Passion Design Project

Anyone else overwhelmed with how many tech products there are out there to run your business?

Today I'm breaking down everything I currently use to run my biz and giving you insight on how it all helps me work! I'll start with the highest priced products down to the free stuff. I've included a few links so feel free to check them out further!

Tech Monthly Fees:

* Teachable: $99

* Adobe Suite: $52.99

* Shopify: $29

* ConvertKit CRM: $29

* Website Hosting + domains: $150/yr

* Quickbooks: $10.71

* Dropbox: $9.99

* Hostgator Email: $5

* PayPal Fees :$depends on sales

* Etsy: $5

* Calendly: $0

* Canva: $0

* Google Analytics: $0

* Google Cal: $0

* Social Media: $0

* Venmo: $0

* Society6: $0

* Asana: $0

* VSCO: $0

Things I"m looking into:

* Podcast VA: $5-10/hr

* Pinterest Automater: Tailwind: $9.99/mo

Others:

* Office rent

* Utilities

* Health insurance

* Internet

* Phone

* Roth IRA

* Savings

 

 

 

And as always, have the best day ever!!!

Thanks so much for listening!! I would love if you'd leave a review & subscribe on iTunes...HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

Find out more on my website at www.PassionDesignProject.com

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I came across Eric's work while on an Instagram scroll. Oddly enough, I'd just gotten a message from a girl wondering how to get into the surf/skate industry of design (something I'd worked on doing about 10 years back), and on this Instagram post, it was announced that Eric would be giving a graphic design on skateboards class. After sending her the link, I thought - I bet she and I aren't the only ones who are mesmerized by this industry and knew I had to chat with Eric more in-depth.

Eric has tons of knowledge from working on different continents and doing everything from drawing on skateboards to completing huge murals, by himself and with a team.

Find EfDot here and find out more about his skateboard art workshop in NYC on July 14, 2018 here!

Here's what we talk about today:

* Collaboration within the art industry

* Freelance vs working with a company

* Favorite tools when creating

* His Mural process from A-Z

* Dream Project - ya gotta think BIG!

*

How to stay optimistic as an artist

*

How to get out of a funk/phase of not feeling creative

*

Discussing living and working in BA and how it differs from NYC

*

Long-distance relationship!

* What's on his horizon

* His favorite project

* And a lot more art banter!

 

And as always, have the best day ever!!!

Thanks so much for listening!! I would love if you'd leave a review & subscribe on iTunes...HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

Find out more on my website at www.PassionDesignProject.com

Join me on Facebook at Passion Design Project & Subscribe to the Newsletter to get podcast updates!

Back in the day, selling your art meant getting into galleries and doing all the same things as everyone else. Luckily today, you can get wayyy more creative - which is good, since that's probably your specialty as an artist! What might not be your specialty? The business part. Totally understandable and I definitely get it! I would much rather be painting than trying to market myself and send invoices, but let's be honest - no biz runs if you aren't taking care of the business-y stuff, too! Maria jumps in exactly with the information we need to know to creatively and simply sell more art - using FUN methods!

A few favorite quotes from the episode:

"When you are making a living as an artist, face it, you work your BUTT off. It's hard work, I'm not gonna sugar-coat it! You don't do it because it's easy, you do it because you love it. But you do have to take breaks! You have to enjoy time away from work."

"If you wanna do something, you can figure out how to do it. You just have to get creative"

And that's where the amazing Maria Brophy comes in! And it's time you get to know her and her years of knowledge about alternative ways to sell art.

* Does every artist have to be a business person?

* What are the top business skills that creatives should have?

* Raising your prices & mindset around it

* How to raise prices and not lose clients

* What artists need to be doing each month in order to accomplish their goals

* The importance of figuring out WHO your buyer is

* People who are doing alternate methods right & making big money

* A favorite story from an event

* How to get freedom and money from art

* Where is the art world headed and what should we be doing to set up for success?

* What's one thing artists can do TODAY to get a sale or get close to a sale

* How to get paid to travel by creating art

See what else Maria has to offer on her website: MariaBrophy.com or check out her husband's art at: DrewBrophy.com

 

And as always, have the best day ever!!!

Thanks so much for listening!! I would love if you'd leave a review & subscribe on iTunes...HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

Find out more on my website at www.PassionDesignProject.com

Join me on Facebook at Passion Design Project & Subscribe to the Newsletter to get podcast updates!

In 2013, I had found the podcast, The Lifestyle Entrepreneur by Kris Gilbertson, and became obsessed with listening every chance I had. I was kind of early for podcasting and hearing about lifestyle entrepreneurs and it was basically the only place I could get my fill! (I had to look that up to remember the name!) On my list of 2014 Goals, #8 was start a Podcast, and by Summer 2014, my furthered goal was "Podcast Equipment." In 2015 I had written down my Podcast plan and potential website names. In 2016 the goal evolved to recording 50 episodes. So, I started recording in June of 2016 and launched in August of 2016 with a once a week podcast. Now we're here, exactly two years from when I recorded my first episode with some local business people in Jackson Hole, recording my own 100th episode.

Before now, looking back I always thought I should have done the process a lot faster, but with a little more grace towards myself, I'm revising that thinking. To be fair, I was alone in a new state, with a fresh degree in fashion design, working in Fashion, creating art shows, and wanting to develop a podcast on the side. In recent years, online stuff has gotten way more intense and in your face (although this may be because I'm in the space a lot more). Today people basically say if you aren't creating a podcast within a week, you're falling behind. That mentality held me captive a lot during the last few years. Thoughts that if I wasn't doing enough as soon as possible, I was losing out on money, losing out on furthering a potential career, and just plain losing in general. I don't know about you, but to me, it always seems that people are doing things before me every time and I have to race to catch up, or else buy their program to get fast results.

In short, what I learned from 100 podcasts is not some amazing one-liners from guests, or how to build the perfect business, but more little things. Things like becoming a better listener, accepting that there's a lot more than one way to reach a goal, and being proud to show what I'm doing.

As much work as the podcast takes, I actually stayed away from promoting it for a long time. Instead of thinking about who could benefit from it, I thought about what I might be saying wrong, or things I say that people might find annoying. I didn't want to advertise something they might not like. By doing this, I actually was hurting everyone, not giving them a chance to hear episodes that I put my heart and soul into. I was so focused on consistently putting out an episode every week (to stay with my goal) that I lost the big picture of what I was actually doing! If you're working on a project right now, share the in-between moments. The times when things don't go right, or when you're frustrated, as it makes the end goal a lot more special.

Through the years, I've evolved in the podcasts I like to listen to. A few favorites have been: Smart Passive Income Podcast, Tim Ferriss Show, GaryVee Audio Experience, Goal Digger podcast, School of Greatness. Each show is good for different reasons, although I must say I've learned the most about Podcasting from Tim Ferriss - who likes to break things down to a molecular level and explore why and how to achieve optimal results. He's studied podcasting techniques which is a lot about asking the right questions, getting the show to flow, getting people to open up, and being a good listener. If any of you are avid podcast listeners, I'm guessing you notice the people who use phrases like "I love it!" or "That's amazing" or "Interesting..." Basically fillers in times where you haven't thought quick enough of anything else to say. Now I notice things like this a lot more often (which is sort of annoying ha!) but also helps me notice it in myself. Becoming a better conversationalist is usually just ...

I met today's guest last year at ConvertKit Conference, which could be the nerdiest beginnings ever - a conference for people that use the same e-mail service HA! Becca is super fun and outgoing so it was cool to hear her talk about how she'd quickly built her, at that time, new calligraphy business.

One of the biggest mental hurdles to get over as an entrepreneur is often feeling like a fraud or not practiced enough to call yourself a professional and start selling your creative work. Becca is a perfect example that you can make money fairly quickly in the arts if you aren't afraid to put your work out there (even if it's still a work in progress) and put programs out there too!

Today I talk to Becca about how to monetize something as niche as calligraphy (even if lots more people are out there doing it).

We talk about:

* Travel and her round-the-world trip

* How she made her first buck as a calligrapher

* What type of systems do you use within your business - have they expanded as she's grown?

* What's your biggest struggle as an entrepreneur and how does she compensate?

* What's the best entrepreneurial tip or trick she's learned in the past year?

* Did she develop any new, positive habits that she brought home after traveling?

* When she wakes up in the morning what gets her most excited?

* What calligraphy supplies won't she travel without?

* What's next in her calligraphy world - dream project?

* What is she excited about during this upcoming summer?

Find Becca on Instagram: @thehappyevercrafter or join the 20K others on Facebook here!

All of her workbooks can be purchased on her site: www.thehappyevercrafter.com

 

And as always, have the best day ever!!!

Thanks so much for listening!! I would love if you'd leave a review & subscribe on iTunes...HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

Find out more on my website at www.PassionDesignProject.com

Join me on Facebook at Passion Design Project & Subscribe to the Newsletter to get podcast updates!

Today's guest is truly incredible. It's one thing to travel, but another to travel and be so touched that you take your whole life in a new direction. Amber did just that after she visited Ethiopia and saw how much change was needed. On this episode, I'm talking with Amber about her company, Eleventh Candle. Eleventh Candle Co. is a social enterprise in Columbus, Ohio partnering with Legacy to redeem, restore, empower and equip those vulnerable to human trafficking, abuse, exploitation, and addiction. A once trafficked woman in Columbus, Ohio is employed while a village in Ethiopia is supported and orphaned children there are welcomed into homes when products are purchased.

Some questions I ask Amber & other things we talk about:

* Have you always had a trajectory of working in the mission field & why?

* Tell us about your first trip abroad and how or why it inspired you to do more.

* Tackling a daunting task: What were the first few steps to getting started creating a company that helps overseas.

* Trafficking. What exactly does it entail and what is the first step to stopping it?

*  I'm sure this work has caused you to change a bit in life, what's the most positive change you've noticed in yourself?

* And, what are you better at saying no to?

* How to deal with emotions when you also have to run a successful business

* What is the most challenging part of running her company

* How do you prioritize what needs to be done FIRST?

* Ways we can help others if you have a heart for a cause.

* We can't help people 24/7 if we don't take care of ourselves too. How do you turn off?

* Ethiopian Food! What's the best?

* Travel: what 1 or 2 things can't you leave home without?

* How YOU can get involved this week and help Amber's company (and get some amazing candles!)

 

And as always, have the best day ever!!!

Thanks so much for listening!! I would love if you'd leave a review & subscribe on iTunes...HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

Find out more on my website at www.PassionDesignProject.com

Join me on Facebook at Passion Design Project & Subscribe to the Newsletter to get podcast updates!

My 31st birthday was over the weekend (yippee!) and I thought that called for a solo show of one of the topics I talk about that gets the most response: Shiny Object Syndrome. If you don't know what it is, consider yourself lucky! Or maybe you didn't know it was referred to as this! Well, if you're an entrepreneur and ever find yourself jumping from one idea to the next, never really accomplishing the thing you want to accomplish, you just may be a prime culprit.

Not to fear though, there are a few things we can do to fight this and develop better habits!!

* Use a notebook to write down new ideas

* Schedule time for working on the new ideas that you decide are worthy of working on

Then, work on these 3 things are all things that we need to work on as we begin to move away from shiny object syndrome.

* No's, Yes's, & Martyr Syndrome

Say no to: crappy emails, hanging out with people who aren't a positive influence, social media distractions, being a martyr

Say yes to: spending time on things that matter, self-care,

And then do this:

* Dive into the fear of the big thing that matters

 

 

And as always, have the best day ever!!!

Thanks so much for listening!! I would love if you'd leave a review & subscribe on iTunes...HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

Find out more on my website at www.PassionDesignProject.com

Join me on Facebook at Passion Design Project & Subscribe to the Newsletter to get podcast updates!

You all are in for a treat today! I've got Gemma O'Brien on the podcast today, an artist who's wowed me for a while on Instagram and in a fun turn of events, I flew across the country last week to help her paint her latest mural at Google Headquarters in Silicon Valley.

It's a funny thing meeting people you've only seen on your Instagram feed - maybe this is what it feels like to online date someone. You never truly know who they are behind the 'gram! Because personally, I think I was funniest back in my Yahoo! Messenger days...the instant messenger response delay really helped me be extremely witty. But my Yahoo glory days are beside the point and Gemma was super fun. So back to her. If you've never seen her art, you NEED to. It truly is just plain awesome. Stuff you look at and can't really wrap your mind around how it got from A (blank wall) to B (wowza).

Funny enough, in my excitement of all the free food Google offers, I didn't press record correctly and thus missed half of the interview (lesson learned), but I think we ended up covering most of it in the end!

This is a really fun one and we chat about:

* Her favorite destination from art travels

* Pushing yourself to do more and go further despite looking to many like you are at the top

* Appreciating the process, not just the final piece

* What are art agents and how to do they help

* How to stand out among all the Instagrammers online

* How to stay unique and not copy in the art world

* Do you have to have a morning routine to be successful

* Remembering to appreciate what you've done in the past

* Where you can find her next

Join Gemma's 200K following on Instagram @mrseaves101 and buy prints on her website at: www.gemmaobrien.com/

Take her Skillshare class HERE!

 

And as always, have the best day ever!!!

Thanks so much for listening!! I would love if you'd leave a review & subscribe on iTunes...HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

Find out more on my website at www.PassionDesignProject.com

Join me on Facebook at Passion Design Project & Subscribe to the Newsletter to get podcast updates!

Okay Passion Designers, I see you out there, shrinking back & becoming clammy every time someone asks you what the price of something is. It seems that we all feel like we are each the worst at selling our stuff. Can't we just do it for free and have a magical life where everything works out? Yep, I hear you! Pricing, negotiating, getting rejected, getting ghosted after giving prices...it's all pretty yuck.

I'm super empathetic for every artist trying to price; through the years, I've become defensive about prices and irritated when people don't see something's worth/the work that was put into it as I notice how often creatives are taken advantage of. Sure, there is a time and place for doing cheap work at the beginning, but if you constantly get bombarded with family and friends who want a favor or "quick sketch" it's time to show the world your actual worth.

There are so many variables involved when selling creative items, yet there's definitely a strong foundation that's most important and that's where we'll start. Your mindset around money is where soooo much of being an entrepreneur starts. Do you have money blocks? After I learned this one, I started loving listening to people talk about buying things because I would inevitably hear money blocks come up. What are money blocks? Saying things like: "Money doesn't grow on trees," "I could never afford that," "I don't need nice things," "People with lots of money are the worst." Think about it, what are some money blocks you, or the people you are constantly around, say every day? Can you see why these might be holding you back?

Once I stopped myself from using those "easy" cop-out phrases, I realized how much negativity they were carrying. All this time I'd been holding myself back by telling myself all of these money lies, which are most likely things you and I have grown up hearing - we just choose to believe it. So now, with all the extra time we have after eliminating money blocks, we can fill that time with positive wealth affirmations. Oddly enough, these might be harder to say out loud than your old money blocks. Because It might just be easier for you to say "I can't make a million dollars" than "I can easily make 1 million dollars." I'm not sure what it is about telling ourselves really great things, but it's tough. Fight through it, believe in yourself, and say some wealth affirmations boldly (they don't make you a greedy, bad person!). "I will make $______ this year." "I am worthy of receiving payment for my creative work." "People are happy to pay me large sums of money." " The more money I make, the more good I can do."

Amazing! Now that we have our mindset on track...onto the nitty-gritty. What the heck do you charge?!

I'll be honest, my pricing has changed a lot, and I try to be as consistent as possible. I found it really hard at the beginning when most of my clients were in Ohio, but the resort town I was living in Wyoming, things were priced way higher and the cost of living was also higher. So to begin with, you have to know your clients. Who are the people that are currently asking for or buying your work. You'll have to keep in mind the range they're willing to pay - maybe you can be a bit higher but you must provide excellent service or something that makes it really worth it for them!

Once you know the type of clients who are buying your work, work out a consistent plan for prices. Begin with your material costs. I often find this hard to do because I work from bulk but you can have a rough idea. Say your material costs are $50 for a 10'x12' canvas, paints, & brushes. Now calculate the hours it will take. Say your sketch takes 3 hours and your painting will take 5, packaging 1 = 10 hrs. You already know you're charging $50 for supplies so now you'...

 

A few people have messaged me lately asking how to get started in the art world and what my trajectory has been like. Although I think it's an ever-evolving world as an entrepreneur, with the world moving SO FAST, on this episode I'm talking about things I've done that have worked and haven't worked. As a spoiler, here are the top 2 things I learned most recently:

A. Patience is key. I know, we all want things to happen like...yesterday...but the reality is success takes a lot of consistent work and a positive mindset that you can do it. The artist I worked with and admire has been painting murals for 5 years and working on her artistic style for 10...that's almost 5 times as long as me and was a good eye opener for when I'm feeling impatient!

B. On the other end, while being patient, you can't just wait for the perfect project to show up at your doorstep before taking action. If you aren't consistently doing the thing you want to be doing (even if it's in your 10 minutes of free time a day), no one is going to magically find you and give you that perfect opportunity you want. Take consistent action and always be working towards what you want and showing up!

I also touch on:

* Going into debt

* Collaborations

* Taking Initiative

* Staying Motivated

* Travel

* Professionalism

 

And as always, have the best day ever!!!

Thanks so much for listening!! I would love if you'd leave a review & subscribe on iTunes...HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

Find out more on my website at www.PassionDesignProject.com

Join me on Facebook at Passion Design Project & Subscribe to the Newsletter to get podcast updates!