It is scheduled to go up tomorrow! 4-1-10.

If so, where does it reside within the Academy?

First thing to know about me, is I’m a free market capitalist. I very much believe in the free market and 99designs is part of that.

Funny you mention the copywriting thing, cause our copywriter said he was going to do 99copywriters a few years ago. I like the idea a lot for beginners! With copywriting, I want the best, which is why we hire the guy we hire. I would still pay him the crazy money we pay him EVEN if there was a 99copywriters.

Anyways, as for the freemarket… The designers do not HAVE to make designs for that site. I know several designers that still charge full rates even though that site exists. Designers that post on 99designs are not being forced to do so, it is voluntary. That is one of the main points of the free market for me, it’s VOLUNTARY. …as well as free choice, both of which I advocate.

I was told I was a bad person for suggestion we hire our VA’s out of the US and I don’t agree with that either. Products and services are worth what people are willing to pay for them. If I’m willing to pay $350 bucks for a logo and 13 people are willing to design the logo up front in order to gain the value of my $350, then that is what the market will bear. I wasn’t forced to pay more money then I was able to pay and the designers are not forced to design for the possibility of me picking their design. If a designer doesn’t like the system, they don’t have to take part. Easy as that. I know many that don’t.

What you talking about, Willis?

It has yet to appear under ‘What’s New’ or ‘Grill the Guru’

Where is it hiding within IBMA?

It’s already in there!

I’m surprised you would put such an evil website model on your podcast.

If you were a copywriter for example, would you write an article for a company knowing that they are accepting other articles from as many as 98 other competing copywriters? On top of that, there would only be one winner of an unsuitable sum of money. The rest get nothing and would have wasted their time and effort. Not to mention they could have taken the job away from a more competent copywriter who would have benefited the company a great deal more.

There are some website/business models out there that are lucrative but at the expense of whole industries. It’s kind of disappointing that you acknowledged this yet still showcased it on your podcast.

Here’s just one of the MANY discussions condemning the site…
http://graphicpush.com/99designs-bullshit-20

Hope your move is going well, Sterling!