Well, here we are again. Another advancement in technology is threatening to turn our creative worlds upside down. But this is how life goes; for me, it’s what makes it exciting. Back in 1816 the first camera was created and artists were out of a job. In 1989 the world wide web was launched and paper was made obsolete. In 2003 Squarespace was launched and digital agencies shuttered their doors as technology replaced them. In 2007 the iPhone arrived and photographers around the world were suddenly out of work. And while none of those dreaded outcomes came true, each technology changed how we create. And that’s what AI will do too. So let’s look at the top ways AI can change what we do.
Well, we finally made it through the longest January ever. I don’t know about you, but everywhere I look I’m terrified of finding classified documents. But you know what? There’s another exclusive club you can join that won’t result in a felony conviction if you misplace info -- the Bureau community! We have uplifting, enlightening conversations in our Slack, and I like to send out the best of that info every week in our email newsletter, which you should definitely sign up for.
Learn the top tips to keep your digital shop finally sound and ready for purchase, even if you don’t have plans to sell.
This week I'm writing from my mom's apartment. It's a couple of days late and nobody would blame me if they knew all the stuff I've had thrown at me this week. But this is important and it makes me feel like I'm letting people down when it's late. Obviously, it feels heavier to me than it is. But when you're in a crisis it's hard not to beat yourself up. So let's talk about what to do when life punches you in the face!
WTAF is going on here? That's what a lot of digital agencies were asking themselves as things started slowing down in the 4th quarter of 2022. And not just leads and their pipeline, but long term clients on retainers were canceling too. To find out, 28 shop owners got together last Friday to compare notes on what they're seeing. Keep reading to learn more about what they discovered.
I know everyone is sending their "Happy New Year!" messages this week with a lot of talk about making changes. I quit doing personal resolutions a few years back and shifted to the idea of goals instead. And it's really worked for me. One year it was an arbitrary number of miles to run. I thought I could never achieve it, but I did. Then I set out to read a certain number of books last year. No real reason, I just wanted to read more. And I did that too. I think the real difference for me is a goal is something to work towards whereas a resolution is normally about either starting or stopping something immediately. One is about making progress and the other is about making a quick and permanent change. This year we decided to set goals for the Bureau, so read on to see where we're focusing in 2023.
It’s a new year, full of fresh possibilities, new adventures, and of course all those resolutions we are sure will stick this time (no, I’m not hiding Ding Dongs in the toilet tank). As for me, I’m resolving to continue making the Bureau the best community possible (which is kind of a cheat since it’s our awesome members who really make it what it is).
The holidays are officially here. And what would be a nicer gift than surprising someone with your wonderful insights into a problem they have? Well, you're in luck because that's what this issue of the newsletter is about! Each week there are dozens of questions asked in the Bureau Slack and not all of them get the love they need. So step up, be the hero and spread some knowledge and cheer!
I am the king of implementing changes that don't work. I'm not beating myself up, it's just the truth. I like to think of it as failed experiments, but when I dig deeper I think I didn't really give some of the new changes a chance to take root. So while I was researching how to make changes that stick, I thought maybe what I found out could help you too!
Since gratitude is the theme of November, let me start by saying I'm thankful for our wonderful Bureau community, and the strengths each member brings to the group. Every day I interact with amazing people who have remarkable talents, and I love being able to work with this community.
Greetings everyone! For those of us in the United States, it’s the week we remember to be thankful for all we’ve got. And for those outside of the U.S., you get to watch us give thanks by indulging ourselves in too much food and overspending as we stampede to the stores on Black Friday. But the thing is, being thankful for what we have could be the simple answer to solving so many of our challenges. We see it in nature, science, history, religion, and philosophy. And yet we seem blind to it as we chase whatever it is we think will make us happy. So let’s take a look at why gratitude is the best gift we can give ourselves and the world.
According to the shelves at the store, it’s the most wonderful time of the year, which apparently now stretches from the second week of October through at least the first week in January. And the longer the revelry seems to stretch, the more obligations we get caught up in. How can you keep all the activities of the holiday season from sending you spiraling? Let’s find out!
It’s time to share the schedule of 2023 events. Our mantra has been, “we now return to our regularly scheduled programming.” But that’s not entirely true. During the pandemic, we learned so much about putting on online events and the community really embraced them. And we know for many of you it gave you more value with access to topics and people you wouldn’t have been exposed to otherwise. So instead, let’s return to our greatly enhanced programming. And if you keep reading, you'll see exactly what's on the schedule.
One of my favorite weekly tasks is sending out our newsletter. I know people really appreciate the chance to read up on topics that are important to them, and I love connecting with the community. The newsletter is full of great info, and I collect some of the best resources once a month right here. So, here’s the best of the best from our October newsletters!
With the community continuing to grow at a healthy pace, we now have more resources than ever before to support one another. This is 100% because of the ongoing support of our members. Keep reading to learn more about what's coming next year.
I’m a talker. I know that comes as a shock to those of you who know me. But we're humans, and communicating elevated us to where we are today. And miscommunication is often why that's a hot mess. At work, in our relationships, and in our communities. Maybe I'm a dreamer, but it doesn't have to be like this. The key to better communication is often setting expectations. And how do we do that? By talking and talking and talking. Oh! And listening! I always forget about listening.
Every day we face decisions that benefit us or others, whether it's letting someone merge in traffic or leaving a nice tip for exceptional service. We live in a society, and the only way we can move forward is to consider our impact on others. Let's take a look at when we need to choose what's best for the team over what's best for us.
Last week we looked at “Quiet Quitting.” Thanks to a few members, I now know that what we shared was one-sided and didn’t take the employee's perspective into account. It turns out the term “quiet quitting” is bad framing for what is really an effort to avoid overcommitting and burnout. It’s not doing the minimum to not get fired, which is how many of us understood it. With that in mind, let’s dive deeper into quiet quitting from the employee's perspective.
Our Bureau Member Slack conversations range from the silly to the serious, and every week we send out the most useful conversation topics in our weekly newsletter. But we also collect them here every month. So, without further ado, here is the best of the best from our September newsletters!
When I'm in the zone (which my family can attest is far too often), it's hard to get my attention. But there are also people who let themselves get distracted way too much and don't put in the time to do their job well. And folks who are just phoning it in because it's just a job. Let's take a look at what we're being told and what we know is true.
