‘Think like a Business’ for Artists- Masterclass (Highlights)
How to ‘think like a business’ as an artist
Have a vision (for your life, lifestyle, career/business)
Know what success looks like for YOU! (i.e Winning awards, getting paid to travel the world, making a living from music without needing to teach etc whatever it is for you). This will help you know when you have achieved success and stop you from being bogged down about other people’s opinions of what success should be for you.
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YOU are your business therefore it’s helpful to know what you are about.
1.Know your core values
It’s helpful to know your core values (Choose your top 10, top 5, top 3). Here is a great list to get you started from the website The Happiness Planner.
2.Know your personal mission statement (ie what are you in the business of?)
My personal mission statement is:
“I am in the business of taking people on an emotional journey through my work whether that be singing, performing, songwriting or vocal coaching”
What would yours be? Assess your passion and why you do what you do.
NB-This does not necessarily have to be something you share with other people. It might be something you just know for yourself. Although it might be useful to have on your website if it could be helpful to your career/business.
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Being successful as a self-employed person (artist/musician/creative etc)
You must be:
Self Motivated /Driven
Flexible
Consistent
Providing a talent/service/ great product
Professional - reliable, likeable, good company, organised etc
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Work Opportunities
Reasons to accept an opportunity
There are 4 main reason to accept an opportunity:
Money
Experience
Connection
Fun
Getting clear on your core values and your vision makes accepting opportunities and making tough decisions much easier to make!
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Tips on getting consistent work as a self employed artist
Accept that work as a creative fluctuates! One minute you have no work and loads of time and worry that you have no money coming in, and the next minute you have no time and loads of work and feel overwhelmed.
Plan 6 months to a year ahead where possible when it comes to work not just for this month or next month.
Variety helps: Having your own projects/releases, working for other bands/organisations, working in theatre, sessions. The aim is not to do all of these at the same time but to have access to opportunities that you can spread across the year.
Get a large Year Planner so you can get very clear on your schedule and see in one place when you are free and when you are busy to help with your planning and prepping to get consistent work throughout the year as as well as keep on top of time management.
The great thing about being; self-employed/ an artist/ your own business etc is that you create the life that your want for yourself! Right?? So… get clear and set up your life to be the way you want it to be as much as possible! You get to decide!
Good luck and enjoy!
Zara McFarlane x
Zara McFarlane is a singer, songwriter, and vocal coach. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to get deeper into this discussion get in contact for a Masterclass. Find out more about Zara’s music.Find out more about Zara’s vocal coaching programmes for beginners, developing singers, professional singers and ‘non-singers’ as well as corporate workshops and masterclasses for educational establishments.If you would like to keep up to date with Zara’s gigs please sign up to her artist newsletter.