What are you – a Professional Designer or Random Occurrence?

I wanted this to be an inspirational piece, I really did. I started off thinking of ways I could create accolades to the world’s youngest designer. Sreelakshmi Suresh, born in 1998, has become the world’s youngest web designer (actually she has become the youngest successful web designer; I am sure any web designer would appreciate this clarification).

I thought now: here is an example of determination and outstanding achievement. She has made all her dreams come true and at such a young age.

She has 26 national and international honors including the Global Internet Directories Gold Award and Golden Web Awards. She is also the Youngest Ever Member of the Association of American Webmasters. Yes, thinking of her, I thought of Napoleon Hill’s quote, ‘Whatever the mind can conceive…the mind can achieve.’

Source: ThinkStock/ibreakstock

Whatever the mind can conceive and believe… the mind can achieve.

Unfortunately that’s when things started going downhill through no fault of Sreelakshmi’s at all. She remains brilliant, world record holder and youngest CEO.

It’s just the average old me that began to go all cynic and thought, ‘Seriously? A 15 year old makes headlines by creating designs that are definitely not comparable to the thousands of other web designers trying to get a small mention, any mention at all because of her age?’

Random Fortune

So here is a question: Is Sreelakshmi from Kerala, India, famous because the occurrence of a 15 year old designer is random and there are too many 20+ designers out there? Is a random occurrence cause enough for fame and fortune?

Source: ThinkStock/bestdesigns

Random Encounter

Statistically, speaking it seems yes. If you want to make it big, fast, be a random occurrence. You can be a child prodigy; a paraplegic world class athlete; a slum dog millionaire or even a man with three tits (I would view that on YouTube wouldn’t you?)

Anything random and trust me, you will become newsworthy.

How do you become more than the average designer?

I know all you designers want to bang your head against the wall or even agree to have a potshot of yourself in the designer hall of shame but stop, before you take that last step off the cliff of despair. How do you become more than the average designer found under every E-lance search profile? Yes, I am talking to you – Monika Stan, Talha Sami, Hariana Verdes, Shaunak Vileker, Stella Peterson. Why can’t you brilliant people shine in the limelight, considering your awesome work for even wider markets than compared to Sreelakshmi?

So here’s a thought: target the stupid audience. That audience which is willing to pay thousands of dollars to a mediocre 15 year old designer yet, hesitates to pay all the hardworking awesome designers who actually rock the world!

Make A Niche In The Land Of Crazies

Source: ThinkStock/IvelinRadkov

You have to do stuff that average people don’t understand because those are the only good things.

Yes, that’s right. Instead of trying to rock the world of the thousands, just focus on the average few who will not understand the talent you have – then sell it as if your life depended on it. You can’t compete with the Sreelakshmis of the world because, let’s face it, you and I have seen the better side of the two digits in terms of age. So let’s lower our aspirations and just wrap our work around the crazies of the world.

Opportunities Lost Or Opportunity Found?

Source: ThinkStock/Thinglass

“I bully my clients to use the color that I think is right. I’ve been there, done that. For God’s sake ask for my advice, then take it. Don’t give me a hard time.”

So where is the opportunity lost? And how is the opportunity found? Reality check guys…the only way to opportunity is by crawling through the drudge work.

All the clients that say: ‘Dumb it down’, ‘Design for a universal appeal’ WT…? There is no such thing as a universal appeal there are four generations of people online. How do you create one website of universal appeal?

When clients ask designers to create ‘mind-blowing’ designs do they ask themselves: ‘Mind-blowing to whom?’

We have mediocre designs created by 15 year olds that sell like hot potatoes and then we have those very talented designers scrounging around to find just that one client to help them make it through the month. Really people, who would you believe the teenager or the professional?

Bottom Line

The bottom line is clear, all you designers are in for hard work, dealing with crazy clients who know little about the reality of the ‘brilliant design.’ They will pay the 15 year old Sreelakshmi (great going kid seriously you just became the focus of my rant, no offense meant at all) the kudos and give the rest of the designers misery through revisions and ignorance.

Not much can be done except sit back and deal with all the crap. Find a niche and work at it and if all else fails…eat a cookie.