There will come a time in your advertising or marketing career when you will think one of the following:

“I am sick and tired of working these long hours.”
“I am sick and tired of working for a total moron.”
“I am sick and tired of working these long hours just to make the total moron I work for rich.”

Whether it’s a craving to be in control of your life, your career, your finances, or your creative output, many of us daydream about striking out on our own and opening an agency. Yet very few of us know what it takes, and many more of us doubt we could make a go of it.

Joven Orozco thought he could, and so he did. His agency, Jovenville, has been around in one incarnation or another for more than 20 years. Today, his 10-person agency (give or take) counts blue-chip companies such as Mattel, the City of Santa Monica, and Disney as clients. Joven took the rare route of almost never working for someone else; instead, he knew, right out of college, that he wanted to have his own company.

(In full disclosure, I’ve freelanced for Joven for almost 10 years and I consider him a friend as well as a boss and a kick-butt creative director.)

I interviewed Joven about his experiences. Besides being food for thought for anyone who’s ever considered leaving the nest, he also reveals insights that can help freelancers get better at managing their own businesses.

Why did you decide to open your own agency so early in your career?
I figured, “If I fail, I can always get a job.” In 1995, the design industry was booming, and I had five separate job offers. I was planning on working in entertainment and living the Hollywood lifestyle, but instead, I came across an opportunity in Newport Beach that set me up as an independent contractor inside a design consultancy. The deal was: I would pay rent for a cubicle and they’d feed me work when they were over capacity or needed creative help. I was also able to bring in my own clients and utilize the space as I pleased. It truly was a beauty salon business model!

The design consultancy also offered me guidance on how to set up my firm, how to run it and deal with clients. The guys who ran it were about 10-15 years older than me, had many years of agency experience and decided to create an agency that was different. Not only did I learn more than I would have working many years in an agency, I learned anything is possible.

Were you ever scared that you might not make it?
Yes. There have been times when I’ve missed several mortgage payments. I can lose it all any day … even today. Fear is a good thing.

How did you go after new clients?
I’ve always done a lot of promotional campaigns for the agency. We’ve become more sophisticated with a fully integrated marketing effort to go after specific niche clients.

Positioning is everything. If you’re an expert in a space, there are people willing to work with you, even if you’re not in their region. Most generalist design firms become commodities and are priced out to the lowest bid.

Since you own your own agency, you aren’t just involved with the creative. What other “hats” do you wear to keep the doors open?
Vision hat: Determine the strategic direction of the business
Sales hat: Close new business
Strategy hat: Strategy for client brands
Leader hat: Encourage staff to grow and be better

What are the five most essential characteristics for anyone wanting to try something like this?
Risk-taker, risk-taker, risk-taker, risk-taker, risk-taker.
It takes a certain kind of entrepreneur who can take on certain levels of risks … I say risk-taker five times:

1. 1. Sometimes you have to walk away from unprofitable projects. That’s hard to handle.
2. 2. Sometimes you have to disagree with the client and convince them to go another direction from the approved scope of work.
3. 3. Sometimes you have to ask for more money at the risk of losing the client.
4. 4. Sometimes you have to reposition your firm because of a decline in your specialized industry.
5.           5. Sometimes you have to change the design direction the night before the client presentation.

What’s the best part of your job?
Freedom. I’ve been able to design a life/company that allows us to go home at 6 and not work weekends. We bring our experiences back into our work: It’s really tough to create when stressed out, so we, as a family, always help each other out. There’s plenty of good, profitable work out there, and if a client doesn’t appreciate what good design can do for their business, we just don’t work with them again. So basically … freedom to do whatever I want to do.

Are you up for the challenge?
If you want to open your own agency or business, it may require you to flex beyond your current skill set, but think of the payoff: being able to choose your own clients, make your own schedule (most of the time, anyway), and be in control of your life while doing the work you believe in.

To learn more about Jovenville and the type of work you can do when you open your own agency and call the shots, visit Jovenville.com.

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Lisa is a Creative Circle candidate and seasoned advertising copywriter who lives in Los Angeles. Her background includes both in-house and agency work on Fortune 500 and global accounts in the consumer and healthcare/pharmaceutical fields. She excels at words, fashion, and cats. If you want to work with Lisa, contact Creative Circle Los Angeles.

It’s your first day on the job. You may know a few people, but you have no clue what it’s really like to work at your new company. What are the people like? How do your new co-workers interact and get along? Will it be easy to fit in?

You were likely hired because the company believes you are the best fit for their values and that you can do the job. Fitting in and, at the same time, learning a new job can be stressful and awkward, but here are five ways you can make the transition easier.

1. Do Your Research

Use your network, acquaintances, the internet or just simple word of mouth to find out as much information as possible about your new job before you start. Some workplaces are more traditional and some are more progressive and cutting edge. The culture you’ve become accustomed to in your old job may be much different; prepare yourself as much as possible so you’re not surprised on your first day.

2. Be Observant and Look at Your Surroundings

Your first look into company culture is the introductory stroll around the office. Yes, it’s uneasy, and yes, people are looking curiously at the newbie, but it’s your opportunity to observe simple things like how the physical layout of the office will influence your job. Are there cubicles or is it an open space? Are people quiet and tending to work individually, or do you see movement and open collaboration? Are managers and supervisors accessible or behind closed doors? Your first impression is important, and paying close attention to those early cues will let you know what you’ll need to navigate during your first days on the job.

3. Ask Questions

You probably asked about the basics of office culture during your interview, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions. Being the new person at work for a week or two is never easy, so the questions you ask are important in learning how the company operates and getting an idea of how you’ll be expected to contribute to workplace culture. It’s very important to be humble enough to ask even the “stupid” questions, be willing to listen to the answers and adjust to office norms. Those initial questions are not only helpful, but they will let your coworkers and managers know more about you and your priorities.

4. Start Building Relationships Right Away

One of the first things you’ll do is meet your new coworkers, so you need to be open and ready to start new relationships. Your fellow employees have been with the company for some time and know the ins and outs. You will be depending on your peers to get you through the first few weeks, so take some risks, get out of your comfort zone and make yourself available, approachable and inquisitive. These early relationships will be some of the most meaningful as you grow into your new job and beyond.

5. Use Your Experience

Unless it’s your first job, you probably have worked in several different types of office cultures. You may find that many of your past experiences will carry over into your new job. Just remember you’ve been there before, and with the right mindset, you can do it again and be successful.

Good luck and congrats on the new job!

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Krista is a Creative Circle candidate, creative writer and content creator in Los Angeles. Her background includes news, marketing, copywriting and editing. If you are interested in working with Krista, please contact Creative Circle LA.

Are you out of the honeymoon stage at your new job? Remember when you had that feeling of excitement, fulfillment and curiosity all wrapped into one? If you are not feeling that way anymore, then you may need to make a few small changes that can bring you back to that feeling you had on day one. The next time you find yourself unmotivated, try out some of the tips below to ensure you get back on track.

Stay away from Negative Nancy.

Is your negative attitude the result of a disgruntled coworker? Nothing is worse than someone walking over to your desk every single morning complaining about the job. What’s even worse is when you come in ready to put in a solid day’s work and your coworker wrecks your positive outlook.
Staying away from negative people is vital. The next time they come over, make sure you are too busy to engage in the regular negative conversation. Try surrounding yourself with positive and motivated coworkers. Once the Negative Nancy’s see your new positive vibe, they will get the hint that you don’t have time to engage in negative conversations. Even if they don’t at first, they will eventually get the hint.

Good communication with management.

Open and continuous dialogue with your manager can go a long way. Nothing wreaks more havoc on your week than a problem arising due to miscommunication with management or fear to take suggestions to your boss. With continuous dialogue comes good rapport – which leads to trust. Once you’ve established a sense of trust with management, your workplace becomes a whole new world.

Remember your purpose and goals.

The workplace is constantly evolving, and with changes, you can sometimes forget your purpose for taking the job in the first place. Stay focused on why you are there and what your goal is no matter how much change comes. One tip is to find inspiration with motivational quotes. Keep the quotes fresh and change them out depending on what aspect in your life you need to kick into gear. If you can wear ear phones at your desk while you work, listen to your favorite music that puts you in a good mood. You can even find some motivational speakers on YouTube to listen to when you need that extra motivation.

Check out for a minute and smell the fresh air.

Working hard and going the extra mile always yields positive outcomes, but we all need a break for some personal time. If you are inside all day staring at a computer screen, then go outside and walk around to get some fresh air. Take your mind off what you have been working on for the past several hours. Checking out for 10-15 minutes and getting some fresh air will recharge your mind.

Take care of your health.

I think we can all agree that a clear mind is an important piece for performing at our highest level in the workplace, but sometimes we forget about our health. A good diet and regular exercise can keep your positive attitude constant. If you are truly sick, make sure you use a sick day and take the time you need to get yourself feeling better. Trying to work through a seasonal bug can make you feel sluggish, and it may take your body even longer to recover. In addition, people around you don’t appreciate you coming into work if you are spreading germs. If you are taking care of your body and your mind, then you are ready to perform at the highest level possible.

The next time you are feeling yourself falling into a funk at work, try out some of the above tips to turn things around. You’d be surprised how a slight tweak in your daily habits can improve your attitude. Don’t let yourself turn into the Negative Nancy others don’t have time for in the workplace!

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Krista is a Creative Circle candidate, creative writer and content creator in Los Angeles. Her background includes news, marketing, copywriting and editing. If you are interested in working with Krista, please contact Creative Circle LA.

Work is just like life: you encounter different personalities, dispositions, and temperaments.

But work is different. You can’t simply walk away and disengage with someone who has opinions and values that don’t align with your own. You can spend as much as a third of your life at work, so it’s important to make the most of it; learning the skills to cope with many different personality types can help you navigate challenging situations that may arise.

Personal conflicts in the workplace can be even more common during presidential election years (a recent survey found 42% of U.S. workers have had political disagreements at work), so keeping these top tips top-of-mind can help avoid workplace strife before it arises.

1. Don’t take everything personally.

Right now, your coworkers are likely dealing with their own issues, and their actions may be a reflection of something they’re going through either at work or in their personal lives. If others are being negative or unpleasant to be around, remember, not every negative or uncomfortable encounter is directed at you. Take a few minutes to step back and assess the situation fully; maybe they are worried about something going on at home or stressed about a big project. The best skill you can have is to just offer help and rather than contributing to a hostile environment, even if someone else is.

At times, others’ actions can feel like personal attacks, but ask yourself, “Am I telling myself a story?” Perhaps someone’s email response was curt. Ask yourself: Did this person intend to upset me, or are they just in a rush between meetings? This mindset can help you talk yourself off of proverbial ledges — and can help keep the peace.

2. Remember: It’s okay to disagree.

Being a team player is one of the most common phrases in job descriptions, and it’s a soft skill that can have a large impact on your team dynamic, promotion potential, and more. It’s natural to feel frustrated with a coworker in the face personal or professional disagreements — but try not to let this frustration get in the way of your own productivity. Don’t be afraid to sit down with this coworker (if you feel comfortable doing so) and explain your frustrations; if you can focus the conversation on facts and events rather than emotions, it’s easier to engage in a rational discussion.

And if you cannot come to a consensus, it’s okay to disagree. Disagreement in moderation is healthy in any relationship, as long as it doesn’t get in the way of your mental health and overall working relationship. At the end of the day, everyone on your team is (or should be) working toward the same goal and outcomes.

3. Learn to handle egos.

He got a big ego? It’s not uncommon to encounter coworkers with large egos, and the tension egos can cause is often a source of conflict — particularly when egos clash. People may go out of their way to prop themselves up and stand out by positioning their coworkers as lesser than them in quality of work and stature. To avoid an ego-driven conflict, it’s important to remind yourself that this isn’t personal. Like it or not, you only have control over your own response to others’ personalities. If you’re frustrated by a coworker who puts others down, try to find ways to level-set with an honest conversation, based in facts rather than emotions. Your coworker may not even realize that their behaviors are negatively impacting you. (Of course, if someone’s ego turns into bullying you or others, it’s best go down the proper channels with your manager or with HR.)

4. Keep gossip positive.

No matter the office or industry or team, gossip has a way of festering in a work environment. Gossip is a slippery slope and can often increase interpersonal conflict and decrease morale — while simultaneously straining relationships and decreasing productivity. The best way to avoid gossip is by identifying “gossip triggers,” so you can find ways to work around them. Sometimes, gossip is unavoidable, particularly if you’re part of a group conversation. If you’re able, try to tactfully redirect the conversation to something positive, or disengage.

As with any work environment, there will be frustrations and the desire to vent — but tread lightly. A certain level of venting is okay, as long as you can trust this person 100%. If you have a “work best friend” (a recent Gallup poll finds that you should!), try to confide in them and keep the conversation between the two of you, in order to avoid any inadvertent gossip and conflicts down the line.

Remember, your priority is doing great work. Try to maintain a non-judgmental attitude and know that at the end of the day, it’s all about how you react.

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Krista is a Creative Circle candidate, creative writer and content creator in Los Angeles. Her background includes news, marketing, copywriting and editing.

Interviewing is tricky business. Interviewing creative candidates, such as designers and copywriters, now that’s an art form. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that judging a creative candidate by their portfolio alone is sufficient. Well, it isn’t.

Below we’ve outlined a handful of reasons why it is necessary to go beyond the book when interviewing creative candidates, as well as a few example interview questions that can help you dig deeper to ensure you are finding the perfect match.

Why go beyond the book?

1. Without asking additional questions about a candidate’s portfolio, it can be impossible to tell what is truly their work vs. collaboration with a larger team. Many creative teams work cohesively, so the final product is often a combination of efforts.
2. As important as quality work is, gaining insight into the candidate’s creative process is just as important.
3. The candidate’s creative process can also give you insight into future opportunities for the individual. Do they present well? Imagine the candidate as a future art/creative director pitching clients… Now was that frightening or promising?
4. When you ask pointed questions about a candidate’s portfolio, you will also be able to gather valuable insight into their personality and how they may react in your environment. Do they seem ego driven or more open to feedback?
5. Because “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”, meaning you are interviewing not just a designer, copywriter or marketer, but a human being! Not digging in and asking additional questions means you are missing out on some of the variables that make the greats, well, GREAT.

How can I do this?

Below are a few example interview questions that will allow you to dive deeper into a candidate’s potential:

What portion of this work did you complete and what was collaboration?

• Pay attention to how they answer this, as it will give you insight into how they talk about their team as well as their level of pride/ego in their work. Perhaps challenge them – if merited – with a compliment on the creative piece of work; do they eagerly accept all accolades as their own, or give credit where credit is due?

Walk me through your creative process here, A to Z.

• This is used to both see how self-aware (and detailed) they are, as well as how well they can describe processes.

What challenges did you encounter while working on this project/campaign?

• How do they talk about their team? Or the creative process within the organization? Do they speak directly to people, product or process challenges?

What technologies/programs did you use here and how did you use them?

• This is a seemingly basic question, but listening to how well they speak to the tools of their craft, as well as how much detail they go into, can be telling.

What project/campaign would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?

• This let’s you know a bit about their focus i.e. business, brand, conceptual, team focused, etc.

What do you like about OUR branding/content/marketing, and what would you change?

• This question puts the candidate on the spot a bit, which is why we love it! Listen to how they share their ideas, how they approach the brand and on a basic level how much research they have done!

How do you stay up to date on industry changes?

• This is again to see how passionate and serious they are about the industry, as well as how motivated they are to grow and evolve.

Now this is just a short list of questions to get you thinking outside of the book. What other questions do you ask when interviewing creative candidates?

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Nick is a former Creative Circle Account Executive. His background is in recruiting, sales, PR and marketing.

Hey, here’s my resume. Read it. No really, go on. I’ll wait.

The last time I heard someone scoff at the concept of resumes was just a few weeks ago, over lunch. “Oh come on, who actually reads a resume?” Um, I do. And you probably should too.
The funny thing was that just days prior I’d placed a copy of my own resume in this very person’s hands. I like the guy, and he had no way of knowing what an unexpected pain in the rear it had been to put together five copies of my portfolio on short notice. (First, the realization that my husband had been ignoring his printer’s pleas for new ink cartridges past the point of usability; then the unanticipated time spent driving to Staples and back; and then the friend who tried to help me but ended up mis-ordering all the pages and somehow cutting her hand and getting blood on two of the front pages, setting me back to square one.)

What I mean to say, is that I wasn’t that miffed (it helps that he had been clearly receptive to my performance in said interview), but I was slightly appalled. It was less than six months ago that I was still working as the managing editor of a media company, which included participating in the hiring process. When it came to interns, the decision was typically left up entirely to me.
It was the kind of place that attracts young candidates, so our public calls for entry-level internships would result in mountains of resumes. I’m not going to lie and say I read each and every single one that hit my inbox—a few terrible lines in a cover letter were enough to send many applicants straight to the recycling bin. However, when you’re trying to differentiate the suitability of people who are largely just starting out, most of them don’t have a ton of tangible, finished work to reference, much less a slick, smoothly navigable profile site. Often their educational background is completely relevant to who they are in the present moment. They just haven’t done that much yet. So I actually read their resumes.

At some point in your career, writing your resume can evolve into an editing project. More than two pages is rude, so eventually you have to stop being exhaustive (and stop abusing tiny type sizes) and whittle it down to only the most impressive—a living document tailored by time and situation. Perhaps you remember writing your first resume—I know I do. That’s when all the opposite tricks were called for—furiously bumping up the type size to fill a single page and extracting every ounce of potential material from limited experience.

It’s kind of a great exercise, and frankly it can be a really interesting, not just useful, read. That’s partly because these types of resume writers are telling you everything—not just which schools they attended, but what their extracurricular activities were, or whether they studied abroad. A lot of them are also probably telling you revealing little white lies about what they did very little of (but, you know, they technically did… probably) and perhaps they now wish they’d done more of. They’re calling attention to their weirdest, least relevant work experience to simply reinforce the basic understanding that they’re a warm body who will show up on time and not steal the company laptops. Read as a whole, it’s actually a pretty effective map of a person’s life-experience.
Again, I’m not making the argument that anyone needs to read every resume they get. I’m totally down with the method of doing a quick first round of elimination based on a scan for minimum requirements. Blaze through those mountains. But by the time you get to the point of interviewing a candidate, I feel strongly that you should have read the thing in its entirety, whether you are dealing with entry-level or senior-level candidates (who probably ought to be able to edit a resume with at least some charm, anyway).

It’s not an etiquette thing. I relate to the fact that it can seem like more of a burden than it’s worth. But it’s only two pages (or less, and heavy on the returns and bullet points). It will take a very short time for you to read it, and the time it will save you in return makes for a fantastic ROI. Your conversations with candidates will be more efficient, you’ll be able to make decisions more quickly, and they will lead to better choices. Choices that may even have direct bearing on your own workload.
These are the people you’ll be seeing more days than not, after all. Read their resumes.

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Marjorie is a former Creative Circle candidate based in Portland who recently accepted a full-time offer for her dream job. She is a writer/editor and stylist/producer with an emphasis in the design world. If you are interested in working with someone like Marjorie, please contact your nearest Creative Circle office.