Hello Everyone!! I am new here and I am really excited to hear from all of
you. To put it in simple terms: My husband and I are both artists . He with
photography and art,Myself with music. I would like to combine both our
talents so that we can run a business together. Unfortunately the category
that his photography falls in is very competitive so there has to be
something that we could do to make him stand out. He currently works a
day job and does the photography on the side. I feel that with the right
funding we could invest more into his side business and make it more
lucrative. Any suggestions? I am tired of us being the starving artists we
have talent and its time to make money off of it! Cheers!
-------------------------
Marylou G. Tovar
Business Forum
Questions on Business Ideas and my Introduction.
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Hello Everyone!! I am new here and I am really excited to hear from all of
you. To put it in simple terms: My husband and I are both artists . He with
photography and art,Myself with music. I would like to combine both our
talents so that we can run a business together. Unfortunately the category
that his photography falls in is very competitive so there has to be
something that we could do to make him stand out. He currently works a
day job and does the photography on the side. I feel that with the right
funding we could invest more into his side business and make it more
lucrative. Any suggestions? I am tired of us being the starving artists we
have talent and its time to make money off of it! Cheers!
you. To put it in simple terms: My husband and I are both artists . He with
photography and art,Myself with music. I would like to combine both our
talents so that we can run a business together. Unfortunately the category
that his photography falls in is very competitive so there has to be
something that we could do to make him stand out. He currently works a
day job and does the photography on the side. I feel that with the right
funding we could invest more into his side business and make it more
lucrative. Any suggestions? I am tired of us being the starving artists we
have talent and its time to make money off of it! Cheers!
Have you tried using your art with a different media? Maybe apply your art to a product or turn it into one? Have you tried making money from your art in the past or jsut done it as a hobby? Just some thoughts..
-------------------------
Hi Peter! Yes, I have. Alex has shot fashion photography over 15 years and
unless you have a great agent you fall into a sea of photographers. I book
alot of his appointments but it`s basically through word of mouth. What I am
trying to conceptualize is a turning his photography into a product (i.e. like
glamour shots but on a couture level) giving people magazine type of photos
at a decent price. I am currently going to school full time to obtain my BS in
Business Admin. -Major Marketing. I have contacted the SBA to try to obtain
some funds to invest in his business.
-------------------------
Marylou G. Tovar
unless you have a great agent you fall into a sea of photographers. I book
alot of his appointments but it`s basically through word of mouth. What I am
trying to conceptualize is a turning his photography into a product (i.e. like
glamour shots but on a couture level) giving people magazine type of photos
at a decent price. I am currently going to school full time to obtain my BS in
Business Admin. -Major Marketing. I have contacted the SBA to try to obtain
some funds to invest in his business.
-------------------------
Marylou G. Tovar
tete says:
First of all, let me again be very clear that I`m not a psychologist, therapist, or life coach. I`m a philosopher and writer, with an interest in logic, semantics, definition, and emotional logic. I do what any other good writer does, which is to examine the plot. It happens that the "plot" is life, but as we`ve heard before, life imitates art.
This discussion is about serial business starters, not so much the fear of failure. We`ve had a massive discussion on the meaning of failure, along with many discussions on passion. The problem here---the plot, if you will---is how to resolve a story wherein the main character(s) continually start something and don`t finish it.
My personal opinion is that one shouldn`t start a story without first knowing how it`s going to end. That`s just my own thought regarding novel writing. But let`s carry that over, for the sake of argument, into real life.
How many people start a business without knowing how it`ll end? One of the most important of the Sloan brothers` 10 Steps to Open for Business is to create a Life Plan.
A life plan might also be called an exit strategy, with a small stretch of the imagination. The point is that you don`t start a business because you`re bored! You start a business for a purpose. If you don`t know that purpose ahead of time, then you`re likely just floundering around, hoping to convert your job from one to another type of "boss."
Your purpose in life may change, as you grow older. If you still have the same business, then the underlying meaning and reward of that business likely will change to reflect your new purpose in life. That`s fine; not a problem.
Philosophcially, the two undisclosed questions most often hidden away in the cellar, these days, are: "How?" and "Why?"
Let`s say you`re fast asleep, then shoot up out of bed with a most brilliant idea for a new business. In a flash, you see the entire thing laid out, from jotting down the idea to becoming an international enterprise. You instantly are fired up, ready to go, and so you begin a whirlwind of activity, all designed to get this business going.
Why?
What`s the point of this business in terms of your life? Suppose you have $80-million when it`s sold and run by others; what did you want to do with that money?
People are sort of feeling that "passion = business plan." How? A business plan is a step-by-step analysis of each action and rationale used to build a business through many different phases. How does "passion" answer the question, "In what way will I create an accounting system?" "How many square feet will be necessary in order to sell clothing in a retail store?"
Pick up the book of your life at the local library. It`s called, "The Business of My Idea," or words to that effect. What`s the introduction? What engages the reader at the start, presenting a problem that needs to be resolved? What`s the platform of drama---where conflict and values are so high they threaten someone`s life?"
As you`re reading, you see chapter after chapter where the main character has an idea, jumps to it, starts a business, then quits. How many chapters would you read before you throw the book across the room and start yelling at the character to get it together? :-)
Most importantly, as the author, how do you intend for this book to end? "And then they made $1-billion and lived happily ever after." Is that it?
Think of the fairy tales you read as a child, or had someone reading to you. They all ended, "....and then they lived happily ever after." What does that mean? How long is "ever after?" What happened to Cinderella when she turned 60, retired, and became a senior citizen?
Real life isn`t a fairy tale. Other than suicides, most people never reach a point where they fill in the blanks with "and then they lived happily ever after." They live and enjoy, live and enjoy, live and enjoy, then BLAM!....they`re dead. There isn`t any "ever after." (We`re not discussing metaphysical spirituality and the after life.)
Everyone has ideas! Not everyone puts those ideas into action. But simply putting an idea into action, in and of itself, is pretty pointless, don`t you think? WHY put that idea into play? "Just because you CAN do something, SHOULD you do it?"
People have fears, worries, anxieties. They`ve had bad experiences. Fine....people have been doing that since the Neanderthal days. The issue isn`t that you have fears; the issue is what are you going to do tomorrow? What are you going to do with those fears; let them control the rest of your life? Or are you going to learn from the experience, grow your character, then try something differently?
Hello Craig,
The
same thing has happened to me but in my case I have tried a business
before and failed, part of mine is the fear of failure. I still carry
debt from the previous business, so financing is not an option for me
at this point. I tried getting into a recruitment business, I left
because I was scared and now another idea has come, actually 2 ideas
publishing and brides. Any suggestion?
First of all, let me again be very clear that I`m not a psychologist, therapist, or life coach. I`m a philosopher and writer, with an interest in logic, semantics, definition, and emotional logic. I do what any other good writer does, which is to examine the plot. It happens that the "plot" is life, but as we`ve heard before, life imitates art.
This discussion is about serial business starters, not so much the fear of failure. We`ve had a massive discussion on the meaning of failure, along with many discussions on passion. The problem here---the plot, if you will---is how to resolve a story wherein the main character(s) continually start something and don`t finish it.
My personal opinion is that one shouldn`t start a story without first knowing how it`s going to end. That`s just my own thought regarding novel writing. But let`s carry that over, for the sake of argument, into real life.
How many people start a business without knowing how it`ll end? One of the most important of the Sloan brothers` 10 Steps to Open for Business is to create a Life Plan.
A life plan might also be called an exit strategy, with a small stretch of the imagination. The point is that you don`t start a business because you`re bored! You start a business for a purpose. If you don`t know that purpose ahead of time, then you`re likely just floundering around, hoping to convert your job from one to another type of "boss."
Your purpose in life may change, as you grow older. If you still have the same business, then the underlying meaning and reward of that business likely will change to reflect your new purpose in life. That`s fine; not a problem.
Philosophcially, the two undisclosed questions most often hidden away in the cellar, these days, are: "How?" and "Why?"
Let`s say you`re fast asleep, then shoot up out of bed with a most brilliant idea for a new business. In a flash, you see the entire thing laid out, from jotting down the idea to becoming an international enterprise. You instantly are fired up, ready to go, and so you begin a whirlwind of activity, all designed to get this business going.
Why?
What`s the point of this business in terms of your life? Suppose you have $80-million when it`s sold and run by others; what did you want to do with that money?
People are sort of feeling that "passion = business plan." How? A business plan is a step-by-step analysis of each action and rationale used to build a business through many different phases. How does "passion" answer the question, "In what way will I create an accounting system?" "How many square feet will be necessary in order to sell clothing in a retail store?"
Pick up the book of your life at the local library. It`s called, "The Business of My Idea," or words to that effect. What`s the introduction? What engages the reader at the start, presenting a problem that needs to be resolved? What`s the platform of drama---where conflict and values are so high they threaten someone`s life?"
As you`re reading, you see chapter after chapter where the main character has an idea, jumps to it, starts a business, then quits. How many chapters would you read before you throw the book across the room and start yelling at the character to get it together? :-)
Most importantly, as the author, how do you intend for this book to end? "And then they made $1-billion and lived happily ever after." Is that it?
Think of the fairy tales you read as a child, or had someone reading to you. They all ended, "....and then they lived happily ever after." What does that mean? How long is "ever after?" What happened to Cinderella when she turned 60, retired, and became a senior citizen?
Real life isn`t a fairy tale. Other than suicides, most people never reach a point where they fill in the blanks with "and then they lived happily ever after." They live and enjoy, live and enjoy, live and enjoy, then BLAM!....they`re dead. There isn`t any "ever after." (We`re not discussing metaphysical spirituality and the after life.)
Everyone has ideas! Not everyone puts those ideas into action. But simply putting an idea into action, in and of itself, is pretty pointless, don`t you think? WHY put that idea into play? "Just because you CAN do something, SHOULD you do it?"
People have fears, worries, anxieties. They`ve had bad experiences. Fine....people have been doing that since the Neanderthal days. The issue isn`t that you have fears; the issue is what are you going to do tomorrow? What are you going to do with those fears; let them control the rest of your life? Or are you going to learn from the experience, grow your character, then try something differently?
Hello Everyone!! I am new here and I am really excited to hear from all of
you. To put it in simple terms: My husband and I are both artists . He with
photography and art,Myself with music. I would like to combine both our
talents so that we can run a business together. Unfortunately the category
that his photography falls in is very competitive so there has to be
something that we could do to make him stand out. He currently works a
day job and does the photography on the side. I feel that with the right
funding we could invest more into his side business and make it more
lucrative. Any suggestions? I am tired of us being the starving artists we
have talent and its time to make money off of it! Cheers!
that his photography falls in is very competitive so there has to be
something that we could do to make him stand out. He currently works a
day job and does the photography on the side. I feel that with the right
funding we could invest more into his side business and make it more
lucrative. Any suggestions? I am tired of us being the starving artists we
have talent and its time to make money off of it! Cheers!
Hi there, TheLou :-)
As you cruise through Startup Nation`s forums and community, you`ll find that lots of people somehow believe that only with outside funding can someone start a business. We`ve had a lot of discussion about the difference between "bootstrapping" and startup capital.
In a simplistic summarization, "bootstrapping" is where you start a business with very little money, sometimes less than $500. All proceeds from the initial actions serve to re-invest money into the ongoing development of the business. Lots of people do that.
The other way, having some sort of outside funding---investment capital---gives you a significant amount of cash for the purpose of doing specific things. It might be that you can`t start a car-repair business without first having a garage. Or it could be that you require a nuclear reactor in order to develop a business selling fusion-powered cars.
The point is that having external funding isn`t always required.
So here you are, a musician and a photographer. Both music and photography are highly competitive for two reasons. The first is that there are a lot of very talented musicians and photographers in the world. The second is that most people "feel" they can play music and take pictures. The market, in other words, is quite jaded toward the art of music and photography.
As such, the problem isn`t what business to start---you`ve already got that; the music and the photography business. Instead, the problem is how to differentiate yourselves. How can you be different and memorable?
More often than not, people believe that the product itself is the differentiating factor. Ansel Adams, for example, wasn`t a stagecoach driver or a bank robber; he was a photographer. His product was photographs, therefore he was different. Is that true?
Why do people remember Mr. Adams? Do they say, "Oh...sure! He was a guy who took pictures!"
Now consider Liberace: He was a helluva piano player, but is that what people remember?
There are countless musicians, and perhaps even more photographers, when you factor in the people with a $199 digital camera they just bought yesterday at Wal-mart. Only a small percentage of those decide to make a living from music or photography.
But that`s still a lot of people. What really differentiates the pros is that they have a business sense. If they don`t, they have a manager who comes along and applies business principles to selling the product. That product can be the person, the art, or the presenation---the show.
One way to look at this is to come up with a type of photography or music, or a combination of the two that would make an unusual product. But another way is to do what you`re doing; figure out how to take the art---whatever it is---and market it differently.
How come VHS won over the Beta format? Marketing. Why did people spend a lot of money on pet rocks, the hoolah-hoop, and Cabbage Patch dolls? Marketing.
That`s not to say that a new invention that does something very different from previous things only makes it due to marketing. It`s to say that "the show" is one thing, and "the music" is another.
I`ve read these postings with much interest. One person said the friends he knows who are successful entrepreneurs don`t sit around reading postings on the internet, he did apologize for this statement...In my own experience I did sit around reading these postings, jumping in on occasion, a little fearful of what someone might think. But the important thing for me is that with each passing day of logging on to SuN, I became more confident that I could do what I had been dreaming about doing. I read voraciously as many postings as I could, took in everything, felt inspired, that is the key, I always felt inspired that I could attain my dream.
The contributors to this site are wonderful. They are encouraging while at the same time, they can be brutally honest, they have been there, can help you through the pitfalls but something I found to be very important is they force you to think for yourself and decide for yourself. I am very glad I found this site.
Colleen
Colleen
-------------------------
Colleen Dougherty Bronstein Designs
Sun Safe Designer Clothing
http://www.sunsafedesignerclothing.com
http://www.bronsteinartwork.com
One of the biggest problems in getting ANYthing accomplished is
translating thought to action. Sure, a lot of people understand that to
mean discipline or laziness, apathy or lack of confidence. But there`s
another aspect that`s even more important, and that`s "real...ization."
When we think or imagine things, we have absolutely no constraints whatsoever on that thinking, daydreaming, imagining, or visualization. Literally, anything at all can happen in the world of thought.
We take totally for granted that we can talk....speak, write, or otherwise transform thinking into a medium that someone else can examine. That single process includes a necessity to incorporate reality.
In other words, we can think anything we want, but when we have to turn it into words that any other person can understand, we ALSO must include our understanding of reality. And that`s what forums like this accomplish.
Someone can think they`re going to start a new airline company, but when they actually write that in words for someone else to read, they then must---absolutely have to---take into account the fact that they`ll need airplanes.
Likewise, someone can think that if they start a business the world will immediately put together a posse, come after them, and shoot them dead. When they put that into words, they have to also include the reasoning as to why that would happen.
"Sitting around reading" isn`t a waste of time. We just as easily could say that continuing adult education is waste of time. Colleen, your friend could very well say that the friends he knows who are successful, would never waste time sitting around in a classroom studying how to develop a new skill.
Education doesn`t only happen in classrooms. Aside from the "trial-and-error" of real, everyday life, there also are seminars, workshops, salons, clubs, and discussion groups. We have book clubs and so forth, all of which serve the purpose of expanding the mind and testing our assumptions.
Then there`s the concept of feedback. Why go to a workshop and learn to do a new thing if you never have a chance to ask whether or not what you`re doing is in the correct way? That`d be like going to a school where all you ever do is listen to lectures; you`re never tested, never questionned, and you never can ask any questions yourself.
When we think or imagine things, we have absolutely no constraints whatsoever on that thinking, daydreaming, imagining, or visualization. Literally, anything at all can happen in the world of thought.
We take totally for granted that we can talk....speak, write, or otherwise transform thinking into a medium that someone else can examine. That single process includes a necessity to incorporate reality.
In other words, we can think anything we want, but when we have to turn it into words that any other person can understand, we ALSO must include our understanding of reality. And that`s what forums like this accomplish.
Someone can think they`re going to start a new airline company, but when they actually write that in words for someone else to read, they then must---absolutely have to---take into account the fact that they`ll need airplanes.
Likewise, someone can think that if they start a business the world will immediately put together a posse, come after them, and shoot them dead. When they put that into words, they have to also include the reasoning as to why that would happen.
"Sitting around reading" isn`t a waste of time. We just as easily could say that continuing adult education is waste of time. Colleen, your friend could very well say that the friends he knows who are successful, would never waste time sitting around in a classroom studying how to develop a new skill.
Education doesn`t only happen in classrooms. Aside from the "trial-and-error" of real, everyday life, there also are seminars, workshops, salons, clubs, and discussion groups. We have book clubs and so forth, all of which serve the purpose of expanding the mind and testing our assumptions.
Then there`s the concept of feedback. Why go to a workshop and learn to do a new thing if you never have a chance to ask whether or not what you`re doing is in the correct way? That`d be like going to a school where all you ever do is listen to lectures; you`re never tested, never questionned, and you never can ask any questions yourself.
To me, it sounds as though you need to find your focus. I found my focus last year, this may sound strange but I was actually focusing on an object, kind of like your told to do in lamaze classes and one idea after another began to morph into my company that I began shortly thereafter. I had my core idea, figured out my target (small businesses) figured how to reach them, that`s an ongoing process but slowly but surely The Latham Group is all coming together quite nicely.
You also have to have you sphere of people that you trust to tell you the honest truth that your `great idea` is a winner or a loser. When the majority rules it a winner - run with it and figure it out as you go along.
Pamela
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