Tag Archives: writing

Thrive! The Creative’s Guidebook to Professional Tenacity

 

The book is complete, and I want to share it. This book grew out of a class I taught called Professional Practices at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts | Arizona State University (2010 – 2016). This book is filled with all of the class content but bigger than that  – it is a guide to encourage all creatives in their confidence and to get brave.

Rooted in the author’s experience as an entrepreneur and creative professional, Thrive! The Creative’s Guidebook to Professional Tenacity helps those in creative fields acquire the skills and tools needed to successfully market their talents and manage their careers. Speaking directly to how creatives think about and conduct business, the text is filled with engaging and accessible exercises, strategies, and tips.

The six units cover branding, searching for clients, asserting the value of creative work, pitching your talents, leveraging social and other media, managing finances and taxes, and more. Each chapter includes business terms creatives need to know, action tasks to prepare for the professional work ahead and specific guidance about how the content can be applied in the real world.

Fresh and innovative, Thrive! The Creative’s Guidebook to Professional Tenacity understands the importance of speaking to creative professionals in their own language and showing them how to leverage their outside-the-box skills to achieve professional and financial success. The book is ideal for anyone studying or working in the fields of art and design, or any creative endeavor.

 

Thanks for sharing with others!

Thrive! The Creative’s Guidebook to Professional Tenacity

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Guerrilla Success

The Guerrilla Success Book is out!

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I was fortunate to be asked to write a chapter for a book by my hero by Jay Conrad Levinson who was the founder of Guerrilla Marketing. I have long been a fan of his work and when he passed away in 2013 I thought that would be the end of his voice but luckily he left essays behind and his wife Jeannie Levinson took up the cause. 

Jay Conrad and Jeannie Levinson, were the creators of the term Guerrilla Entrepreneur. They described them as men and women who think outside-the-box. In their words: He’s embraced new ways of thinking, new ways of working, new ways of living. He well knows that he’s left behind an age characterized by a worship of profits, a surfeit of working hours, and a neglect of family and self.

I am thrilled that the book is out and my essay is included. Here is the link to grab a copy for yourself:

Guerrilla Success

 

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A Lesson in No!

Entrepreneur Business Tip –

All day long I will tell anyone who is listening that Seth Godin is a hero of mine and a total genius. Why? Because he is passionate, real and is a truth teller. I love his style of ‘tell it like it is’ and he’s not too big to share the love. Every time I reach out to him he replies immediately. His blog post today (reposted below) is about saying yes. I totally agree with him and it reminded me that I should share how important it is to say NO! and why.

I am great at the no. I say this as a recovering work-a-holic. I used to say yes to everything, constantly distracted by the next opportunity, possibility and shiny squirrel. I have recovered from that and now am very comfortable saying no. Here is the thing I learned. By saying no I honor myself, my time and the person on the other side of the ask because I don’t over book and let them down. On the flip side when I do say yes the person asking feels extra good because they know it is meaningful and it matters. To get my yes is a privilege and those who receive it don’t take it lightly or for granted. That is a respectful win win to all.

Seth’s Post:

Instant yes 

The other day, a friend asked me for a favor. I gave him an instant yes.

The instant yes is precious. It’s earned, it doesn’t last forever, it’s easily abused.

Not the yes of, “I’ll look it over and if it makes sense or fits in my calendar or is profitable then of course, I’ll do it,” but the yes of, “yes.”

Do you want to try our daily special, it’s really good? Do you want to see my new project proposal? Will you come to this event I’m holding? Will you contribute to this discussion? Can I borrow $500?

How many people will give you an instant yes if you ask them? How many times has your organization (or you) earned the privilege of the benefit of the doubt?

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