I was at a networking meeting a week or so ago with some fellow small-business owners, and the topic came up about advice our parents had given us about business. One of the attendees mentioned that his dad told him, “You need a banker, a lawyer, and an accountant.”

While most freelance creatives might need those professionals, I contend a healthy business in our field needs a network of Super Friends: i.e., complementary freelancers who have a different superpower from yours. If you’re a Wonder Woman freelance writer or editor, you need a Superman to handle the graphics side of things, and if you’re a Batman freelance graphic designer, photographer, or illustrator (etc.), you probably will be well served by Robin as your Boy Wonder handling the words. (I’m sure poor, neglected Aquaman fits in there somewhere—so check out the video at the end of the post.) For example, during the revamp/relaunch of this website back in August, I could not possibly have pulled it off without an outstanding creative team to support me. [Read more…]