Creative businesses are fun! But, like any other business, creative businesses still require a lot of hard work. Most of us start a business because we’ve found something we are good at and passionate about, and we want to make a living doing what we love – for example, turning a favorite hobby into a business. Unfortunately, we often forget that there’s more to running a business than just doing the stuff we love.
 
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the creative side of what we do and neglect the business side. If you want to make money and move from “hobbyist” to “entrepreneur,” here are some tips to help you make the transition.
 
1.      Take yourself and your business seriously
 
Carry professional business cards, and not the free ones that have a generic template and advertising on the back. Put up your own website, even if you’re using a third-party seller. Get over the discomfort of approaching retail shops, galleries, media outlets and other professionals who can help you grow your business. 
 
When people ask you what you do, tell them! “I’m an artist.” “I’m a handbag designer.” “I’m a writer.” Don’t shy away or show embarrassment just because you might be struggling, or don’t yet feel “successful,” or still have a part-time job. Hold your head high and be proud of your creations! When someone admires your necklace say, “Thank you, I’m a jewelry artist.”
 
2.      Charge what you’re worth
 
If you keep your prices low from fear that no one will actually pay what your work is worth, you might as well stay a hobbyist. You have to take into account your materials, your labor, your overhead, your health insurance (you want health insurance, right?), vacations, family needs, retirement funding, and your general lifestyle. How much money do you want and need to make to have the kind of life you dream about?
 
You undermine the value of your work when you price according to fear and discomfort rather than looking at your own needs and what the market will bear. You also, by the way, undermine other creative entrepreneurs. Your customer then expects that every other soap maker, graphic designer and illustrator should offer their wares for the same low prices you do. So you hurt yourself by not bringing in as much money as you should, and you hurt the industry as well.
 
3.      Learn all the aspects of your business, even the parts that aren’t as fun
 
As I mentioned above, most of us start a business out of passion and excitement for what we do. And it’s infinitely more fun to play with paint, experiment with designs, shop for materials, mix flavors and visit galleries than it is to pay invoices, maintain your website, and send out press releases.
 
I’m not saying that you have to do all of those things yourself. You can outsource any administrative task, hiring contract workers or a virtual assistant for example. Have a bookkeeper do your books, a web designer update your site, a rep sell your products.
 
However, knowing the basics of how your business works will protect you from quacks, scammers and other shady or unprofessional types. Also, if you’re without help for a period of time, it’s great to know how to add photos to your website, place a magazine ad or balance your books.
 
Being an entrepreneur can be frustrating, exhausting and gut-wrenching. It can also be exhilarating, rewarding and an amazing learning experience. Take pride in your work, take pride in all of your successes, and be willing to learn and grow. See yourself as a businessperson as well as a creative soul, and your business will flourish.

Lisa Braithwaite is a public speaking coach working with individuals and groups to build their skills and confidence as speakers. Her philosophy of public speaking is that it’s fun, it’s an awesome way to express yourself creatively, and that authenticity and passion are worth more than a thousand techniques. 
 
Before launching her public speaking coaching business in 2005, she worked in the nonprofit sector in Santa Barbara for 16 years as an advocate, educator and trainer, creating and implementing programs, curricula, and training materials for nonprofit organizations. Her areas of expertise in the field of training and education have involved gender equity, domestic violence prevention, media literacy, adult learning principles, and communication skills development
 
In 1997, she co-founded Body Electric, an organization promoting sports, physical activity and gender equity for women and girls. In 2003, Lisa was honored for her work with Body Electric with the Louise Lowry Davis award, named for a pioneer in women’s sports. 

A lifelong jewelry artist, Lisa was the creative force and the “LB” behind Elle B. jewelry from 2004-2007, when she made the difficult decision to close up shop to focus on her coaching business.

Lisa received her B.A. in Theater from Pomona College and her M.A. in Education from UC Santa Barbara.

Website: http://www.coachlisab.com
Speak Schmeak blog: http://coachlisab.blogspot.com

I responded to a post on Freelance Switch yesterday about this and it prompted me to expand on the discussion.

In the past year I’ve used one of the bid sites regularly to find “gigs.” It was that twitchy, fear-based part of me that wondered if I was missing out on a steady flow of clients. It sounds simple enough. As someone looking for work, you pay them to bid on projects that “clients” post. If the “client” accepts your bid, then congratulations to you, the lucky winner. You get to sing “I’ve Got the Golden Ticket” all afternoon.

I got three gigs this year from one of those sites. In fact, one of my best clients is someone I found through a project posted on a bid site. After that first project, we’ve worked exclusively outside the bid site realm.

That is an extremely low number of projects won when you consider that I viewed over 2,000 and bid on less than a quarter of them.

The thing is, I was looking for the top projects, posted by people who were paying what was close to my rate. I was very selective, which resulted in plenty of sifting and researching. Admittedly not the best way to approach the bid site freelancing model.

Is the bid site model for you? Maybe. Here’s how to tell:

1. You have time (or help) to sort through glittering gems like these:

“Need 1,000 icons for huge global brand web site. I want them by Monday. Don’t bid unless you can do it for under $250. Great for student or someone who needs work for their portfolio.”

2. You need some quick cash. The thing is, most people posting on these sites are looking for the cheapest and quickest they can get. If you’re in famine mode, it’s possible to get some quick projects going if you’re willing to work for bargain-basement rates.

3. You don’t mind stepping outside your niche. Hey, if I had to, I could tweak someone’s PowerPoint presentation in a jiffy. If I don’t have any work in children’s publishing, why not use a skill I already have?

Stuff to Watch Out For

If you’re going to do it, just be careful out there. A few things to keep an eye on:

1. Fees. Make sure you account for the bid site’s fees when bidding an amount. It can take a big chunk out of what’s already a small source of revenue.

2. Submitting spec work. People can be sneaky. Unless you’ve got the green light (a signed proposal), don’t send sketches or concepts. They can take your stuff and use it without paying you. Sound like fun?

3. Portfolio crap. If you accumulate enough quick & cheap work, don’t expect to have a lot of samples for your portfolio. At some point, you need to step off the treadmill and create something that’s not quick and cheap.

You can probably guess that I don’t use the bid sites much anymore. I get curious and I look at project listings now and then, but thankfully I haven’t had to rely on it exclusively.

One of the things that’s turned me off is the prospect of bidding on projects for people I’ve never even spoken to. A large part of my work is consulting with my clients, so blind bidding doesn’t fit my business model. I like to work with real people I can actually talk to and make a connection with. That doesn’t happen often on the bid sites, so it’s not my favorite.

To sum up, finding work on bid sites can be a good way to prime the pump and generate some extra income. Just don’t make it your prime model if you want to work on high-end projects.

That’s okay, I’ll take the label. You know why?

Al Roker.

My buddy Al is the man on the street, talking to celebrities and people in the crowd. And the dude is on, ya know what I mean? He’s not just announcing the parade, he’s living the parade. Al could sell this parade to the Taliban.

Okay, so Al’s not really my friend. I just wish he was my friend. We could have a Guinness at one of the pubs on 8th Avenue and he would say stuff like, “Isn’t this the foamiest Irish brew you ever had? Seriously. Best beer ever.”

People like Al Roker and my other wish-he-was-my-friend Gary Vaynerchuk have passion. They get into it, they feel what they’re doing. It’s not robotic or task-list centered. Everything they do is just awesome because they make it that way. It’s on purpose.

Chris Brogan recently had a great post about thinking of your business in 2009 as if it it were a storefront. Its a fantastic analogy and the only thing I would add is to sprinkle a little Al Roker on top.

Okay, pour the entire bottle in. Yeah.

You really want people to enjoy doing business with you, don’t you? People like to see passion in action and they’ll come back for more.

Al Roker, be my friend!
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Busy with the business.

Among the mass of information out there about freelancing as an artist, I found lots of information about taxes, filing systems, invoicing, marketing, bill collecting, and the pitfalls of working from home. There’s all kinds of good advice about what to do if friends call you and want to go shopping every day or your parents think you’re a good for nothing little git. Clever pro and con lists about wearing pajamas all day are plentiful.

Now that I’ve had some experience under my… robe, I thought it would be interesting to put together my own list of things I’ve noticed in my small corner of the freelance world.

This is the real stuff, the stuff you don’t read about in the Graphic Design aisle at B & N.

Why Don’t They Call?

I don’t think I’ve ever picked up a freelance book that didn’t have some advice on how to deal with friends who are constantly calling you to go shopping and have lunch.

After bracing myself against this major barrier to success, I wish it would happen at least once. Where the hell are my friends? Why don’t they call or show up at my door with a six-pack of Coors and potato chips?

It’s because they all work for a living. Duh. Frankly, there’s a greater danger in me bothering them all day. After all, I can wrap up my day pretty much whenever I want, so the Gap sales will still be there.

Speaking of Wrapping Up… When Can I Be Done?

I’m supposed to set a schedule for myself so the day doesn’t get away from me.

Right.

After trying that a few different ways (I’m an iCal expert now), I’ve created my definitive schedule:

Morningish: Get up, eat, coffee, play with kids, discuss latest Bionicle story line.
After-Morningish: Look at clock, gasp in horror, make hasty exit to office.
Midday: Twitter. Read/respond to e-mail. Twitter. Do twelve other necessary tasks in no particular order. Twitter. Twitter. Twitter.
After-midday: Make more coffee. What’s for lunch?
After Lunch: Ready to work! Get ‘er done. Draw stuff, color it in, bill client.
Afternoon: Repeat if necessary, or play guitar until it feels necessary.
Evening: Start major project that will be frustrating to interrupt with dinner.
Nighttime: Finish everything I didn’t get to during Guitar Time.

Client disclaimer: This attempt at jocularity should not be misconstrued as a lax attitude toward completing your project. You are special. Your project takes precedence over all things, including children, wife, food, and emergency dental repair. Your deadline is safe. Remember those nice things you said to me last week? Let’s stay in that world, okay?

The truth is, when you set out on your own, you are never done. Not during dinner, not at the dentist, not even during sex when your iPhone alarm goes off to tell you to create that proposal. Welcome to your new 24-hour day.

Sure, go to the movies. Go shopping, take a break. Just don’t think that you’ll suddenly turn off that part of your brain that knows you’re in business.

Try to shut that part down during sex, though. Trust me on this one.

My Butt Hurts

This is the secret no one tells you before you start a freelance art career: Your butt. It is going to hurt. Your ass could be sitting in a chair for hours on end while you labor over bezier curves and mask tools.

Remember that chair you saw at Costco that you didn’t want to get out of but was “too expensive” for now? Stop what you’re doing, get in the car, and go buy that chair.

Your butt is worth it.

Guinness Record for Fullest Bladder Ever

Please go relieve yourself. Now. It’s okay, you can stop reading this and I’ll be here when you get back.

Nowhere in any freelance how-to book did it mention how long I would attempt to hold my bladder while working. I think this is such an important piece of advice for those new to the freelance world. It’s one of those secrets nobody tells you.

It’s so easy, isn’t it? You’re in control of your schedule, the day is now yours. No boss is quietly counting your bathroom breaks anymore. So why is it so hard to simply get up and have a pee?

In my case, it’s certainly not my rickety chair. It seems there’s always one more piece of that illustration to squeeze out, one more YouTube marketing video to watch, one more e-mail to read and respond to.

Listen. It will all be there when you get back. Go pee. Please.

Eating as a Side Business

I never knew how much I could eat throughout the day when I’m at home. Ironic that I can’t get myself to the loo, yet I have no trouble polishing off the box of ginger snaps after midday coffee.

Food is a nice distraction. When my fingers are sore from my procrastinating guitar playing, why not rest them by using my tasting muscles instead?

When I worked in a corporate environment, food was just as much of a distraction. It seemed that everyone used the kitchen as a sanctuary from spreadsheet drudgery.

Now that I’m on my own, I don’t really need a sanctuary. I’m already in it. So what’s with the weird binging? My theory is that freelancers bodies become deprived of the peanut butter vitamin over time. Fried starch and chocolate stores are also depleted more rapidly in the home office environment.

Our systems are telling us that we need snack foods. Isn’t the human body amazing?

Whether you’re considering the leap into freelancing or starting your home business, I hope these five tips have been beneficial to you. Please share them with others. If you see some poor soul standing in the business aisle at a Barnes & Noble looking troubled by the vast amounts of tax tips and file folder maintenance, share your new wisdom.

It’s actually my sixth secret of freelancing; share.

 
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