By Paul Jarvis
How did you first become interested in web design? When I was in college in the ’90s, I was bored with my computer science classes. It was mostly theoretical. So in my spare time, I created fun and personal websites because I realized I could use my programming skills to make practical things. One site I made, pseudodictionary.com, got very popular—it was featured in Wired. That led me to quit university and take a job at an agency where I could be something fairly new: a web designer.
Why should designers express their personal opinions as part of their public presence? The fear of expressing yourself never goes away. I’ve been pretty honest and open about who I am from the start, but it’s still scary. I get harsh criticism and threats on a routine basis. Expression is like a lighthouse, though—it leads the way for kindred spirits, like clients I actually want to work with or an audience of loyal “rat people” who consume my writing and books. It also leads the trolls straight to me. I realized early on that if I’m going to be in the spotlight, I’m going to get criticized regardless of what I do or how I act—so I’d rather get criticized for being who I really am, instead of someone I’m not. Expressing myself lets me find the best and most suitable clients, helps me be perceived as an expert because I have no problem giving my opinion and has lead to some of the greatest connections in my career.
Where do you see many web designers missing the mark when it comes to marketing themselves? It comes down to simple research. Many designers use their portfolio to list their technical skills and show screenshots of their work. But when I interview with companies, they care less about my technical skills and more about the problems I can solve with design. They want to hire a designer who understands their business, not one who speaks in tech acronyms.
Designers should learn how to write well, and this isn't optional—it's mandatory. I get a lot of flack for this position, but being able to communicate properly with the written word is what keeps me booked months in advance, ever since I started designing for clients more than sixteen years ago. If you aren’t able to communicate your expertise, value and solutions to clients clearly, they’re either not going to hire you or not listen to you.
How do your pet rats fuel your design work? My rats are definitely my muses. They are harsh critics of both visuals and writing, since they sleep on my lap while I work in my home office. They also teach me that fear and action can exist in parallel. They're both afraid of basically everything, but they don’t let it stop them from exploring. I’m the same—afraid of most things, but I don't let that stop me from trying or experimenting with new ideas. It’s lead me to write best-selling books when I knew nothing about publishing.
What excites you about design right now? I see design becoming a disruptive factor in business. As design starts to hold more weight with business decisions and more companies are built around design, such as Apple and Airbnb, designers are taking commanding roles in projects and having a larger say. Companies are realizing that good design isn’t just how something looks, it’s how something works. This is incredibly powerful for designers. Our expertise, opinions and knowledge are being taken with much greater weight, and we have the power to use our skills to disrupt entire industries.
Which designer or design firm, other than yours, do you most admire and why? James Victore because he doesn’t give a damn about things that aren’t important. Shauna Haider and her team consistently pump out killer client work. Sian Richardson is young, but has one of the keenest eyes for design I’ve seen in ages.
What’s next for your design and writing career? Honestly? I have no idea. I tend to work half the year on client work and half the year on my own projects like writing, courses and podcasts. I never pre-plan what I’m going to do when it’s time for my own projects. I’m sure I’ll write another book or two, even though I already wrote Everything I Know last year. (I really shot myself in the foot with that title.)
Why should designers express their personal opinions as part of their public presence? The fear of expressing yourself never goes away. I’ve been pretty honest and open about who I am from the start, but it’s still scary. I get harsh criticism and threats on a routine basis. Expression is like a lighthouse, though—it leads the way for kindred spirits, like clients I actually want to work with or an audience of loyal “rat people” who consume my writing and books. It also leads the trolls straight to me. I realized early on that if I’m going to be in the spotlight, I’m going to get criticized regardless of what I do or how I act—so I’d rather get criticized for being who I really am, instead of someone I’m not. Expressing myself lets me find the best and most suitable clients, helps me be perceived as an expert because I have no problem giving my opinion and has lead to some of the greatest connections in my career.
Where do you see many web designers missing the mark when it comes to marketing themselves? It comes down to simple research. Many designers use their portfolio to list their technical skills and show screenshots of their work. But when I interview with companies, they care less about my technical skills and more about the problems I can solve with design. They want to hire a designer who understands their business, not one who speaks in tech acronyms.
Designers should learn how to write well, and this isn't optional—it's mandatory. I get a lot of flack for this position, but being able to communicate properly with the written word is what keeps me booked months in advance, ever since I started designing for clients more than sixteen years ago. If you aren’t able to communicate your expertise, value and solutions to clients clearly, they’re either not going to hire you or not listen to you.
How do your pet rats fuel your design work? My rats are definitely my muses. They are harsh critics of both visuals and writing, since they sleep on my lap while I work in my home office. They also teach me that fear and action can exist in parallel. They're both afraid of basically everything, but they don’t let it stop them from exploring. I’m the same—afraid of most things, but I don't let that stop me from trying or experimenting with new ideas. It’s lead me to write best-selling books when I knew nothing about publishing.
What excites you about design right now? I see design becoming a disruptive factor in business. As design starts to hold more weight with business decisions and more companies are built around design, such as Apple and Airbnb, designers are taking commanding roles in projects and having a larger say. Companies are realizing that good design isn’t just how something looks, it’s how something works. This is incredibly powerful for designers. Our expertise, opinions and knowledge are being taken with much greater weight, and we have the power to use our skills to disrupt entire industries.
Which designer or design firm, other than yours, do you most admire and why? James Victore because he doesn’t give a damn about things that aren’t important. Shauna Haider and her team consistently pump out killer client work. Sian Richardson is young, but has one of the keenest eyes for design I’ve seen in ages.
What’s next for your design and writing career? Honestly? I have no idea. I tend to work half the year on client work and half the year on my own projects like writing, courses and podcasts. I never pre-plan what I’m going to do when it’s time for my own projects. I’m sure I’ll write another book or two, even though I already wrote Everything I Know last year. (I really shot myself in the foot with that title.)
As a web designer and best-selling author, Paul Jarvis has worked with Silicon Valley startups, professional athletes and Fortune 500 companies. His clients include Yahoo, Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft, The Highline in New York City, Danielle LaPorte, Marie Forleo and Kris Carr. He also writes regularly for Inc., Fast Company, The Huffington Post, Forbes, Lifehacker and other publications. Jarvis lives in Victoria, British Columbia, with his wife Lisa and his pet rats, who are his “muses” and “harsh critics.”
