Now that it is about to one year since Mr. Bhowmick (@ankanbhowmick) and I started Studio Nautilus, I have many experiences to share of managing a design studio.
When we were working as designers, we had to design and manage clients sometimes. But as business owners we do everything! We are the office boys, receptionists, cleaning staff, designers, client servicing, copywriters, studio people etc. There have been days when other activities have taken all our day and we can’t help but start designing at 9pm and order the most unhealthy food to keep us up. Post 9pm, no clients call us and no admin work bothers us. The nights are calm and cold and we get great work done. We have tried to pull many all-nighters but at 1am we lose some passion and decide to call it an early night.
Over these months, we have also collected many assets. Each time we earn that money to buy what we need it fills us with the same joy that a rich kid has when they receive a ferrari for their 18th birthday. Actually, maybe more. We are now proud owners of 2 macbook pros, 2 printers, 2 screens, 1 centre table, 1 tea kettle, our own high speed internet connection and an office landline! There are many more tinier things but all very important. It seems like you’re the coolest person alive. The joy of working hard to make these little things possible is amazing.
And then of course there is the design. The authority to fire an annoying or unethical client is amazing. We are no longer stuck in a work place wherein we have all the responsibility and no authority. We can also choose what to charge for a project, whether or not we want to do it. Call us arrogant, but if we had to be slaves to clients we would have continue working for others. In one year, my design skills have matured and focused as this has a direct implication to what projects I will find in future.
We have explored our hobbies in our own style. Our own little venture- Chomp Chomp has been easy, fun and kept us busy when we didn’t have much work. Combination of my hunt for food and Mr. Bhowmick’s depiction of it in photography, we have successfully written 18 articles in 1 year. I know it’s not enough but who’s judging.
I wish this zeal and excitement lasts even when we have enough money and work. For now I can for the first ever time say, “Call me. 
011-41008783.”
011-41008783.”
