Don't Hesitate to Elevate!
Learning that readers are finally getting their copies of my first book was the best birthday gift I could’ve asked for! Want a sneak peek? Here’s an exclusive excerpt from
Finance the Dream:
Creative Financing for Creative People
“…Many creatives hesitate to elevate their creative hobby to the professional level. If you aren’t treating it like a business, then it’s just an expensive hobby. How do you know when you’re ready to take the plunge and jump into using the financial options we cover? For starters, you need to have proof of concept. Creatives have lots of ideas that pull them in conflicting directions. Young girls come to me saying, ‘I can model, I can sing, I can act, I can rap… Oh and I dance too!’ This is a classic jack of all trades and a master of none. A person like this will have to prove themselves across multiple concepts. Legitimate multi-talented creatives like Michael Jackson are rare. Get centered on what it is you want to be known for. Make sure you’ve done enough of whatever it is and that you are comfortable in your skin. Be 100 percent sure that this isn’t just a phase for you, but something you will want to pursue long-term. You must know beyond reasonable doubt that this is your gift. Notice how your audience reacts and responds to what you’re doing. Other people should be cosigning on the brand. This is the difference between having a creative business and an artistic hobby.
Once you get to a point where you aren’t just tinkering anymore and you know that you can do this thing for real, you can start building. Eventually, creatives reach a moment in their career where they wonder about quitting their day job so they can devote themselves completely to the art. Be absolutely certain that what you are creating is a viable brand. If you can monetize your creative career into one-third or half of what you’re making at your full-time job, then you’re ready for that leap of faith. There needs to be equity and financial appeal before you are ready to go pro. I always tell my clients, ‘An artist must be viable, monetizable, and scalable in order to be investable.’
It all depends on what floor you want to jump from. Some people are maniacs and will jump headfirst from the top floor, frantically trying to open a financial parachute as they fall. Others are more cautious. They want to replace their income before they jump and wait until the art is making exactly what they were earning in their 9-5 position. Whenever you do finally take that leap of faith, it will give you extra time to work on your creative business. It’s a real quagmire. The money must catch up to your vision before the rubber meets the road. You’re in a war and you’re going to have to find a way to win. The methods in this book are here to help you…”
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