There is something to be said about this line of creative work: the opportunity to work on stranger things is far greater. For me, it's mammoths and sloths. One current client has a tremendously in depth project for which the end result is for a great cause. I've spent entire ten hour work days doing nothing but this project. Agonizing about every minute detail and trying to find ways to push it even further. Sleep has taken something of a backseat to my daily routine. And I couldn't be happier right now.
My client is the non-profit Friends of Big Bone. I've worked with the organization before on much smaller projects over the years until recently. Last November, they asked me if I would help them create a fundraising campaign for Big Bone Lick State Historic Site. I'll be honest, I've never done something on this scale solo but I was up for the challenge. It has since become something much larger than any of us closely involved could have imagined it to be. What makes it all worth it is the people I get to work with and for on this. Their passion for this campaign has been relentless and they're all volunteering their skills and resources to help out. I have much more time to dedicate to the project, so more often I'm building everything while the blocks I can't create are given to me when available from others. It can be frustrating, but I can no longer see myself where I was just a few months ago.
Breaking the final ties to an office environment was the hardest, but the greatest, choice I've made in my career. It removed the close fitting walls of what I was allowed to work on and has launched me into the deep space of possibilities. This project has been the driving force to keep up my optimism about my decision. I'm doing much more than designing a logo or a few print pieces, I'm doing just about everything that will be face-forward when the Indiegogo campaign launches on April 15th. I've learned just how demanding and time consuming doing social media really is. There was no class that prepared me for something quite so... OK I'll just say it... mammoth! Especially when working solo for about 90% of the time. Obviously I'm not working alone, but once content is handed to me, I have to weave it all together.
There are steps that I've commonly done that here I've bypassed completely for the sake of time. It's best to recognize what I'm skipping so I can look back where, more like if, things start to get shaky. School can only teach you different approaches and practices to start and generate the end products. Real life is quite different. The sleepless nights, extended meetings, massive pitfalls, all are still present but the consequences are much more dire with real world clients.
For now, I'm ecstatic that Friends of Big Bone gave me this opportunity to do something great with them. I want them to succeed just as much as they do with this campaign. Their drive and enthusiasm for their cause is something to admire and be seen as an example. Now it's back to work for me!