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Why Aren't More Designers Starting Companies?

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Re: Why Aren't More Designers Starting Companies?

#11

Post by rwhitman »

This was a good attempt, but I don't think this really nailed why designers don't move into founder roles. It has a lot more to do with the psychology of the type of person that goes into being a designer in the first place. It has a lot to do with the nature of art and the fear of failure.

The best designers are often frustrated artists that found comfort in design, where (perhaps subconsciously) they could use their talent without having the success or failure of their work fall 100% on them.

Being a collaborative process, design is kind of a shield from artistic criticism to some degree. If it fails, well it was the client's fault. But when you are known as a designer, and known as the founder, all the creative control comes down on you, which is akin to creating a work of art - with product primarily, but also the entire business as well. Everything you do subconsciously reflects on you as an artist instead of as a designer. Its scary. It can drive a creative person to madness, all of the things that go into a company, all the details that are completely fucking wrong all the time and you can't get control of any of them. Its like a painting with paint that never dries, and keeps dripping down the canvas. You constantly need to be painting or it looks like total crap, and it is hanging in the gallery, right now and everybody can see it. It makes me freaked out just thinking about it.

So while there are few designers who have made the leap to full-time founding entrepreneur I'm fairly certain that every designer has attempted to dip their toes into becoming the founding entrepreneur at least once, hit on this nightmarish reality, and then stepped back into the designer comfort zone with a sigh of relief...

Re: Why Aren't More Designers Starting Companies?

#12

Post by krmmalik »

I'm not really a designer or a coder, so my words need to be taken with a pinch of salt, but if i was to ever improve a skill it would be on the design side so I say this with my designer hat on.

The thing is, if you're creating software and launching a business, you've got to be able to solve problems for your customer. While the mind of a designer might be that of problem solving and loving their craft, you invariably can't solve the problem for the client without some coding.

It's far easier to be a developer and code the solution then it is to be a designer and purely design it aesthetically. It doesnt serve much purpose as design alone.

With an MVP you can get away with poor design and some minimal code, but you cant get away with great design and NO functionality - Well you can but pulling it off is harder.

So as a designer, you always need a co-founder that can code, and we all know about bringing on CTO's for just an equity stake. It's not really going to happen.

Re: Why Aren't More Designers Starting Companies?

#15

Post by rwhitman »

rwhitman wrote: post #11

This was a good attempt, but I don't think this really nailed why designers don't move into founder roles. It has a lot more to do with the psychology of the type of person that goes into being a designer in the first place. It has a lot to do with the nature of art and the fear of failure. The best designers are often frustrated artists that found comfort in design, where (perhaps subconsciously) they could use thei…

Edit: Downvotes? Really? I write a thoughtful introspective comment based on my personal experience of being a design-trained single founder and you give me downvotes? Ugh

Re: Why Aren't More Designers Starting Companies?

#16

Post by fleitz »

rwhitman wrote: post #15
rwhitman wrote: post #11

This was a good attempt, but I don't think this really nailed why designers don't move into founder roles. It has a lot more to do with the psychology of the type of person that goes into being a designer in the first place. It has a lot to do with the nature of art and the fear of failure. The best designers are often frustrated artists that found comfort in design, where (perhaps subconsciously) they could use thei…

Edit: Downvotes? Really? I write a thoughtful introspective comment based on my personal experience of being a design-trained single founder and you give me downvotes? Ugh

Fear not, truth is severely undervalued. If you want points tell feel good lies.

Re: Why Aren't More Designers Starting Companies?

#17

Post by krmmalik »

colmvp wrote: post #7
mjolk wrote: post #5

Because it's really hard to pitch a company based on a PSD that you can't implement. But sure, whatever cutesy anecdote or impression of reality you want to sell me will also suffice.

And the derisive contempt against designers on HN continues.

Maybe the tone was a little off-the-cuff, but mjolk has a valid point. You can't implement the idea without some sort of coding. Design alone doesn't cut it, and I say that as someone that has a lot of respect for designers.

Re: Why Aren't More Designers Starting Companies?

#18

Post by ulisesrmzroche »

rwhitman wrote: post #15
rwhitman wrote: post #11

This was a good attempt, but I don't think this really nailed why designers don't move into founder roles. It has a lot more to do with the psychology of the type of person that goes into being a designer in the first place. It has a lot to do with the nature of art and the fear of failure. The best designers are often frustrated artists that found comfort in design, where (perhaps subconsciously) they could use thei…

Edit: Downvotes? Really? I write a thoughtful introspective comment based on my personal experience of being a design-trained single founder and you give me downvotes? Ugh

You're projecting hardcore dude.

'The best designers are often frustrated artists that found comfort in design, where (perhaps subconsciously) they could use their talent without having the success or failure of their work fall 100% on them."

Yeah right. Are you sure you went to design school? Is that what they taught you? That it's where all the failed artists go?

Sometimes, I hate you a lot HN.

Re: Why Aren't More Designers Starting Companies?

#19

Post by ulisesrmzroche »

fleitz wrote: post #16
rwhitman wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Edit: Downvotes? Really? I write a thoughtful introspective comment based on my personal experience of being a design-trained single founder and you give me downvotes? Ugh

Fear not, truth is severely undervalued. If you want points tell feel good lies.

It's useless advice. Designers can't be founders because they're pussies? Is this really what you think?

Re: Why Aren't More Designers Starting Companies?

#20

Post by rwhitman »

ulisesrmzroche wrote: post #18
rwhitman wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Edit: Downvotes? Really? I write a thoughtful introspective comment based on my personal experience of being a design-trained single founder and you give me downvotes? Ugh

You're projecting hardcore dude. 'The best designers are often frustrated artists that found comfort in design, where (perhaps subconsciously) they could use their talent without having the success or failure of their work fall 100% on them." Yeah right. Are you sure you went to design school? Is that what they taught you? That it's where all the failed artists go? Sometimes, I hate you a lot HN.

Assuming that I made these observations by learning it in art school is "projecting hardcore" as well.

The observations I make are based on an inner circle of friends and business associates I've had over the last 13 years who are predominantly made up of brilliant graphic designers. Not that it puts me in a position of absolute authority on the subject, but I think thats a fair rebuttal.

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