E115: Maximize your success as a creative freelancer with Justin Gignac

We’re excited to announce that SEO Brothers and Opteo have partnered with UGURUS as sponsors of our show.

Justin Gignac is the co-founder of Working Not Working, a curated, global platform connecting the world’s best creative talent with the most innovative companies. Apple, Google, Droga5, Wieden+Kennedy, Airbnb, and thousands of other companies are using Working Not Working to staff their creative teams with freelance and full-time talent.

Prior to Working Not Working, Justin was an award-winning Art Director and Creative Director at ad agencies around the US. Perhaps best known for helping create the original ElfYourself.com and unexpectedly unleashing the world’s elf fetish, with over 1.5 billion elves created since its inception. He’s also gained notoriety for his various art projects, including selling NYC Garbage.

Episode highlights:

• Learn what happened to Justin after he grew up loving commercials.
• Find out what gives an agency a creative edge in a time when so many larger companies are building in-house teams.
• Got a fun idea that’s too out-there for your clients? Learn Justin’s parameters for trying it out.
• Learn how a smart-ass, half-joking neon sign lead to the concept for a real company.
• Learn how to maximize your success as a creative freelancer.
• Get some tips on how to avoid the bad jobs.
• Run time:  37:27 
• Best advice ever received: Help enough people get what they want and you’ll always get what you want. (Zig Ziglar)
• Habit that contributes to success: Procrastination and the pressure it creates, as well as not caring what other people think

• Recommended book: Scott Belsky’s The Messy Middle
• Recommended tools: Headspace app

Links:

• ShouldIworkforfree.com
• Scott Belsky’s The Messy Middle
• Headspace app
• Justin’s podcast Overshare
• Justin on FB
• Justin on Insta
• Justin on Twitter
• Talking Not Talking support group in NY, LA, and San Francisco
• Working Not Working

Quotes:

• “73% of (big) brands are building in-house creative.”
• “You have to work hard to stand apart.”
• “You’ve gotta make things.”
• “You just put parameters on it.”
• “Create the stuff you wanna see in the world.”
• “At one point, there were eight elves being created every second.”
• “It excited them, too.”
• “When you’re behind and you have to move the needle, you have to take some risks.”
• “My opportunities were only as big as my Rolodex.”

Takeaways:

• When looking for freelance work, build a community around yourself where you all refer and support one another.
• When starting out, say yes to a lot of projects and get yourself out there. And be an enjoyable person to work with!