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The premise behind the 99% is simple. As creatives, we don’t need more ideas. What we need is better follow-through.Frustrated with the increasing raft of creativity conferences that focus purely on ideas and inspiration, Behance launched the annual 99% conference in April of 2009. Taking its moniker from the famous Thomas Edison quote “Genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration,” the conference endeavored to offer something more bracing: pragmatic insights for making ideas happen from admired creatives with a proven track record.
As one of our speakers, bestselling author and entrepreneur Seth Godin put it, the inaugural 99% event was a “shipping conference,” not a creativity conference. And, as Godin distilled down in his engaging talk, what really matters when it comes to creative projects isn’t what you start, it’s what you finish.
The 99% is for those who seek insight on how to become better finishers. In our articles and interviews, we’ll dig into the psyches and work ethics of creatives we admire across industries. To provide short, actionable intel, we’ll continue to publish tips and best practices from the Behance team – as we did previously over at the 99%’s predecessor, the Behance magazine. We’ll also be complementing these tips with a new offering: a monthly series of more intimate, one-off sessions at our New York office, where we’ll have the opportunity to present our research on a micro level.
Finally, we’ll be rolling out some fantastic videos of the talks given at the inaugural 99% conference over the coming months. Online now are an elucidating presentation on the branding and design of Obama’s presidential campaign from Design Director Scott Thomas, a breakdown of the components of “social entrepreneurial intelligence” (SEQ) from Echoing Green president Cheryl Dorsey, and a look at the primal urges that keep us from “shipping” courtesy of Seth Godin.
If making ideas happen is akin to running a marathon, think of us as the friendly folks holding out cups of water along the route.
My own journey to the 99% began as I came on board to assist Behance founder Scott Belsky with research for his forthcoming book, Making Ideas Happen, in the summer of 2008. Part of the appeal of immersing myself in interviewing particularly productive creatives was to leverage their experience and advice as a kick in the pants for my own creative endeavors. Although my career as an editor and content strategist was humming along, I had been unable to finish a personal writing project in a long time.
As Scott and I talked with luminaries such as Google’s Ji Lee, online storytelling pioneer Jonathan Harris, and polymath RISD president John Maeda, the anecdotes and advice that emerged were both eye-opening and incredibly motivational. By the time that Scott completed a draft of the manuscript, I had finished a draft of a new screenplay and found a filmmaking partner, with whom I’m now working to develop a feature film.
Whether you are struggling to complete a personal project as I was, working to advance your career within a given industry, or running your own business – staying focused, energized, and loyal to bringing your ideas to fruition is a constant challenge. Behance has always been dedicated to helping creatives make ideas happen, and the 99% is our endeavor to provide you with a steady stream of articles, tips, and best practices to help you work better, and keep pushing. If making ideas happen is akin to running a marathon, think of us as the friendly folks holding out cups of water along the route.
I’m proud to say that the launch of the new 99% website is a “finish” of sorts for us. Nevertheless, we’ll be working to constantly improve the site and our offerings. Do send us your feedback and suggestions.
Onwards,
Jocelyn K. Glei
Editor-in-Chief
the99percent.com
As one of our speakers, bestselling author and entrepreneur Seth Godin put it, the inaugural 99% event was a “shipping conference,” not a creativity conference. And, as Godin distilled down in his engaging talk, what really matters when it comes to creative projects isn’t what you start, it’s what you finish.
The 99% is for those who seek insight on how to become better finishers. In our articles and interviews, we’ll dig into the psyches and work ethics of creatives we admire across industries. To provide short, actionable intel, we’ll continue to publish tips and best practices from the Behance team – as we did previously over at the 99%’s predecessor, the Behance magazine. We’ll also be complementing these tips with a new offering: a monthly series of more intimate, one-off sessions at our New York office, where we’ll have the opportunity to present our research on a micro level.
Finally, we’ll be rolling out some fantastic videos of the talks given at the inaugural 99% conference over the coming months. Online now are an elucidating presentation on the branding and design of Obama’s presidential campaign from Design Director Scott Thomas, a breakdown of the components of “social entrepreneurial intelligence” (SEQ) from Echoing Green president Cheryl Dorsey, and a look at the primal urges that keep us from “shipping” courtesy of Seth Godin.
If making ideas happen is akin to running a marathon, think of us as the friendly folks holding out cups of water along the route.
My own journey to the 99% began as I came on board to assist Behance founder Scott Belsky with research for his forthcoming book, Making Ideas Happen, in the summer of 2008. Part of the appeal of immersing myself in interviewing particularly productive creatives was to leverage their experience and advice as a kick in the pants for my own creative endeavors. Although my career as an editor and content strategist was humming along, I had been unable to finish a personal writing project in a long time.
As Scott and I talked with luminaries such as Google’s Ji Lee, online storytelling pioneer Jonathan Harris, and polymath RISD president John Maeda, the anecdotes and advice that emerged were both eye-opening and incredibly motivational. By the time that Scott completed a draft of the manuscript, I had finished a draft of a new screenplay and found a filmmaking partner, with whom I’m now working to develop a feature film.
Whether you are struggling to complete a personal project as I was, working to advance your career within a given industry, or running your own business – staying focused, energized, and loyal to bringing your ideas to fruition is a constant challenge. Behance has always been dedicated to helping creatives make ideas happen, and the 99% is our endeavor to provide you with a steady stream of articles, tips, and best practices to help you work better, and keep pushing. If making ideas happen is akin to running a marathon, think of us as the friendly folks holding out cups of water along the route.
I’m proud to say that the launch of the new 99% website is a “finish” of sorts for us. Nevertheless, we’ll be working to constantly improve the site and our offerings. Do send us your feedback and suggestions.
Onwards,
Jocelyn K. Glei
Editor-in-Chief
the99percent.com
