Cover image for Talent Is Not Enough: Business Secrets For Designers (VOICES)

Talent Is Not Enough: Business Secrets For Designers (VOICES)

Rating Not yet rated Local rating
Year 2006 Edition year
Pages 392 Mid-length read
Vibe practical direct

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Best for readers who...

Good fit if you want...

  • You want concrete techniques for winning clients and setting fees.
  • You’re a designer stepping into freelancing, leadership, or firm management.

Maybe skip if...

  • You’re only looking for creative inspiration or portfolio critique.
  • You need cutting-edge coverage of digital platforms and tools.

Mood / Vibe Tags

practical direct businesslike mentoring Weekend read

Summary

Shel Perkins breaks down the business side of design—pricing, proposals, client relationships, marketing, and financial basics—into clear, actionable guidance for freelancers and studio leaders seeking reliable results and professional respect.

Edition on file: 2006 • Peachpit Pr • 392 pages • ISBN 9780321278791.

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Why this book now

With design roles expanding and competition intensifying, this pragmatic guide reminds creatives how to run their practice like a business and get paid what they’re worth.

Reader guide

Quick signals that help you decide faster.

Reading commitment

Steady Needs some room

At 392 pages, this is a thorough handbook you can read in focused sessions—each chapter stands alone so you can dip in for specific problems like proposals, contracts, or pricing.

What stands out here

This Peachpit edition emphasizes real-world practices—sample forms, negotiation tactics, and management advice—aimed at making design work sustainable and profitable.

Best way to approach it

Read with a notebook: highlight rules you’ll adopt, copy useful templates, and sketch how each chapter applies to your current client or firm situation.

30-second preview

Two quick cards, fifteen seconds each.

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1-sentence hook

Practical, no-nonsense business strategies that help designers turn creative skill into steady, profitable careers.

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