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When Charles (y husband) and I decided to turn our embroidery venture into our full time business we had no plan. We had no business coach or road map. Yet, we made it happen. The wave came and we jumped. With our heads first to be honest.
Entrepreneurship, especially creative entrepreneurship, is an extremely vulnerable route to go down. Thus, what I wish I had had access to from the start was more real-time case studies of other young creatives who tried to make it happen too.
But I couldn't find it. All I could find was a ton of books by hugely successful artists and writers who wrote to themselves "20 years back in time". However, I couldn't fully relate. I wanted to read present time. Social media time. I wanted to read the experience of someone who goes through the process now. Today. Or at least, yesterday.
Thus, I decided to write it myself.
“I’ve read your book as I was on the train from London to Brighton. It was such a gripping read. I read it in one go and I love the energy and the optimism of it.
”
"When will you get a real job?", is a real time case study of our first two years as artists and entrepreneurs. What we did, why and how we felt about it and what we would've done differently.The title is simply the most frequently asked question from our surrounding: When will you get a real job?
This book isn't a justification for why what we do is a real job. Neither is it a how-to guide of how you can create your own real job. Nevertheless, it's a book that will give you thorough insight into how the early stage of a creative business (with all that it involves) can look like from the inside. After endless hours of research, I've concluded that some of the best lessons comes from reading, watching or listening to other's experiences.
With an insight into how someone else has dealt with a certain situation, you can easier apply the same principles to your own reality. For example, when you get approached with a big monetary opportunity, how will you respond?
You will most likely have no idea. Nevertheless, if you've read about how someone else did it, you can draw on their experiences in the negotiation of how to go about yourself.
“We all start our creative journey somewhere. I’m sure that not everyone is as lucky as Charles and Elin to start this road with someone, but this is why it’s important to see how other artists did it, what they got through and which decisions they took on the way.
Some of the parts were personal discovery for me and a great topic to discuss with other creatives. I recommend this book for all creative entrepreneurs who want to get an extra view on things.
And you should always remember: Believe in yourself and you will get there as well.”
That is what you can expect from this book.
A raw and straight forward case study of 'Charles and Elin' in first person. You'll get behind the curtains of how it really started. Our philosophies, reasoning and motivation from Charles first stitches in Paris to us leaving the city to pursue artistry full time.
In hindsight I can't help but feel baffled of how much actually happened. For some reason, whenever you're in the midst of something it feels as if nothing happens. This forces you to trust the outcome. Concentrate on the small actions that you can take today and you will have to trust that it amount to great results later on.
Because creative entrepreneurship is no dance in the park. It's no quick fix. There's no one recipe for success. However, it's also not impossible. If we could do it. You can do it too.
“I appreciate you are sharing so much. Often it felt like a relief when I read certain topics. Perfectionism and productivity are also something that I’m dealing with.
The thing you said about asking advice from the wrong people is really smart. I never really thought about it in this way and it’s something I want to be more careful with.
Again, I really enjoyed reading it and I learned a lot from it. It’s gonna give me some direction on how to work and I might read some chapters again from time to time.”
Chapter overview:
Don't wait for tomorrow
Opening letter from Charles
The background story
What to expect?
Stronger together
Launch day
Who's an artist?
Our first sale
I was onto something
Realising that we could make money
Let's leave Paris
Who to take advice from?
Fake security
Procrastination pro?
Realise your potential
Never work for free
Don't put all the eggs in one basket
Don't let social media distort your reality
A deadline is a dead line
Are you too busy being busy?
Complementary network
Value isn't just about money
How to get your voice heard?
When can you afford to be an artist?
Pyramid of risk
What can you change?
Personal brand
Storytelling
The turning point
Everything changed
You can do it too