Emily Chohen was at the HOW Design Live design conference in Boston to speak about “The Power of Saying No.” I said yes to a podcast though, and we speak a lot about no. Well, the power of saying no. And when to say no. And how to say no. And how not to say no. Also, when to say no. And probably other things about no.
We also speak about her new book, Brutally Honest. I am looking forward to getting my copy, as every time I speak Emily, I end up quoting one or two things she told me for the next few months… sometimes much longer.
We also talk about how Emily helps her clients (who are basically other creatives). And most creatives, starting with myself, always need help with the non-creative things – maybe how to write a proposal, how to price graphic design work, what work is appropriate for a graphic designer to do, what work should a graphic designer go after, how and when should a graphic designer hire someone, and why you should fire at least one client a year.
Just re-listening to our conversation while editing this podcast helped me to confirm that I made a decent decision earlier today. What is with being in design and second-guessing everything? Not all clients are perfect fits, and not getting a project is not the worst outcome – in fact, it’s probably more common than actually getting a project – and chasing anything that doesn’t make sense, well, just doesn’t make much sense at all.
Enjoy.
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Nate Voss is a designer, illustrator, talkshow host and design journalist. Working in Omaha since 2001, Nate served four years on the Board of Directors for 
Donovan oversees all creative development at