But who is wurs shod, than the shoemakers wyfe, With shops full of newe shapen shoes all hir lyfe? — J. Heywood, Dialogue of Proverbs, 1546
I've long heard the proverb about the Shoemaker's Children — it's a syndrome that has affected my own work. In modern English, "Who is worse shod than shoemaker’s wife?" (or the shoemaker's children) refers to the concept that the shoemaker puts the needs of his customers above those of his own family. In my case, it's been more that I've put the marketing needs of my clients above my own business's needs.
When you're a free-lancer, you've got to make hay while the sun shines (sorry to be mixing proverbs here). When I've got lots to do for my clients, the last thing I want to do is take time to work on marketing my business. But I would advise any client, whether a non-profit, an artist, a musician, an educational institution or a business, that it's vital to continuously market your services.
That's why I'm so pleased to have at last launched a re-vamped version of dakotastreetdesign.com. It's build on a sleek platform with all the latest bells & whistles, including responsive design. The template is intrinsically beautiful with very little modification on my part, allowing me to spend more time developing content (always the most challenging part of any project).
Now I'm happy to say my own site is up-to-date and I'm taking my own advice.