How do manufacturers decide who to invite to join their design teams? Of all of the selection criteria, which factors are most important to them? What can I do to make my application really stand out?
Welcome to the first installment of our Behind the Scenes series. We’ll be asking manufacturers, retailers, and kit clubs everywhere how they ultimately select their design teams. We’ll be asking magazines, books and online publications how they choose who gets published, and who doesn’t. We want to know what the selection process really looks like, Behind the Scenes.
Our first Behind the Scenes interview is with Bella Blvd. Stephanie Hunt (Founder & Owner) took some time from her super busy schedule to give us some insights into their first ever Bella Artista call, which wrapped up just last month. Enjoy!
Stephanie Hunt of Bella Blvd
Q: I understand that Bella Blvd was founded in 2008, just over 3 years ago. But you only just held your first ever Design Team Call last month. How did Bella Blvd meet its design & project creations before now?
A: {Bella Blvd} Until now, Bella Blvd has requested submissions from fans and scrapbookers alike every six months to be part of a revolving Bella Artista Team. Two designers were selected for each of the following six months (12 total designers) to be featured during their “assigned month.” To date we have a family of over 50 Artistas, both Domestic and International. So you see, this was our first official call for Bella Artistas, though we had been drawing upon our talented fans, friends and other team members in various ways prior to this call.
Q: How did you decide upon how many designers to add to the team? How did you establish the mix of altered artists to cardmakers to scrapbookers?
A: {Bella Blvd} It was pretty easy actually. It wasn’t a matter of what Bella wanted, but rather what Bella needed. We know it’s important to show a wide variety of projects. Rather than asking all our designers to create layouts, cards, and altered items, we felt it was better for us to find designers that excel in each of those areas. We wanted our designers to be able to focus on creating the types of projects that they love doing and are great at.
Of course, layouts are a must-have and dominate the scrapbooking industry. Therefore, Bella definitely needed more layout designers than card and altered project creators.
Q: Did you end up bringing on the number of designers that you thought you would? How many of each did you end up with?
A: {Bella Blvd} While the selection process is inspiring, it is also long and hard. We did select more than originally planned for, and we also made a small selection of “Guest Designers” that were picked up for a 3-4 month commitment instead of 12-month term. We took on 13 layout designers, 4 card designers, and 4 altered project designers.
Q: What members of the Bella team were involved in the selection process?
A: {Bella Blvd} Laura Vegas and I worked on it together. Laura Vegas is Bella’s Design Team and Special Projects Coordinator. Together with myself (Stephanie), Creative Director, Designer and owner, we selected a fantastic Design Team for 2011-2012!
Q: How many applications, overall, would you say that you received for this call.
A: {Bella Blvd} Applicants poured in during the call. We had an amazing turnout. I did notice that most of the submissions appeared in the “inbox” within the last 72 hours of the call. Us creative people work well under pressure 
Q: Wow, how in the world do you even sort through that many applications! What was the original screening process like?
A: {Bella Blvd} We really started out by looking at each applicant’s projects, checking out their blogs, and browsing through their online galleries. We initially looked for designers that worked well with the Bella Blvd products.
Then, we also considered wants vs. needs: Bella Blvd has a small local design team will stay intact. Knowing what that team is capable of also contributed to our decision to create diversity amongst designers’ styles. It was also important that we have a diverse mix of talent from not only the US, but also Worldwide. It’s important that Bella is represented well throughout the globe.
Q: Tell us some of the “mistakes” or “missteps” that you saw during that initial screening process that might have caused a good designer to not make it past the first round.
A: {Bella Blvd} Following directions is key. Be sure to follow the submission calls. Hours of time is spent in preparing requirements; It’s easiest & more efficient for everyone if submissions follow suit.
Only send the number of projects that are asked for, and don’t send extra detail shots (unless asked for). Resize your images as requested so our inboxes are a little lighter and your submission will load quicker. We want to see all the requested information in your submission, but keep it clean and organized so we don’t have to dig to find the most important stuff. Be sure to take great photos of your projects. A bad photo of a great project will not make it stand out.
Q: After weeding through the bulk of the applications, what factors were considered in creating your final “short list” of designers to ultimately select from?
A: {Bella Blvd} Diversity of styles. Boyish styles vs. Girlish styles. Trends vs. simplicity. Photography and journaling. Blogging consistency and
online presence.
Q: What might our designers be most surprised to learn about your side of the selection process?
A: {Bella Blvd} E.V.E.R.Y.O.N.E. has a chance. Never count yourself out. Companies are always looking for the “new it designer”. We want to be
the ones to discover new talent! You might just be next! Never give up.
Q: What advice would you have for “great” designers to help them best showcase their work and themselves?
A: {Bella Blvd} Create a blog and stay consistent with visual, creative content. Be sure to provide links and key words that are easily tracked by Google. Take great photos of your projects, so that they really stand out. Stay active in online communities, by posting your work to high trafficked galleries. More people can find you and your work this way!
Q: What advice do you have for “good” designers who are willing to work hard and go the extra mile to become a member of a design team?
A: {Bella Blvd} Keep designing and creating. Find your personal style that comes naturally to you, and then try and step it up a notch from time to time. When you create projects for manufacturers that you love, share those projects on their Facebook pages, in your galleries, and on your blog. Develope an online presence, that will get your work seen by more and more people.
Q: Design Team Compensation has been a hot topic on messageboards and blogs lately. Can you tell us what sort of “perks” and compensation the Bella Blvd design team earns?
A: {Bella Blvd} Tons and tons of product. At Bella, we believe that members of our DT should never have to walk in a store and buy Bella products. Of course we want them to have a stash on hand to show and tell their friends, their LSS and more. We are also working on putting a message board in place where our team can communicate and become online buddies. Compensation for special projects is proposed when
needed, and fun things like product development, ideas and feedback are all things that DT members are included on.
Q: Thank you so much for sharing with us some “behind the scenes” info on the very first Bella Blvd “Bella Artista” Design Team selection
A: {Bella Blvd} This was fun! And we are happy to have a chance to encourage designers and to make the overall process more transparent for all.
Thank you, Bella Blvd!! We look forward to seeing more of the new Bella Artist team over the coming months. We enjoyed checking our your recent mid-season releases (here & here), and of course, we can’t wait to see what Bella Blvd has in store for us come CHA Winter 2012. It’s not that far away!
Find Bella Blvd at your local scrapbook store or online! Bella Blvd at TwoPeas ~ Bella Blvd at Scrapbook.com ~ Bella Blvd at Amazon.com
Wonderful interview and full of great tips! “Behind the Scenes” is a GREAT idea and I can’t wait to read the next one!!
AMAZING interview and excellent content!! Another reason why DTCalls is an AWESOME place to visit! Keep up the GREAT work!
Fantastic Interview. Design Team Calls is becoming one of my favorite blogs to visit. Thank you for sharing, inspiring and answering the questions we all want to know about
Toodles
Erika Taylor
Great interview! Thanks for sharing the information.
Thanks for this! It was really helpful! I can’t wait to see more.
Awesome! This was so infomative
Love this series, can’t wait for more.
cool insight into the process! thanks!
Great interview! Love the inside peek of selecting a design team. And thanks for the bits of designer advice!
Great read!!!
I’m so thrilled & lucky to be on the team with such fab talent!!
Great insight! Thank you, Stephanie!