10 Reasons to Join Me at CMBXP

I think we all can agree in the importance of treating your creative endeavors like a business, especially if you want to make a living off these skills. While that doesn’t mean you need an MBA, it does require learning about business best practices. Accounting, Marketing, Legal; You wear all of these hats in your business on top of being the artistic powerhouse you are. And if you’re like most of the artists I work with, you'd rather concentrate your time in the studio, so the more efficient you can be in these other areas, the less of your creating time they’ll take up. There are tons of options out there for professional development - Books, Classes, Workshops, Facebook Groups, Blogs, Coaches - so how do you narrow down and make the best use of your time? Oh and did I forget to mention Networking? It’s exhausting to think about all of these outlets, even more so if you’re an introvert and right brain dominant. Well guess what? I have an awesome solution that will serve you no matter where you are in your business: CMBXP, a networking and professional development experience specially designed for creatives!

Time to Get Networking

We’ve already talked about the importance of networking for artists as well as the do’s and don’t’s to be successful, but how many of you are wondering how to actually get started? It seems like the business world has meet-ups and happy hours every week, but where do artists find the connections they need? Certainly the professional development opportunities I mentioned last week can be a great source for finding like minded people and key players in your industry. But beyond that, what should you be setting aside some precious time for? As a fellow small business owner, I know how important every hour is that you could be spending on your passion projects, so networking should be done efficiently and productively. Let’s talk about how to be in the right place at the right time to meet the people that are good for your goals.

Always Be a Student

I believe I've mentioned that one of the secrets to my success is showing up. Sometimes I mean this literally as in all of the events I attend to support and stay in touch with our local art scene. With that said, showing up can also be more figurative. Trying. Learning. Continually developing your skills. Plenty of people are happy to stick with one big idea and never push the boundaries. Perhaps they’re scared of the "what if’s". What if I’m not good at this new technique? What if I don’t learn it as quickly as others? What if my customers aren’t interested in something new? These are all valid points, but that shouldn’t stop you from testing the waters. You’ll never know otherwise. People who stick with the status quo usually do ok, but if you really want to have a full professional life, you should never stop learning. Ideally you pursue things with the greatest likelihood of benefiting your business, but there’s nothing wrong with little creative tangents to keep your juices flowing. Whatever your reasoning or motivation, I highly recommend making time for professional development throughout the year to keep growing as an artist and entrepreneur.

New Year's Resolutions

I've never been one to do something just because everyone else is, but I make an exception for New Year's Resolutions. I love the chance to look back over the past year and evaluate what's worked versus where I need to improve. As my first year in business, this is an especially useful practice because I was testing out a lot of ideas. I now have months of first hand experience to gauge what I want to maintain as offerings and processes. For example, photography is still my guiding passion, so I want to make sure I get in more photoshoots in 2018. I am also driven by the chance to help more artists, so I've come up with a list of ways in which I can continue to build my business in support of what I love. Some of these may resonate with you or even inspire you to add to your own resolutions. Undoubtedly there are things I missed, do if you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear them!

Austin Art Business Summit

I'd like to take a quick break from talking about art events and best practices because it's important to take advantage of professional development opportunities that come up, especially when they are specifically designed for the art community! If you follow Crafting Exposure on Social Media, you've probably heard about the Creatives Meet Business Experience, CraftHER Market and a few other educational events that I think we artists can benefit from. Well, I have another I'm really excited to highlight: the Austin Art Business Summit, organized by the Arts Business Institute and the Creative Arts Society! I'll be there, and I highly recommend signing up too!

Considerations for Applying to Any Art Event

I've heard many artists and crafters mention that they need every opportunity they can get to show their work. With that said, not all events are going to be a good fit for your talent. It's important that you weigh the options and consider the possible outcomes before applying. No one wants to invest the time and money in a show that doesn't yield a profit. While you can predict everything (like the weather), you should ask yourself  a number of questions to gauge how this event suits you.

• How much does is cost to apply and participate?
• What is the likely size and makeup of the audience?
• Where is the event held? Indoor, outdoor, amenities? 
• How many vendors will be there? What type of arts? 
• Are you likely to make a profit or at least break even? 

The goal is to help you prepare for success and know when to seek out a different show. Yes, there are going to be some you should avoid. Consider the following every time you're applying to a new event so you focus on only those that are best for your handmade business!

To Sell or Not to Sell Your Art?

We all need a creative outlet, and many of us find that in the Arts - Drawing, Painting, Beading, Crafting. Does that mean you have to sell your work? No, not necessarily. Plenty of happy, talented creatives make Art for themselves and only share it with just their closest circle, brightening their little corner of the world. And yet, the more common question I find people asking is whether or not they could sell their work and eventually make a career out of it. While it took me a while to make this decision myself, I'm a big proponent of finding out what you love to do and determining how you can do that every day. With that said, there are a handful of considerations that can help you decide if Art as a profession is the right route.