When you are in the heat of the moment you have to default to one or two thoughts as you move through the moment. In golf, they are called swing thoughts — one or two ideas that you remind yourself of as you play your game. Creative business is no different.
You have two obligations as a creative business owner. The first is to make Every. Single. Conversation include answers to Where Were You? Where Are You? And Where Are You Going? And I really mean every single conversation, whether with clients, employees, colleagues, production partners, it does not matter. Your process is your process and it is up to you (and no-one else) to define and state it — always. Next, if you are not getting specifically paid for your effort, either with dollars or decisions (or both), then you are making an investment. Investments require returns and you must make it clear to all involved that they know the value of the investment AND your expected return. Again, if you do not define the investment being made then you leave it (and its value) to someone else. A non-starter if there ever was one.
So there you have it: two thoughts that will drive your creative business where you want to take it. A quick example, you are an interior designer and you do not shop with your clients. You make an exception with an out-of-town client to get to know her. You do not charge for the effort. Given the above you now understand that it is up to you to say that the effort is to get to know the client’s taste level better and your expectation is that she will make an effective (i.e., timely and permanent) decision when you present your vision for the project. In other words, you are investing your time with the client as you would not otherwise and expect a return for the investment.
No matter what you may want to believe, the air you breathe as a creative business is not free and needs to be paid for in one way or another. Payment can be financial, psychic or even spiritual, makes no difference, it is your expected return on your investment given the risk you are willing to take. Since all businesses are about managing risk, you are tasked with assessing yours and taking what you are willing to take and no more.
So what happens when communication is not crystal clear and you find yourself and your creative business in a risk position you did not intend or, worse, assumed would not materialize? More than likely you blew the Where Were You? Where Are You? Where Are You Going? conversation and/or did not define the investment you are making when you were not getting definably paid for your effort. Know three things then: 1) you lost control of the project even if you cannot yet see it; 2) somebody’s nose is going to get out of joint when you take it back; and 3) unless you fix it, it will get worse. Reassert yourself then because you have to and do it in the way that defines your own value as you most want for your art and your creative business.
We are all human beings and hopefully operate from a place of well intention — you want to do your best work and be appreciated for the effort. Compromise to your integrity and taking on undue risk is not part of that equation. The way back is to just start again because you really have no choice.
Let us go back to the interior designer who went shopping. What happens when the client says she wants to shop again the following day? If the designer has more to learn, then sure, BUT only after discussing the 3W’s and what this new day is going to bring. If the designer is comfortable in her knowledge of the client’s tastes and desires, then the answer is no, regardless of how much the client needs to show the designer her favorite tile store.
Take the opportunity to remind yourself daily (hourly?) that this is your show, your art, your business. If there is a nagging sense in your gut that somehow this is getting lost, listen to yourself and get back to basics — 3Ws and your investment and expected return. The rest will take care of itself.
