Have you ever read a warning label and thought, “Who would ever try to eat this?” But if we lived in a world where everyone thought through the repercussions of their actions, things would be much, much different. This week we’re talking about when too much of a good thing threatens to cause problems -- specifically, unlimited PTO.
Well, we’ve reached the “my skin is constantly sticky” portion of the year, but my spirits are high. We’re planning some awesome events, the Bureau members continue to be rock solid, and there’s some incredible work being done by our friends (some of which is featured below). We send useful info and resources out each week in our newsletters, which I hope you’ve signed up for already, but here’s a refresher on the best of our July content.
Your Bureau team has been hard at work making things better and planning for the future with you in mind. As a community where the members lead, I want a chance to share new opportunities and challenges with you in person. (Ok virtually in person.) That's the best way for us to hear your questions, suggestions, and insights as we navigate the changes ahead. So if you have time, please register for next Friday’s Bureau Town Hall.
We’ll be getting together to talk about what we’re working on to provide you with more support and a more valuable Bureau experience. Read on to learn more about what we’ll cover.
For shops of any size, success comes down to execution. There’s a lot of pressure on project managers to bring the goods. But if you’re struggling with too much or too little, is it the PM’s fault? Let’s talk about how you’re managing your project managers!
I know some of you are rolling your eyes and going, oh yeah let's grow. I meant to do that. It's tough right now, but it's a great opportunity to shift our mindset back into building something we love versus protecting where we are.
And growth isn't all about the numbers or operational stresses. It's about the people. Is your culture bound to change for the worse when you start to experience the growth you’ve been fighting for? Let’s talk about it.
Most of us have had relationships go sour. They start to get a distant look in their eye, pull back from activities you enjoyed doing together, and eventually you get the speech: “It’s not you, it’s me.” Of course this week we’re talking about budgetary concerns with your clients.
I love summer, with all the product announcements, events, and general good vibes all around. And we’ve had a great season so far as we rethink the best ways to gather together as Bureau members. Every week I send out our email newsletter with the latest topics we’ve been discussing, and I hope you’ll consider signing up for it. But for your convenience I’ve also collected the best of what we shared in the June newsletters. Take a look at what you might have missed out on.
Popular in-person events all over North America are announcing that they are closing for good or heading back to Zoom. Even with our fantastic community, we haven't been immune to this trend. We announced that our recent Owner Summit would be our last and recently shared that the Digital PM Summit would take place online. It stinks in one way, but it also feels like a huge opportunity to rethink why we gather. And in addition to that, how we make connecting in real life more accessible regardless of how our companies are doing. When we're down is when we really need to see that friendly face and hear those nuggets of wisdom. So let's dive into why being with one another is so important and how we can make that happen.
Summer is in full swing, and I hope everyone is planning some fun vacations. Along with those fun escapes to recharge our batteries, taking time off is also important for life changes, especially for new families. When you become a parent, everything changes, especially your priorities. I know this can be a challenging topic for a lot of small businesses, so let’s discuss parental leave and why it matters to you, your company, and your team. Read on!
If you sell a company a fish, you’ll make payroll for a day, but if you sell them a fish subscription… okay, I got lost in that metaphor, but today we’re talking about relationship marketing, and why it might be a better approach than staring at a stalled out biz dev pipeline. So let's get to it!
The 2023 State of Digital Services Report is complete, and we are here to give you a sneak peek and share some insights and trends that can help you see how you're doing compared to your fellow shops. So grab a cup of your favorite beverage and let's dive into the latest joint report from the Bureau of Digital and Promethean Research!
Who’s ready for hot bot summer? AI continues to be all the rage, with new uses cropping up almost every day. But while AI is incredible at assimilating knowledge, there’s still no substitute for human creativity. That’s what the Bureau members are best at, taking their unique experience and sharing it to help one another.
If you’re new here, each week I collect the most useful resources shared in the Bureau Slack and send it out in a newsletter. It’s worth signing up for, if I do say so myself. But if you missed out, here are the best of those resources shared in May.
I suspect there are some folks in the community who will skip this issue. And that's cool. Timesheets are polarizing. Mainly because we've created this narrative where nobody will fill them out, and if they do they aren't honest. But it doesn't have to be that way. And to address my value-based friends and their deep sighs, bill value! But track your hours for so many valuable reasons. (See what I did there?)
In the recent Marketing Role Call, the topic of trusting our gut over data came up and I am so energized by this idea that I rewrote the damned newsletter.
I mean, in a world overflowing with analytics and numbers, data dominates the scene. But as much of this data gets less accurate or effective with GDPR, privacy concerns, and GA4 launching, it's time to take a step back and trust our instincts and experience. Especially when it comes to how we approach marketing ourselves.
Living in this fast-paced digital world, we often find ourselves losing hours in the depths of the Bureau Community. I've found wisdom, support, and great friendships in these pixelated landscapes. But, there's magic in the real world, where face-to-face gatherings trump Zoom calls or chat threads. And we just experienced it at the last Owner Summit this week in New Orleans.
In this ever-evolving job market, companies are adapting by hiring part-time executives for full-time roles. It's not limited to upper management – various positions across functions like strategy and tech are embracing this approach. The main reasons are an unpredictable economy, shifting priorities, and changes in how we work.
If you chose a career in Digital or Creative Services, it can be a challenging path. But you have to remember why you chose it in the first place. For me, it was about the lure of creating cool stuff for companies that were focused on doing good in the world. And, taking control of my life. But oddly, after six months, it also included building websites for financial services companies because my family demanded food and electricity. So rude, I know.
I talk with a lot of people, and If there’s one theme nearly every conversation has in common, it’s that things are challenging right now. It’s hard to hear about tough times, but I’m also uplifted when I see so many of my friends and colleagues rising to the challenge to help one another.
Many of the challenges people mention with the 4-day workweek are based on the need to be more focused and efficient. And a lot of what we hear about AI is it may be so efficient it puts us out of a job. This week we look at the collision of these two trends, and why we might be headed in a good direction after all. Read on!
As the community continues to get bigger, we're reminded of the little lessons we've learned along the way. Like the importance of balancing power and responsibility. So let's tackle the challenges that come with rapid growth and create an even more vibrant and valuable community. Venture on fearless reader and see what's coming soon for the Bureau community.
