You see, the issue isn't always too little focus…sometime it's too much.

The Memo from the Desk

Creative professionals often deal with a lot of different hurdles as we progress through our work.

If I had to boil it down, I would say most of the problems creative professionals deal with are Focus & Confidence.

They come in different forms, but at the end of the day it's either a focus issue or a confidence issue.

I'll dive into confidence later, but today let's talk about focus, something I personally struggle with on a regular basis.

Tell me if this sounds familiar: You start your days with high hopes for the work you plan to get done, but before you do you check your email. You get lost in a spiral of small tasks and doom scrolling and before you know it the work day is over.  This forces you to do work at night, eating into your sleep schedule and impacting the next day.

How about this one: You do countless hours of research on the perfect niche, that industry or client that you think you would do great with…. Only to realize you pigeon-holed yourself into a tiny, unsustainable pool of prospects who aren't responding to outreach.

You see, the issue isn't always too little focus…sometime it's too much.

The first example Needed More focus.

Having enough focus to do the work that needs done leaves you feeling fulfilled, your clients happy, and your business balanced.

The second example needed less.

Focusing your business too early can set you up for failure. You spend precious time looking for that perfect client when you really should focus on getting the word out about your business and services.

Does that mean I should never focus my business? Absolutely not, but I've seen too many creative professionals focus too soon. It comes in time, but you can't skip the messy middle.

So as you continue with your day to day work, taker a step back and ask these questions:

• Is what I am doing right now going to help my business?
• Am I doing this work to avoid something?
• Am I giving too much focus, too little, or just enough?

Now, what will you focus on next?

Cheers!

Zach Ebert,

Maker Division Community Manager

Deep work

On the Bookshelf

I don't think I can talk about focus without mentioning this book. Cal Newport has multiple books diving into the topics of focus, work and productivity.

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Xenofauna

Artist We Love

Xenofauna is an Atlanta-based analog special effects artist & illustrator. They've recently been doing a series of Godzilla illustrations with watercolor and Posca markers. I really enjoy the use of color and lines to create expressive, dynamic illustrations.

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I did not expect to love this movie as much as I did. Apparently I am a KPop fan now. What? Don't judge me until you've seen the movie.

GIVE it A LISTEN

We're incredibly proud of Jon Dufau and the strategic relationship-building that's transformed his independent design business. His recent wins perfectly demonstrate what happens when you combine genuine connections with a polished capabilities deck.

Jon landed not one, but two significant clients by leaning into the power of relationships. The first came through a former colleague who knew he'd pivoted to working independently. When her client needed website design help, she made the introduction. Jon's approach on that first call was masterful — instead of jumping straight into selling, he asked questions and took notes, genuinely trying to understand their goals and target audiences. He was also refreshingly honest, telling them upfront which items on their "dream list" weren't feasible within budget or weren't in his wheelhouse.

The second win happened almost by chance. Jon randomly logged into LinkedIn one evening and saw a former design school classmate — someone he hadn't spoken to in almost 15 years — posting about needing freelance design help. He sent over his freshly completed Maker Division capabilities deck, and they hopped on a call. After catching up, she complimented his work and asked about his passions. When Jon shared his love for both building brand identity systems and pushing established brands further, it was a perfect match. Her creative department had been gutted over the past year and needed exactly that support.

The result? Jon has been working with her team in an ongoing capacity, generating $4K paid with approximately $5K in receivables and more work on the way. His key insight: "If people know you, they're more willing to recommend you and work with you. So if you don't know them, take the time to get to know them rather than just focusing on 'how can I land this client or project.'"

Using his Maker Division capabilities deck and understanding that we live in a relationship economy, Jon went from pivoting to independence to building sustainable client partnerships based on trust and expertise.

That's exactly the kind of authentic, relationship-first business approach we love to see. Way to go, Jon! 🚀

Jon Dufau

Division Win

“On my first call with the client, I asked a lot of questions and took a lot of notes. I wanted to show them I was more interested in getting them where they wanted to go than just trying to make a buck. I was also super upfront — some things on their 'dream list' weren't feasible within their budget, and frankly, they were outside my area of expertise. The biggest lesson from Maker Division has been understanding the relationship economy. My capabilities deck has been getting great feedback, but more importantly, I've learned that if people know you, they're more willing to recommend you and work with you.”

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