What I learned at Qniversity
by John Bidwell

My four-year tenure at Q LTD was my foray into the real world of professional communications. It was a jump I had to make, because of the birth of my first son. I couldn’t bear the thought of him asking me, years hence: “Daddy, what did YOU do with Q?” Imagine if I had to reply: “Nothing!”

I learned a lot at Q. For example,  Xacto blades can cut through up to three fingers with one stroke. Duotones don’t always look as good printed as they do on screen. Not every lap dancer is actually a woman, even when dressed like one. That kind of quality education lasts a lifetime. Good breeding, though, goes far beyond mock-ups and cross-dressers. It’s about themes, and here is a partial list of critical themes I absorbed while part of the Q crew.

Make a Social Stand
Oh sure, Q could have made SO much more money. It could have been the biggest firm in town. It could have ruled the world of design, but it didn’t. It didn’t because working for Dominos Pizza would have been selling out. How many businesses, especially in the communications field, take a moral stand on anything? Remember, if you are going to fail and go into lifelong debt, do so knowing that you are taking the moral high ground.

An Open Office Means No Doors
Think outside of your boxers, or however that goes. The point is, avoid the boxes (and boxers) altogether. An office only needs two enclosed spaces: a bathroom and a conference room. Anything else is just more walls, something good communicators have a sacred oath to poke, prod, and raze.

Have a Life Outside of Work
Dance. Run. Travel. Play the oboe. Eat paczkis. Marry a woman from Canada. Drive a dump truck to Nicaragua. Life is not all deadlines. It is really about riding around with the top down as much as possible, letting the wind whip through whatever hair you may have on your head.

Do Whatever it Takes
Sometimes the top has to be up, and when it is, make sure you are doing whatever is needed to keep the client happy. The business is not about us, but them. If we want our business to prosper, we must subjugate our inner prima donna.  Tie him to an inner chair and humiliate him, and don’t ever let his nefarious demeanor dominate a project.

Only Call in Your "Friends From Panamá as a Last Resort"

John, Q Senior Designer, 1994-1998, became an Eagle Scout in 1981, the birth year of Q. He now lives in Florence, Massachusetts with his wife Chris (a Girl Scout drop out) and two sons, and is Principal of Bidwell ID, a Q love child.