The Designer

The Guy

I’d like to think my work speaks for itself, and me. Talent I got. So have a lot of people. But here are some aspects you as a businessperson probably value as much, if not more.

• I make what you make look as good as it, in fact, is. My emphasis is clarity over fashion. If I can’t steer clear of a design cliche, I’ll leverage it to make a point.

• I keep my promises. I know my limits, my abilities, and my speed. If I can’t do it, I’ll gladly find someone who can.

• I keep in touch. So much online work lies abandoned, because the designer couldn’t be bothered to continue to service his client. Not me. Though we won’t be married or attached at the hip, I like the idea of repeat business from many happy clients. So I’ll always reply. Maybe not immediately, but soon.

• I don’t offend easily. The customer isn’t always right. But the customer is always the customer. That means, while I may stress-test your preferences against my experience, you get what you want. Though sometimes you may not get what you say you want.

My email: rick [at] rickwolff [dot] com

Rick Wolffs I’m Not

•Sports writer / radio host and chairman of the Center for Sports Parenting, Westchester County, NY. We both are in the media, live a half-hour from each other. Business had us cross paths in the early ’80s, and I sometimes still get his phone calls.

•Professor of Economics, the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA. Seems he’s a luminary in Marxism; when I was a Libertarian activist in the mid-’90s, we were their worst nightmare (Yeah, I wish).

•Executive Editor and Vice President, Warner Books, New York, NY, which may now be Grand Central Publishing.

•Researcher, Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands. I found him in the peak of my interest in the Dutch colonial history of the Hudson Valley, and a month before a visit to Amsterdam; my wife and I went to the front door, but didn’t go in. Maybe we thought the conversation would veer to what was the talk of September 23, 2001.

•Principal, WWG Partners / Willow Wolff & Grace, Palo Alto, CA. Former Accenture founder; Silicon Valley venture capitalists. Might come in handy someday…

•Mayor, Hibbing, MN. I ran for legislator in Putnam County, NY in 1993, as a Libertarian; luckily for everyone, I lost.

I’ve spent much of my adult life in the visual arts in one capacity or another. My cowboy-fireman-astronaut wish from the beginning was to animate; I’m always getting closer, in fits and starts.

In 1979 I was production assistant to stop-motion animation director Bob Franz. We did the breathing Neo-Synephrine bottles, the Nytol capsules that turned from N position to Z position, and we even auditioned to do the puppetry animation of the Pillsbury Dough Boy — my big debut. (I have that 3/4″ Umatic cassette around here somewhere). We also did the only American commercial for Rubik’s Cube, which was pulled a week later, made unnecessary by what would today be called viral marketing. After that, I went into print, which has been my bread and butter ever since. I’d explored print advertising, publication design, outdoor, and even back to video. And of course, the Web.

The smartest thing I ever did was marry my wife. No matter what the future brings, bad or good, I’m taking her with me. The dumbest thing I ever did was not go to either the School of Visual Arts or NYU Film School when I was accepted to both in 1977. New York City was grimy and dangerous in those days, so I guess it wasn’t that dumb.

In 1982, I was an Amway distributor. I lost about 10 months, $1000 and a few not-closest friends, but gained a skepticism I treasure today. I’m not sure how else I would have gotten it. I also attempted to sponsor a guy as he was mugging me. That’s a blog post for a rainy day.

In 1991, my boss at the time, in Mount Vernon, NY, lent a desk and a phone to the Libertarian candidate for president of the United States, one Andre Marrou. I don’t know what happened to him, but the days I commuted with him and discussed strategy would have made a fascinating blog. I gave him his copy of P.J. O’Rourke’s A Parliament of Whores. He gave me a book about Burma-Shave signs. Didn’t even sign it.

I hate the word “utilize”. There’s no instance where the word “use” can’t be utilized in the same place. I love the word Plavix.