Creative Entrepreneurship™

Mike Volkin

Have you ever heard that red makes you stop, blue is soothing or black is luxurious? If you have then this is due to neuromarketing? Companies have been using neuromarketing to elicit responses and behaviors from customers for some time now. Neuromarketing can be defined as the science of understanding the decision-making mechanisms of a customer and their behaviors. The way certain customers respond to marketing stimuli differs according to your approach, but one of the more difficult tasks is presenting colors, literature or shapes that evoke the kind of behavior necessary to improve business. 

Image by Ashutosh Sonwani

Eye Movement

Most recently, the ability to know where eyes are focusing first when looking at an ad can be attributed to eye-tracking technology. Eye-tracking technology can identify where the customer will hone in on key messages, product advertisements or how the customer moves chronologically to help with branding or package design. 

Neuroimaging

The packaging is important in creating and attracting customers. Companies like Campbell’s and Frito Lay consistently apply neuroimaging to create packaging that has been recorded as positive. The results from neuroimaging are followed up with feedback on color, text, and images. Companies have been able to utilize neuromarketing for effective marketing strategies. 

Photo by Britta Jackson
Color Effectiveness

We have often heard that certain colors evoke a wide range of customer emotions. Experienced marketers will use colors to elicit anger, hunger or calm. Color in advertising has been an effective marketing tool used by large companies like Coca Cola with their red can. Companies have also been able to split the colors to create subgroups such as cool blues for professional looks. 

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon
The Decision to Decide

Many customers are inundated with decisions. Companies like Clickfunnels have made it possible to limit the decision making process to specifics. Sometimes less is more and providing too much information to the customer will create an overwhelming effect. In many cases, the customer will get frustrated and not decide. This is called the decision paralysis.

About Mike Volkin

Mike is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, trainer, Army veteran, and author of 5 books (one bestseller). He has built and sold 4 companies. As a marketing leader, he specializes in helping small businesses scale.  Throughout his career, Mike has worked with over 400 small and mid-sized businesses and has a tremendous track record of driving company growth and brand awareness through the development and implementation of marketing programs. 

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What is Budget Photography?

For many aspiring photographers, the idea of using used or older equipment may seem to limit their photography, however with the right technique, you can deliver photography that competes with top photographers in the industry. The idea of spending a lot of money on equipment certainly brings the perception that your photos will be better, however many photographers in the industry have not even upgraded because they are consistently getting quality photography from older cameras. You don’t need the latest and greatest photography equipment to produce stunning photos. With practice and knowledge, you can take your budget-conscious equipment to produce photos many would envy. Consider buying used equipment, become proficient in the equipment you have, and get out and practice.

Buying Used Equipment to Start Your Photography Business

Photography is an expensive business. One camera and one lens can set you back thousands of dollars. If you include the top of the line or flagship camera and you could spend nearly five thousand dollars or more on just one camera and one lens. For many aspiring photographers, starting out is a challenge because you have not even built up a reputation of being a photographer or even a trusted one. People put a lot of trust in their photographer. For some customers, there is only one shot at getting it right and knowing that they can trust their photographer in an important decision-making factor. So a photographer starting out may choose to buy a Nikon D850 or you can buy a Nikon D810 which is about two thousand dollars less. Some of the DX cameras can produce some high-quality photos for the more budget-conscious photographer. The D7500 has a crop sensor and works well with many lighting systems on the market. The D7500 is a semipro crop sensor camera that can be purchased for just under eight hundred dollars. Many used or refurbished D7500s can be purchased for as little as six hundred. An ideal lens for portraits is the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 AF-S VRII is an excellent choice. This older lens can be purchased for as low as one thousand to thirteen hundred dollars. This lens allows photographers to widen up a frame to 70mm or zoom in to 200mm to completely blur out the background at f/2.8. Essentially you can start your business with a used D810 and Used 70-200mm.

Lighting Your Subject

While cameras and lenses can be expensive, so can lighting. Being able to properly use light for headshots or portraits can be instrumental in creating images that set you apart from everyone else. A Nikon SB-800 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight can be used to create some amazing photos for less than one hundred dollars. How many do you need? Some photographers will say that they can use one Speedlight, but an ideal option would be using two. One as a primary and one as a rim light. You could probably use a reflector to highlight as needed.

Become Proficient at Your Craft

Using your equipment regularly makes you a better photographer. A better photographer will know how to use their equipment in most conditions. Practicing your photography only helps you position yourself and your photography. Knowing your capabilities allows you to know where you stand with other photographers.

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Type of Equipment Used by Rafal

Nikon D800

https://amzn.to/2EUKReh

adorama.rfvk.net/6Lx2q

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Lens

https://amzn.to/37izGs5

adorama.rfvk.net/nxADA

Softbox

Elinchrom 39″ Rotalux Deep Octabox

Elinchrom 27.5” Rotalux Deep Octabox

Speedlight

Nikon SB700 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight Flash

Rafal Wegiel

Rafalwegiel.com

https://www.facebook.com/rafalwegielphotography

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Fulltime Musician

What do you have to do to break into the country music industry? Whether you are experienced or not you should take some steps to break into the industry. Understand that your decision to go into the music business has its challenges but it is even more difficult if you are doing something else like a second job or going to school. By making the decision to focus music one would be able to feel a sense of urgency and commitment consistent with losing a job. By doing music full time, you are now obligated to make something of your career as a musician. Many people are looking to break into the industry, but few people know-how. 

Seek a Mentor

It is important to take advice or start out with people who are experts in the industry.  Heading into the country music industry, many musicians will attempt to take advice from anyone willing to give it and that’s not a wise decision, especially from people who are not experts in growing a successful business. Network with people who are familiar with building a business or have achieved a level of success in the industry commensurate to where you want to be. Even if they have achieved a level you seek to surpass. 

Supplement Your Income

For many people working in the music industry, they will choose to have a secure or safe place for income. This may hinder your progress as a musician as this often keeps a person complacent and shackled to their security blanket job. Leaving a job that pays can be a difficult decision, but the decision to leave can help you utilize the most productive time of the day and will allow you to balance your business and family time equally. A good way to supplement your income could be teaching lessons for your instrument. This will allow you to dictate your time more efficiently and give you opportunities to focus your time on your music when you have the best chances for creativity. 

Is a Music Degree Necessary?

Many musicians will go to school to get a music degree. This could be difficult while building a career in music. If you are going to school for business, then this may be more beneficial for you to build a business. Degrees in music will help in composition and prepare you to play your instrument more efficiently, but the degree will do very little for you for landing record deals or gigs. It is important for a musician to seek out an experienced musician. Someone who has already tied the knots greased the wheels and built their business. If you can find someone willing to take you under their wing, it would be a good opportunity to learn something very quickly from someone who has already built their business. 

Using Social Media to Promote

Social media is an important part of building your business. Just like most entrepreneurs building a business, building a music business is exactly the same. Using your gigs and scheduling them regularly is an important way to gain followers and keep them apprised of your scheduled gigs. For many people starting out, you will find that you get a lot of support and people will push you to do better. They will support you by going to your gigs and spreading the word.

Try and avoid the guesswork of the music industry you are entering by doing your research. Figure out the politics, cost, entrant threats and educate yourself on how the business works. This will improve your chances of success and avoid any pitfalls before they become mistakes you cannot come back from.

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In this episode, we talk to TJ Neal for some insight into how he has built his photography business. We talk about how to avoid procrastination, the perfectionist syndrome, and building leads from existing customers.

Avoiding procrastination is a daily challenge for many people. Recognizing the challenge is the first step. Organization can be crucial in setting up your tasks for the day and identifying your priorities. Set up simple achievable goals and move towards them. The task doesn't have to be daunting. Take small bites toward's your goal by creating a timeline or schedule and set a deadline. Avoid any distractions, take your time and find some incentives. Last reward yourself for accomplishing your task.

The perfectionist syndrome is known by many starting a business or task for the first time. The website has to be perfect, the letterhead needs to look perfect and of course, the office and logo need to be perfect before we start making those essential phone calls.

Building leads from existing customers can lead to a prolific business. Calling customers that are familiar with your work and asking them to kindly provide some people that might be wanting your product or service has a powerful effect on the referral on the other line. If the person referring you has any credibility, they will be a powerful asset for your referral.

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We focus on many things in our lives. Many of those things are not our passion. Felix Trueve has remedied this by going full time on his passion for country music. From Band Director to country music superstar, Felix has been able to surpass the politics involved with music and focus on motivating his audience by engaging with them. Felix has been able to rise in popularity by branding himself and taking up opportunities that highlight his talents. He has opened for George Strait, Tracy Lawrence, Mark Chesnutt and many more. His 90's sound has taken him to number twenty-two on the charts along with awards for best songwriter from Texas Country Music Association.

http://felix.band/
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This week we focus on building passive income through education and training while utilizing affiliate programs as an additional stream of revenue. Francisco Hernandez talks about building his business through the concept of educating other photographers on his techniques while utilizing affiliate programs like Amazon and Adorama. As photographers and business owners, we are continually looking to add streams of revenue and sometimes you have to think outside the box.

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Equipment
C Stands https://amzn.to/2DoiIvj
Sony A7R IV https://amzn.to/2L1iePV
https://adorama.rfvk.net/BJgYq
https://adorama.rfvk.net/VePjE

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Kristopher Lopez is a San Antonio born entrepreneur currently serving in the military. He started his business early on his career on the advice from one of his mentors. He advised him to buy a house every place he went and invest his money in real estate. Unlike many people who might blow this off as just crazy talk, he took the advice and ran with it. Everywhere he went, he purchased a home. Once he came closer to retirement from the military, he decided to turn it into a business. Now, instead of owning five homes, he now owns over thirty-seven luxury homes. His partner company now works with him on renting to individuals seeking to stay in luxury homes with all the amenities of a 5-star hotel.  They offer room service, concierge, food, guides and much more. What sets L2BNB apart is its focus on additional amenities not offered by the ABNB stay. Right now, they have homes in Miami, Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas. With deluxe accommodations, customers are offered an upscale home without the overpriced hotel requirement. Housekeeping, grocery setup, and vacation planning are all just a few of the services provided when staying at L2BNB. 

Kristopher goes over his ability to turn his passion for real estate into a viable business by partnering up with a multibillion-dollar company. Kristopher goes over some advice for entrepreneurs wanting to start a real estate company and helps us understand what it takes to be successful, such as, market analysis, preparing financially, physically and emotionally. Knowledge is power and knowing who's a good partner, where to look and when to purchase a home in a turbulent market.

http://www.l2bnb.com
https://www.facebook.com/L2BNBListings/
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Social media is essential in presenting your product or service. Learning about business is important and you should never become complacent. Look at things from an outside perspective. A daily routine can be planning your posts beforehand. you can schedule all social media through later.com. Get your relationships down and the money will follow.

Mindset is essential in building a business. We are often put into situations that cause us to persevere. It is human nature to continue what we start. The idea is to get started. Know that there is fear, change, and doubt, but the mindset for building your business can make or break it. 

What does it mean to be an entrepreneur? Building a business is one of the most difficult and time-consuming tasks a person can do in their life. Entrepreneurs are continually looking for opportunities to create and build something from the ground up. We are going to go over all aspects of business as well as delve into those areas that many people find too painful to talk about.

The Creative Entrepreneur is a channel that will help motivate, educate and inspire business owners to get moving and build that empire. 

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