A long time ago, a British author penned the phrase “Many hands make light work.” This still rings as true today as it did in the 1400s.
For artists, there seems to be a sense that you’ve got to do it all yourself in order to succeed. Either that or you need to get an agent who does everything so you can focus solely on creating art. This all-or-nothing idea adds an immense amount of pressure to an already challenging situation. By now, you are doing work that is creative and, therefore, inherently vulnerable. You may be feeling isolated and competitive in an industry that is a little rogue and off-the-beaten-path. And now you’ve got to either become the most organized person alive or an artist so good, with timing so perfect (because timing plays an important role in things like this) to get an agent.
For some people, one of the first two options may very well work. You might be a creative person who loves spreadsheets or you might be able to make a great connection with an agent. Most people, though, fall into a category in between. I am happy to tell you that there’s a world of gray between these black-and-white notions! To quote Mr. Rogers, a little out of context, you need to “look for the helpers.”
In this case, helpers are people who can support you in being successful as an artist with or without an agent. For example, when I started JNA, I found the work could be isolating and discovered that I needed outside motivation to keep me going. So, I hired a friend who was also a savvy business consultant to join me in weekly meetings until I felt like the company had launched successfully. Then, as the business grew, I needed someone to help with my finances and I hired a bookkeeper. All along the way, I’ve had people in my life who acted as true supporters and coaches. Some I’ve outgrown and some I am even growing into as I write this. Instead of all or nothing, there’s a sprinkle of this and a dab of that.
Here, I do want to quickly add a note about trustworthy people. It is incredibly important that the relationships you take on, in regards to your art, are people who are worthy of that relationship. Many encounters can seem like they’re beneficial and end with you feeling disempowered. A quick way to know if someone in your life is not a good source for this kind of support is if you feel tired or insecure after talking to them. You’ll be seeing more on this topic in another newsletter soon!
I also encourage you to be creative when it comes to looking for and paying people. Maybe you know another artist who loves marketing and can help you put together a portfolio in exchange for you giving them prompts every week. Perhaps you could hire an intern or college student or look for virtual helpers online. A close friend with a head for numbers could put together a spreadsheet for you, in exchange for dinner. As your business grows, as mine did, you may find you have the money to hire people full-time.
Here is a list of potential helpers who might make your work lighter and free up space to do what you love most. See if any of these sound helpful or inspire you to think of other resources you can tap into.
A core person/people who can help with big picture planning
A trusted artist friend who will hold you accountable and vice versa
A therapist or life coach
Bookkeeper
A business consultant or coach
An assistant
Someone to manage your social media accounts
A writer
Sometime to manage your digital files and galleries
Hire someone to scan artwork, clean it up and catalog it
A person to handle your marketing/newsletters
Trusted + proven sources for education
Who can you add to your team that I haven’t mentioned?
If you think I could be one of your helpers, just ask about scheduling a session. —Jennifer
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YOU GUYS ARE LOADED WITH SMARTS!: I love your questions. That's why we have a terrific Facebook group where we can all share the knowledge. Join me here in our super group - the conversation is already underway!
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I offer small group presentations on Advice For Artists Fridays and One-on-One private sessions upon request. I am glad to share my thoughts and suggestions with you.