Knowing where are currently located allows you to know the best way to get to the destination you want to arrive at. Everyone who has experienced great success was at the same place. Walt Disney was told he wasn’t creative. U2 was told they didn’t have good songs. Donald Trump has been bankrupt. JK Rowling was told Harry Potter just won’t work. What made it work for them is that they ignored those naysayers, and took what they had and pressed on.
Take some time and evaluate where you really are. I’m sure there are some huge roadblocks you are facing. I am also sure if you slow down and look really hard you have some resources and relationships that you can leverage for your brand. Don’t be afraid of using what you have and making some uncomfortable asks. You may face more resistance, but just keep moving forward.
I sat down with a creative this last week who was lacking direction for their vision and asked what I thought they should do. I said “move.” They responded, “Like to a new house?” My answer was forward. It’s really basic and simple; if don’t want to be the same place you are now, move forward. If you don’t like where you are; leave, move forward.
Noah U is about movement. It’s not about waiting for the stars to align; it’s about taking what you have and doing something with it. I get it; we all wish we had more money, time, and connections. However, we can’t let the lack of those things get in the way of what we do have. Take inventory of the platform you do have and start looking at ways to monazite it.
This isn’t about a big or crazy plan; it’s about doing something. When it works, you can apply what you did to other needs or areas. If it fails, you can tweak and move forward. Don’t let the “Beta Test” scare you. It’s much harder to start moving than is to stop momentum, so be ok with some short-term pain for the long-term gain.
Here are a few ideas to help get you going.
– If you want to make shirt, partner with a screen printer or find a site like teefury that requires zero $$$ to start.
– Do a flash sale where whatever you are going to create is only for sale for a short period of time, then produce what you sell.
– If you are making art, mugs, posters, or books, there are literally thousands of print on demand resources that require almost nothing to get started.
– If you don’t have the $$$ to get a website going, you can buy a domain for .99 and point it to a free Tumblr site.
– Crowdsource what your “fans” want. Ask people will tell you.
– Take on some mini-commissions if you are a fine artist. Offer to do something you can do quickly and for a limited number of people.
– Give something away digitally to boost the size of your email list.
It’s simple. Get started. Here is a worksheet to help you with landing on where to start. Download it below and get to work.
Challenge: Share with the group on Facebook and in the comments below. What you are asking, executing, and making happen with what you have. We are all better together. If you have something that is awesome, share it with the group, or if you are stuck, ask the group for help!
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