The Creative Entrepreneur

by Dr. Cheryl Cottle

The creative entrepreneur like any other entrepreneur is fast becoming a vocation that many people are getting into. There has been a growth in every sector of the creative industry. In the mid eighteen-hundred, with the advent of industrial revolution and the birth of manufacturing, the creative artisan died. However, more recently with the economic down turn that has impacted the world’s economy, there has been an upsurge of creative businesses. People from every sector of the creative industry have began producing their craft and taking it to the market place.

To be a successful creative entrepreneur there are skills, knowledge and attitude that you should develop to start and run a business. Outside of your talent to create a new idea or new innovation, you also need entrepreneurial skills, collaboration skills and creativity. To successfully manage a business you will also need to master certain skills, and gain an understanding of intellectual property copyright laws. Having an understanding of patenting and publishing, to ensure the security and ownership of your work is very important.

Creative entrepreneurs should also have the ability to manage their creative process as well as the cash flow of their business. Management skills, marketing, branding, communication, collaboration, negotiation and leadership skills, are other entrepreneurial skills that they will need to be mastered. Alternatively, having other individuals within your business or network who have the needed skills for you to draw upon is crucial to running an effective and productive business.

It has been suggested by Howkins (2001) that the creative entrepreneur should also learn how to invent themselves ever so often; developing a professional image is also key to the success that they can achieve. Prioritizing their ideas, is also a skill that they should develop. It enables them to accomplish more. Education and development are also recommended, to update their knowledge base in particular to ensure entrepreneurial success.

Traditionally the creative entrepreneur required an agent or an art dealer, managers or publisher, depending on the area of their creativity. This individual showcased their work and decided the “prospective value” of the creative output, before placing it in front of buyers. The value of the creative individual’s works also included the fee for the “gatekeeper.” With the emergence of a new appreciation for the creative arts, along with government and policy makers support, spaces are being designed to create opportunities for the exhibition and sale of one’s artistic products. In addition, with the advent of digital technology and the Internet the creative entrepreneur can eliminate the “middle man” and go directly to market. Social media has also provided opportunities to connect with prospective clients and develop valuable networks.

Are you thinking about becoming a creative entrepreneur? It is a great sector to be part of, if you have innate skills that you can tap into that will support your livelihood. Why get into a business that is not natural to you or that you do not have passion for? Remember, we must do what we love and we will find the joy and happiness that we seek; and remember the money will follow.

REFERENCE:
Howkins, John, The Creative Economy: How People Make Money From Ideas, Penguin, 2001

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About the Author
Dr. Cheryl Cottle is the founder and chief consultant of Cottle's Professional Consulting. Dr. Cottle is an education and business development consultant, and has written several post for Crafted Spaces. She holds a Masters degree in Instructional Technology and a Doctorate degree in Education and Computer Applications. She has worked as a consultant for over ten years and is also a social media expert, who works with individuals and organizations to achieve their professional and business goals. Dr. Cottle also provides women entrepreneurs with valuable business development resources through her CPC Women in Business group and other initiatives.

Website | Facebook

Social Media For Creative Businesses

by Dr. Cheryl Cottle

With the internationalization of creative businesses, comes the emergence of creativity as a national and economic strategic opportunity for business development. In many parts of the world, it is also valued and recognized as a great “human asset,” that contributes to the gross national product. The creative individual is also being recognized as contributing to the national image of many nations across the globe.

Throughout civilization, creativity has played a pivotal role in defining our cultural practices, norms and values. It reflects who we are, our history and our value system. It serves as a vehicle for social changes and fostering national pride. Countries are known for their dancers, painters, singers, song writers, film makers, crafts, food, furniture, clothing designers, fabric designer, jewellery designers, and architecture, just to list a few of the creative icons. With greater recognition from our leaders and policymakers, more and more creative individuals are coming out of their private enclaves and promoting their work through the many outlets that are available to showcase their work.

Some of the best avenues that are being used to self-promote, reach clients and sell creative products and services, are social media sites. While there are countless social media sites available, I strongly recommend those that are described in this article.

Joining Social Media Sites
Some of the most popular social media sites that a creative entrepreneur can join are; Facebook, Pinterest, Flickr, and You Tube. These platforms are great places to brand, market and promote creative products and services. It also gives creative business individuals a space to widen their network, and make connections on a global level. It also allows them to develop the personal prominence as an artist and creator of new information and resources.

Facebook

Facebook in particular allow you the opportunity to create a profile of yourself and through your profile you can connect with others and build your friend’s list. You can perceive your “friend’s list” as your audience for marketing and promoting your creative work. This is branding at a small scale and Facebook offers you the opportunity to be much more creative in how you showcase who you are and what you do.

On Facebook you can also create your own group(s). You can name your group based on your business or an area of interest for your clients. This can be an effective marketing strategy, where you can have a following of like-minded individuals joining you as well as people who appreciate and support your work.

If you are not open to creating a group, you also have the option to create a Fan Page and lots of people are opting for this alternative. A Fan Page has no limits as to how many people can join you and it gives you a great deal of autonomy.

Flickr

Flickr is an image hosting and video hosting website that is owned by Yahoo. It was created in 2004 and provides a space for you to feature your images. You can store your images and easily access them when you need to on other web platforms. At the time of this article, records indicate that they have a following of over 51 million registered members and over 80 millions visitors.

Flickr has the capabilities to store millions of files securely. You might be wondering; do I need to be registered to access images and photos from Flickr? Well you can access without being registered, but if you want to upload content on to Flickr, you must register an account. If you have a registered account you can also create a profile page with photos and videos.

Pinterest

Pinterest is another social media site that I think will appeal to the creative entrepreneur. Creative individuals use images and photos to illustrate their thoughts, share ideas and express themselves. As a creative entrepreneur, you can upload, save, and sort your images into “boards.” You can also manage your “pins” so that they reflect your area of interest and body of work.

Pinterest is a “pin board” website that is designed for photo and video sharing. Users can create and manage theme-based boards based on their interest, inspirational subjects, health and wellness, almost any topic you may think about. It also allows you to upload your own images and create boards so that those images may be repined by other users. You can also create several “secret boards,” for information that you will like to share with a select group of individuals or have for “your eyes only.”

To become a member of Pinterest you will need to register and create an account. Pinterest allows you to connect with your Facebook and Twitter accounts to start a Pinterest account. The platform also allows you to follow others in your network that has a Pinterest account. You can also share your activities on the other platforms. You can see a preview of the platform, in a previous Crafted Spaces article: 6 Reasons Your Business Should Use Pinterest.

YouTube

YouTube is another great social media forum with great appeal to the creative entrepreneur. This space allows you to create and share video on a range of topics. People can access your “channel” and view the information that you share. It also allows them to share your content with others, subscribe and leave a comment. You Tube accommodates over 800 million users. People on a daily basis upload and view information on the site. As a creative entrepreneur it is a great opportunity to share what you do and to brand your business.

Etsy

Etsy is an online shopping site that creative entrepreneurs can utilize to sell their products. It caters to many areas in the creative sector including, jewellery making, clothing designers, quilting, crocheting, knitting, painters, art, pottery, cooking and baking, home décor, just to list a few. You can access Etsy by registering an account, similar to the other sites.

The difference with Etsy is that it allows you to upload your commodity and process online sales via PayPal. This gives you an opportunity to reach your clients and eliminate the “middle man.” There is a cost for using Etsy and you will want to review their policies carefully to decide if they are the right online shopping platform for you.

Thanks for taking the time to read this article. I hope you have found it informative.

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About the Author
Dr. Cheryl Cottle is the founder and chief consultant of Cottle's Professional Consulting. Dr. Cottle is an education and business development consultant, and has written several post for Crafted Spaces. She holds a Masters degree in Instructional Technology and a Doctorate degree in Education and Computer Applications. She has worked as a consultant for over ten years and is also a social media expert, who works with individuals and organizations to achieve their professional and business goals. Dr. Cottle also provides women entrepreneurs with valuable business development resources through her CPC Women in Business group and other initiatives.

Website | Facebook

Leadership Styles and How They Work

by Dr. Cheryl Cottle



Creative business entrepreneurs like other entrepreneurs must also manage their businesses in a professional way. Research shows that there are many skills needed to successfully build a business, and one of those is leadership. Leadership skills are connected to your interpersonal skills and relates to how you connect and interact with others. It has a significant impact on the success and sustainability of your business. As a creative business owner, you also have to interact and build relationships with people at different levels; including employees, customers, suppliers, landlord, trade show organizers, and all those who are in one way or another connected with you and your business.

Leadership skills are very crucial to business owners to succeed in business. Research shows that there are many types of leadership styles including the autocratic approach and the democratic approach. The autocratic approach is generally associated to men, while the democratic approach is generally associated to women. The autocratic approach relies upon the individual exerting "power and control," as oppose to consensus. In contrast, the democratic approach to leadership relies upon collaboration, sharing and team work. It is a "softer" approach that has greater consensus and allows for people to be participatory.

When there is greater consensus, individuals engage more and feel committed to what is being done. Recently Dr. Silvia LaFair suggests that leadership can be examined from the perspective of "Caring and Daring." She suggests that women are caring leaders because of their biological nature. They are by nature caregivers and nurturers, while men are regarded as "Daring." Historically and culturally men are the hunter-gatherers; they were expected to hunt for resources and bring them to the home. Dr. LaFair also points out that in today's organizations or businesses using one approach over the other is not effective and suggest that both men and women should adopt a combinational approach or blended-approach using a "Caring and Daring" approach to leadership.

People prefer to relate to others if they feel that they are valued and appreciated by them. Having a people-oriented approach to human relationship will help build lasting and trusting work relationships. It will also help you to gain the commitment and dedication from those who you require support from. Remember you cannot do it alone. Sometimes we may think; I do not need to build relationships, I can do it alone, but remember that no one is an island. Some people are gifted leaders, while others will have to learn and develop their skills. Yes, it can be learnt and developed, and with time you can become the leader your business needs.

What is your leadership style? Is this something that you will like to change or improve upon?

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About the Author
Dr. Cheryl Cottle is the founder and chief consultant of Cottle's Professional Consulting. Dr. Cottle is an education and business development consultant, and has written several post for Crafted Spaces. She holds a Masters degree in Instructional Technology and a Doctorate degree in Education and Computer Applications. She has worked as a consultant for over ten years and is also a social media expert, who works with individuals and organizations to achieve their professional and business goals. Dr. Cottle also provides women entrepreneurs with valuable business development resources through her CPC Women in Business group and other initiatives.

Website | Facebook

Business Tips: Naming Your Business

by Dr. Cheryl Cottle

Naming your business is one of the most important tasks in your business planning. The business name you select and what will best represent you and what your entrepreneurial venture is about, is a real issue that entrepreneurs must resolve early in the development of their business. Research shows that it is wise to have about three business names that you are comfortable with when you visit your business registration office. A name search is conducted to determine if the name that you provided is already in use by another business. In the event that it is not available, you can draw on the other names that you came up with as alternative suitable names. It is also advised by business naming experts that you should choose a name that you like and that you can live with for many years, although a business may go through a name change as they change.

Business naming experts also recommend that in choosing a name for your business, you must be careful that it does not lock your business within a particular geographical location; doing so can limit your ability to expand and access a wider target audience. For example, with globalization many businesses now have the opportunity to go global, thus expanding their market, and a name that suggest that you are only available for business in a particular area or town would limit your access. Therefore, think of the possibilities for expansion before deciding upon a name.

Research also shows that the name that you choose must be unique to you. The business name should reflect you and not another business entity. Make sure that there isn’t any confusion as to whose business it is when potential clients do a search. Remember that prospective clients can easily find you by conducting an Internet search or while shopping in your district. Having a unique business name also means that you can effectively brand your business and have a unified presence in the marketplace. Your website, business card, twitter, Facebook, blog and other marketing tools can use the same name and image.


Very often you find that you come upon a business with a name so close to another that you cannot discern which company it is. For example, a business with a name such as “Cheryl’s Original Designs” and another who chooses the name “Cheryl’s Original Design,” is much too close to be an accident. If the two businesses are located in the same commercial area or has an online presence in the same business sector, this tells your client and prospective clients that you lack originality and may also put in question your credibility. It may also imply that you are unethical and a thief. Trust then becomes an issue in your relationship building with customers and other businesses with which you will like to partner with, and may therefore limit your business opportunities. People question your authenticity and trustworthiness, and may not do business with you. Clients and prospective clients loose trust in your business offerings when they come to know that your business name is someone else’s or that it is so close that you are “piggy backing” on another business marketing and branding.
Research also shows that using another company's business name can also result in a lawsuit. This can result in you having a great financial lost. You may have already established a business presence in a location, you have customers, lots of inventory, and you now have to change your business name. Naming your business is like parents naming their baby. Parents often think long and hard before choosing a name for their precious little ones; and we chose names that the child can live with throughout his or her lifetime. We put love and care into the naming process. Similar to naming a business, you must choose a name that you can live with, a name that is unique to you and what your business focuses on, and should consider both short-term and long-term objectives.

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About the Author
Dr. Cheryl Cottle is the founder and chief consultant of Cottle's Professional Consulting. Dr. Cottle is an education and business development consultant, and has written several post for Crafted Spaces. She holds a Masters degree in Instructional Technology and a Doctorate degree in Education and Computer Applications. She has worked as a consultant for over ten years and is also a social media expert, who works with individuals and organizations to achieve their professional and business goals. Dr. Cottle also provides women entrepreneurs with valuable business development resources through her CPC Women in Business group and other initiatives.

Website | Facebook

Business Tips: Developing a Business Plan

by Dr. Cheryl Cottle

Many small business owners take their business idea from a concept to implementation without writing a business plan. Common reasons why some business owners don't have a business plan is because it can be a time consuming task, which also requires some research and know how. Others identify the cost of outsourcing someone to write a plan as yet another reason for not having one. There are also those who see a business plan as something that only larger businesses do or only required when seeking financing.


A business plan can be perceived as a daunting, formal approach to business that takes too much time to conceptualize, thus it is often neglected as a valuable guide to entrepreneurial ventures. Thus, rather than devoting the time to getting an overview of their business, many choose to learn as they go; responding to events as they occur or on a need-to-basis. This reactive approach to business development means that you are jumping head first into business; however, you can face many pitfalls that can ultimately require a great deal of time and resources to change.

While an entrepreneur has been defined as "one who takes risk," and rightfully so risk taking is indeed a great entrepreneurial quality; it is also prudent to reduce risk since it can negatively impact the cost of operating and managing your business. A proactive approach to business development will help you to define a business path and serves as an invaluable tool for achieving your goals.
Here are some helpful ways that a business plan can help your business.

1. Define your business goals and objectives
2. Will help you to identify your target audience
3. Enable you to identify the best business model for your business
4. Assist with cash flow forecasting
5. Enables you to better understand the business sector of your business
6. Identify the skills needed to manage and operate your business
7. Identify the technology needed to manage and grow your business
8. Gain valuable information about your competitors
9. Develop your marketing plan
10. Identify and develop your branding strategy

There are many resources available for small business owners that will guide you on how to develop a business plan. While a business plan can be a very large document that requires a great deal of details, you can also develop one that will simply serve as a road map to where you will like to take your entrepreneurial vision.

Link

• Business Canada

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About the Author
Dr. Cheryl Cottle is the founder and chief consultant of Cottle's Professional Consulting. Dr. Cottle is an education and business development consultant, and has written several post for Crafted Spaces. She holds a Masters degree in Instructional Technology and a Doctorate degree in Education and Computer Applications. She has worked as a consultant for over ten years and is also a social media expert, who works with individuals and organizations to achieve their professional and business goals. Dr. Cottle also provides women entrepreneurs with valuable business development resources through her CPC Women in Business group and other initiatives.

Website | Facebook

Profile: Dr. Cheryl Cottle

Dr. Cheryl Cottle is an educator, researcher and business development consultant with over twenty years of experience. She holds a doctorate in education, a masters of science in IT and a bachelor of arts in english. She has worked with individuals, organizations, boards of education and businesses to transform and enhance their objectives.

Dr. Cheryl Cottle (left) and Yvette-Michelle Cottle Darby

Dr. Cottle is not only academic in her skills, but also artistic and fashion savvy. She has also been a long time supporter of Verona Collections, fashion accessories and design company. In the past she has assisted with the development of the business and is the educational consultant for Crafted Spaces.

Silk hand painted evening purse (shown centre)

Illustrated and painted by Dr. Cottle

PHOTO COURTESY OF VERONA COLLECTIONS

This Fall/Winter season Dr. Cottle will also be rejoining the creative team of Verona Collections, where she will be designing a collection of hand painted and silk screen patterns for the company's Spring /Summer 2011 Silk Evening Purse Collection. Dr. Cottle's creative talents have been put to work before at Verona Collections and her ornate hand painted floral vines have adorned its' evening purses before. We look forward to seeing the new designs in the Spring and will feature them when they become available.

You can join her highly motivational and inspiring women's business development and networking group: CPC Women in Business. Through this group Dr. Cottle motivates and inspires and provides other women entrepreneurs with an opportunity to network with other like minded women. Women share their experiences and assist each other in building their respective business ventures.

Dr. Cottle's list of business development services include: Strategic Planning, Technology Training, Social Media Marketing, Website Design and Development, Business Planning, Coaching and Mentoring. For more information about Dr. Cottle and Cottle's Professional Consulting, please visit www.drcottle.com

She is also my Mom :-) xoxoxo