It may seem like I’m backtracking. Just a few weeks ago I wrote a rant against unsolicited advice:
I’ll stand by what I wrote. The world IS full of clueless, bad-advice givers. But sometimes, if we’re lucky, we run across someone who offers GOOD advice. Someone who truly has our best interests at heart.
That happened to me just this past weekend. I “hired” a friend to help me with the Allentown Art Festival. I’ve put “hired” in quotes because the pay was low for the number of hours involved -- but what I got in return for my small investment was invaluable information about how the public views my work. I was so impressed by what I learned that I made a video about it:
So.....what’s my point here.....other than shameless self-promotion of my blog post and video? :-)
It’s this: we have to recognize our strengths and weaknesses. My strengths lie in creating new work. And while I may not be terribly bad at sales and product placement within my display, it’s not my strong suit. Turning over a bit of control to someone I knew I could trust, someone without a hidden agenda, allowed me to see things from a different perspective. Furthermore, paying for that assistance took away any feeling that I was imposing upon my friend. She was no longer doing me a favor -- she was doing a job.
So ask yourself - what are your strengths and weaknesses? Sit down with a pen and paper and make a list. Once you’ve made that list -- tear it up! Don’t beat yourself up for being imperfect! Build on your strengths and seek out people who can assist you in overcoming your weaknesses. Learn from them and compensate them for their time and assistance. You don’t necessarily have to “pay” in a monetary sense, but you can barter, trade goods and services, and acknowledge that you value and appreciate their time and efforts.
As for determining exactly who may have the right advice for you -- that'll take some trial and error. Hopefully not too much error :-)
Until next time -- keep creating!
Alison
https://www.facebook.com/ArtistAlisonEKurek
Thoughtful post, Alison. I think your suggestion to seek help is sound --- and it applies to not only shows, but to our Etsy shops as well!
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