LOGIN TO MY APDF  
U:    P:
NEWS & BLOG
June 25th, 2010

After a decade of growing our design service businesses by “trial and error” learning, discovering a peer group of willing collaborators and mentors at the APDF Exchange was surely one of the highlights of my year. Meeting with old friends and new, and sharing experiences, stories and knowledge in an atmosphere of camaraderie and encouragement was an overwhelmingly positive experience.

I often feel that our world somehow seems smaller every year with increasingly frequent “small world” connection coincidences. Coming to New York to meet with design professionals from all over the world was a particularly motivating reason for me to attend. But, as we were socializing the Friday night at APDF Member Firm Wallace Church, I realized how many pre-existing connections and “second order” acquaintances were already present in the room.

I was totally blown away. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 30% [?]

June 23rd, 2010

Unlike other conferences, the APDF Exchange (as well as APDF Leadership Forums), offers numerous opportunities for small group and one-on-one engagements with leaders of other design firms. The key focus is on dialogue, peer-to-peer networking, leadership learning and collaboration.

In APDF post-event surveys, APDF Break-out Sessions consistently rank high as one of the most valuable aspects of the APDF.

At the recent APDF Exchange in New York, there were a number of different Break-out Session topics. One of these topics was: Business Development in a New Economy. While the key value of this session was the in-person dialogue, debate and open sharing that occurred during this break-out, we wanted to share summary notes with our APDF Members and Friends.

The group discussed a range of business development topics: Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 22% [?]

June 17th, 2010

This year’s APDF Exchange, ON!, provided the opportunity to learn, share and network in the company of other design firm owners and senior leaders. This year, we had the added energy and thrill of hosting Exchange in New York City!

An additional thrill of the APDF Exchange is the opportunity to meet new faces. A former APDF Member prior to my current position as APDF Executive Director, I know personally what a first-time APDF Exchange experience is all about.

The 2010 APDF Exchange was no different. A new face in the crowd was a local (Brooklyn-based) firm and APDF nonmember (we call them APDF Friends!), Marco Perry, Principal at Pensa. While there is always time to connect during the sessions, our after-hours networking opportunities present additional time to get to know APDF Members and Friends. After a full day of blowing wind and rain on Wednesday, and humid, tropical temperatures on Friday, the final networking event Saturday evening outside on the Hudson’s Sky Terrace was a treat in more ways than one! Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 25% [?]

June 14th, 2010

In APDF’s next Webinar on Tuesday, June 22, we will feature Rick Tirrell. In advance, we’d like to share some background information with you!

Rick Tirrell, Ph.D., has been helping companies build competitive skills for over twenty years. He has provided consultations to multibillion dollar organizations as well as mid-sized and small firms. His insights come from the corner office as well as the operational front lines of the business world.

Rick started Navigator Group, PA, in 1998 as a network of specialized independent professionals capable of providing a wide range of corporate guidance and consultation.

Rick Tirrell’s newly released book, The Wisdom of Resilience Builders: How our best leaders create the world’s most enduring enterprises, is a guide to every practitioner in the community of business leaders. 

Rick shared some of his insights with us, in order to lay the groundwork for our upcoming Webinar discussion: Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 24% [?]

June 7th, 2010

At the recent Exchange in New York City, APDF hosted a 25th birthday party. The evening kicked-off with a reception hosted by APDF Member Wallace Church (Rob Wallace and Stan Church) at their beautiful studio’s outdoor porch and garden.

The birthday bash continued at nearby Top of the Tower restaurant, and began with a fun and interactive “dating game” where contestants tried to convince our “design celebrity dates” that they were the best choice!

Our “dates” included:
–Linda Tischler, Senior Writer of Fast Company (won by Gavin Kelly, Artefact, Seattle)
–Tucker Viemeister, Lab Chief, LAB at Rockwell Group (won by Robin Tooms, Savage, Houston)
–Bill Moggridge, Director, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum (won by Drew Degentesh, Daedalus, Pittsburgh)

The APDF Dating Game!

 
Inspiration for the APDF
W. Daniel Wefler founded Wefler & Associates in 1979 and began publishing the well-respected advisory report Design Firm Management and the Design Firm Directory, a national listing of firms in graphic, industrial and interior design, because he saw a strong need for management consulting in the field. The idea behind the formation of the APDF began to take shape in 1984. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 30% [?]

June 3rd, 2010

At the 2010 APDF Exchange held recently in New York, the intense two-day conference kicked-off with an interactive, energetic and creative improv session!

The origins of improvisation date back to the mid-1500′s and the Commedia Dell’Arte. Groups of roving comic performers traveled from town to town throughout Europe for roughly 200 years. Instead of relying on a formal script, these masked characters worked within a framework of scenarios which served to help them with entrances and exits, as well as defining who would play a particular role.

Improv focuses on bringing one’s personal awareness into the moment, and on developing a profound understanding for the action one is doing. This fusion of awareness and understanding brings the practitioner to the point where one can act with a range of options that best fit the situation, even if you have never experienced a similar situation. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 33% [?]

June 3rd, 2010

At the 2010 APDF Annual Meeting during the APDF Exchange in New York City, the membership unanimously approved the 2010/2011 APDF Board of Directors.

The APDF Board’s primary responsibility is to ensure that the Association fulfills its mission and delivers on the Association’s promise to the Membership. The APDF Board is a volunteer position. In addition to steering their own firms through these challenging times, the APDF Board plays a central role in ensuring the ongoing viability and success of the APDF. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 24% [?]



Newsletter Signup | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
© 2013 Association of Professional Design Firms, All rights reserved.
Site design by Quango Design + Marketing