Best Graphic Design books for how to start your creative business start-up
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As a graphic designer, I’m always trying to push the envelope. Whether that’s with the style of my designs, my clientele, or my products, I feel like I can always do better in my business or at my full-time job.
I remember reading one of the graphic design books on this list, Creative Strategy and the Business of Design, and thinking I could start my graphic design business after reading this book.
This book was so simple, I could sit down and read it in a few days. I wasn’t guessing at any of the vernacular that Douglas Davis was using or how he or his colleagues described their interactions when dealing with real-world situations. I could just read without any of the distractions or confusions about how to get my own graphic design business off the ground.
I won’t lie and say it was smooth sailing from there.
It still took me a few months to niche down my business to learn how, who, and why I wanted to start my graphic design business. I used other resources to create my business plan, but with the Creative Strategy and the Business of Design, I knew I would have a strategy for my design process.
That was one of the biggest hurdles and insecurities I had about starting my own business. How would I approach a design process for my clients? That’s my main focus in my small business, yet I didn’t know how to create a way to interact consistently with my potential clients.
Now, everyone still will encounter a learning curve when starting their business and dealing with clients. I might have solidified a way to streamline my creative process, but I still had to do the practical work. And it continues to be a learning process. You might get similar projects and clients, but each one is unique and special.
While Creative Strategy and the Business of Design helped me with streamlining my process, many graphic design books have equipped me with the tools I’ve needed to start my graphic design business.
This was the book that started it all for me. The Creative Strategy and the Business of Design helped me streamline my design process and organize my small business.
Douglas Davis was able to keep everything on a conversational level. I was able to focus on what he was telling me without much fanfare or confusing jargon within his book. If any concepts might have been confusing or needed clarification, he not only would explain it thoroughly, but he would also create charts and invite other experts to re-explain his concepts.
This book did not solve all of my business problems. It did, however, give me the clarity and confidence I felt I was lacking to start my business.
If you are lacking the confidence to start your graphic design business, take a read through Davis’ Creative Strategy and the Business of Design. You might not want to start your business by the end of the book, but you’ll know how to start your business if you ever decide to.
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Like Creative Strategy, Oh Sh*t… What Now? is very conversational. It also sports a few neon colors and explains many concepts concerning starting a graphic design business.
The biggest selling point about Oh Sh*t… What Now? is that it doesn’t try to convince you to do anything regarding graphic design, starting a business or otherwise. Craig Oldham offers advice for new graphic designers in the industry as you decide what and where you want your career to go. It doesn’t matter if you decide to go into business for yourself, if you want to pursue another industry, or if you want a steady desk job at an agency. Oldham just wants to offer you the advice to make the most of your professional career.
When he does mention graphic design businesses, Oldham describes many of the options you have available to you within the graphic design position. Not only does he describe the options you have, but he also gives you examples about what your role would be within those different business structures.
Oh Sh*t… What Now? might not have been the graphic design book to help me start my business, but it helped me start looking at the possibilities I had as a graphic designer.
Related Content: Book Review: Oh Sh*t... What Now?
I think this is a great book for creatives and graphic designers. Mind Your Business is a great resource to get everything you might need to know as a creative business owner on paper. It will help you organize with creativity as one of the sole focuses for your business.
Ilana Griffo offers many ways to create your business thoroughly and strategically. Not only does her workbook give you plenty of room to write and plot your business structure but she also offers colorful and easy to understand explanations as to why you must plan with the steps she has you work through. Her explanations leave you plenty of room to help you understand her reasonings as well as write out your business’ plan.
Mind Your Business is probably one of my favorite designs of these business books. Griffo accompanies her business planning process with colorful typographic illustrations throughout her workbook to break up the monotonous planning process.
A workbook might be more work than an actual book to start your creative business, but working through Mind Your Business is a great way to self-assure your process is on the right track.
I’ve talked endlessly about Meera Kothand’s CREATE. This workbook was my first look into starting my graphic design business and has been a constant companion when structuring my money-making blog.
CREATE is a great tool for those creative business owners who are wanting a workbook to clarify their business plans. Kothand does a great job in describing her process to you as you work through your business plan without the emphasis on a creative pursuit. CREATE helps you see and develop creativity in your business plans and strategies rather than the creative products and services you will be creating through your business.
I enjoy Kothand’s workbook because it allows you plenty of room to determine how you want to structure your small business. Not only can you try different avenues to reach and promote your business, but you can also merge unlikely combinations of business plans.
By working through CREATE, you should have a thorough understanding of how to run and sustain your creative business.
Related Content: (Work)book Review: CREATE
Do you have the first-hand experience it takes to make it in the graphic design industry? Unless you have a few years of experience, you probably don’t.
Burn your Portfolio is a great graphic design book to read through when you are entering into the graphic design industry, whether as a recent graduate or a new hire in the position. Michael Janda offers advice and tips to navigate your entry-level careers and fledgling business start-ups as a new graphic designer. Not only will Jarda give you details about starting your own graphic design business, but he’ll also give you plenty of alternatives and options so you can make the best career path for you.
Not only is Jarda’s book full of advice, but it’s also very easy to read and full of typographical illustrations to keep readers entertained as well as informed.
If you’re trying to determine how to create your graphic design business, if it’s the right career move for you, or if you should go in another direction; check out Burn Your Portfolio for all of your career and professional questions.
You might not be ready to start your graphic design business. That’s alright. There is no wrong time to start planning your small business or realizing that starting your own business isn’t for you. You might be more comfortable at a desk job, doing what you love, and avoiding paperwork or acquiring clients.
While all these books are great in setting you up for success for your own small business, they are also great graphic design books to teach you about the industry and professional career paths that are open for designers. If you are questioning what your next steps are in the graphic design industry, try picking up Oh Sh*t… What Now? or Burn your Portfolio for career and professional advice.
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