taking the time to write such elaborate stories and advice!

Lots of great advise here, You got the skills to make the deliverable, as long as you have the business sense and dedication (which it sounds like you do) there's little reason you won't succeed.

I was in the same place as  you, working for a paycheck but running my own show. I quit when my friend told me that I was already freelance, I'm just giving 80% of my take to someone else.

Thanks Matt! It's great to hear those words. I wasn't sure about the business sense to begin with, but I'm starting to get a relatively good feel about it. Still a way to go, but that's how it is in the start I reckon. And yeah, that description is like the same life I've lived for the last couple of years. It feels like refurbishing an apartment you're renting.

[Despot]

Ah, now it's beginning to make sense... Magnus + Spanish Guy = Secrid.

Nice one...