School of Creative Business - Creative Entrepreneurship

10 things I Love to Do

Although - think resolutions are for suckers, I do believe it's always good to reflect on things that make you - you. And I thought sharing my 10 things I love to do... is a good way of giving you a glimpse into my creative entrepreneur lifestyle.

 ^{Uncle Henry and Butterfly - mixed media collage from personal sketch book of Alease Michelle - 2011}

So here goes.... 10 Things I Love to Do....

1. Reading – self help books: health, relationship, business, positive thinking are my favorite. They have served many times as my own private therapist.

2. Hot Baths-  it’s my way to relax my mind after a long work day.

3. Sunday Evenings – they are for spending time with family. Eating Sunday brunch with mom; dinner with granddaddy, aunts, and cousins.

4. Shopping – every woman should have a shopping habit. Bargain shopping is the best. Favorite purchase, a $175 pair of  black ankle boots for $35.

5. Teaching -  I’ve been teaching for over 12 years. And this year proves I doing what I love. This year I received Outstanding Faculty Award.

6. Creating – it could be creating collage, composing a blog post, or trying to cook something special. I just enjoy the process of creating something new from basic everyday items.

7. Watching historical inspired movies – History was my favorite subject in high school and college. I was really bad at remember dates – but I was super at recalling costuming details and interior settings.

8. Researching for natural home remedies – I don’t like being sick and I dislike even more buying medicine from the drug store. I strongly believe there has to be a home remedy for this sickness and many times I have find something that has helped.

 9. Dancing- I dance around the house often.  Makes me feel like I still got it !

10. Smiling - this should have been number 1, but none of the items on my list are in order of importance. But a smile is my calling card.  What makes me smile the most: a kiss on my forehead, warm sun on my face, the smell of a man, and an out of sight inspiring speech.

 Those are my 10 Things I Love to do.  I hope this list gives you more insight on who I am and passion for doing what you love to do.

  What's that one thing you love to do?

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Resolutions are for Suckers - Creative Business Solutions

Alright the Christmas holidays are over. And you're probably getting ready for the New Year - which I believe many of us do. During this time of year - we start writing our New Year's resolutions - me included.  But not this year !  Creative Business Solution - Resolutions are for Suckers!

Resolutions are overrated and most of the time they also don't work out like we plan.

There's two reasons for this. 

#1- We tend to make resolutions based on big round numbers.

We want to double or sales, or make $20,000, or whatever by this time next year.

The trouble with that is that you're setting resolution based on what you want rather than what makes sense with your creative business.

I see this with creative entrepreneurs all the time.  They say "I want to double my client base," and they're already working 20 hours a week.  Doubling actually means 40 hours a week.

When I bring this to their attention, they say "Oh, I don't want that."

That's the trouble with big round numbers.  They tend to blind you of the consequences of what it will take to hit that number.

#2. Resolutions tend to not work out is because they're too fuzzy.  

We say things like "I want to do X next year," but there's no accountability built into it.  

We just want to believe that somehow, throughout the year, things will work out.  And when you have this laid back attitude, it gets very easy to put things off.

In March you're thinking, "Oh, I wanted to sell more prints,  but I'll get to that after this current busy period is over."  And then you say the same thing in June.  And September.  And then oh snap *, December is here again and you're making your plans for the new year.

There's a better way to make your creative business grow.

Here's a little advice... This s guaranteed to make your creative business grow a lot faster than it's growing right now.

Decide on few things you specifically want to be different in your creative business.  I say "specifically" so that you don't pick something crazy just because it sounds good.  This means - don't say "I want to double the size of my client list."

You should say "I'd like to add 10 new clients this time next year."  That number is very important.Once you've figured out what you would like to have, then you'll ask yourself this question:

What will I have to do by the end of March, June, September and December to make that happen? In other words, see what kind of progress you'd have to make each quarter and actually figure out what you have to do to make it work.  

Lets use the 10 new clients example:

    From January to March I need to find a way to get 1 new client.

   From April to June I need to find a way to get 2 new clients.

   From July to September I need to find a way to get 3 new clients.

   From October to December I need to find a way to get 4 new clients.

  1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10.

Each quarter, you will say "I need to find a way to make this number happen." Working and thinking on a quarter system - makes resolution planning a lot easier. It keeps that business resolutions in arm reach and it keeps it from getting fuzzy or crazy.

When you have to get that something done by the end of a quarter, you have to pay attention to the work and hold yourself accountable.

 

It's not a resolutions.  It's a plan.  If you want something to be different in your creative business, have to be willing to get specific about what that means. You have to be willing to write down what it takes to make it happen and - more importantly - when you're going to get things done.

Focus on what you plan to accomplish each quarter, not just over the entire year. If you're not willing to do that, you don't have a resolution.  You have a wish. 

This I know  - wishes don't pay the bills.  Focused planed out resolutions do. That's the lesson. Don't dream.  Plan.

Enjoy the New Year !

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Looking for more solid tips on business ideas, internet & social marketing, and personal branding? Check out the School of Creative Business free email newsletter, Creative Business Ideas. SIGN UP HERE

 

^{Image souce: Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net}

Survive the Holiday Business Lessons #6: There's Someone for Everyone

image source:jimcarreyonline.com

Survive the Holiday Business Lesson #6: There’s Someone for Everyone

If you haven’t seen the original animated Grinch movie from 1966, you’ve likely seen the Jim Carrey version from 2000. If you missed that one, too, here’s a quick recap:

Green Grinch hates Christmas and hates the Whos, the sweet and lovable inhabitants of Whoville, who adore the holiday – but who have lost sight of the true meaning. So Grinch, accompanied by his long-suffering dog, Max, steals all their presents and decorations.

The twist: Aided by pure-of-heart and diminutive  Cindy Lou Who, the Whos celebrate the Christmas spirit, even without the wrappings, and the Grinch’s frozen heart melts.

It’s the updated version that brings us our lesson for today, and the lesson is this: There’s really someone for everyone. If a grumpy, stinky, pants-less Grinch can capture the heart of the nubile Martha May Whovier, then out there, somewhere, there’s a customer base for you.

Go online and you can find plenty of proof of this belief. There are people selling gun-shaped soap, frozen yogurt for dogs, and Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavor Beans. If they can make it, you can, too. Take these tips from the Grinch:

• Be absolutely clear on who you are. Don’t waffle. If you’re strange, revel in your strangeness. The more clearly you reveal yourself, the more easily you’ll appeal to your “tribe,” as Seth Godin calls it.

• Don’t apologize for who you are. If you’re a gun-toting survivalist, so be it. If you are a tattooed, be-ringed 60-something, go with it. Your customers don’t want someone who is embarrassed; they want to be led by someone who’s confident and embraces their different-ness.

• Come down from the mountain. It’s not until the Grinch leaves his hermit-like cave at the top of Mt. Crumpet and emerges into the “real world” that he finds acceptance and love. You need to be where the people are.

• File down your rough edges. “Authenticity” can be an excuse for bad behavior. There’s a difference between being transparent and honest, and being downright unpleasant and rude. Even at the end of the movie, the Grinch softens a bit – without losing his Grinch-ness.

If the Grinch can find love, you can, too. And if you want to see some more creative business love, make sure to sign up for the SOCB's - Creative Business Solution Newsletter. 

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5 of 6 Survive the Holiday Business Lessons: Serendipity Happens

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Survive the Holiday Business Lesson #5: Serendipity Happens

Way back before Arnold was Governor of California, he starred in holiday movie called  “Jingle All the Way.” As workaholic- Howard- races all over town on Christmas Eve, in search of the blockbuster toy “Turbo Man,” which he promised his wife he’d pick up months before. Since it’s the only present on their son’s Christmas list, the need is dire.

In his quest to find the perfect toy, Howard fends off advances from a psycho mailman (Sinbad), a vengeful cop, and his lugubrious neighbor who’s bent on moving in on Howard’s wife, usurping his role as husband and father.

After hours of shopping from store to store, Howard finds himself in the town’s annual holiday parade, dressed up as – you guessed it! – Turbo Man. All ends well when his wife and son realize his heart is in the right place. A happy ending- right?

You may think there’s no lesson here for a creative business owner, but there are plenty. We could talk about work-life balance, or the importance of keeping your commitments, but the main one to highlight is the role that serendipity plays in business.

Many successful creative business owners will tell you that the second they became crystal clear on their objectives, things just seemed to fall into place for them. Sure, they faced some obstacles along the way, but somehow the person they needed to meet or the book they needed to read or the lesson they needed to learn fell into their path.

Preparation is a great thing, and it’s necessary for day-to-day success. It’s what gets us through the tough, repetitive and sometimes boring stuff. But often the big leaps forward in our business occur because of some force stronger than us that’s at work in the universe.

Consider this quote from renowned poet Ralph Waldo Emerson:

“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.”

It can pays to be open to seemingly miraculous coincidences and occurrences.

Some people consider these types of coincidences to be signs that you’re moving in the right direction. But whether you believe in the “great divine” or not, smart creative business owners will take advantage of any opportunities, regardless of source. And the more clear you are on your end goal, the more you’ll be able to recognize these opportunities.

The last lesson in the Survive the Holiday Business Lesson series:There's Someone for Everyone: How the Grinch Stole Christmas

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4 of 6 Survive the Holiday Business Lessons: Enthusiasm is Contagious

image source:movie-vault.com

Survive the Holiday Business Lesson #4: Enthusiasm Is Contagious

Take a six-foot tall adopted elf named Buddy (played by Will Ferrell- super funny guy) who wants to find his birth father. Buddy wants a warm and cuddly family reunion; his father Walter wants nothing more than to make this newfound son disappear, preferably with a pair of cement boots on him.

Ah, but this is Christmas, so not only does Buddy convince his new family that syrup tastes good on everything; he also wins the heart of his stepmother, half-brother, and the cynical Jovie, his new love. And yes, Walter - his father- eventually sees the light.

So business owners, here’s your business lesson #4 from Buddy the Elf:

“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing lout for all to hear.” 

So… what if you’re not Santa?

Buddy would tell you it doesn’t matter. Enthusiasm is catching. No one is going to be more excited about your business, your product, your podcast, your class, your blog than you are.

Sometimes we feel a little hesitant to show our enthusiasm. It can be risky to show how much we care about something. But if we don’t show our passion, we’re not going to convince anyone else to follow or act on our recommendations.

Think about the last time you went out to eat. If the waiter or waitress gave a dull endorsement to the daily special, you likely didn't order it. But if she or he said, “I just tried it before my shift and it was delicious!” you’d be a little more likely to order. Enthusiasm sells!

Here are a few tips to make like Buddy the Elf without sounding like a used car salesman:

• Be honest. Don’t sell or promote something you don’t believe in. It never works – people can tell, and you’ll damage your reputation.
• Be yourself. You may be the understated type who isn’t going to jump out of a helicopter a la Richard Branson to promote your latest business venture. You don’t have to be! (One Richard Branson is enough for this world.) But do show your energy in a way that is natural for you.
• Be realistic. If you promote every new thing that comes down the block, or have a new solution du jour, pretty soon no one is going to listen to you.

You don’t have to dress up in pointy shoes to get people to buy something from you. But hey… if the shoe fits… why not?

****Do you have a  new product, service , or blog/website you're excited about? Share your link below.***

The Next Survive the Holiday Business Lessons: Serendipity Happens: Jingle All the Way

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Looking for more solid tips on business ideas, internet & social marketing, and personal branding? Check out the School of Creative Business free email newsletter, Creative Business Ideas.  SIGN UP HERE

3 of 6 Survive the Holiday Business Lessons: Respond to Market Demands

Survive the Holiday Business Lesson 3: Respond to Market Demands

image source: creativecouples.net

 “Christmas With the Kranks” is a comedy based on a book called “Skipping Christmas” by John Grisham.  Luther and Nora Krank (played by Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis), want to “skip” Christmas because their daughter is spending Christmas overseas in the Peace Corps. They plan to take all the money they save and go on a cruise. It’s a great plan, only they run into a few problems.

Their friends and neighbors object to their lack of Christmas spirit and heckle and bully them, attempting to force them to get back in line and get their jolly on. They successfully resist… until they learn that their daughter is unexpectedly returning home for Christmas.

The Kranks have to scurry around in order to create Christmas at the last minute, borrowing Christmas trees, pulling together an eleventh-hour party and trying to woo back the neighbors. Of course, all ends good once the Kranks respond to the external pressures and get back into the holiday spirits.

So, what can we learn from the Kranks?

The main lesson is that you can make all the plans in the world, but sometimes you just need to respond to what your market wants.

Poor Luther and Nora don’t think they were doing anything wrong. So they want to do something different. What’s the big deal?

Well, the big deal is that the Kranks’ audience (neighbors and friends) like things just the way they are. They don’t want the Kranks to change. They want things to stay the way they always have been – even if the Kranks have different ideas.

Think about trying to change something in your business – your website, your pricing structure, your offerings. Even if you’re positive the changes are for the better, you can hit serious backlash because your customers like things a certain way.

They like knowing that the “buy” button is in red at the bottom of the page, or that your podcast comes out every Wednesday – not Tuesday, and certainly not Thursday. If you mess with their routines, you may have to pay the price – just like the Kranks.

Now, this isn’t to say that you can’t ever make changes to your business. It’s just a warning that you’d better make sure the risk is worth the reward, and that you’re not changing just for change’s sake.

Next in the Survive the Holiday Business Lesson: Enthusiasm Is Contagious: Elf

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Looking for more solid tips on business ideas, internet & social marketing, and personal branding? Check out the School of Creative Business free email newsletter, Creative Business Ideas.  SIGN UP HERE

2 of 6 Survive the Holiday Business Lessons: All Gifts Are to Be Honored

 Survive the Holiday Business Lesson 2: All Gifts Are to Be Honored

image souce:singbookswithemily.wordpress.com

Even if you haven’t seen the animated special- but who hasn't?  You’ve probably at least heard the story about the Little Drummer Boy.

Here’s a quick recap if you’re unaware:

The story start off with the three Wise Men and the shepherds heading to see the Baby Jesus, and the little drummer boy comes along for the ride. He is embarrassed when he has no gift to offer the newborn Savior. Finally, he learns that his one skill – playing his drum – is enough!

Have you ever felt this way?

You could easily take a skills assessment or strengths finder quiz, or ask your friends and family what they turn to you for. The answers sometimes are less than stellar. Instead of being a powerhouse leader, or an inspiration, you come up as a great administrator, or… the Drummer Boy equivalent of today, a good listener.

What are you supposed to do if you’ve got mad skills as - a babysitter or folding paper airplanes?

Can you possibly make a business out of that? Well, the answer is, Yes, You Can!  Whatever your skill, there is a market for it.

Follow these tips  to finding your stellar skill sets:

• Don’t underestimate yourself. So you can imitate cartoon voices. Big deal. No one will pay for that…. Or will they? Sure they will! For presentation narration, video games, films… you name it. If you have an above-average skill, someone out there will pay for it. If you doubt this, go to Fiverr.com and take a look at the kind of things people are shelling out money for.

 

• Get yourself out there. Standing in the back of the crowd, quietly tapping on your drum, is not going to do anything for your popularity. You need to put yourself in front of people who can help (if you get nervous, just think back to the Little Drummer Boy. If he could approach Mary, the mother of Jesus, you can get up the courage to launch a podcast or website).

 

• Hone your craft. If your skill really is folding paper airplanes, then make yourself the very best paper airplane folder out there. If you are skilled at cleaning toilets, then keep your finger on the pulse of the toilet-cleaning industry and be a leader in that space. Just because you’re naturally gifted doesn’t mean you can coast; you must keep making yourself better and better.

When you have a gift, it is truly that – a present bestowed upon you. It is your responsibility to make the most of it and share it with others.

 

Next Survive the Holiday Business Lesson #3:

Respond to Market Demands: Christmas With the Kranks

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6 Survive the Holiday Business Lessons: The Wonderful Power of Tribes

Only a few more days until Christmas.

This is the time of year I love watching holiday movies. I have a lot of favorites and most of the time I just watch them with thoughts of wonderful memories of spending time with my family - but this year I noticed that many of the lesson taught in these holidays movies could be applied to my business.  

Many of the holiday movies on list teach business lessons that we should apply to our creative business lives.

Well this week I'm going to count down 6 Survive the Holiday Business Lessons: Starting Today with Lesson 1 from my favorite holiday movie of all times: It's a Wonderful Life!

image source:dvdbeaver.com

Lesson 1:

It’s a Wonderful Life! Never Underestimate the Power of Tribes

It's a Wonderful Life" is one of the most memorable Christmas movies of all time-  starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed.It’s the ultimate feel-good movie. 

If you are not familiar with the movie - Here’s the quick lowdown:

George Bailey, played by Stewart, is on the verge of collapse. His company is on the verge of bankruptcy, although he has a house full of adorable kids and a gorgeous wife (Reed), there’s never enough money to go around. George decides his family and business would be better off without him. On the brink of suicide, he’s saved by an angel, Clarence.

Clarence the angel shows George what his life would be like if he’d never existed, and it isn't pretty. By seeing all the people he’s touched, George realizes that he has created a strong network of love and support – he’s created a tribe. And it’s this tribe that pulls together at the end of the movie to give back to George, helping him out of his current difficulties.

"Never Underestimate the Power of Tribes"

If you didn't know- your tribe can, quite literally, save your life. The lesson here is... you should be building not only a viable business, but a community – one that supports and cares for each other. If you’re just out to make a buck, don’t be surprised if no one leaps to defend you or lend you a helping hand when things go bad.

Guess what? Your PayPal account could be frozen.  You could get hacked, robbed, or plagiarized. It can happen.

But if you have friends like George’s, you’ll have a whole team of folks on your side. But one thing to remember: George had friends he’d created just by being a good guy, doing the right thing at the right time, not worrying about what was in it for him. He stood up for what was right and shook hand after hand, even when it cost him personally.

He didn’t build this community by selling junk or spamming everyone. He did it the old fashioned way: By caring. Buliding a real authenitc relationship never goes out of style.

Tommorrow's next Lesson: 

All Gifts Are to Be Honored from the holiday movie -The Little Drummer Boy

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Looking for more solid tips on business ideas, internet & social marketing, and personal branding? Check out the School of Creative Business free email newsletter, Creative Business Ideas.  SIGN UP HERE

 

 

Guess What? You Need to Create It Yourself!

Have you been looking for something and can't find it? 

Guess what? - You need to Create It Yourself!

Watch the video and learn more about how to get out of your way and create it yourself.

 

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Looking for more solid tips on business ideas, internet & social marketing, and personal branding? Check out the School of Creative Business free email newsletter,Creative Business Ideas. It jumps off with a Social Marketing Tips E-course. Sign up here.

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Why Business Marketing Visuals for your Business

The whys and hows of business marketing visuals. I think we're going to have a lot of fun with today’s topic. Business marketing visuals are very close to my heart. I’ve taught a business presentation course for over 10 years.

And when I talk about the importance of business marketing visuals, the first question is often, "What the heck is business marketing visual?" Which is closely followed by, "and why do I need them?" I thought I would start by answering these two important questions, and hopefully you'll see the incredible value these tools can bring to your business marketing plan.

 

Business marketing visuals is any content that relies more on graphics than on the written word.

 

Rather than an article with lots of boring statistics or instructions, for example, you might substitute a chart or graph that clearly illustrates the same information.

 

 Visuals are easy to scan, they provide a lot of information quickly, and are almost always memorable.

The attention spans of website visitors are short. If they can't quickly glance through your site and find the information they're seeking, they'll click away and be gone forever. Show them what they're looking for, though, and they'll stay a while, dig deeper, and return to your site again and again.

So now that you know what business marketing visuals are and why you need them, let's take a closer look at your options - I promise that no matter what your creative business model is, you can find a visual that will be useful to your audience, so stick around!

 

Let's take a look at some different kinds of visuals and how you can use them in your marketing plan:

Charts and Graphs:

 ^{Source: Social Computing Magazine}

These are often the first thing we think of when we consider using visuals, and with good reason. Communicating detailed information about statistics is easy when you use a simple bar, pie chart, line graph or timeline.  

Learn how to create an graph in Microsoft Word.

 

Illustrations and Cartoons:

For giving direction you really can't beat a good illustrated cartoon. People in general are more likely to study a series of pictures than read through detailed step-by-step instructions.

 Great sharable Comics at GoComics.com

 

Mindmaps:

 
 ^{Source: http://directory.ac/online-marketing.html}

 

When you have a lot of ideas that don't need to be in a specific order, a mind map is a good way to give an overview without being overwhelming. Readers can concentrate only on the nodes that relate to them, expand other points for more information, or even rearrange the structure to suit their own needs.

Ready to create a mind map? Then go to  Mindmeister

 

Infographics:

 
^{Souce: http://www.cmo.com/social-media/cmos-guide-social-media-landscape}

Infograhics are the granddaddy of business marketing visuals, these are generally large pieces that convey a huge amount of information. Infographics merge art with statistics, informing the reader while at the same time keeping her entertained. When well done, these visuals can take on a life of their own and are absolutely fantastic at generating incoming links to your site.

 Use Visual.ly to create your first infographic.

I hope I've got your creative juices flowing with ideas for colorful, informative graphics to entertain and engage your readers.

Talk with you later!

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Looking for more solid tips on business ideas, internet & social marketing, and personal branding? Check out the School of Creative Business free email newsletter,Creative Business Ideas. It jumps off with a Social Marketing Tips E-course. Sign up here.

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