Today’s prompt:
“A freelancer is someone who gets paid for working…An entrepreneur gets paid while they sleep.”
We can’t host a blogging challenge without bringing in the voice of one of our favorite authorities on creative entrepreneurship (and prolific blogger himself): Seth Godin. Watch the following short clip:
Seth Godin on Taking Risks and Entrepreneurship
|
What are some appropriate risks for you? Today, think about what are creative risks you might take in your creative practice. What risks can you take in your business? Are there risks you’ve taken that have led to positive change? Any that have not panned out they way you thought? What are some of your greatest successes that have arisen out of risks you’ve taken? If you are very risk averse, what is holding you back from making that leap? What support system(s) would you need to have in place in order to leap into that new creative or entrepreneurial space?
|
The video above resonated with me. And I was happy it was short. That is something I hadn’t expected (no I didn’t look to see how long it was) and important to the message. Take risks. Answering the above questions:
Risks I can take now? To put myself out there. I have proven successful. I have been paid for my skills. And even when volunteering I am in bliss sharing and teaching others. I need to do more of that. I have recently shared my interest with a school. Just today I received an email stating that they would be calling and/or emailing me soon and what we would be discussing. I have to come up with some course outlines. Which is simple. I have some. I can write them. And it is all very exciting.
A risk I took that didn’t pan out? After graduating with an AA in design I took my portfolio and marched straight into a Manhattan fashion temp agency thinking I would leave with a job. They told me to come back when I finished my BA. I hadn’t realized you needed a BA for their jobs (or a better portfolio). I was the first person to graduate college in my family and I naturally thought that was enough. I can laugh at that now. Another risk that didn’t pan out? Marketing myself to some schools in NYC. They were excited and loved my ideas. They posted my courses, but not enough people signed up (poor marketing). So they didn’t run. Then I got asked to work at a school in Brooklyn. My courses were posted, but then hurricane Sandy hit and we were all just trying to survive..forget teaching.
On the flip side: I recently volunteered as a sewing teacher in Los Angeles. It was awesome. I didn’t know till I was there, but I was the only volunteer! I taught many how to make a reusable bag out of a t-shirt. I met many of my neighbors who told me about all sorts of groups I needed to learn about. I got interviewed by a reporter and was quoted online. You can read the article here… http://www.thefrontpageonline.com/articles1-13869/CrowdWasinStitchesTheyEnjoyedMoreThanaSewSewTime That experience along with getting an art proposal accepted (https://amybauerart.wordpress.com/tag/piano/ – my first one!) have both led me to believe and know I need to take more risks and let my art lead me. That is what I feel and what I need to be doing.
What is holding me back? What support systems do I need? Shyness and no support were my original reasons. Shyness still occasionally peaks its head back up, but put me in the above situations and you wouldn’t know I was ever shy. The support has built over the years. I have it in abundance with my fiance and friends. Even fellow artists I meet at shows here in Los Angeles suggest things/places for me to look into. And myself. I am confident in my abilities. I have taken advantage of my technology skills and have learned about events/shows/opportunities and networked over social media. I now even have support from someone in New Zealand. I hope to one day meet her. But for now, what is holding me back? Just myself. I could make excuses, but that is all they would be. Excuses. So with this blogathon I am re-evaluating myself, my art, my work, my skills, my strengths and weaknesses. I am evolving. And I wouldn’t mind being paid while I was napping. Right now though I need to continue to lay the ground work for my continued success.
Like this:
Like Loading...