Entries from May 2009

May 29, 2009

“Our People Will Sleep for 100 Years…

but when they awake, it will be the artists who bring back our culture.”

 
By far; the coolest part of my job is meeting amazing creative people and seeing their work, learning their story and witnessing the genuine humility they possess when it comes to their work. A few weeks ago I ran into the master [...]

May 26, 2009

You Need Raving Fans and The Go Giver

There’s a few things swirling around in my mind today about sales, customer service and succeeding as a creative in the business world, if I can tie them all together and put a bow on them; I’ll have done my creative thing for the day. Wish me luck!
* I’m in a high level (expensive) coaching [...]

May 22, 2009

Selling Your Work and Not Becoming Willie Loman

If there is a profession that is looked at with disdain by the creative community more than any other, it is “sales”. At one time “sales” was a half way noble profession, nothing gets done, after all, until somebody buys something. Today, thanks to Glenn Gary , Glenn Ross (or Death of a Salesman), used [...]

May 21, 2009

Barbara Gallagher, Composer

In the Renaissance, nobles had their own composers, so at least some talented people had sponsors, food on the table and the ability to create without having to work as field hands (or worse). Today, we have democratized music, anyone is free to compose and create wonderful music, and for that reason, almost no one [...]

May 19, 2009

How Willie Young’s Book got to Number 1 on NYT

I read a wonderful little book on a plane yesterday and as much as I liked the book, the way it got to number 1 on the New York Times Bestseller list is equally amazing. As an author and someone who is a little more than interested in seeing creative people prosper, The Shack is [...]

May 17, 2009

Dating Losers

 
I really wanted to write a post around this video. Something about putting yourself out there as a creative. Or, finding your passion… Or one of these guys turned out to be George Clooney. Or, this is what it’s like if you don’t become successful…
Alas; the less said about this video [...]

May 15, 2009

Mark Dahle, Successful Abstracts

At a speaking engagement this weekend in Las Vegas I met a man who fits the definition of the Affluent Artist. Mark Dahle is a very successful abstract painter who understands the business side of art. Mark is wonderful speaker and writer and his work, he says, “Is even liked by people who don’t usually [...]

May 11, 2009

Not a commodity…

One thing a business owner should strive to avoid is to be “commoditized”. That’s when your product is no different than your competitors, so you end up being the victim of a price war. By the very nature of being a creative, your products should have a uniqueness that prevents you from getting undercut in [...]

May 8, 2009

Empty Easel

 
When I wrote the Affluent Artist, I was going for a title that didn’t attract “Lack” so Affluent Artist was catchy enough, but, more importantly, it put the word out to the universe that we were expecting to be successful creative people. So, at first blush, when I saw the title of this cool new [...]

May 5, 2009

Remember Those Goals?

 
We spent a lot of time in December talking about setting and accomplishing goals in 2009. The year is a third over, how’s it going? 
STOP!!!! 
No self judgement or self loathing required, it’s all ok, we practice unconditional love here. Things like New Years are just artificial deadlines anyway, all we have, [...]