Don’t wait until the new year to plan your business goals ... Make Tomorrow Today; and do it now!
Here’s a quick approach to planning in your business.
“Our greatest lack is not money for any undertaking, but rather ideas,
If the ideas are good, cash will somehow flow to where it is needed.” Robert H. Schuller
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.
“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
GOALS: It’s the time to set your goals and business strategies to support your cash flow.
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?
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.
Powerhouse Museum is launching an Art & Design competition. Please check out it and you never know. You could be the lucky winner to be featured with other 30 talented artists and designers in July/August 2011.
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/lace/
The International Lace Award seeks to encourage contemporary design and challenge conventional notions of lace and its application in the areas of fashion, the built environment and digital multimedia.
Professional and amateur artists, designers and practitioners around the world are invited to enter for the chance to be exhibited at the Powerhouse Museum and win a share of AU$40,000 in prize money.
The Award defines lace as an openwork structure whose pattern of spaces is as important as the solid areas.
Approximately 30 works will be selected for consideration for exhibition in July 2011. The selected entrants will have time to develop their proposed work from May until November 2010. Prize money winners will be announced at the opening of the exhibition in July 2011. In addition to the overall winner receiving AU$20,000, five winners will receive AU$4,000 each across the following categories:
* Traditional techniques
Category includes needle and bobbin lace, crochet, knitting, knotting, netting and mixed laces.
* Fashion
Category includes garment, jewellery or accessory.
* Built environment
Category includes interior design, product design or architecture.
* Digital multi media
Category includes computer generated virtual lace design.
* Tertiary students in Australia and New Zealand
Category includes all lace techniques.
Each entry submission will be judged with reference to visual impact, originality and creativity, skill in execution and innovation in design, materials and/or technique. The work must be original and reflect the artist’s identity and cultural origins.
29 March 2010
Closing date for Expressions of Interest strictly by 5.00pm AEST.
12 May 2010
Successful finalists announced.
25 November 2010
Finalists’ completed works delivered to the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney.
July/August 2011
Exhibition launch as part of the Powerhouse Museum’s international
design festival Sydney Design 2011. Featured Images: Chanel couture silk lace/tulle dress, c.1937. Label: "Chanel" with couture number on the back. Featured in the Chanel exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. http://www.vintagetextile.com Lace Interior:http://es.homesandproperty.co.uk Lace Fence: Artists Demakersvan http://www.demakersvan.com
Last Sunday, My partner Stuart and I attended a preview to celebrate Marie-Nicole's new range of beautiful hand printed linen range for everyday living. The motifs printed onto each piece are hand drawn, cut and printed using eco-friendly printed pastes. The most impressive thing I learnt on the day was any offcuts from the production of each piece are either used as packaging or composted for her home potager. Each of Marie- Nicole 's creation is one of a kind as no two prints ever turn out exactly the same. Her range includes Tea towels,serviettes, mats ,coasters, eco carry bags, recipe journal and many more.
Eveleigh Artisans' Market was hosting an Australian Made Christmas today Sunday 6th December from 10am to 3pm, where kids and parents will be able to make their own Christmas 'Bling', wrappings, decorations and much more.
There were over 70 Artisans stalls showcasing the best in Australian independent design, art and crafts under the heritage listed Blacksmith Workshop. This Artisans' market is gaining a great reputation in Sydney and more artists and designers are now showing their beautiful products here. You will find original and authentic creations in the fields of art, ceramics, sculpture, sustainable design, fashion, jewellery, accessories, home wares, furniture, children’s clothes, toys and many more. These goods are Australian made and another.
So please come and support our Local Artists and designers at Eveleigh Market.
“A brand is a promise, a commitment. You need to know yourself to know your brand” ~Vinh Van Lam
As an up and coming designer how you present yourself, and how you’re perceived, is going to be a critical factor in your success.
Your brand is literally your essence. It builds on who you are and what you stand for.
Rather than pretending to be someone you’re not, or adopting some fake persona, we’d suggest that the easiest way forward is to consider your “Personal Brand” as the promises you make to people... Promises about yourself... Promises about your product... Promises about how people will feel because of you,your product and services.
Making Promises are the keys to build your brand, It keeps you honest because it forces you out of imagination and into action. You become known by the promises you
deliver.
Successful designers make lots of promises. Lots of promises to lots of people. The more promises you make and fulfill, the stronger your personal brand becomes.
Promises and commitments are how we build our identity. We make promises to people every day: We loan them a book, or deliver a job, or a call back.
You are the commitments you make and the promises you keep. That’s how you become known. So, be careful what you promise.
So, now that we’ve established the easiest way to consider our personal brands; how do we go about deciding what our personal brand promises could be?
Let’s look at five key elements that you can use to construct your personal brand in some more detail.
Where do you personally stand in relation to these five key elemental areas? What’s important to you? Who are you? Who do you aspire to be?
Attitude - Understand that you can accomplish virtually anything when you think you can. You will always get what you expect to get. Positive attitude manifests positive attitudes and serves to attract people to your brand. Perhaps you’ve heard of the law of attraction? “Like attracts like”. If you’re a person that keeps their promises; you;re likely to attract others that keep theirs too.
Belief - With faith in yourself and a firm believe in your brand, you can always persevere through all sorts of trials and tribulations. With an outwards showing of sincere confidence and belief you’ll be surprised by synchronicity. Circumstances and people will come to you, like a magnet. A sincere belief in yourself will draw people to your personal brand.
Values - These are the principles that inspire you everyday. Your values are the driving forces that make you want to live your life to the fullest. To have fun, to be authentic, to have lots of energy, to live a life full of joy, and to deliver on your creative promise.
Integrity - This critical element of trust is how you commit yourself to the promises you make to yourself, and the promises you make to others. It’s how you hold yourself accountable to yourself and to others.
Commitment - When you are fully committed to your purpose, to your integrity, and to your values, you take on a sense of urgency that’s hard to beat. When you show a complete and full commitment to what you do, you’ll begin to find that other people start to share your beliefs in your brand.
Want to learn the practical steps to develop your “Personal Brand Promise” the Quantum Compass way?
2: Come along to the next “Personal Brand Promise for Creative Professionals” workshop. E-mail Quantum Compass: PersonalBrandPromise@QuantumCompass.com.au ) for details of the next half day session near you.
