As we launch a new redesign and retooling at Creative Identity Group I am reminded of what we do, how we do it, and what makes us successful. Here is our business philosophy…

Vision is Power - The old adage used to be knowledge is power, but that was when information was scarce. Now that information is plentiful and inexpensive, knowledge is pretty easy to come by. The key today is vision. Knowledge is important, but without a vision, you’ll find yourself paralyzed by indecision.

Business is Art - Businessmen stifle creativity by putting on blue suits and joining the corporate autocracy while most artists feel that a concern for money will inhibit their artistic expression. My goal is to show that an artistic business person will earn more money than the conservative businessman and will create more relevant art than the starving artist.

The Pursuit for Profits is Noble - Each business transaction is an agreement that a trade of money for goods is a net gain for all parties. If you want to feed the poor, instead of begging for donations; start a company and work hard earning money for 20 years. Then sellout and use your wealth to build a well funded organization to help the poor.

Build a life, not a company - Building a system that earns money is an important part of life, but for a complete happy life, we also need to focus on being good at building relationships, staying healthy, having fun, etc.

Be creative with work partnerships - The employer/employee relationship is a social contract rather than a business contract. Rather than hire, I prefer partnerships, software, and consultants. We focus on cash for work results, and rely on friends and family (not the corporation) to focus on health and social well being.

Focus - If you pick a focus, you can become the best at it and earn profits by selling to those who can’t possibly compete with you because they aren’t as focused as you. Being the best within a specific focus can earn you money, while trying to do many things will not allow you to become a valuable provider of any one thing. We choose our business niches carefully and seek to dominate the sector we focus on.

photo credit: Peter Kaminski