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| 18 Aug 2005 12:44:53 am |
 Managing It All |
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To work for yourself is the OTHER American Dream - getting out from under "The Man" and all the silly inefficiencies, the politicking, and the general crap that often abound in the corporate world. Few will take the plunge, and those that do are often the subjects of much envy by their friends and former coworkers, who dream about more flexible schedules and less stress, and "being your own boss".
Okay, you got me on the flexible schedule. And that suits me, both physically and creatively, more than any nine-to-five (okay, nine-to-seven, at least - who works a 40-hour week anymore?) grind ever did. But being your own boss means you'd better like her, because if she's like mine, she's a perfectionist, a bit of a slave driver, and a micromanager. And you know, she?s always *right there* with you...even when you're on vacation or taking a personal day. She knows how to guilt you better than anyone.
And less stress? Not exactly...I'd say it's a different type of stress. The pressure of knowing that no steady paycheck is coming every other week, no 401(k) is slowly building up, and nothing will get done if you don't do it yourself. And you can't possibly do it all - everything you want to accomplish - as soon as you'd like to; there simply aren't enough hours in any given day, so you always feel like you're not meeting your deadlines.
Running your own business means that you have quite a bit of what's euphemistically termed "job diversification". You wear all the hats: office administrator, payroll department, marketing, sales, R&D, data entry, statistician, web master...
You might notice that I didn't list "artist", "designer", or anything else creativity-related in the above paragraph. Why? Because lately I am struggling with finding enough time to actually do what I love most - make the product. And if I don't have the product, I'm not going to be in business for very long, am I?
One of the toughest things for creative people to do is to find balance between the business side and the creative side of things. Many creatives avoid handling the business tasks because they are not comfortable with more left-brained tasks, or actively dislike these tasks, or are intimidated by them. Others get so immersed in the paperwork / research / marketing aspects that they then struggle to put the artisan hat back on and actually design new products.
I find myself falling into the latter category lately. I made jewelry as a hobby for many years, and my creative hours were often "stolen" hours - after work, when I had a bit of time, or I?d make jewelry late into the night - or on weekends or vacation time. Now the jewelry I make is my business product, and I still feel guilty about stealing time away to make it. I don't enjoy the administrative aspects of my business, but they need to be done...the problem is, they don't seem to ever *get* done. There's always something else on the to-do list that cries out for my attention.
But sometimes, I just have to put the to-do list away, sit myself down at the worktable, and create. And that's exactly what I'm going to do today. *s* |
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Category : General
| Posted By : Jill |  Comments[0] |  Trackbacks [5497] |
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| 23 Aug 2005 12:41:47 am |
| Networking is NOT a Dirty Word |
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?Every day you have a choice: you can build a bridge, or you can build a wall. What are you building today??
I came across this saying years ago, but I?ve learned to live by it, because it?s inspired me to change my life. It?s made me a networker.
I frequent several message boards, some for jewelry, some for business, and some?just because. *s* And I often hear people say that they are ?too shy? to sell their work, ?too afraid? to talk to other designers, ?too nervous? to get out and approach stores. And I understand all those ?too? reasons, because I used to be just like that. I spent many years being introverted and afraid to open up to people. The idea of interacting ? what if I opened my mouth and something really stupid came out? ? scared me so much that I often chose to stay home, rather than go out and socialize.
But then I started my own business. And I realized that if *I* didn?t do all the things I feared, no one would, so how would the business ever grow and succeed? And really, wasn?t I tired of being so scared? Fed up with being afraid to talk to people? Hadn?t I wondered what I might be missing? Well, yes, yes, and yes. I realized that I wanted my business to succeed *more* than I wanted to stay at home and build walls. So I started going out more often, and when people asked me what I did for a living, I looked them straight in the eye and said, ?I?m a jewelry designer.? And amazingly, that often led to further discussion (after all, it?s not the standard answer in the world of corporate types). I didn?t even have to try to make conversation; it just seemed to flow on its own. And once I?d done that often enough, I managed to become quite good at networking. And so can you ? all of you, out there, maybe lacking in confidence to sell your work, promote it, or even discuss it in casual conversation.
When you network, doors open and opportunities multiply. Offers are extended. Information and tips are shared. I have three friends here in Georgia who own their own businesses (two also make jewelry, and one, Amy Parrish, makes fabulous sweaters out of vintage fabrics. You can see them at http://rubyregis.com). And I met two of them by?teaching. Yep ? the girl who was afraid of her own shadow learned to actually face a group of students and teach them jewelry techniques. I met both Amy and Beth when they took some of my classes, and we?ve become friends since then. I met Jeannie through our realtor. One day when he was showing us houses, he mentioned that he knew another jewelry designer in the metro area. He gave me her e-mail address and suggested I contact her. So I did ? not knowing if she?d even respond ? but she did, and that led to another friendship. We all share tips and strategies, information about shows, sources (like printers, suppliers...you get the picture) and it?s helped my business ? and I hope I?ve helped theirs.
My friendship with Beth led to my first consignment store. Their monthly checks tide me over during the slower seasons, when I don't do shows. My friendship with Amy led to another consignment store. My friendship with Jeannie has led to at least one, and possibly two, teaching opportunities. Would I have had these opportunities otherwise? Maybe. But it's highly unlikely that I would have known about them if I was sitting at home!
Don?t forget to help those whose paths cross yours. That?s the other thing about networking ? it goes both ways. If you only network to better yourself, you won?t get very far with it. But if you know of an opportunity that?s not right for you, but *is* right for someone else, tell them. Let them know about the great store just down the street from the place where you wholesale your work, since you don?t want to saturate the market. Suggest people who might be interested in events for which you don?t have the time. Work for the greater good, not just your own, and watch how much of what you give comes back to you in some way.
So how can you become a networker extraordinaire? Start by getting out more often. Stand tall, smile, and be proud of what you do. Viewing every occasion as an opportunity, instead of something to be endured. Be interested in what others have to say, and don?t be shy about sharing a bit about yourself when asked. Project confidence until you really start to feel confident inside. It might take a while, but one day you?ll wake up and realize that your confidence has grown, because you?ve been feeding it. Do something that scares you (even if it only scares you a little bit). Once you get through something that frightens you, you?ll be amazed at how easy everything else suddenly looks! Don?t squander opportunities because of your fear ? capitalize on them. Build bridges, every day. |
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Category : General
| Posted By : Jill | Comments[0] | Trackbacks [12011] |
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