Last week, I posted part 1 of an interview with Tracey Halvorsen. Tracey is a blogger, painter, author, speaker and Principal and Creative Director at Fastspot, a Baltimore, Maryland-based interactive agency. In the second part of my interview with her, we cover building a portfolio (without existing clients), tips on project pricing, dealing with client requests, the importance of failure and more.

• On Pricing: "Budgets are complicated, especially when you are getting started. The value something has in dollars may be outweighed by the value a project presents in terms of your portfolio, connections, future work, etc. I recommend doing a pros / cons list for every prospective project and ask yourself the following questions, before you think about budget..." Read more
  
  
• On Portfolios: "Feeling uninspired? Do a search for local non-profits. Believe me, there are hundreds of organizations that are dying for some website assistance. You just have to reach out to them. Don't be disappointed if you don't hear back, because people working at these non-profits are incredibly busy and wearing multiple hats..." Read more
  
  
• On a Happy Studio: "Yes, great design is the goal, and profits, and stability and health benefits and all that good stuff. But NONE of the good stuff matters if people aren't happy. Being a creative person means you need to be challenged, and you need to feel you are constantly evolving. This is important to fostering the happiness within a creative agency. Seek work and clients that will allow you to do those things, and to remain happy, and the profits and stability and good stuff will follow. So don't forget about the fact that you are running a business full of people, who create things for other people..." Read more
  
  
• Miss last week's Q&A? Want to bookmark or share the full interview? Go Here

Computerworld has a clever article that compares two tablets: The 2010 Apple iPad and the company's 1979 Graphics Tablet. The 70's tablet was built for use with the Apple II as an input device rather than a stand-alone device. The article covers everything from packaging to drawing, with some classic images to go along with it.

Courtesy of Apple

Fastspot is an interactive agency based in Baltimore, Maryland, that creates beautiful websites, applications and brands along with offering a wide selection of technology and marketing services. I recently had a chance to speak with Tracey Halvorsen, Fastspot's Principal and Creative Director. Tracey is also a painter, author, speaker and of course, a designer. She shared some great advice for freelancers and designers, including effective ways to use social networking, important things to remember when starting a freelance business and skills aside from design a designer should work on.

Below are a few of the questions from the interview, which I'll be sharing over the next couple of weeks.

• How has social media changed the way you communicate and do business?
  
  "Not only is Twitter useful to broadcast and interact, it's also incredibly useful to research prospective clients, learn more about potential employees and watch what your competition is up to." Read Full Answer

• What advice would you give to someone considering leaving a full-time job to start a freelance business? When is the "right time" or does that not exist?

  "Get back to people, follow up, always put the ball back in their court. I call it client service hot potato - if I'm holding it, I'm getting burned." Read Full Answer
  

• If you could pick a few things designers should improve on or learn about, that have nothing to do with the creative side of our work, what would they be?
  
  "Remember your prospective clients are busy, so don't waste their time, and don't make them work hard to understand what you are selling or why they should hire you." Read Full Answer

Jumbalaya iPad app by Fastspot (Image Used Courtesy of Fastspot)

I always enjoy reading the monthly newsletter from myfonts.com that highlights a type designer, called Creative Characters. Issues have featured Richard Lipton, who has worked with Adobe and Bitstream to Jos Buivenga, creator of Museo (which I seem to see on every other website these days). Since I generally get to the articles right from my email, I only recently found the Creative Characters archives, which has all of the newsletters and of course a sign up form to get them yourself. I recommend reading them, and along the way perhaps you'll find the next typeface for that project you've been losing sleep over.