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Burn Your Portfolio: Stuff They Don't Teach You in Design School, But Should by Michael Janda
ikanlabu's review
informative
fast-paced
4.0
The book is targeted at young freelancers or solopreneurs. I worked in design for 10 years and have had my own company for 5 years (still active to the date when this was written). This is my take based on my personal experience.
This book is the Scout guidebook for the design team. It contains good wisdom and tips in the cleanest way possible: work extra hard and efficiently, and make your client happier with gifts and humility. That's the three major themes. Janda emphasizes these things heavily, sadly not mentioning the elephant in the room: how to find the client & build personal relationship with them, and how to make yourself different than everyone else in your own way. In my experience, those two things are the edges that are hard to copy.
+++ The positive: you will cover the base (while some of your competitor does not), give you a healthy relationship with clients, and an efficient system to make more money.
--- The negative: this teaches the grind culture while ignoring the change of an era: everyone can access anyone cheaper 24/7, and working hard alone is easily copied. Work smarter, use your leverage.
A. Some tips are good (make a system, make sure you build rapport anytime you can, etc.).
B. Some tips are generic (be OCD, your client asks for 5 logos -- make 10 logos; let your boss know he is the boss, etc.).
C. Some tips are questionable (assume your client's needs and deliver, not using price to fire or filter clients, negotiating very much lower than the first proposal, etc.).
D. Some tips are great (pricing section, how to ask for a raise, never give homework to clients, how to be a solution-oriented person, etc.).
The language is sometimes condescending, lecturing, and bragging.
Tldr: This book contains the old wisdom of working harder and making your clients extra happy. But that's it. Personally, I think you can benefit from also reading Identity Designed by David Aire.
Good if you are starting out, apply the knowledge, cover your base.
Okay if you are experienced and want to update things you haven't optimize yet.
Not really valuable if you have thriving business, you know most of it, maybe even detailed than the author
This book is the Scout guidebook for the design team. It contains good wisdom and tips in the cleanest way possible: work extra hard and efficiently, and make your client happier with gifts and humility. That's the three major themes. Janda emphasizes these things heavily, sadly not mentioning the elephant in the room: how to find the client & build personal relationship with them, and how to make yourself different than everyone else in your own way. In my experience, those two things are the edges that are hard to copy.
+++ The positive: you will cover the base (while some of your competitor does not), give you a healthy relationship with clients, and an efficient system to make more money.
--- The negative: this teaches the grind culture while ignoring the change of an era: everyone can access anyone cheaper 24/7, and working hard alone is easily copied. Work smarter, use your leverage.
A. Some tips are good (make a system, make sure you build rapport anytime you can, etc.).
B. Some tips are generic (be OCD, your client asks for 5 logos -- make 10 logos; let your boss know he is the boss, etc.).
C. Some tips are questionable (assume your client's needs and deliver, not using price to fire or filter clients, negotiating very much lower than the first proposal, etc.).
D. Some tips are great (pricing section, how to ask for a raise, never give homework to clients, how to be a solution-oriented person, etc.).
The language is sometimes condescending, lecturing, and bragging.
Tldr: This book contains the old wisdom of working harder and making your clients extra happy. But that's it. Personally, I think you can benefit from also reading Identity Designed by David Aire.
Good if you are starting out, apply the knowledge, cover your base.
Okay if you are experienced and want to update things you haven't optimize yet.
Not really valuable if you have thriving business, you know most of it, maybe even detailed than the author
covergirlbooks's review
5.0
If you’re looking for a gift for a college or high school grad going into a design field, don’t be stupid. Toss that copy of Oh, the Places You’ll Go! And buy them this instead.
thewoodenfinch's review
3.0
I'd have enjoyed this more if it was, say, half as long. The author is a bit...cheesy and that grated on me after a while.
There is certainly helpful content here, but it's focused more on owning a business and freelancing, as opposed to (what I picked it up for) tips on personal development/managing up/working with other designers.
In retrospect I'm not sure why I thought he'd talk about that though, these issues are what one deals with while at the beginning of a career spectrum... and he's progressed to where he's running his own business, so can't fault him for focusing on other issues.
There is certainly helpful content here, but it's focused more on owning a business and freelancing, as opposed to (what I picked it up for) tips on personal development/managing up/working with other designers.
In retrospect I'm not sure why I thought he'd talk about that though, these issues are what one deals with while at the beginning of a career spectrum... and he's progressed to where he's running his own business, so can't fault him for focusing on other issues.
thecolorsofboredom's review
2.0
Seemed interesting in theory, in practice it was a lot of stuff I've heard many times before and advise that isn't realistic in the current job market.
calkatie's review
4.0
Read this right when I graduated from design school. I still refer to it and have recommended it to friends who are freelancing.
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