Business

How To Get Employees To Tell You Their Best Ideas

Published

6 years ago

January 15, 2020

Your company has many employees which mean you have access to an unlimited number of the best ideas. But do you ever wonder why they don’t approach you? Despite their numbers, are most of them uninspired? Or is everything just about the status quo and only a few ideas are acknowledged? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it means that your company is just like any other company out there. Luckily, you can change this so that your employees contribute ideas regularly. An atmosphere where ideas can flourish and expressed can help give our company a competitive edge. Here are some tips to follow to get employees to tell their ideas.

Change “Yes but” to “Yes and”

Responding “yes but” to ideas give off a negative vibe. According to Ed Harrington, CEO of Ideas to Go; the “but” kills the best ideas and is akin to closing the door on their face. However, switching to a “yes and” invites further participation. You are essentially telling them to go on and to explore their ideas. It invites more discussion which can help broaden the idea and maybe give it enough lift to let it fly.

Make A List of Good Ideas And How To Make It Better

Encourage employees to make a list and then invite other people to help make it better. Sometimes, employees feel intimidated when talking to their supervisor. Making a list and then inviting other co-workers to help make the idea better is a good way not only to involve the whole team but it can help refine the idea and help it reach the next level. Don’t worry about possible problems that might crop up. Remember that it’s not a list of potential drawbacks or obstacles.

For example, you have an idea on how to lower cost and you post it in a bulletin board. Your coworkers can come up with solutions on how to make this come true. With participation from the whole team, possible drawbacks can be identified and solutions optimized.

Don’t Make Idea Killing Pronouncements

Making pronouncements is not only counterproductive, it is also very arrogant. Leaders and top management who want to take advantage of the creative juice should refrain from making idea killing pronouncement. Instead of making these types of statements, encourage employees to think critically, give them room to explore their ideas, let them think outside the box and always encourage discussions that lead to advancement of ideas. In other words, don’t tell them right away that the idea won’t work. Give ideas proper consideration and room to play out.

Trust Them

One of the reasons why employees don’t have interesting ideas is because they know you don’t trust them enough. This does not only cover creativity but authority too. Managers that trust their employees create an environment where employees know that they are valued. This makes them feel inspired which can lead to creativity and result in the best ideas.

Provide Constructive Feedback

Not all ideas pan out but not acknowledging them can have devastating effects on employees. Employees need encouragement and feedback especially constructive ones. As leaders, you have the responsibility of nurturing employees and not giving them useful feedback can hinder their growth as working individuals. Constructive feedback gives employees new insight, perspective, promotes trust and prevents hurt feelings.

Share Vision

Share your visions and ideas with your employees on a regular basis. This works just like letting employees make a list and inviting people to improve it. When you share your best ideas and visions to your team they get a picture of the direction you want the company to go. Your employees can have ideas that can make your idea better. They can help improve upon your original idea to make it better. When employees have no idea where the ship is going, their thought are unfocused because they are navigating blindly. Sharing your ideas on the other hand could lead to a win-win situation.

Every employee could have something up their sleeve to help make your product or service better. Leadership is not only about steering your ship in the right direction. It is also about acknowledging that they have ideas that you can use to beat the competition.

Business

What’s the Best No Limit Creatives Alternatives?

Published

5 days ago

October 31, 2025

Scarlett Holiday

Graphic design subscription services like No Limit Creatives are popular among small businesses to get quick and quality designs. However, just like any other platform, it has its downsides. So, if you’re looking for No Limit Creatives alternatives, here is a list we made to help make the job easier for you.

Penji — Best Overall Alternative

If you’re looking for a reliable graphic service from start to finish, Penji is a great alternative. Penji significantly improves upon the things that No Limit Creatives lacks in comparison — turnaround time, user dashboard experience, and offers a consistent designer who helps your brand over time.

Why it Stands Out:
The biggest issues with No Limit Creatives are slow turnaround times and designs that lack brand cohesion. With Penji, you get consistent communication, consistent pricing, and over 120 design types without all the hassle.

Pros:

Quick turnaround time (24-48 hours)
A designer learns your style
Easy user dashboard
Consistent monthly pricing with no hidden fees
120+ types of designs (ads, branding, web, social, and more)

Cons:

No communication through chatting with the designers
No video/animation capability

GraphicsZoo — Best for Revision and Version Tracking

GraphicsZoo is a good alternative if you want more say in your revisions and need brand consistency across the board. GraphicsZoo can help with easy version tracking, making team collaboration simple.

Why it Stands Out:
If you’re struggling to get changes made or keep things on brand, GraphicsZoo gives you the tools necessary to do so.

Pros:

Tracks versions and revisions in detail
Team collaboration made easy
Dedicated Design Team

Cons:

Turnaround may vary depending on order
The interface could be more modern

Content Beta — Best for SaaS and Tech Brands

If you’re a software or tech company that needs more modern design visual offerings like product explainer videos, UI design mockups, and onboarding videos, then Content Beta works best for you. Unlike No Limit Creatives, which primarily focuses on graphics, Content Beta specializes in design and video.

Why it Stands Out:
If you’re working on product videos, app UI, or anything tech-related, this is the choice for specialized help.

Pros:

UI/UX combined services
Great for explainer videos of products
Video/design in one package

Cons:

Non-ideal for basic branding or print materials
Could be costly for smaller teams

SmartSites — Best for Marketing + Design Services

SmartSites is a marketing agency first and foremost. They provide SEO/PPC/web services along with graphic design so if you’re looking for heavy assistance in creative strategies as well as marketing brands and messaging, SmartSites is a suitable match.

Why it Stands Out:
If you want design solutions with tangible marketing results, then SmartSites provides you the growth potential to back it up.

Pros:

Agency full-service: design/se0/PPC/web solutions
Good for branding long haul
A lot of strategic thinking help

Cons:

Not unlimited graphic designs subscription program
Should avoid if you only need design work

Business

What’s the Best Graphic Design Service for Startups

Published

6 days ago

October 30, 2025

Flore

Top-Reasons-to-Choose-Penji-for-Your-Social-Media-Graphic-Design

TLDR: Penji is the best graphic design service for startups because you get unlimited designs, 24-48 hour turnarounds, and flexible pricing that won’t drain your budget. Unlike premium agencies or inconsistent freelancers, Penji scales with your startup.

The best graphic design service for startups is Penji. For $499/month, get unlimited design requests delivered in 24-48 hours with a dedicated team that understands startup urgency. No contracts, no per-project fees, just reliable design support.

Startups burn through design work fast. One week, you need social posts. Next week, you’re updating your pitch deck. Then suddenly, you need a one-pager for investors. Freelancers cost too much per project, and full-time designers? Not in the budget yet. Here’s the graphic design service for startups that comes in, giving you unlimited work for predictable monthly costs.

Top Design Services Startups Actually Use

1. Penji

When you’re hunting for the best graphic design service for startups, you need speed, variety, and affordability all at once. Penji nails all three. Their design as a service platform gives you unlimited designs for $499/month with 24-48 hour turnarounds.

Why Penji works so well for startups:

They handle everything. Logos, pitch decks, social campaigns, you name it. No per-project charges. Your monthly rate stays flat whether you submit two requests or twenty.

Your dedicated team at Penji learns your brand fast. They remember your preferences for future projects instead of treating every request like the first time.

The creative support scales from simple graphics to complete brand guides. You don’t get forced into higher pricing tiers when your needs grow.

No contracts. You can pause when cash is tight and restart when you’re ready. Perfect for unpredictable startup budgets.

Startups choose Penji when they need graphic design services that match their pace without the agency price tag.

2. Superside

Superside brings agency-quality work through a subscription model. They’re great if you’ve raised significant funding and need premium creative for major campaigns. But plans start around $3,000-$5,000 monthly. Too steep for most early-stage startups.

3. Kimp

Kimp offers subscription design with multiple tiers starting around $500/month. They’re decent for basic needs. The catch? Turnaround times can stretch to 48-72 hours, and their design variety feels more limited than what Penji offers.

Conclusion

The best graphic design service for startups matches your speed and budget without compromise. Penji’s graphic design services handle everything from quick social posts to complex branding work. All for one flat monthly rate that makes financial planning actually possible.

Get Design Support That Moves at Startup Speed

Try Penji today and see why thousands of startups trust them for unlimited design work. Get your first project delivered in 48 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Penji better than hiring a freelancer?

Freelancers charge per project and often have slow turnarounds. Penji gives you unlimited designs for one flat monthly rate with 24-48 hour delivery. No chasing invoices or waiting for availability.

How much does Penji cost compared to other services?

Penji starts at $499/month for unlimited designs. Superside costs $3,000-$5,000 monthly. Quality freelancers charge $100-$200 per project, which adds up fast when you’re launching.

Can I get revisions with Penji?

Yes. Unlimited revisions are included in your monthly subscription. Keep requesting changes until the design is exactly what you need.

Business

What’s the Best Graphic Design Service for Ecommerce Businesses?

Published

6 days ago

October 29, 2025

Margaret Zander

Graphic Design Service for Ecommerce Businesses

Photo credit: Karola G on Pexels

Graphic design is a huge part of managing an ecommerce business. It attracts prospects and website visitors, builds a strong brand identity, and establishes authority and credibility. If you want your brand to possess all these, you need to explore these five best graphic design services for e-commerce businesses:

Penji

A leading name in the graphic design subscription landscape, Penji offers unlimited graphic design and revisions for a flat monthly rate. This allows ecommerce businesses to get all the landing pages, ad creatives, product packaging, and other visuals they need without breaking the bank. Penji also offers a quick turnaround time of 24 to 48 hours, making it ideal for multiple product launches or regular email campaigns.

Flocksy

Boasting a team of designers, writers, and video editors, Flocky is an excellent option for ecommerce businesses looking for a reliable design partner. Like Penji, it delivers within 24 to 48 hours with fixed-rate pricing plans. Also included in the plans are unlimited revisions, so you can get the exact designs you need.

ManyPixels

Another graphic design subscription platform that’s built for ecommerce businesses, ManyPixels lets you send as many design requests as you can in a month. Its higher-tier plans match you with a dedicated designer to provide consistent visual assets for your online store.

Duck.Design

Whether your business is on Amazon, Shopify, or DTC (direct-to-consumer), Duck.Design is an excellent graphic design service for ecommerce businesses. It also offers unlimited graphic design services for flat monthly rates. Like ManyPixels and Penji, it delivers in 1 to 2 business days.

DotYeti

A rising start in the unlimited graphic design landscape, DotYeti is well-suited for ecommerce businesses looking for quality, fast, and affordable designs. You can send requests for infographics, packaging design, landing page designs, ad creatives, and many more.