A recent pleasant contact with Scott Yee brought to my attention (again) an embarassing personal situation. I was headed to a recording session at a conventional recording studio. Scott asked me what kind of software we were using and I didn't know, or care. This was a big job for a company that sells to Lowes, and billed out at in excess of $7,000 and was part of an over $250,000.00 product introduction (Home Depot, Minards, etc.).

This made me face the reality that, over the years, I have become technologically illiterate, and can't figure what to do about it.

My company, CCI, is a Communications organization, concentrating on communication research, high end print and packaging design, large format photography, copy and film production. Increasingly, our our clients include large organizations from overseas, including Toyota, Arke Industries (Italy), Sel and Mer (Israel), and American companies. like IBM, Square D and others.

A typical day for me starts at 6:00 AM at a large University, where I oversee the design of SAS and SPSS research projects (think Gallup and Roper). At 9:00 AM I leave for the office, where I concentrate on script writing, print photography and design, strategic planning for financial institutions, etc. I bill out approximately 60 hours per week @ $150.00 per hour. I usually have an early dining room job. I do studio work about 10 hours a week and generally teach one or two collge courses.

The dilemma is, with every upgrade in arrangers, Mac operating software, PC pograms, recording equipment, video editing equipment, printing image setters, digital cameras, video equipment, etc. I'm hopelessly behind and question if I could ever catch up.

We outsource the recording facility, the video editing facility and 1/2 of the graphics creation to a network of talented freelancers. My rationale for this is that $50.00 per hour people are far faster and better at specific tasks than I am, so I concentrate on the organization and creative processs and buy out the rest.

Three of us in the office produce about $12 million in business though our network of associates. The average printing product is around $100,000.00, with lots of reprints, which generate los of printing commissions (around 20%).

Now the problem: Several years ago, I knew enough to at least understand the technology. Now, I don't, and I don't know where I'd find the time to learn. With each improvement, I get farther behind. Luckily, my son, Logan, is the techie. He's not particularly creative, but is great with AS 400's, MCIF systems (bank hardware) Avid editing systems, etc., while I'm still creating rough layouts on an old Mac that uses G-2 software.

My question is, where is the balance? Efficiency and income generation dictates concentration on the creative process, but I fear I'll soon be the "blacksmith" of the industry. Right now, I don't have the time
to do any more, but I fear that this is a dangerous slope I'm on.


Business is GREAT! Some of our projects have a five year timeline. I just feel that in five years, I won't know enough about processes to be effective.


Sorry for the tirade, but this is a serious issue for me. Any help would be appreciated.


Russ