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Table of Contents
Why Creative People Become Entrepreneurs The ToDon’tList Method for Entrepreneurs Sell: Test Your Idea Make: Set It Up Grow: Own Your Impact
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Why Creative People Become Entrepreneurs
Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. — Barack Obama There’s a distinct difference between a businessperson and an entrepreneur. A businessperson doesn’t care what they do, as long as it makes them a lot of money. An entrepreneur has a wider goal. Fundamental to the entrepreneur is that they feel the urge to create something. It is this internal drive to create that motivates them to work hard. The goals they hope to achieve with their hard work often include things like contributing to a better world, a cleaner environment, but also bringing more convenience or joy. Whatever the goal is, it isn’t just money.
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The ToDon’t List Method for Entrepreneurs
What is the ToDon’tList Method?
The ToDon’tList Method is as simple as it is effective. You can apply it to basically everything: the big decisions in life or work, but also to details of a project you’re working on. Creative people who are also entrepreneurs have a lot to do — often too much. In order to get all those things done, we tend to look for ways to do even more in less time. The ToDon’tList Method requires you to do the complete opposite: do less in more time. If you make clear choices, the noise disappears, which allows you to focus properly on the things that you do — and do them really well. This idea is the foundation of the ToDon’tList method. The next pages describe its key principles in a nutshell.
Making the decision to not follow a system, or someone else’s rules has allowed me to really dig into what my own strengths and gifts are without spending time feeling jaded or wasteful. — Ishita Gupta
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Sell: Test Your Idea
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Find your sweet spot
When you’ve discovered your market, zoom in to find your sweet spot — that is, customers with the most potential. Start by defining your niche as precisely as possible. If your niche is really specific, your work will be too, so you’ll know how to focus your energy. You can also reason the other way around: the more specific your work is, the smaller your niche will be. Make sure your niche isn’t too small (you want to have enough customers) or too big (you need to know who your customers are). The trick is to define the values that set you apart and communicate them to your target audience in such a way that they understand why your product or service suits them best. When you start working for a certain target group or in a certain niche, you will become better at what you do as you gain more experience. This experience helps you build a reputation as a specialist in your niche. Once you have that reputation, you’ll get progressively more interesting projects.
Don’t design for everyone. It’s impossible. All you end up doing is designing something that makes everyone unhappy. — Leisa Reichelt
What is the Why?
Possibly the most important question you need to ask yourself is: why am I doing this? What is the reason and reasoning behind my product or service? If you know why you’re doing something, it becomes much easier to take further steps. For instance, explaining to others what you do (which is something you’ll be doing a lot… but more about that later). Just think about it. Everything we do, buy or need has a reason. That’s why you need to know the Why behind your product or service; the reason why your product or service exists in the first place. This also makes it easier to relate to, and thus, easier to sell. I recently switched from two different banks to another bank. It was a lot of hassle. And to make matters worse, the new bank also lags behind when it comes to Internet banking. It doesn’t sound too attractive, but I still decided to switch banks. Why? Because my new bank is fair. It’s a bank that doesn’t hand out huge bonuses but does provide transparency about its dealings. And it only invests in green and social projects (so your money doesn’t end up supporting the arms industry).
People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. — Simon Sinek
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Analyze your service/product Do you sell a service or a product? Service
Product
Is it bespoke or off the shelf? Bespoke
Off the Shelf
Does it require a long-term or short-term relationship? Long Term
Short Term
Is it time saving or time spending? Time Saving
Time Spending
Is it a need-to-have or a nice-to-have? Need-to-Have
Nice-to-Have
What are its key features?
How does it benefit your client?
How does this change your client’s life?
Who are your horizontal competitors?
Who are your vertical competitors?
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Make: Set It Up
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but at least it allows you to focus your energy and to create something tangible. A drawing, website or video can also help to show what your product will look like and what it’s going to do. You can’t do that with a service in the same way, for the simple reason that your final product is different for each project. Let’s say you’re a copywriter or a designer. Have you ever made the exact same text or design for different clients? Because everything is tailor-made, a design or text that you’ve created for a particular client isn’t necessarily good advertising when it comes to attracting other clients. A better way of showing what you’re capable of is building your portfolio with self-initiated projects. When you work on your own projects you can show off your signature style, clearly communicating how you distinguish yourself from others in your field. This makes you more memorable and increases your chance of attracting clients.
What you really need to get started
What do you need besides a prototype or a portfolio? Not much. You don’t really need a website, logo or social media strategy. Talk to people; show them your prototype or samples of your work. It’s that simple — you just have to do it. It’s a bit like when a kid sets up a lemonade stand. You just stand there all day and ask people if they want to buy your lemonade. You learn a lot from doing that; you find out that a lot of people say no and that people are more likely to say yes when you adjust the price or improve your service. As a kid you just try out different things without any sense of embarrassment. It’s only when we start to feel embarrassed and scared of failure that we stop trying things out. But what do you really have to lose? And, so what if nobody buys your lemonade? You just try something else — maybe sell lemons.
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How to Make It?
When you’re offering a service, it’s all about skills. If you’re really good at something (taking pictures, designing, writing) people will pay you for it. Over time you will hone your skills, but you’ve at least got the basics down when you start your business. That’s different when you’re selling a product for the first time, because then you have to learn how to produce it — every step of the process will be new. Every product is developed differently. Brewing beer isn’t the same as making children’s clothing. But both products start out much in the same way; the ideas and first products are likely made somewhere on a kitchen table, in an attic or a garage. Making or assembling your first products all by yourself will teach you a lot about the whole process. The steps you go through for one single product aren’t very different from those you have to take when producing in bulk. You can easily brew 10 liters of beer at home. If you want 1000 liters, just go to a brewery and they will brew your beer for you. They will use the same recipe; it’s just the boilers that get bigger.
Be strict, but not too strict
Make sure you reach clear agreements on things like timelines, contacts, method of feedback, number of feedback rounds, delivery dates, etc. You don’t need to lawyer up for this, but you do have to make sure that all those involved know where they stand. Vague agreements can result in uncomfortable situations. However, if you put every single thing in writing, you’ll end up focusing on that, which will not help the process either. In the end, you have to trust your gut and know when to back off or hold on tight.
Bulk discount
When you offer a product instead of a service, you don’t have to deal with hours in the same way. Any hours worked should be included in the product price. And that price is fixed. People can either buy it or not. It’s up to the customer to decide whether or not he or she thinks it is worth it. Working with a sliding scale may, however, be a good idea for both you and the customer: if someone buys more, you give a discount. You can also use this model if you offer a service and offer a discount when the client needs your services for a specific number of hours. This way you’re guaranteed a certain turnover, and the client gets the quality they want at a discount. A practical note: when you enter into such an agreement, be sure to define by what date the number of “purchased” hours have to be used.
Buy less, pay less
People are often tempted to buy more because it’s cheaper. As a result, people end up buying things they really don’t need and maybe even end up throwing them away, unused. Here’s a little thought experiment: what if you would tempt people to buy less? Tell them that the more they take, the more expensive it will be. In other words: if you take less, you will get a discount. This will force people to make decisions, to think about what it is they really need.
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Grow: Own Your Impact
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Drop your ego
What you make and do is more important than who does it. Put your heart and soul into your work, but don’t expect a pat on the back. You’ll get recognition at some point or, more likely, you’ll stop caring about it. Never disregard what you do, just remember to check your ego at the door, especially when you’re collaborating with others. Many a project has failed because of clashing egos. Remind yourself of the bigger goal you’re pursuing and focus on that.
There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there. — Indira Gandhi There may even be circumstances where you’re happy that your name isn’t in the picture. Like when you’re working on a less than ideal project or when it’s a ‘take the money and run’ kind of project. This type of project isn’t important for your portfolio and doesn’t lead to new clients. Hopefully, you get to work on projects that you do want to be associated with. But even then, it’s not always possible to be credited. Maybe your client doesn’t want it. And sometimes it’s just better to let the other party take the credits for a project you worked on. For instance, when they are a big name in the industry you’re venturing into. In such a case, the other party taking the credits may even work to your advantage in the end.
I work really hard at trying to see the big picture and not getting stuck in ego. I believe we’re all put on this planet for a purpose, and we all have a different purpose… When you connect with that love and that compassion, that’s when everything unfolds. — Ellen DeGeneres
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ple, which can be difficult because creative people usually like their independence. So, you have to find a way to make these changes work for you. Otherwise, you may run the risk of no longer enjoying what you do.
Small in staff, large in clients
The bigger and larger the layer cake becomes, the less flexible it gets. Small businesses can move faster, anticipate things quicker. But they’re also less strong and more vulnerable. Some larger clients will consider this a risk and prefer to work with a large organization that undoubtedly has the means to deliver. But these clients also end up paying for overhead costs. Working with a smaller party has a lot of advantages and by definition you get more value for money. Suppose the customer has 10,000.– to spend. For a larger agency that kind of money is peanuts, so even if they agree to work on the project, it will probably be a side project for them. For that same 10,000.– you can get a small agency that is much more dedicated because they view this job as a chance to show what they can do. The chances of you getting something original or innovative are much greater. As a small company or self-employed person, you will have to prove that you are fit-for-the-job. You need to be bold and ready to invest. Once you have earned your clients’ trust, you will be able to build long-term relationships with them, leading to new projects and growth.
Horizontal or Vertical Growth?
If you don’t think about where you want to go, there’s a risk that others will determine it for you, even if you’re an independent entrepreneur. So think about how you want to grow. Do you want to grow horizontally or vertically?
An example that we often use when we ask clients in which direction they want to grow, is that of the greengrocer. Suppose you’re a greengrocer who wants to grow. Are you going to start selling cheese and other food, in addition to vegetables (cross selling)? Then you’re heading in the direction of a supermarket. Or are you going to sell more exclusive vegetables and offer a meal service (up selling)? Then you’re becoming more of a caterer. One isn’t better than the other. Some people like to work on different things, while others prefer to specialize. Those interested in growing horizontally will end up working with different people, while those who want to specialize will often end up doing it alone or with a small team. Try to speculate what your future as an entrepreneur would look like in both scenarios. What will your future look like when you grow horizontally? And how will it look were you to grow vertically? Carefully consider those two options. Chances are you will almost immediately feel better about one of them. That doesn’t mean everything has to be set in stone, but it does give you direction and will make certain decisions easier.
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Your online presence
A store has a shop window where potential customers pass by and perhaps see something they want. Many creatives work in places that aren’t immediately visible. Their shop windows are Internet and social media. The visibility you generate there is also called your online presence. How and where are you digitally present? As is the case with a physical window, you will have to keep a digital window up to date. This will take a lot of time! Think carefully about what you’re getting yourself into and what you want to get out of it. Do you want more projects? Or are you more interested in sharing knowledge with peers? Or do you simply want people to know that you exist?
Instead of using technology to automate processes, think about using technology to enhance human interaction. — Tony Zambito
Write your micro bio
Whatever network you choose, you’re going to have to create a profile with a micro bio. You have a limited number of words at your disposal to describe who you are, what you do and what you stand for. It’s the first thing people look at on your profile, and what they see behind your name when you respond to a LinkedIn post. In other words: it is a one-sided introduction, and you need it to be clear and concise. Unfortunately, these bios often contain a lot of corporate buzzwords: ‘Helping companies connect the dots by setting up a meaningful and sustainable conversation that is future proof’. This probably raises more questions than it answers to anyone reading it. If you want to avoid this, don’t focus on what you want to tell, but on what your audience needs to know. ‘Advisor in sustainable entrepreneurship’ already makes a lot more sense.
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