From Artist To Entrepreneur
Fashion Designers are artists. We are creative and love being creative. This creativity can sometimes lead us in directions that are not profitable. We love what we do so much that we would do it for free, (hence the term starving artist!). I would love to produce whatever comes to my mind but this is my full time job, so if I want to continue to eat and create I have to focus and choose very carefully which ideas I work on.
I have found it to my benefit to train myself to become an entrepreneur. I now think and behave like a business woman. I have grown from only creating beautiful clothes to also creating a successful business. The more I focus on creating a successful business that works the more I enjoy my job of designing.
I go to business seminars, take entrepreneur classes and read lots of business books. One of the best books I have read on this subject is “E-Myth”. The entrepreneurial myth says that just because I do something well I think that I can operate a business. This is the myth that can take you down if you do not take the time to learn how business works.
I enjoy this book so much because it spoke to my very soul, to everything I was thinking but never heard anyone else say.
It spoke to me of creating a business that could operate without me. WOW!!! I am in love with Michael Gerber the author of this most wonderful book. I refer to it often and plan my business according to his teachings and suggestions. I have read three of his books and watched his video series. Michael Gerber has a warm and moving spirit that jumps right off the pages. His advice is practical and spiritual.
This is a great book to read before you begin writing a business plan. He motivates you to consider and develop in detail what he calls the “seven business centers”.
- Leadership
- Management
- Marketing
- Finances
- Lead Generation
- Lead Conversion
- Client Fulfillment
He speaks of discipline, practice, planning, and creating systems that work for every area of a business.
So day by day, little by little I am becoming more than an artist and creating a business that will eventually operate without me. What a wonderful thought!