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Sharing Time :: Our Favorite Online Resources

by contributor on May 8, 2013

in Guest Editors 2013, Resources

During most of 2013, Whipup.net will hosting a monthly mini-series, each month edited by different crafters and designers. Enjoy!

Introducing Destri from The Mother Huddle :: The theme for this month is Advice For Starting and Growing a Creative Business :: Stop listening to the advice of those that say it can’t be done, and seek the advice of those who are successfully doing what you want to do.

Destri :: The Mother Huddle

As part of this series, I thought it would be fun if we shared some of our favorite resources with each other. Online resources we use, books we’ve read, tools we use, and people we love to frequent for the inspiration they provide. Remember sharing time in elementary school? It was my favorite. And I couldn’t think of a better name, so we’ll roll with it :).

Here’s how it’s going to work — once a week I will get the conversation going by sharing my favorites, and then in the comments I hope you’ll share with me and the others following the series your favorites. Remember the theme of our series — everyone has something they can share that may be incredibly helpful to someone else. That includes you.

Today we’ll share our favorite online resources. This includes courses, ebooks, how-to blogs, blogs on creative business-basically any online resource that has helped you start and grow your business. Here are mine:

My Favorite Online Resources

  • Heartmade — I love Mayi and her advice… to pieces. She also has a Life Is Messy Boot Camp that looks perfect for those in the trenches of creative business making, baby raising, dinner making, messy life in general that is in need of some creative direction.
  • Oh My Handmade — Great advice for any creative business. If I have a question, or am looking for an answer I know a quick search will on Oh My Handmade will either have an answer or point me in the right direction.
  • Marie Forleo’s B-School — I took the course last year and loved it. Her style is not for everyone, but that is the key thing I took away from training — you can’t be everything for everyone, and if you are you’ll never succeed.
  • Smart Passive Income — While not completely relevant to my work which is anything but passive, I love Pat’s podcasts and articles and find I always walk away with some value I can implement in my business.
  • Pro Blogger — It’s a classic and the writes are constantly on the cutting edge of the industry. If you are just starting out, Darren’s ebooks are perfect for getting you started and headed in the right direction.
  • Google — I know generic, but if you are going to be successful in this industry you MUST get a “I can figure it out” mentality, and google is the very best resource to do it.  Anything you want to learn, have a question on, or are trying to figure out has been written about. If not, figure it out, write about it and consider that your golden opportunity :).
  • Lynda’s Classes — Learn to make beautiful videos, use photoshop, make vector artwork… just about anything through this online video training platform. A lot of times when I ask someone where they learned a certain skill this is where they send me.
  • Philosophers Notes — I was just recently introduced to this site and I love it. Think cliff notes for inspirational and self-help books. You get all the best little nuggets of a book, a big dose of inspiration, in 6 pages.

One word of advice on using and reading online resources. It can be very easy to spend an entire day, week, month, year… reading and using these resources all in the name of knowledge and building your skills. It is my favorite form of resistance and I often use it as an excuse to put things off.

If you’re just reading and researching, you’re not doing the work. It is only the wisdom you learn put into action that will help you grow your business. Plain and simple. Set a time each day or week to allow for a little research and reading on your business, but make sure the time you actually work at least doubles that.

Okay, now it’s your turn. What online resources do you find to be helpful for building your creative business? I hope you share!

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A Simple Way To Find Your Passion For A Creative Business

by contributor on May 6, 2013

in Guest Editors 2013, Resources

During most of 2013, Whipup.net will hosting a monthly mini-series, each month edited by different crafters and designers. Enjoy!

Introducing Destri from The Mother Huddle :: The theme for this month is Advice For Starting and Growing a Creative Business :: Stop listening to the advice of those that say it can’t be done, and seek the advice of those who are successfully doing what you want to do.

Destri :: The Mother Huddle

How To Find Your Passion

Do you feel like you haven’t quite found “your thing”?  That burning passion that can be turned into a creative business? It seems to be a sticking point in today’s world. A lot of us don’t know what we’re passionate about, and it’s pretty tough to find fulfilment in our work without knowing.

I could list a dozen books and numerous blogs that are devoted to the topic, but that will just get you thinking about it more. What you really need to find your passion is inspired action. So today I am going to share how I came about mine, and it just might surprise you.

One Easy Way To Finding Your Passion

I hear from so many women that they don’t know what their passion is. I’ve been there. I remember days waking up with nothing to really be excited about. I didn’t go through my day feeling inspired and giddy over an idea I couldn’t wait to work on. I love that I have that now. It makes me a better mom and wife, and I love that my family will know that side of me.

The funny thing is, my creative business didn’t start with a passion. It all started with a need to feel connected, to feel helpful and to feel like I was good at something outside the four walls of my home. I was a bit lost in my new role as a stay-at-home mom, and craved a way to fulfill these needs. I have come to learn most everything we do, we do it to make us feel a certain way. Living and working from our passions is the very essence of this.

Start with how you want to feel 

Ask yourself how your ideal creative business would make you feel. Get a pen and piece of paper and start by writing down feelings you thrive on.  Here are a few to get you started: helpful, inspirational, fulfilled, connected, proactive, important, joyous, peaceful, affluent, innovative, rebellious, liberated, independent.

From the list, find three that really make you feel good when you assume the feeling.

If you’re having a hard time, think about the years past and what activities and work you have most enjoyed — how did they make you feel? For me, I see times I’ve inspired friends, times I’ve made someone’s life easier, and times I’ve felt like I was really good at something to the point of mastery, as the best feelings.

From that I can find how I want my creative business to make me feel: Inspirational, helpful, and affluent on a topic or skill.

Now go with something you are interested in 

I disagree with the notion that you must be passionate about a topic in order for you to be successful. Identify how you want to feel, then connect that with something you are interested in, then get to work, and you instantly have a form of passion.

Don’t get discouraged if you start on one thing, and that thing leads you to another passion. Often times you’ll lose steam on one interest, simply because it was meant to lead you to your ultimate passion. You’ll likely end up finding too many and then have a hard time choosing :). That’s a whole other topic!

Remember the key here is action. And when you are taking action in this way, it’s inspired action. Inspired action will lead you to your passion. Every time.

In case you are curious, The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle LaPorte was the book that first asked me “how do you want to feel?”. If you are wanting to dive deeper on the subject, she has a new program that is based on the idea that looks fabulous too.

I hope you give this a try and let me know how it works for you. Even stopping to ask yourself how you want a current passion to make you feel can be game changing, and put a little more life into it.

I would love to hear your personal story of struggling to find you passion, or how you came about finding it — please share in the comments! 

graphic is from the fabulous Ink Nest (another successful creative business)

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Best Advice I’ve Been Given :: Chie from Vivat Veritas

by contributor on May 3, 2013

in Guest Editors 2013, Resources

During most of 2013, Whipup.net will hosting a monthly mini-series, each month edited by different crafters and designers. Enjoy!

Introducing Destri from The Mother Huddle :: The theme for this month is Advice For Starting and Growing a Creative Business :: Stop listening to the advice of those that say it can’t be done, and seek the advice of those who are successfully doing what you want to do.

Destri :: The Mother Huddle

vivat veritas workspace1

I am so pleased to introduce you to Chie from Vivat Veritas. I stumbled upon her beautiful shop by a chance google search one day. After reading her about page and where her creative business started I knew I had to include her in the series. She is a great example of how a simple interest can blossom into a thriving business.

vivat veritas spring 2013 clothes2
About Chie and Vivat Veritas

Currently I live in Tokyo, I started my clothing line, “Vivat Veritas” on my dining table with a borrowed sewing machine in 2008. After graduating from college and being newly married in Philadelphia, I was looking for a new hobby. Around that time, I serendipitously had a need for new pillow cases and it led to sewing clothes. I became self-taught using youtube clips, books from the library and a bunch of magazines. I hand make pieces for women who have a hard time finding unique pieces in the world of fast fashion. I like to describe my style as a mixture of feminine, classy with a bit of a retro feel.

“Vivat Veritas” means “Let the Truth Prevail” in Latin. The VV motto was taken from a tattoo my husband has on his arm.

Best Advice I’ve Received 

vivat veritas clothes tags3

The best advice I have received to date came from a Korean pharmacist. He is a family friend and have had lots of time to get to know one another. One night recently we were talking about our respective businesses. He proceeded to talk about the value of experience. I know it’s talked about a lot but it seems recently the “just do it” mentality has taken front place. As we were talking, my friend laid out what he thought were the essentials to success in entrepreneurial ventures.

He told me, first you have to know the business. By that he meant, you need to know all the different and diverse facets of the business. Making a successful business is dependent on you being able to do all facets not just the things you like.

vivat veritas spring 2013 4

Secondly, he said that success requires the owner to know what daily operations look like. For the fashion world it is easy to get caught up in runway shows, but in reality that is an event that happens sporadically throughout the year. The other 360 days a year is work. You’ll never get to a show if you can’t make the daily grind work well.

Thirdly you need time in your industry, to know what you don’t know. It’s great to have a plan but until you’ve been in the thick of it first hand you have no reference point for what things should be happening, what things should have happened and what things should happen. Experience is king!

A big thank you to Chie for stopping by today and sharing her wisdom with us. You can find her beautiful clothing at Vivat Veritas and more inspiration on her blog.

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Defining a Creative Business and Introducing Yours

by contributor on May 2, 2013

in Guest Editors 2013, Resources

During most of 2013, Whipup.net will hosting a monthly mini-series, each month edited by different crafters and designers. Enjoy!

Introducing Destri from The Mother Huddle :: The theme for this month is Advice For Starting and Growing a Creative Business :: Stop listening to the advice of those that say it can’t be done, and seek the advice of those who are successfully doing what you want to do.

Destri :: The Mother Huddle

Throughout this series, you will hear me use the term “creative business” quite a bit. I wanted to talk about what that term encompasses to me. The last thing I want you to think is a pair of knitting needles or taking up sewing is required for a creative business. But I do think there is a difference between starting something with the simple goal of making money, and creating something that is fulfilling and supplies an income at the same time.

So for fun, I will share what defines a creative business to me, and then ask you to share your thoughts and how you define yours (or the one you hope to have) in the comments.

Defining A Creative Business

How I Define a Creative Business

A work that is born from a single idea that formed in your mind and stirs the imagination and plays to your strengths and talents. It is then fueled by a burning desire to achieve a certain feeling, and is motivated by love.

Pretty broad right? Notice I said nothing about hobbies or passions. I don’t believe ones work depends on these two things to be fulfilling.

  • So if we break that down by how the creative business is formed and plays out it would look like this:
  • We take an idea that strikes from an imaginative vision that instantly has us excited.
  • Then as if like magic, ideas start coming from every direction in our mind.
  • These ideas naturally pulls from our strengths and talents, because ideas from our Higher Self (imagination) always do.
  • Then if we’re persistent and conquer the resistance (our ego) that inevitably comes when one starts a work one should do – we put plans into action. 
  • This work then fulfills our feeling desires (helpful, innovative, artistic) giving us a sense of purpose. 
  • It is our Love for this purpose that carries us through all the ups and downs, and offers hope when things get tough.
  • Then ultimately, this business makes an income. Otherwise, it’s just a hobby. I can tell you from experience, it’s the most gratifying income you will ever make.

So there you have it, my definition of a creative business. Does yours look similar?

Have you ever had one of those ideas strike, and then by the next day, talk yourself out of it?

Are you currently working on one?

Please share I would love to hear!

Destri

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Guest Editor Destri: Advice For Starting and Growing a Creative Business

by contributor on May 1, 2013

in Guest Editors 2013, Resources

During most of 2013, Whipup.net will hosting a monthly mini-series, each month edited by different crafters and designers. Enjoy!

Introducing Destri from The Mother Huddle :: The theme for this month is Advice For Starting and Growing a Creative Business :: Stop listening to the advice of those that say it can’t be done, and seek the advice of those who are successfully doing what you want to do. Destri :: The Mother Huddle

Hello friends! Destri from The Mother Huddle here, I am so excited to spend May as your guest editor here on WhipUp. I love the creative energy WhipUp has, and the community that supports it — so any chance I have to be a part of it, I jump on.

A little about me: I am a bit of a gypsy. It started when I was 20 and packed what I could in the back of a 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse and moved to Denver Colorado chasing a dream. I found my husband there, and together with our two kids we have moved 10 times in 12 years. We’ve landed in Dallas Texas for the next two years, and from here we’ll be headed to Montana next. I’m a little nervous about that move — I’ve heard it’s cold. Really cold.

My days are filled with packing lunches, braiding hair, sweeping floors, and folding laundry. I love a good book, coffee with my creamer, and dark chocolate. I’m sure we share a few things in common.

Destri Whip Up

{image credit: Hank, my six year old :)}

I also work from home, doing something I love. A lot of things actually, which brings me to the series we will be hosting. I say “we” because it will require your participation to ensure its success.

I wrote an essay here on WhipUp last year talking about how my business came about. After it’s publication I received dozens of emails from women wanting advice for creating a business from home using a blog as the primary platform. I was a little overwhelmed, and didn’t have a chance to answer them all that well. So when this opportunity came, I knew instantly what the series subject could be. Then the doubt set it. Do I really know enough about running a business? Nope. Do I have all the answers? Nope. Can I spell out the exact formula for success? Definitely not — I’m still making my own! But, I can share what I know.

When I was sixteen I went to cosmetology school and by the time I walked on to my high school graduation stage I had a license. One thing that industry taught me is everyone has a little something they can teach someone else. I used to love to ask instructors and fellow hair dressers what their favorite technique or trick was and have them show me. I asked everyone, wherever I worked for over 10 years — even the girls fresh out of school. I can attest, it was all those little tips accumulated that gave me an edge and enabled me to grow a large clientele time and time again. I could apply everyone’s best knowledge and education (not just my own) to each person that sat in my chair.

In that spirit, I thought the best way to go about this series, would be to share what I know on a specific topic in creative business, and then invite you to share what you know, and you can also meet fellow entrepreneurs just like you and me to learn what they know.  I can’t wait to learn from this community!

Sharing What We Know In Creative Business

Destri's Workspace

Weekly Discussions

Here is how it’s going to work: I came up with four hot topics when it comes to starting and running a creative business that seem to always be the theme of emails I receive. I will present one each week with my advice on the matter to get the conversation going, and then in the comments I would love for you to share yours. Here are the four topics we will cover over the month of May on Mondays:

  1. Finding Your Passion for a Creative Business – it is said that 80% of people don’t know what their passion is, so it’s no surprise that a common question is “how do I start a business about something I love, when I don’t even know what that is?”. I have a tip that can help with that!
  2. How to Start and Stand Out in a Crowded Market – it can seem like anything that can be done, has been done and that the web is saturated with creative businesses. This can make many feel like there is nothing left for them, that it’s too late and they missed the boat. I have a theory on why that’s not true, and why now is as good a time as any to stand out and make money doing something you love.
  3. How to Take Your Creative Business to the Next Level - most of the emails I receive are from women who already have a blog or shop, and are struggling to take it to the next level — making an income from it. I have a few ideas, and have learned a few things along the way that I can’t wait to share.
  4. How to Make Your Life and Creative Business Work Together - again, another frequent question I get that is always associated with the word “balance”.  Of all the topics, this is where I feel like I am strongest. I could write a book on the topic, actually I started one — then took my own advice and set it aside for the time being.

Get to thinking about the advice you could offer and please come every Monday to share and talk shop.

Sharing Resources

Each Wednesday over the month of May we will have a “Sharing Time” (I know, so elementary school, but it’s all I could come up with!), to highlight our favorite books, resources, tools, and inspiration used for running our creative businesses. I love these types of posts and always find them very helpful.

Start making your list, I have a feeling the comments on these posts will be where all the value is!

Advice From Those who are Doing What it is You Want To Do

Some of the best advice I ever received when it comes to making your creative business dreams a reality was to stop listening to those who say it can’t be done, and start seeking the advice of those who are successfully doing it.

I rounded up five women who are successfully running their creative businesses and asked them to share the best advice they have been given, or have to share. We will hear from a Chocolate Maker, Clothing Line Designer, Blog and Content Creator, Clothing Pattern Designer, and Photographer and Familyness Expert.

They will pop in every Friday during May, you won’t want to miss them!

I can’t wait to get things going, and starting tomorrow I will define what a creative business means to me. The term is very broad, but really comes down to one thing. That we love our work. We all deserve that luxury, and together we can help each other get there.

Thanks for having me, and I do hope you join in!

Destri

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