Bernie Madoff died in prison yesterday. Lest you forget, Bernie Madoff orchestrated probably the single biggest and longest running Ponzi scheme in history. His fund bilked investors (most of whom were crazy sophisticated and extraordinarily wealthy) at the end of the day out of between seventeen and twenty four billion dollars over decades. Despite at least four credible warnings of the fraud, state, federal and local authorities did nothing. It was only the crash of 2008, where redemptions far outstripped available funds that the fraud was revealed. Before that time, Madoff promised consistent conservative returns (relatively) that allowed him to fund the scheme with a consistent inflow of new investment.
Why does Bernie Madoff matter to creative business today? Because trust is about semiotics and choice to be purposeful, intentional and honest about the higher purpose of the work. Bernie Madoff achieved what he did because he ticked all of the boxes — acted like a serious professional (ala Paul Ryan), said all of the right things to the right people who chose to believe in the promise he was selling. Right up until it all crashed and burned.
I firmly believe we are at a Madoff moment for so many creative businesses. The absolute desire to transform, to find joy, to literally live again is here. Within the fierce desire to live are those responsible for creating and shepherding the transformation. The question is how you, the artist, will handle the responsibility. Will you look to tick all of the boxes, to be the chameleon that will allow those across from you to interpret your work in a way that makes them believe the art and your artistry are as they would see it? Will you allow yourself to be a chameleon? I so hope not.
Integrity is about purpose when the allure to other is ever more delicious. I actually loathe the idea that there is a “fit” or not. Why? Because it allows you, the artist, the freedom to construct a process with ego and not vision. Ego is what you think it is. Aren’t I fabulous when I do x, y or z? Vision is about effective decision making and what you very much believe provides what is necessary to move forward, regardless of whether it makes your client believe you to be fabulous or not. Fit is not your choice, it is your clients. Your obligation is integrity.
Oh the slippery slope though. I have heard the noise of personal decision making and honoring the person across the table as to how they need to make decisions. If someone needs fifteen choices and another just one, then you should be flexible enough to meet clients where they are. Yeah, no. I am not from the everyone deserves a trophy generation. I am deeply committed to the power of idiosyncrasy and maturity. Adults in the room say not everyone is for everyone and, when it comes to decision-making, the professional in the room drives the bus.
This is not to say that there is not a place for behavioral economics and psychology with regard to sales. There is. Just not in creative business. If I want you to buy my toothpaste or my finished sculpture, then learning the best way to get to a yes, no matter the situation, is important and more necessary than ever. However, if your business is a journey through the unknown to the known — ahem, creation — it has to be about what that journey looks like FOR YOU. Your client can choose to take the journey with you or not. And the harder you work at the beauty and power of that journey for you, your art and your creative business, the more alluring it will be to those that want to sign on.
The issue with Madoff is that trust is fluid and alluring to those even with the best of intentions. Except that, when it is corrupted, the carnage runs oh so deep. In no way am I saying that there is only one way to get to the destination. The paths are indeed infinite. It is just that YOUR path is singular and neither better or worse than any other.
To answer the question, can you be a chameleon today? No doubt. The price is your integrity though. Maybe not today, but definitely tomorrow. There might be no consequences for you, your art or your creative business. There might not be another 2008 or a global pandemic. Until there is. Nobody said integrity and purpose was easy. I for one would rather the brick house though when the wolf blows.
Do the work. Stand up for your art, but more, your artistry more every single day. I have no idea where that conviction will take you but I definitely want to be along for the ride.
