Improve your Cashflow in your Art & Design Business

Have you heard the phrase "a starving artist".

Isn’t the notion of the starving artist such a cliche? Yet why does it persist? Why do we have the expectation that artists must "suffer for their art"?

Well, we're here to tell you that it doesn't have to be that way.

You can be an artist and also live well!

The first step along that path is to acknowledge that you're actually deserving of living well. Yes. it's something that seems obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many artists and designers that we've worked with start off with a belief that they can't (or shouldn't!) make money for following their passion and doing what they love.

It's been our experience that the subject of finances and "cash flow" is generally low on the list of priorities, if not avoided altogether.

At Quantum Compass we work through a simple "cash flow concepts" formula to help our clients start on the path of increasing their wealth and generating the incomes that they truly deserve for simply doing what they love.

At the start we work with you to get a clear understanding of your current cash flow. Ask yourself these questions: Where is your money going right now? How do you generate income?

Once you have an understanding of what's happening for you right now, you have the perfect opportunity to make some real decisions.

• Are you happy with the ways you spend your money?

• Is your income sufficient for your current lifestyle? 

• What will you need to sustain the lifestyle you aspire to?

Moving to the next level is all about having a plan, and increasing the number of ways that your art & design practice can be making you money.

We’re very clear that it's certainly not about "selling-out", or making some crass compromises. Many artists & designers assume that they somehow have to change their art to be successful financially.

In fact, we're very clear that the opposite is true. You don’t necessarily need to change your art; you need to get very clear about who you really are, and find those things that are unique to you and your Wow Factor.

Cash flow is one of the key fundamental elements of a design practice that we focus on during the ArtShine Coaching Program.

Why?

Because financial stress doesn’t usually enhance creativity. We believe it’s critically important for designers & artists like you to understand the power of financial control.

Financially successful designers & artists focus on what you’re good at; your art and creativity.

Successful designers also understand and use “cash flow concepts” to manage finances and leverage the analytical help of advisors like accountants, agents, business coaches, IP advisors, etc as they're needed along the way.

Want to learn more about “Cash Flow” the Quantum Compass way?

It’s as simple as 1... 2... 3...

1: Like  ArtSHINE's Facebook page

2: Come along to the next “Cash Flow Concepts for Creative Professionals” workshop. E-mail Quantum Compass: CashFlowConcepts@QuantumCompass.com.au ) for details of the next half day session near you.

3: Contact Vinh for a no cost, no obligation coaching session: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ArtShineDiscovery

Inspirational Quote of the Week!

"You have powers you never dreamed of.

 You can do things you never thought you could do.

There are no limitations in what you can do

 except the limitations of your own mind"

~Darwin P. Kingsley

Tales My Mother Told Me Volume 2. Tale 4: Being Persistent

Welcome to Tales my Mother told me volume 2:

Tale 4: Being Persistent

"To succeed, one must be creative, consistent, and persistent." ~ ArtSHINE

This idiom "Being Persistent" comes from a book called Family Instruction by Yu Jize

Back in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) there was a minister, Zenf Guofan who was very strict with his children's education.

One day he told his youngest son Seng Jize, "You should think carefully before talking and should never be too anxious to express your opinions."

He also advised his son to "Act like a gentleman, be calm, and avoid behaving like a child. When you are reading a book, always try to have a deep understanding of what it 's saying."

The minister expected that his son would act according to his guidance when come to study and work.

So the young boy remembered his father instructions, studied hard, and work diligently.

Over time, and with much practice, the young boy became an expert in essay writing.

The story provides us some lessons:

One should be persistent and hold onto one's goals when doing something, which will lead good results.

The same principle applies in our Art & Design practices too. Working smart, being consistent, and staying persistent will give you the results you desire.

There are times when we’re faced with hardships in life and in business and sometimes we felt like giving up is the easiest way out don't we.  Just remember this, no matter how bad things are, don’t ever give up. When you throw in the white towel without  searching for every option and possibility, you’re selling yourself short. Explore all the options and get help where possible.  Trust yourself and believe in yourself. Know that you can accomplish your goals with persistence and consistency.

Promise yourself that today, tomorrow, next week, or next month… You’ll Never Give Up!

More Tales My Mother Told Me...

Volume 2:

Tale 1: Pulling Up the seedlings to help them grow
Tale 2: Grind an Iron Pestle into a Needle

Tale 3: Talking about army on paper.

Tale 4: Being Persistent

Tale 5: A Poet’s Writing Skills Decline

Volume 1:

Tale 1: "When You Help One, You Help Thousands"

Tale 2: "Your Mind is Powerful"

Tale 3: "The Importance of Self Understanding"

Tale 4: "Being Compassionate"

Tale 5: "Finding the Inner Calmer In You"

Tale 6: "The Magic Pen"

Tale 7: "Here comes the Fair- Weather Friend"

Tale 8: "Confidence & Competence"

Tale 9:"Being Present"

Tale10: "Chicken scratches for what it gets"

Tale 11:"I never see what has been done; I only see what remains to be done"
Tales12: "Frog In The Well"

Don't wait til the NEW YEAR, Make Tomorrow Today!

Don’t wait until the new year to plan your business goals for 2013...

Make Tomorrow Today; and plan it now!

“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success". 

                                                                                                                            ~Pablo Picasso 

Here’s a quick approach to planning in your business.

CASH FLOWS: Take some time now to review your current cash flows and make some projections for where you’ll see yourself in three to six months. When we work with our clients we look forward in three month blocks as it keeps us all in touch with the day to day and month to month fluctuations in the business.

SEASONALITY: Understand the nature of your business. Look at how demand and cash flows varied over the course of last year, and think about how this seasonality will play out in the new year. Project your sales and cash flows accordingly.

TIME OUT: When you plan and project your cash flows, map out your “time out “ too. You are a critical part of your business, so it’s important that you’re looking after yourself. By planning ahead and building in some “down-time” you will always be able to afford to take a break knowing your cash flows are still manageable.

GOALS: It’s the time to set your goals and business strategies to support your cash flow.

“If you want to reach a goal, you must ‘see the reaching’ in your own mind

before you actually arrive at your goal” Zig Ziglar

EXISTING CUSTOMERS: Plan your sales strategies. Ask yourself how you can retain your existing customers and come up with new ways to encourage them to spend more with you.

NEW CUSTOMERS: Plan and implement steps to introduce new clients to your business. Focus on your your “competitive niche”. Ask yourself why would someone want to buy your products or services? How can you best communicate with them?

Want to learn more about planning for the new year the Quantum Compass way?

It’s as simple as 1... 2... 3...

1: Like  ArtSHINE's Facebook page

2: Come along to the next “Action Planning” workshop.

    E-mail Quantum Compass: ActionPlanning@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.surveymonkey.com/s/ArtShineDiscovery

 

What is Branding and How Important is it to Your Marketing Strategy? Part 2

Last week we shared with you the true meaning of branding and we also looked at the five key elements that you can use to construct your personal branding.

So have you mapped out your personal brand?

What’s important to you?

Who are you?

Who do you aspire to be?

Today we would like to talk about what a good brand stands for and what you need to consider in order to establish a great brand.

Here’s some food for thought:

• Clear communication with your customer.
• Engage and interact directly with your customer.
• Highlight your credibility.
• Inspire your ideal customer to take action and to buy.
• Establish brand loyalty.
• Build a legendary brand by telling a story.
• Chameleon Branding

A good brand can have a lasting impression in your customers' mind. In fact, it could be able to reside within the minds and hearts of your ideal customer and your ideal prospects too.  A good brand offers a journey to experience.

Building a strong brand will take time. Your brand is a promise, a commitment  to your customer. You need to know yourself to know your brand. So invest your time to find your true meaning of your brand.

What does branding mean to your marketing strategy?

Would you like to learn how to build your own personal branding?

It’s as simple as 1... 2... 3...

1: Like  ArtSHINE's Facebook page

2: Come along to the next “Personal Brand Promise for Creative Professionals” workshop. chat with us now for details of the next half day session near you.

3: Contact Vinh for a no cost, no obligation coaching session on 0410 636 138 or : www.quantumcompass.com.au/free-coaching.php )

Total Solar Eclipse 2012, Far North Queensland - 14 November 2012

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE: 14 NOVEMBER 2012

"A Total Eclipse of the Sun will occur over Northern Australia early in the morning of 14 November 2012. This spectacular phenomenon is probably the most awe inspiring event in the natural world."

What is a Total Solar Eclipse?

"An eclipse of the Sun occurs when the moon passes between the earth and the Sun. The Sun is much larger than the moon, it is also much further away, such that the two bodies appear to be about the same size in the sky. During a total solar eclipse, the moon moves in front of the Sun and completely covers it. This casts a shadow on the Earth’s surface. As the moon orbits the Earth and the Earth rotates, the shadow moves across the Earths surface in a narrow path generally from west to east. To see a Total Solar Eclipse you must be in the shadow’s path. If you are outside the shadow’s path at the time of the eclipse, the moon will not completely cover the Sun and you will only see  partial eclipse.

During the partial phase of the eclipse, the moon gradually covers the Sun. This takes about an hour. As the total part of the eclipse approaches, the sky becomes darker and an ominous black shadow approaches from the west. The Sun is reduced to a thin crescent. The temperature can drop significantly. In the final few seconds before totality, the last brilliant parts of the Sun’s surface shine through valleys on the moon in a shimmering display called Baily’s Beads. 

Finally the beads are reduced to a single point and the Sun looks like a dazzling diamond ring. As the last bright point winks out, the Sun’s pink upper surface called the chromosphere can be seen around the edge of the moon and often prominences, pink loops of plasma extending above the chromosphere, are visible. During totality, the moon appears as a black hole in the sky surrounded by the pearly white Corona, the Sun’s outer atmosphere composed of ionised gas which curves out from the Sun, usually in a pattern formed by the Sun’s magnetic field. The whole sky is dark in a surreal twilight with a glowing light around the horizon with a sunset tinge which is caused by the scattering of different wavelengths of light in the atmosphere. At the end of totality the sequence is reversed, with prominences, chromosphere, diamond ring and Baily’s Beads again being visible. The moon then gradually uncovers the Sun, taking about an hour until the partial phase is over."

To learn more about The Eclipse 2012, please click on the below:

http://www.eclipse2012.com

Source & Images:

http://www.eclipse2012.com

Inspirational Quote of the Week!

Artist- Anthony Van Lam

"The only good luck many great men ever had was being born with the ability and determination to overcome bad luck".
~ Channing Pollock