These slides are about the Questions All Creative Artists Should Ask Themselves BEFORE They Start a Business. These questions are relevant to all of the creative arts: including fashion [apparel and accessories] design, film & TV, music, graphic design, photography, fine art, etc.

2. These questions are relevant to all of the creative
arts: including fashion [apparel and accessories]
design, film & TV, music, graphic
design, photography, fine art, etc

3. 1. Do you finish what you start?
2. Do you have someone (or a system) to keep you accountable?
3. Are you willing to take a risk? Are you willing to risk loss in order
to make money?
4. Are you willing to look foolish?
5. Do you surround yourself with people whose talents are
different than yours?

4. 1. Do you finish what you start?
You like to start new projects. That’s part of what
makes you an entrepreneur. The problem is that you
cannot make money from projects that you don’t
finish, unless you present your completed creative
ideas to your potential customers, you have no chance
of making any money from them. No way will those
half finished projects and ideas pay your bills.

5. 2. Do you have someone (or a system)
to keep you accountable?
Without a manager, a boss or mentor and a clearly defined
system, it’s very easy to miss deadlines – or maybe you don’t
miss deadlines because you don’t SET any deadlines for yourself
or your business. I understand it, I have the same problem.
That’s why I ALWAYS work with a mentor, a coach, a mastermind
group, something that keeps me on track, I don’t want to have to
be embarrassed and report that I didn’t accomplish what I was
meant to.

6. 3. Are you willing to take a risk? Are
you willing to risk loss in order to make
money?
We all have a level of fear. Sometimes it’s so deeply ingrained
we don’t even know it’s fear at all. For me, it comes in the form
of procrastination, of inaction, of staying too far INSIDE my
comfort zone. Sometimes I don’t want to try something new
or approach a potential client in fear of looking foolish, being
rejected, or making a mistake. I often hide it in the “I’m just too
busy to do that” scenario playing in my head. Any of this sound
familiar to you?

7. 4. Are you willing to look foolish?
Why is it we’re so image-conscious and afraid of
what other people think?
You can be smart, creative, gifted, and
talented. You can have natural skills, ability beyond
your peers. But if you are unwilling to look foolish,
you’ll never, ever reach your full potential.

8. If you get out of your comfort zone and do
something that you’ve always dreamed of doing but
have never done because you’re afraid of what other
people will think, you’ll look foolish. You’ll look like
you don’t know what you’re doing. And the truth of
the matter is, no one knows what they are doing
until they do it, until they do it over and over again
and they fail and get back up and attempt to do it
again.

9. The question is not, “Will you ever look foolish?” Of
course you will. All of us will. It’s unavoidable. The
question is, “What are you willing to look foolish over?”

10. 4. Do you surround yourself with people
whose talents are different than yours?
As you’re the entrepreneur, the creator, it’s important that
you have people you work with who are the “finishers”, the
real implementers. This is why I generally don’t recommend
2 designers go into business together, as they both tend to
be ideas people which makes it a nightmare to get the
products out on time. Every assistant and employee I’ve
ever had is extremely detail-oriented. Because I’m not, and
I don’t like that side of the business.

11. A. My challenge to you is to ask yourself these 5
questions and be completely HONEST about the
answers. Write them down here.

12. 1. Do you finish what you start?
Yes No
2. Do you have someone (or a system) to keep you accountable?
Yes No

13. 3. Are you willing to take a risk? Are you willing to risk loss in order to make
money?
Yes No
4. Are you willing to look foolish?
Yes No
5. Do you surround yourself with people whose talents are different than yours?
Yes No

14. B. Then pick ONE thing you will work on for the
rest of he week. For example, if you find you’re
not willing to look foolish

15. · Ask yourself what’s the worst that could happen?
· Why are you so concerned what others think?
· Is it holding you back from achieving your goals?

17. You’ve just seen the one of the articles relating
to Business Success and Business Development,
if you would like more information, just visit me
at www.FashionMentorOnline.com or just email
me at cherylmwidlend@gmail.com
And if you have any questions, just email me at
cherylmwidlend@gmail.comand I'll be happy to
answer them for you.
Warmly
Cheryl