Ballyhoo!

The design business is all about collaboration.
At times, I almost feel invisible as working with clients, copywriters, illustrators and printers is like a channeling process. I am the mere conduit of the creative flow – harnessing it together into something visually tangible. These wonderful collaborators support you through the process when either the timelines are outrageous, the client impossible or you're just having that bad day and need a shoulder to lean on or an ear to scream into. The magic moment of making each other´s ideas even better is one I treasure and appreciate and do not under-estimate.

So it's surprising to me that I fell short in properly recognizing one such collaborator in my last post “Nip & Tuck”. Like me, Andrea Usher-Jones is a freelancing mom of two girls, working as a copywriter in Montreal and coping with this raging world we live in. As one of my oldest and closest friends, we have watched each other grow up and develop into the women we are today and have cheered each other on with every step and hugged at every trial. Although our friendship started over 35 years ago, The McGill project was the first time that we professionally worked together. She was the main guy: steady Canada-side project manager and dynamic 3-Ring website author. Not only did she bring me the job, she provided much-needed mediation and dazzling copy and was the source of all the good laughter which lightened the load along the way.

So, toot up! Step into the spotlight, Andy, and take a bow!