It has been a year and a half since my first solo show and speaker panel launch at the Calgary Petroleum Club. I thought I would share my experience as an entrepreneur to date. Below are 10 things I learned since I started my new art career as an entrepreneur:
- There is no hierarchy. Always go straight to the top. If the person in charge doesn’t get what you are doing and why you are doing it, the people working under them will never fight for you. You will always be wasting your precious time.
- Not everyone is a stakeholder. Build a pie chart of people who influence or impact your business (and the percentage they play in it) and focus on the people in the pie. This encourages you to say no to everyone else. As an artist, the biggest lie anyone will tell you is that if you show up for free it will be great exposure.
- Every stakeholder can help in some way. On the simplest level, everyone is capable of offering an introduction to someone else (hint: it’s free) or contributing a “like” on Linked-in to expose your business to their network (also free) or words of encouragement (FREE with kickbacks of being a decent human being).
- Intense organization skills are a must. It matters how you show up for every single interaction. Worry less about how you might be dressed for a teardown exhibition and more about how you treat people, how you thank them with a personalized note, how you acknowledge the opportunity publicly and how you pay it forward by asking them how you might support them next time.
- Follow the flow. Always ensure people interested in your business are a priority – even if they have no influence. You will succeed faster if you focus on those who are genuinely interested in what you are doing instead of trying to convince someone who doesn’t get it.
- Ghosts are everywhere. Don’t let them scare you off or deter you. You can’t imagine how many professionals I have reached out to with ZERO response or acknowledgement. Get over it and move on.
- Support comes from unexpected places. When you start a business that is meaningful, people will talk about what you are doing and you may never be there to hear those amazing words. Trust that the universe is conspiring to support you on your journey.
- The traditional way of doing things might not work. If the traditional path isn’t working, don’t step off the path…..RUN! Run wild through the bushes and make your own path. This is the courageous act of innovators.
- Silence does not equal lack of support. Some people need more time or the right opportunity to support you. Most of my wins took over a year to come to fruition. There is no low hanging fruit in being a business owner. You are a farmer planting seeds and patiently tending to the field to help them grow.
- Keep “doing the things”. All things, big things, little things, hard things, easy things. When you experience success, never stop doing the things that got you there.