Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
A Christmas Wish From Quantum Compass & ArtSHINE
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Safe New Year and 2011.
Please note that our office will be closed from
Friday 24 December 2010 .
We will return on
Monday 10 January 2011.
From Vinh & Stuart
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays!
The team at the Quantum Compass-ArtSHINE would like to wish you and your family a happy holiday. It's been a
great end to the year, . We wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season.
Thank you for all your support and Let’s all look forward to 2011…
During the Happy Holiday Break we will highlight the best of our Close Up interview from 2010.
Thank you for dropping by and see you in 2011.
Best Wishes
Vinh Van Lam & Stuart Horrex
Business LifeStyle Coach - Quantum Compass Australia
ArtSHINE Business Coaching for Creative Professionals
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Close Up Interview With Industry Expert Trish Goodfield
Trish Goodfield
“How to Teach Art & Craft”
“How to Teach Art & Craft”
Tell
us a little about your business TrishAlan Designs and your role?
TrishAlan Designs primarily hand
dyes fabric and threads; creates needlework charts & kits; and makes and
sells Kumihimo supplies. We wholesale our fabric and threads to the craft
industry. My husband
Alan and I often joke that I am the creative genius and he is the business brains. In reality the roles are not as easily divided as that.
Alan and I often joke that I am the creative genius and he is the business brains. In reality the roles are not as easily divided as that.
What
are the five words that people who know you would use to describe you?
Enthusiastic, Positive,
Proactive, Resilient and Creative,
Tell us about your new book “How
to Teach Art & Craft” and how your book can help Artist, Designers &
Creative Professionals?
“How to Teach Art & Craft”
provides all the information that Artists, Designers & Creative
Professionals will need to start teaching their skills and knowledge to others.
After reading the book, Creatives will know how to: tailor their classes for
different venues, technologies and personality types; avoid all the legal and
business pitfall; value themselves and price their classes accordingly;
indentify their teaching style & personality; indentify and develop
strategies for dealing with difficult participants; teach different
generations, attitudes and values; develop handouts, write instructions and use
questions and answers; write and use learning objectives and lesson plans;
identify safety and risk management issues and much more. Experienced Teachers
will also benefit by encouraging them to teach in different venues and make use
of new technologies.
By Trish Goodfield
What was the purpose on starting and
how has this book come about?
While on a break from my
teaching schedule at a Craft Show I overheard a Participant in another class
beating herself up that she hadn’t been able to do the skill being taught in
the class. She commented to her friend that only one person in the class had
been able to do it. During a later conversation with the show organisers I
commented that this sort of thing said more about the teaching than the
learning. They asked me to write an
article on teaching at Craft Shows. At the end of this article I offered
readers a copy of my lesson plan template. I was inundated with requests. These
requests were accompanied by comments stating that there wasn’t any
comprehensive information on how to teach.
I did my own research and
was actually quite surprised that there wasn’t any information out there. I
started writing the book to provide Artists, Designers and Creative
Professionals another opportunity to earn an income from their passion.
What
are the most common issues that relate to artists &designers who come to see you in your business?
Many Artists and Designers lack
the confidence to stand up in front of people so therefore dismiss teaching as
an option. The book covers other teaching options such an various online
methods, magazine project submissions etc
Tell
us more about your services that you provide
to the creative industry ?
In addition to the book, “How to
Teach Art & Craft” is available as an Online Course and as a Face to Face Training Package. Both have approx 12 hours contact time. The Training Packages are
‘active’ courses where Participants get to practice the skills and receive
immediate feedback. There is also an Online Forum for Purchasers of the Book
and Course Participants to receive continuing mentoring.
Tell
us about your process for working with clients?
I always meet Participants
where they are at. I try to find out as much as possible about their ‘teaching’
goals so that information and feedback is something they can use immediately.
At the same time I encourage people to move out of their comfort zone and have
a go at some of the strategies that they don’t believe they will ever use. The
course time is a safe experimental zone for them.
Kumihimo Kits
What
advice can you offer to artists & designers who are just starting out?
Throughout the book there are
suggestions for getting started on your teaching journey. My best bit of advice
is to do your planning. The better prepared you are before stepping into a
teaching situation the more the learning will flow.
Do
you have a book that you would like to recommend?
Yes, mine, “How to Teach Art
& Craft” by Trish Goodfield.
Where
do we find your product and services?
TrishAlan Designs: Old Petrie
Town, Dayboro Rd. Petrie. Qld.
Email:
trishalandesigns@bigpond.com
Where
can we buy your new book “How to Teach Art & Craft”?
How to Teach Art & Craft can
be purchased directly from TrishAlan Designs at www.dyeingforfabricandthreads.com
or from Lulu at http://www.lulu.com you can also purchase an instant download
from Lulu. The book will be available from all good book stores shortly. ISBN 978
1 4461 8483 7
Any
special offer for ArtSHINE readers?
As a special offer to Artshine
readers we are offering a free introductory chapter. Email TrishAlan Designs at
trishalandesigns@bigpond.com
and put ArtSHINE in the subject heading.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Inspirational Quote of the Week
“Our business in life is not to get ahead of others, but to get ahead of ourselves” - E. Joseph Cossman
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Setting Goals, Make Choices & Not Making Excuses
It doesn't matter what your goals are, the process of achieving your Personal or Business goals are very much the same.
As a Business LifeStyle coach working with clients every day, we firstly help our clients to define their goals. Then help them see the value of making good choices, and not making excuses.
As your coach we help you to understand why you want to achieve your goals and what is the real purpose for achieving them.
The 'Real Purpose" behind why you want to achieve your goals is the key to reaching your goals and becoming successful in what you do.
Making Good Choices: Real Purpose will stop you making excuses and getting caught in the procrastination trap. In fact it will empower you to do more as every thing you do will have a real sense of purpose in your life. The more you achieve your goals, the more confident and successful you will become. As you start to recognise and enjoy these accomplishments it will also give you a wonderful sense of well being.
Do you need a plan and direction in accomplishing your goals?
Just to let you know, there is no magic pill... It will take work, sometimes hard work.
But where there is a plan and specific steps in place, your goals can, and will be accomplished.
Success is straight ahead and not around the corner.
It's time to learn the difference between making choices and making excuses.
Want to learn more about goals and action planing the Quantum Compass way?
It’s as simple as 1... 2... 3...
1: Like ArtSHINE's Facebook page
2: Come along to the next “Goal Setting” workshop. E-mail Quantum Compass (insert link: GoalSetting@QuantumCompass.com.au ) for details of the next half day session near you.
3: Contact Vinh
for a no cost, no obligation coaching session.
Setting your goals in 2011
The Quantum Compass
OPIC system
for creative professionals
"Make Tomorrow Today" TM
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed
is more important than any other one thing.”
- Abraham Lincoln
Believe it or not there are only 3 weeks left in 2010. With the festive
season starting next week, they are sure to go by quickly. At this time of
year many of our clients are setting their business goals for 2011 and ready to execute them in the New Year, If you want a great start and ready for the new year, I suggest ACTING now!
Now’s probably the best time to be thinking seriously about where you are on your journey, and to re-assess where you want to be.
This
is our quick guide to setting some goals for yourself. Detailed goals
that are realistic and achievable. Goals that, while specific and
measured, are still exciting and inspirational.
Here at Quantum Compass we work with our clients on what we call the “OPIC” system.
OPIC stands for: Objective, Planning, Implementation, Ccommitment
Now let’s look at each point starting with your objectives...
Think
about what you want to achieve, what area you want to focus on. There
are all sorts of things that you could focus on; personal goals, or
business goals.
Get very specific with your objectives.
Be very clear on what it is that you want. Visualise what is is that
you’re aiming for. And remember to write you goals in the present tense
as if you have already achieve it too.
The next step in this process is the planning step.
Think
about all the steps you need to take to make your goals a reality.
Again, it’s about being specific. What resources will you need, and how
will you best use them?
Write each action step in sequential order.
If your goal is broad, make sure you break down the task into small little steps.
Implementation.This
section where you can plan to delegate too. Look at your objectives and
your plans. As you roll out those plans and start taking action, think
about what you could be delegating to others to be doing for you.
It’s in this step that there’s a real opportunity to create new ways of doing. To create new systems.
Remember to always have measurable validation points at this stage.
“Setting goals is not the main thing. It's deciding how you'll go about achieving them and staying with that plan.”
- Tom Landry.
Finally, without commitment
nothing will really happen. You can write as many goals as you like.
You can have all the action plans, and have all the measurable
validation points as you like. But you’ll never succeed in your goals
without commitment.
Commitment
is about firming your mind and launching yourself towards your goals
with no hesitation or fear. It’s about making the decision that nothing
will stop you or hold you back. It’s about deciding that every
road-block or obstacle in your path is merely another step towards your
objective.
With
a commitment from your heart, together with your dedicated actions
towards your objectives you’ll find your dreams, your passion, and your
purpose.
Want to learn more about goals and action planing the Quantum Compass way?
It’s as simple as 1... 2... 3...
2: Come along to the next “Goal Setting” workshop. E-mail Quantum Compass (insert link: GoalSetting@QuantumCompass.com.au ) for details of the next half day session near you.
3: Contact Vinh for a no cost, no obligation coaching session. www.quantumcompass.com.au/free-coaching.php
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Close Up Interview with Food Artisan Roselind Boey
Tell us a little about yourself and what you do.
I am currently based in Sydney and have called Sydney my home
for 3 years. I was born and brought up in Butterworth, a sleepy industrial town
in Malaysia.
I started off as a passionate home cook and saw the niche for
Malaysian Nyonya cuisine in the market. I started Rasa Rosa because I wanted to
share with Sydneysiders the food that I love. Malaysian cuisine today is a blend of Malay, Indian and Chinese influences
brought together by the early migrants of Malaysia. Nyonya cuisine is a fusion
of specifically Malay and Chinese cuisines which are reflected in the
ingredients, names and the craftmanship.
I truly believe that the food
that I am creating and championing is an artform - where the techniques to
master the presentation are as important as the taste itself.
Roselind & Family
Who (or what) inspires you to do what you love in your own
creative business?
I have always loved working with my hands – creating
beautiful things. Since moving out of Malaysia, I realise that food is major part
of my cultural identity. I feel that I have not chosen my passion; but instead
my passion has chosen me. When I am cooking and creating, I feel at peace with
myself.
In the background, my friends, family, ex-colleagues and
strangers I meet at the markets are a constant source of encouragement and
inspiration.
Where do you get your inspiration from when you design/paint?
The memories of me growing up in Malaysia, and how heavily
food is featured in those memories. Be it home-cooked food that my mother and
grandmother whipped up, street food or the special festive treats come each Chinese
New Year, Deepavali, Hari Raya etc. Growing up in a multicultural society
really helped me in collecting a library of sights, sounds and tastes which I
constantly draw upon in creating new dishes and in the presentation of my food.
I cook emotionally, and I put a little bit of myself and my history into the
food that I cook.
Ang Koo
Rasa Rosa Copyright
Rasa Rosa Copyright
I love to dine out, try new recipes from all over the world,
use ingredients that I have never used before and in some ways they have
sneaked into my cooking style. I constantly get A-Ha! moments when I open up my
mind and heart to new ideas. I am very spoilt here in Australia, where there is
just so much high quality fresh produce and cultures, that its so easy for me
to keep on learning and experimenting without travelling!
What are the five words that people who know you would use to
describe you?
Funny, Joyful, Ambitious, Kind, Creative
Tell us about your very first job and what path have you
taken since then?
My very first job was as a spring roller in a dim sim factory
in Melbourne. When I say spring roller, I mean rolling spring rolls. Really.
Blue Kuih
Rasa Rosa Copyright
Rasa Rosa Copyright
Then, armed with my fresh Accounting degree from Uni was as a
financial auditor in Malaysia. The last job I had before I decided to pursue my
passion whole-heartedly, was as an auditor in Sydney.
I reached a point in my career where I knew I HAD to give
this cooking business a go. I owe it to myself to give it a try, and there’s
never a good time. So here I am, a full time Kuih (Malaysian Sweets) lady!
Kuih Kosui
Rasa Rosa Copyright
Describe a typical day in your Kitchen /Cooking Space?
I don’t really have a typical day, but I do check my emails,
facebook or twitter accounts first thing in the morning.
As I am renting a commercial kitchen for my main production
on an hourly basis, it actually gets quite crazy for the amount of work that
needs to be done. On the lead up to cooking day, I do a stock take, shopping
run, plan the work timetable and work allocation between my volunteer helpers. I
think I spend as much time planning as the cooking itself!
Kitchen Experiments
Rasa Rosa Copyright
Rasa Rosa Copyright
More creatively in my home kitchen, I try to experiment with
something new each week and hopefully introduce that to the markets. This involves trawling through the internet
for ideas, flipping through cookbooks, cooking and most importantly keeping
very precise notes and measurements of the ingredients that went into the final
product.
Once I know I have a promising product, I go back to my Excel
spreadsheet and cost the product and that will help me determine how to price
it.
As an Chef/Cook, what is your biggest frustration?
Its interesting, my biggest frustration as a chef/cook is the
same biggest frustration as an entrepreneur – Being a one-woman show. I know that I could do so much more, and I
want to do so much more. Many times, I have to compromise and make difficult
decisions to accommodate what is physically do-able as a solo operator.
Pulut Inti
Rasa Rosa Copyright
Rasa Rosa Copyright
Tell us about how you prioritise your work. space
I plan/ think about my work in weekly blocks. As I have
weekly markets – I need to have sufficient products to sell at the markets. I
guess, that is top priority on a weekly basis.
However, I try to build admin and planning days into my
routine. Each week I try to cross out something from my ever growing to-do
list, such as fix the website, work on costing, work on packaging, financials
etc.
When I first started out, I got so overwhelmed by the amount
of things that I should do and can do! Now, I try to work on the high priority
items. A simple question that I ask myself in prioritising is, “Is this a good
to have or need to have?” Another useful one especially if you are in business
is, “Will this improve my bottom line?”
I am still working on the discipline to commit myself to my
admin/ planning days. It gets so tempting to run away into my kitchen, but
increasingly, I realise that these admin/ planning days will make or break my
dream.
Can you please tell us about how do you connect with other
artists, and your customers (i.e. how do you network)?
I network mainly through the markets. I have been extremely
blessed by the abundant advice I got from fellow stallholders as well as
constructive feedback I get from the customers.
Rasa Rosa Copyright
What advice can you offer other creative people who are just
starting out and following their passions?
Don’t give up and don’t be shy to ask for help!
What dreams do you still want to achieve or fulfil in your
life?
Win the lottery, buy a tropical island, start a Malaysian
Nyonya Kuih empire. In short, win the lottery.
What is your proudest moment so far?
Everytime I see customers returning week after week for my
food.
Who do you most want to meet and why?
I would love to meet Chef Wan (a famous Malaysian celebrity
chef). He used to be an accountant too! He has such an energetic TV
personality, and I have always had a hunch that his real off-air personality is
a little bit more intense and insightful.
Blue Kuih
Rasa Rosa Copyright
Rasa Rosa Copyright
What is the most important lesson in life that you have
learned?
Don’t short-change yourself! Live life to your fullest
potential – because you will be surprised what you are capable of.
What book are you reading right now, and do you have a book
you would like to recommend?
Embarrassed to say, but I have not read a proper book
recently other than cookbooks, cover to cover and then in reverse. However, a
book that I read a few years back has been a source of encouragement and
strength in my entrepreneurship journey – Anyone Can Do It: Building Coffee
Republic From Our Kitchen Table. An account of how the brother-sister team
started their own business in the food (coffee) industry.
South Sydney Market
Rasa Rosa Copyright
Rasa Rosa Copyright
Where do we find you and your products?
Farmers’ markets and Weekend Markets – Bondi Junction Village
Markets (every Thursday and Saturday) and South Sydney Markets (last Sunday of
the month).
For special events and platters – contact me on contact.rasa.rosa@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rasarosa
Twitter: www.twitter.com/rasarosa
Bondi Junction Village Market
Rasa Rosa Copyright
Rasa Rosa Copyright
Monday, December 6, 2010
Inspirational Quote of the Week
" You don't have to know what exactly you're looking for in your life, you just need to start looking"
Make Tomorrow Today ™
- Vinh Van Lam
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Press Releases: A Powerful Marketing Tool For Artists & Designers
Press releases are can be an integral part of your art and design business... Want learn more?
Read on to find out how to make a press release work for you.
What is a press
release?
A press
release is news or short story article. It is written in third person to distribute to the media. And it announces a wide range of news items such as awards, products or services, exhibitions & shows, and special events, etc.
A press release is one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to keep
your business in the public eye. Although it is not an advertisement, press
releases can be a very persuasive way to get your message out to your target
audience.
Press releases can also be used to provide
customers or prospective investors with background history on your company. So
feature them on your website, include them in your newsletter, or send them in
an email.
What is the purpose of a press release?
The purpose of a press release is to
have it accepted and published in a public forum such as a newspaper, magazine,
business journal or Internet site. If your press release has been accept
and has the opportunity being printed in a well-known publication this will
adds instant credibility to the to you and your creative business.
How is a Press Release used?
Press releases are often sent alone,
by e-mail, fax or mail. They can also be part of a full press kit, or may be
accompanied by a pitch letter. A small amount of research will help you track down
the proper contact for each news outlet that you’re sending it to. Keep in mind that editors may change your press release or
rewrite it. This is okay, as long as the article is published and maintains the
basic message you intended.
A well-written press release may
result in several developments:
- Tremendous free publicity for you.
- Awareness by potential customers that may not have been aware of you or your product.
- Interest from potential investors or strategic partners.
- Opportunity to explain, correct or clarify your point of view.
How long should my
press release be?
Ideally one page and under 300 words.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
How to write a press release
Here's some suggestions
Somemedia outlets will not even look at your writing if it hasn't been formatted inproper press release style. Later on we'll provide a sample pressrelease, which contains the following:
1. Top: Type"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" at the beginning. Be sure tocapitalize every letter. You can also "Embargo" your news and specify a specific release date and time.
2. Contact: Contact information should always include:
- Contact name and phone (critical)
- Online address
- Release time
3. Headline: Make sure it's catchy! Often the title is wherepeople decide to either read on or throw it away.
4. LeadParagraph: Shouldcontain the 5 W's: who, what, when, where and why. This paragraph should graspthe reader's attention. Also be sure to include the dateline, along with thecity of origination.
5.Text: The main body of your pressrelease. Include quotes, where possible.
6.Recap: Restatementof your product(s) or service(s) specifications, highlight product/servicerelease/start date. Many companies have a standard template that they use for all press releases that they send out. Consider creating one that you will be able to use in future pressreleases. This will save you time in the long run.
What is a proper format?
PRESSRELEASE FORMATTING SUGGESTIONS
- Use 8 ½ x 11 paper.
- Use a minimum of one-inch margins on each side of the page.
- Use a Bold typeface for the headlines to draw attention.
- Capitalize the first letter of all words in the headline (with the exception of:
"a,” "an,”"the,” or prepositions such as: "of,” "to,” or"from"). The combination of upper and
lower case makes iteasier to read. For example:
Model Turned Designer Features One-of-a-KindFashions on Exclusive New Site
- Complete the paragraph on one page instead of carrying it over onto the next page.
- Use only one side of each sheet of paper.
- Use the word "more" between two dashes and center it at the bottom of the page to let reporters know that another page follows.
– more –
- Use three hash symbols immediately following the last paragraph to indicate the end of the press release:
# # #
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