by admin | Nov 25, 2014 | Staff and Interns
We are excited to welcome Linda to the AT Studios team!
Linda began working with us on small projects and patiently waited for us to have the budget to hire her as our in house Copywriter.
She brings to the table her killer writing skills and the knowledge of processes in retail and customer service experience. She also brings an encouraging life story! Be sure to follow her blog.
Extremely dedicated, she recently ran and finished her first half marathon in the Miami Marathon this past February and loves to write.
If she had all day to do something by herself she would spend the day: Writing, reading and watching old movies in her pajamas
Linda’s favorite Singer is Janis Joplin and Painter Vincent Van Gogh.
We welcome to the AT Studios Team Linda!
by admin | Nov 11, 2014 | Leadership
I have the pleasure of leading several teams at a time. I have to admit leading creatives is quite different from leading a 9-5 management team. Creatives are usually laid back, not uptight individuals who look at the world in a very unique way.Below here are steps I use to leading fun and successful teams of creatives. Have fun and do not be uptight. Creatives are usually fun and tend to open up once they are comfortable.
1-Have an agenda.
Creatives can get very emotional and excited about projects/ ideas colors and brand. Having an agenda will help them to have a road map for their projects. If they know the boundaries for the project they will stay focused on the task at hand. However, do not discount any ideas that may be used for a future project! Something may not work for a current project but may be perfect for a future one.
2- Have a activity or game From simple game to a team building activity.
Why games? Your team of creatives may not know each other well. Fun, team building games will help build up trust.Creatives tend to enjoy a fun environment. Games help break the monotony and release creative juices. Below are a few games that have been fun for us to do ! Two Truths and a Lie- This is a fun way for a group of people to get to know each other! Figuring out which is the lie and which is the truth! Any game similar to Charades. One where communication is key for any team to work well together. Trust falls- This is a great way for teams to learn more about each other. Learning about each other’s boundaries and opportunities growth. Don’t try to force things. You want genuine engagement with your team.
3- Always feed the ego and praise in public.
I’ve learned from that a piece of them is In every project. There is an emotional egotistical connection. I always look for ways to feed my teams ego. A current project, a post on their social media or a new creation they are working on. And I constantly praise them In public.
4- Do something for them.
This could be as simple as bringing them their favorite snack or beverage. Supporting them in their projects outside of the work they do for you. By acknowledging that they do have dreams and goals outside of your company will go a long way to nurturing loyalty to business.
5- Always have final steps to follow with expected dates.
This is important creatives can linger on things and leave it to the last minute. It’s almost a rush to them. Before you head out have clear set dates of expected projects. I struggled months learning how to and what to do. If you think you will lead and force creatives to stick to a “management ” style you are in for a surprise.
It will be fun but it will take some adjustments specially if you’re a result driven vision focused leader with a tight schedule. Below are ways I break up a one hour meeting.
Praises! Start by praising their posts, projects or actions.
Real business talk – clients updates.
Fun- release them for coffee and donuts.
Serious – next week focus Fun- fun team building activity. Dates on expected results.
These are suggestions that have worked for us at ATS. It is always a challenge to learn how people work and think. In the end it is worth it as the projects come together and the business grows! Download our free resource on how to get to know your creatives here!
by admin | Oct 14, 2014 | Inspiration
Unlike many couples who say goodbye in the morning and each go their separate ways. We head to the office together, come home together and spend most part of the day together. It’s a beautiful thing that comes with extreme challenges. Some weeks are very intense at the studio and at home.
Our lives are filled with events; volunteer work, small group and of course growing our business.
During events often times fans whisper in my ear “You are so blessed to be married to such a talented artist”. I truly am.
Often times I wonder where he gets the ideas and inspiration for sketches he develops.
Often times he has been so drained he is really on an artistic block.
When your team is depending on your creative juices, time on a creative block must be limited.
I have found myself writing prayers for my creative husband.
Here’s my latest one:
“God grant Andy super natural creativity this week. “
God is the perfect artist. He created for 6 days and rested for one.
He admired His creation and saw that IT was good.
Today I pray you admire your loved ones creative’s. Do not try to understand it, simply admire that God has blessed them with a vision and gift that is unique to them.
Creative’s you have a God given talent the world needs.
Walk in it. Do what you love because life is too short not to.
My prayer is that God grants you Super Natural Creativity today.
“A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.”
Proverbs 18:16
Be Blessed!
by admin | Oct 7, 2014 | Inspiration
Inspiration comes from many places. Different things can get us inspired to work and create. In the creative world waiting on the muse can often be the excuse for a deadline missed or for odd working hours. Some are more inspired in the early morning hours and others late into the night.
This is all well and good when working on a project alone. After all there is no one else to answer to besides yourself. However in a team setting, having team members who work differently from one another can often be a hinderance. Lack of communication can become a problem. As a leader this can make it difficult to lead your team well.
The question is how to get to know and understand your team of disparate creatives?
This is a question that we have tackled here at AT Studios and through trial and error we have come up with a way to work through this issue. Getting to know your team on a level that is cohesive and well thought out. We have created a Free Resource for you to download titled What Inpsires You? By learning how your team members operate will help lead to success!
Tell us then, What Inspires You?
by admin | Sep 30, 2014 | Staff and Interns
We are excited to welcome Erick Sanchez to the AT Studios Team!
We have been working on several ends but had not put a finger on exactly what area he would not only be likely to succeed but also be extremely happy.
Erick enjoys the areas of Sales and building relationships.
Erick comes with a vast knowledge of sales and business development. His past experience raised sales from 1 Million to 1.5 Million in Insurance sales.
Erick recently received accolades for leading a team in Panama providing Insurance for a major software company.
Our goals for 2015 are big and unthinkably grand, It is why we did not settle for any one than the right candidate. We welcome him as lead of our Business Development team.
Stay tuned as we develop our sales and marketing strategies for creative studios e-book.
Fun Fact about Eric: He loves Traveling has traveled to 44 of the 50 states and led a team in Panama
Connect with Eric for sales tips and techniques Erick@atstudios.co
