Matt Keefe (@MKeefe) is a multitalented designer & developer, and the co-founder of PixelBit, a design and development agency. PixelBit has no particular home base, with staff spread out all over the world. Managing this requires systems and good communication, which Matt discusses in this conversation.
We also cover tools and methodologies that change over time, sometimes very quickly, balancing client needs with constraints of deadlines and technology, and leaving life as a freelancer for one of a business owner.
 
Show Notes & Links

Matt and Prescott met via the Photoshop Cafe forum c.2001
Prescott bemoans the end of forums in general
Colin Smith, founder of Photoshop Cafe
Facebook groups are nearly impossible to search
Matt helps “clients create products and expand on their brands”
PixelBit was founded in 2011 by Matt Keefe and Philip Neal as a mobile and app development team
Matt was a freelancer for ten years
PixelBit will partner with larger agencies when they’re at capacity


“We’re like an outside force inside their business” —Matt KeefeClick to Tweet


Apple Watch, less of a consumer product and more of a new brand platform
Those guys who grow enormous pumpkins, and how they prune
Blackberry and Flash, once prominent now all-but-abandoned
Developing for Android is often overlooked, but it can be a powerful boost to your brand
The balance between intuitive apps that look like the OS, and user discovery from innovative new UI


“Being a freelancer is like being Batman; one day you’re called on to save the world, but the next you’re an orphan.” —Prescott Perez-FoxClick to Tweet


“Freelancing is all about the journey because there is no ‘freelance destination’ ” —Prescott Perez-FoxClick to Tweet


“As a small business owner, you have to wear 57 different hats.” —Matt KeefeClick to Tweet


Matt is [still] a programmer, but has moved away from design


“You don’t have the money not to market your company.” —Matt KeefeClick to Tweet


PixelBit didn’t find success with Twitter or Facebook ads; it’s hard to sell services in 140 characters
Von Glitschka, Illustrative designer on Dribbble
Vijay Mathews, past guest on The Busy Creator Podcast


“There’s never too much communication … unless it’s by email” —Matt KeefeClick to Tweet


Henry David Thoreau, and his rural Massachusetts lifestyle
Autocross
 Matt Keefe on Twitter
 Matt Keefe on Facebook
 Matt Keefe on Instagram
 PixelBit on Twitter
 PixelBit on Facebook

Tools

Slack
Flash
iOS, Android, Windows Phone OS – mobile operation systems
WordPress
Sortfolio (formerly Haystack), a directory for agencies
Dribbble or Behance, portfolio sites
Dropbox
InVision to screenshare with clients
Trello
Jira for bug-tracking
Basecamp
Harvest
Agile workflows
Quickbooks Online
Xero
Ikea desks

Techniques

Use Slack to maintain a group community (instead of Facebook)
Reconnect with previous clients to introduce your new capabilities or team
Acknowledge where your skills are best utilized — design vs. development
Post work and engage on Facebook, but don’t expect an ROI and real project works
Create a Trello board for design and development ideas
Implement a “ground game” at local Chambers of Commerce and other groups
Include the client on ideation
Never be in a position where the client asks “what’s the status?”
Write-off the square footage of your home office, but only if there’s a door!

Habits

Always have a staging server so the client can see the project status
Use milestones and formal meetings, because some clients prefer it
Wake up at 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning, especially to chat with team members in different timezones
Keep a structured eating schedule, especially when you’re deep in a project
Maintain hobbies that are entirely separate from computers and technology 

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