Identifying Wrong Clients

April 23, 2014

I have a client that was asked to present for a potential engagement for a corporate event (for sake of confidentiality, type of artist has been omitted).  Rather than put together a standard capabilities response with canned “here is why we are good” examples, she decided to ask some questions that were bigger than the […]

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Alignment

April 11, 2014

I have seen it time and again.  You say one thing about your art and creative business but the underneath tells a different story.  We are all about relationship with a ruthless contract to follow.  We only care about providing you with the best value (i.e., least expensive option) and charge a percentage.  Or, my […]

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Messing With Success

March 31, 2014

Business is good for creatives.  Clients are commissioning more and more work.  While nothing is certain in this world, things seem to be pretty stable, even growing.  Many of you are just enjoying the busyness.  And, fair enough, it has to feel pretty good to be busy.  So why mess with it? The best time […]

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To What End?

March 4, 2014

Why are you in your creative business?  Usually the answer is something more than just making money.  For the vast majority, if it were about the money, you would be better served getting a job.  Regular paycheck, less stress, easier hours.  No, you are in your creative business for something other.  Could be to practice […]

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Every Last Dollar?

February 11, 2014

Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.  I have talked about pricing many times – about getting paid what you need, understanding margin and risk and the difference between subjective and objective.  What I have not talked about is the amount of work associated with extracting the largest premium for your art as opposed to consciously […]

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Your Legacy

February 5, 2014

When you stay at a great hotel, what do you remember?  The décor?  The food? The service?  Since Valentine’s Day is coming, what do you think will be the highlight of your dinner out?  The food?  The lighting?  Conversation?  How about your trip to the dentist? Think about the millions upon millions of dollars spent […]

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Success and Hard Work

January 28, 2014

Happily, I am hearing that the outlook for creative businesses in 2014 is very good.  For some, too good, so much work that the creative business cannot handle it all.  Running parallel to the success is our culture’s validation of overwork.  We presume that the ultimate rewards go to those willing to work longer and […]

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The Power Position

January 27, 2014

Seth Godin’s blog post today, “…Different People Differently” got me thinking.  In the post, Seth argues that now we must talk to each person differently.  No more mass marketing or singular message.  Treat the chess champion differently than the star quarterback.  Know what makes someone tick and make that the conversation. “[The digital age] is […]

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What Is It Worth?

January 21, 2014

Put aside notions of what clients will and will not pay for.  It is an exercise in mental masturbation anyway. Now ask yourself what YOU would pay for each part of your creative business.  Do it with percentages.  What is your reputation/experience worth?  Your ideas?  Your production?  The end product?  Once you have assigned percentages, […]

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Why?

January 13, 2014

I was recently introduced to the work of Simon Sinek and his ever-popular 2010 Ted talk: Start With Why (has over 14 million views).  Simon’s basic premise is that great leaders, great businesses start with why and work their way out to how and then to what.  Not the other way around.  Of course, I screamed […]

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