If you’re anything like me, you had aspirations as a young college bound individual who, through poetic determination, decided to forego the warnings and pursue Art School instead of, say, a business or engineering degree. You saw your future as the more challenging route, and through your struggle you would persevere and come out the other side, beating the odds triumphantly to live your life successfully off of the career you are most passionate about. Then reality hit you, after nearly a decade of denial, and you had to get a real job.
Through those years you kept up with the times, stayed in touch with friends and possible contacts using ever-changing technology, and watched as they became successful because they chose the straighter path.
Well, first of all, congratulations for simply surviving this devastating blow to the ego. Second, you’ve already trained yourself in the basics of social media, which is an important step in online business. However, you can’t expect to succeed by asking your friends to help you spread your business via word of mouth. You must start by dedicating yourself to your business until you can go full time, and the first steps of doing this are learning a bit about the business world, and where your art fits in. Start with a level of risk assessment. What is your medium? Is your art purely aesthetic or does it have utilitarian purposes? How can your art best serve you, and what are the best steps to take to ensure that you can produce art, begin a business, and maintain your current level of living.
Fortunately, you don’t have to have a business degree to start running an art business. There are many ways your experience can already serve you, and there are professionals out there who can help you, but for a price. You already possess expertise in your presentation, but like most artists, you might feel that professional advice shares the sting of unwanted criticism. However, that is the point. Let the professionals guide you in the right direction, and heed their knowledge and learn what you can about the ropes of professional business. Hiring an art consultant to give you a few hours of advice will give you a scope of the reality of the situation, and provide you with valuable information on what steps to take toward reaching your goal.
While you are supporting yourself and preparing your business, you must take on a minimalist mindset that will enable you to dedicate yourself to your business growth and avoid letting the obstacles of everyday life get in your way. At first it may seem like a return to form as the starving art student, but you will have your regular income to support you and a separate focus to attain a solid future. Observe the Pareto Principle, which shows that 80% of your profits come from 20% of your work. You have the power to put this 20% into your business, but it may take dedication and departure from other abundances in your life.
The dedication you devote to your business allows you a form of quality management. It should not take away from your regular employment until you are ready and capable of devoting yourself full time. Remember that your current job is an essential step in helping you attain your business dream, and utilize this knowledge to streamline your workflow so that you can give your best quality work during the day, and maintain that 20% for your business investment at night.
While these suggestions are just a small part in the reality of getting your art business off of the ground, they are success tools that allow you to succeed when you have obtained the appropriate mindset. With your broad goals in mind, begin setting the groundwork for what it will take for you to be successful in achieving your long-term goal. Prepare yourself for stumbles, but handle them as lessons learned and contribute them to the bank of quality solutions to avoid hazards in the future. With the proper strength and dedication, you can achieve your dream while learning valuable new skills in business management.
Guest Writer – Victoria Gates
Victoria Gates is a business professional, graphic artist, and blogger. She frequently writes on these topics and currently blogs for cebos.com, a provider of quality management systems