The advice I wish I had before I started my business
“The Color of the Day Is Pink”
I published a blog post with that exact title nearly 11 years ago, on May 20th, 2013, which I wrote from a coffee house down the street from the corporate publishing job I was laid off from that morning.
In February of that year, I published another article titled "I am unemployable," where I shared how I was no longer satisfied with corporate employment and was planning to leave that job by the end of the year.
Perhaps I manifested my dismissal, which might have been a good thing because I might have second-guessed my decision by Christmas time without the hefty severance check from the layoff.
The one thing I didn't have at the time was guidance on how to succeed in my creative pursuit. There wasn't as much information about growing a creative business back then, and I often felt lost for direction.
Now that I'm over a decade into my solopreneurship, I want to share some ideas on how I would do things differently if that scenario happened today. This will be a new series of posts I'm calling Pink Slip Pursuits, each with a different approach to "How I would start an [insert business idea] today."
The first edition of Pink Slip Pursuits is about how I would start a print-on-demand business in 2024. I've worked in this area for years and made so many mistakes. This article breaks down everything I would do differently, where I would put my energy, and what things I would avoid. [10-minute Read]
Art Snacks: Montague Projects
Credit: Julian Montague
This week, instead of highlighting an artist, I want to share a particular piece created by someone. This poster was made by Julian Montague of Montague Projects, and I love it because it walks the narrow line between design and art.
Julian is a graphic designer, but he also shares personal projects like this one based on thoughts and observations, like this poster, which illustrates how, for the first time in history, the three NFL teams of Lake Erie are all in the playoffs.
The concept is fascinating: using the communication strategy of graphic design to share personal creative expression, like an artist.
Stop Living on Rented Land!
Social media is the equivalent of digital sharecropping, where you operate on the premise of rented attention, which could go away anytime. Instead, take steps to own that attention through writing and publishing newsletters and blogs (Didn't you know—Blogs are popular again).
My course, Choose Your Words, can help you with that, but seats are limited for the live event, but you can still get in for the best price it will ever be going forward.
Don't delay, because someone may take your seat.
Biz Bites
Printify wants to teach you how to use Shopify, and they've invited one of the best teachers on the topic of print-on-demand selling (Live event: 1/18/24)
Click Now! That's what's called a call to action. Is it good? Not really, and if you want to know better ways to ask your fans and followers to take action, then you'll want to beef up your CTA skills.
Not all AI is terrible, and not all AI prompt creators are after your money. Open AI just launched the GPT store where you can download the prompt templates of others for free (I suspect paid templates are coming, though).
If you only use social media your way, you will continue to get the results you've always gotten. Or you can find ways to keep people from scrolling past your posts with zero engagement other than a habitual double-tap.
The age-old debate rekindled: Shopify or Etsy? [Psst: The answer is Shopify*).
You shared a post, and only ten people saw it. Should you share it again? If so, when and how will it help you sell your work?
The Challenge: Many of us do what we do for love, not money
The Opportunity: Why not both?
Art Bites
Steamboat Willy is in the public domain, but does that mean Mickey Mouse is up for grabs? It's more complicated than you think.
From AI to Analog: Juxtapose shares the best album covers of 2023.
The moral dilemma of allowing AI to finish the work of Keith Haring
Is this the year the world starts taking Zack Efron seriously?
The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art will close its degree programs in 2025, and I'm confident this is just the beginning of the end for art programs as more people turn to private training.
I am fascinated by the trend of city miniatures, especially the work of Joshua Smith.
And then there's Audrey Smit , who wants to paint your house like a miniature.
The most horrifying Christmas cards EVER!
