Seems as if anyone can tack the word Consultant on their business card now ... but what extensive knowledge or experience is it based on?

How about over 35 years of photographic, graphic arts, advertising and marketing experience.

• Publishing  Way back in 1990, I introduced digital publishing to the advertising department of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. With a $250K budget, I architected their digital production system, installed it, trained the staff and stayed on to provide ongoing support, management and training. About 18 months later, Rich's Department Stores (a division of Federated Department Stores), asked The AJC if they could "borrow" me to help them set up their own digital production system.
  
  Since Rich's was their biggest advertiser (i.e., largest single source of income), my bosses told them that they could call me any time. And they did — not just any time, but all the time. After a couple meetings to detail their needs and expectations, they told me I had a $1M budget to work with. I architected their system from scratch, including the required workstations, the network for their new building, multiple servers, proofers, high-res output, back-up systems, and other things most people never thought of. Once my plans were complete and accepted, the expected occured in an unexpected way — without even seeing my résumé, they offered me a management position. I declined their first offer, but accepted the second.
  
  During my first day meeting with my boss, the vice president of marketing, I was informed of my timetable: I had exactly 12 weeks to convert all ROP ad production from the drawing board to digital output — over 200 full tabloid page ads per month. That meant receiving, unpacking, loading software and hardware, and testing about 50 workstations, setting up the network, two file servers, one print server, two scanning workstations, two color tabload proofers, four laser tabloid printers and the two high-res printers. It also included training the 50 or so designers, art directors, writers, and production staff — none of whom had any computer experience.
  
  "Ok." I said, "When is the equipment expected to begin arriving?"
  
  "Well," I was told, "it hasn't been ordered yet. We're still waiting for final executive approval."
  
  "Oh. Any idea when that might be?" I asked calmly.
  
  "No."
  
  "So, would it be fair to assume my 12 week timetable begins when all the equipment is here?"
  
  "No. That clock still begins today."
  
  So, my first hour on the job was somewhat amusing. Even though I had no specific experience to judge the workload against the timetable, I recall that wasn't what worried me. What concerned me was my fate if the expendature was not approved. By the end of that first week, though, the entire plan received the executive-class royal blessings. Since I had already taken care of the bid process, the orders went out soon after. Equipment began arriving week three. I never concerned myself with the timetable since I couldn't work any faster without risking errors, but long days are typical for me.
  
  One day, as I was meeting with the production manager, we both stopped as if it hit us at the exact same time — that day was the first day all ROP ads went out digitally. Only six weeks had passed since my first day on the job — I completed the assignment in half the alloted time. As word got out, everyone above me was amazed. But it was the staff of creatives that had me walking on air, because when I arrived six weeks earlier, many told me that they doubted their own ability to grasp what they needed to learn.
  
  After about 5-6 months of successful, problem-free production, the CEO and CFO of Federated Department Stores paid a visit to Rich's, specifically to meet with me and get a tour of the production system. The system I designed for Rich's became the master template for all Federated's Divisions.
  
  The advertising department at Macy's was still using drawing boards, and would be for almost two more years until I laid out a plan for them.


• Commercial Photography  From an interest I developed at the age of 12, photography has been a life-long passion. I was hired  more ...


• National Advertising & Marketing Management  Honda is one of the most visible and recognizable brand names on the planet  more ...

My experience spans what some only dream of. I call it luck ... being in the right place at the right time. But it was my passion that put me in that place to begin with.

More coming soon ... write if you can't wait.