Should founders learn graphic design?
I have a dirty secret. It's a secret that I don't often share, and it's cost me thousands of hours spending time on "low value work." But I love it. Here's the back story: Years ago, when I was a first-time VP of sales, I needed some new marketing material. We had an internal graphic designer. He was great. But, I found myself running to his office to get another pixel pushed to the left or right, or adding a title, new graphic or icon. It made drafting sales content and material slow, tedious, and frustrating. If he wasn't available, I was dead in the water, and I couldn't do anything about it. He also didn't like the fact that I was constantly looking over his shoulder, trying to get things done. One day, I couldn't stand it anymore. I wanted more control and freedom to design what I needed. And, I wanted "it" faster. So, I decided (before the days of Canva) that I would teach myself how to graphic design. I jumped in head first... I purchased an Adobe Illustrator license and attempted to learn all the intricacies of this complex design application. Let's put it this way. I was obsessed with the pen tool. If you know, you know. I would spend hours at night trying to improve my graphic design skills. The problem was, I enjoyed it too much. In the early years, I spent three-plus hours a day trying to figure it out. I wanted to understand the theory and the art... - Color theory. - Alignment - Spacing ...and all the basic design principles that any professional designer knows... ... but I knew little about it because I was not a professional designer and had not been trained to be one. I just taught myself, with grit and determination (my superpower). And, to be fair, with a little help from my graphic designer, whom I paid in "after-work beers." Fast forward years later: The skill set that I never expected to be a superpower has become one. It allows me to launch brands on demand, spin up websites and landing pages, brochures, and marketing materials quickly and efficiently WITHOUT relying on someone else who doesn't "get" my vision or needs.