In No Particular Order
A Good Eye for Design, Layout, and Detail
Art is subjective; however, knowing how to grab attention and make something clean, coherent, and relatively likable to the general public (or even a niche one) is hard to do.
I always have liked art but never considered myself an “artist.” Once I worked three years as the editor-in-chief of The Tartan, Radford University’s student-run newspaper, I got to see the bigger picture of design and design elements through print design (Canva, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop), web design (WordPress.com/.org, GoDaddy, Bluehost, HTML), and photography (Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Bridge, Canon, Nikon).
Knowing these skills allowed me to expand my freelancing work through LeporeMedia and gain attention and support from many potential clients and employers.
Branding
In today’s all-seeing eye of the internet, what you show of yourself and how you show it is more important than ever if you want to get those gigs or that job in the future. This controlled presentation could be for self-branding or branding a company (person, place, or thing).
I have worked with several organizations and companies helping them figure out their brands, such as LeporeMedia, The Tartan, Highlander Student Media, SecuriGence, The Part-Time Gamer, National Society of Collegiate Scholars at Radford, and more.Â
Through every work I create, I learn something new about design, branding, trends people are into, or even who I am and what I like; this makes Branding the perfect coupled skill to go with “A Good Eye for Design, Layout, and Detail.”
Communication
In a field so much about writing, learning, media, and connecting with people, communication is a given.
I had to learn for myself; if I wanted to get anywhere, I knew I had to speak up and not allow people to move me along the assembly line. You have to create your path, and you can’t get there alone.
Curiosity, Imagination, and Creativity
I remember back in K-8 grade when teachers and administrators told us to “dream big,” and then when high school, college, and growing up came around, that notion of dreaming big faded away. Wishful thinking, I guess.
But screw that!
I wasn’t going to take their advice like some fortune cookie message I throw away. So, I started learning new skills, watching videos, listing to thought leaders, entrepreneurs, video games podcasts, and reading books (on money, writing, journalism, video games, entrepreneurship, photography, the stock market, time management, and more).
It’s the idea never to give up that curiosity, imagination, and creativeness I had as a child because if you lose that, the box of what’s possible shrinks, and you limit yourself.
Never stop asking questions, especially how and why.
Efficiency and Time management
If you’re early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re late, as written in a 2012 Forbes article by Andy Ellwood.
Value your time and others, because if you don’t know one will. Life is a two-way street.
Finance and Analytical Skills
Capitalism is king, and money makes the world go around.
Money isn’t hard to get. Money isn’t everything. No matter what, you need money. Money is a tool and only a tool. Money by itself is worthless. Spend your money on the things you want and not on the things you don’t want. Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy food, clothes, and shelter. Money not organized creates a messy life. Don’t just follow other people’s money; follow your own. Give or spend money to make money—invest in something. Money isn’t evil or bad; people are.
Networking
Repeat this as much as you need to: “It’s not about what you know; it’s about who you know – It’s not about who you know; it’s about who knows you.”
Now go back to the Communication skills for further clarification.
Dylan Lepore 