The trade show season brings with it a lot of opportunities. Your work is being seen by more people than you can imagine, and they are people who can help raise your profile in the industry. I know several of my clients came back from Quilt Market with new opportunities to consider, including a sales job offer from a thread company, the chance to create quilts for fabric company booths, a potential distributor connection, interest in fabric design, and the opportunity to write a book.

Pretty cool, right? That is what we all think right away — all these opportunities that could lead to fame and fortune. That is, if they actually pan out how we think.

The problem is that all those opportunities do sound cool, and they are for the person making the offer. The opportunity fits their business agenda.

But, the real question is, does it fit your business agenda?

I know how easy it is to get caught up in possible potential and forget to take a look at how the opportunity really fits with your business goals. I have had my turn at this.

So, how do you decide what to do with the multiple opportunities? I think that you ask a series of questions for each opportunity?

1. Is this something that you want to do, be or have in your life? Sometimes just thinking about the opportunity in that light allows you to realize that perhaps it sounded really cool on the surface, but it is really not something that interests you long-term enough to work at.
2. Is this something that will move you closer to your goal? Again, lots of opportunities are exciting, only they do not always move you towards the goal you want.
3. Is this a one-time opportunity or will it be available at a future date? Perhaps this is something that will be an option at a later date when it fits more in line with your long-term goals.
4. Can you afford to put the time and energy into this opportunity at the present time? And, what will you give up to make room for it?

If you have really looked at the opportunities and decide that any are right for you, then go for it and make a plan to fit them in to your schedule.

What questions do you ask when you get a cool opportunity that you don’t want to miss? Let me know below or leave a comment on the Facebook page.

– – – – – – – – – –

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just use it in its entirety and be sure to include the blurb below:

Morna McEver is the founder and CEO of the International Association of Creative Arts Professionals where creative arts entrepreneurs craft business success. Her weekly e-zine offers tips, techniques and inspiration to help you craft business success from your creative arts passion. You can sign up for a FREE subscription at http://www.creativeartsprofessional.com.

Country Elegance: Cotton and Wool Projects from the Quilted Crow Girls
Leonie Bateman and Deirdre Bond-Abel
Martingale; $26.99

Today, just about anything goes when it comes to the fabrics you choose to go in a quilt. Australian shop owners Leonie Bateman and Deirdre Bond-Abel specialize in combining felted wool and reproduction fabrics in their work. I loved the extra dimension that the appliquéd wool pieces added to the work. You will find 12 projects in a variety of sizes for all skill levels. They also include a tutorial for an easy way to cut and appliqué a dogtooth border. I particularly liked “Rhubarb and Custard” with its positive/negative image and the pillow “A Little Bird Told Me” with its bird and flower appliqué on top of a half-square triangle background.

Look for the book at your favorite quilt or book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

– – – – – – – – – –

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just use it in its entirety and be sure to include the blurb below:

Morna McEver is the founder and CEO of the International Association of Creative Arts Professionals where creative arts entrepreneurs craft business success. Her weekly e-zine offers tips, techniques and inspiration to help you craft business success from your creative arts passion. You can sign up for a FREE subscription at http://www.creativeartsprofessional.com.

Since I was away for International Quilt Market and International Quilt Festival, it was important that my business continued to operate as if I was still in the office. How did I do this? Systems were a big part of the answer.

Have you given any thought to systems in your business? I know many creative arts professionals who have no systems for processes. They, in essence, reinvent the wheel every time they do the same task again. I have heard that any task that is done more than once or twice can be systematized, and this lets you work smarter not harder.

To me, a system is really a written outline of “how we do things around here.”

My favorite resources for understanding systems are any of the E-Myth books by Michael E. Gerber. Gerber often talks about working on your business rather than in your business. His solution is to consider your business as the prototype for a franchise operation and create systems so processes can be done at the lowest level possible. He does not expect you to create a franchise; he wants you to understand how systems help you create and build a successful business.

When you have systems in place, you are better able to use your time for what I like to call your brilliance. For creative people this results in spending more time creating your product or generating new ideas and less on administrative or tasks someone else could be doing.

First, look at the activities you do that are repeated. This can be something done daily or weekly or quarterly. Take the time to write down the actions step-by-step. The second time you need to do the activity, use your written system and refine it. I have spent time creating an operations manual outlining steps for a variety of our activities. It did take me time to put together the systems, and in the end it was definitely worth it. I am able to have others complete many of the tasks now, and in a pinch, I can pitch in and find following the system takes less time.

Here are some ways that quilters, fiber artists and other creative entrepreneurs can use systems:

1. Are you an artist who shows your work? Create a written system to contact and follow-up with gallery representatives, a system to ship your work or hang your work in a local gallery, a system for following up with potential buyers. If these are written down, you will have an easier time each time you or someone else completes the task.

1. Do you have templates for forms or letters that can be used again and again? This could be the press release for your new pattern release or the gallery show that you customize.

1. Do you have a system to gather the names of visitors to your website, possibly offering them an incentive? If not, you are losing the opportunity to contact potential customers.

1. Are you a pattern designer? If you look at the processes involved in creating a pattern, you will find areas to systematize. One would be to create a style sheet listing the fonts, spacing, formatting, etc., of your pattern. Another would be your system for order fulfillment.

1. Are you a longarm quilter? Do you have an order form with questions you need to ask each new client? Do you have a system for loading the quilts? This could actually be a task that you could teach someone else to do, freeing up time for you.

1. Do you spend time online marketing your business with a newsletter, blog, Facebook and Twitter? When I taught a class on Social Media Marketing this summer, I suggested that people set aside 15-20 minutes each day to focus on listening to what is on social media, responding to it and participating in conversations. I also suggested setting aside an hour or so one day a week to create articles for your newsletter or blog posts.

What kinds of systems have you created? How do you do things where you are? Take some time this week to look at where you can create a system, select one and document each step, and share your results on our blog. Once you have created systems, not only do you have the exact steps to follow, the chance of forgetting steps is virtually eliminated.

– – – – – – – – – –

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just use it in its entirety and be sure to include the blurb below:

Morna McEver is the founder and CEO of the International Association of Creative Arts Professionals where creative arts entrepreneurs craft business success. Her weekly e-zine offers tips, techniques and inspiration to help you craft business success from your creative arts passion. You can sign up for a FREE subscription at http://www.creativeartsprofessional.com.

Adventures in Fabric-La Todera Style
Julie M. Creus
Stash Books; $25.95

You will find bright fabrics, a touch of whimsy and creative construction techniques in this collection of 20 projects from designer Julie M. Creus. I became a fan with the first project a large floor pillow, the Harlequin Star Pillow Chair. Julie was inspired by a Victorian pin cushion and exploded its dimensions 100 times to be 46″ in diameter and 23.5″ tall. The projects are divided in use, e.g., living room, dining room, sewing room, holidays. One of the “Just for You” selections is retro look at a favorite kid’s craft – using gum wrappers to make rings or bracelets. Julie has updated this to use fabrics to make a fabric cuff. I’m sure you’ll find something fun to add to your home.

Look for the book at your favorite quilt or book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

Quilt Market is always filled with excitement, whether that is seeing something new or reconnecting with long-time friends. It is like a grand family reunion and your family gets bigger each year with new members of the “quilt/textile sisterhood”  sharing their new creations. Here are just a few of the sights I took in.

First, Joan Ford with Hummingbird Highway introduced ScrapTherapy® Mini Scrap Grid. This printed fusible interfacing makes 9-patch blocks that finish to 1-1/2” square. The possibilities are endless with this, from a really large quilt to a small mug mat. One of the products Joan introduced was a nine-patch pin project. As you walked the floor you saw many people, including me, sporting theirs.

Andover Fabrics introduced several collections. Here are some shots of two of the lines. First is Desert Moon Collection from Lonni Rossi. The quilt shown here is called Moon Shadow and was quilted by Lisa Kaupp of Design in Motion Quilt Studio.

Also from Andover is the Handcrafted Collection from Alison Glass.

Kaufman released Carolyn Friedlander’s latest collection, Doe. Here’s a shot of Carolyn and me in her booth. The collection pieces are shown on the wall on the right. She is also wearing a skirt made from one of the designs.

Also from Kaufman is the Black & White Collection from Jennifer Sampou, shown here on the right.

This was also the 30th anniversary of Kaufman Kona Solids and they got into the spirit with a guess the color game. Not sure how many were able to name them all.

Nice to catch up with my friends Kathy Kuryla and Kay Roberts of the Franklin Quilt Company. They have a nifty binding tool that lets you create a binding and flange as one unit.

Moda always has a creative touch to tie its many booths together and this show was no exception. With the theme of “There’s No Place Like Moda,” huge color yo-yos tied it all together.

In the Beginning Fabrics had a couple monitors displaying a slide show of its new collection. Nice if you were waiting for an appointment so you could get a preview.

I just loved the orange in Heather Bailey’s booth. And, owls are quite the rage right now.

Just one of the vignettes from Pat Bravo’s Art Gallery Fabrics.

From Northcott – loved the display of color.

Cotton + Steel Collection, part of RJR Fabrics.

Jamie Fingal with her Heart & Soul Sisters Collection with Hoffman

Check out that chair in Tula Pink’s booth. Tula won a booth award this year.

Heather Bailey’s booth:

Westminster and Free Spirit samples of Prairie Chic by Jane Sassaman on the left and Feather Flock by Tina Givens on the right.

Michael Miller always inspires me and did so again.

Riley Blake’s collections

I got to give the new Bernina longarm a whirl. It was sweet to drive.

And, last but not least, I love catching up with friends. Here I am with Iris from Mistyfuse and Yvonne Porcella. Yvonne’s latest book, Yvonne Porcella: A Memoir — Defining Why, was just released.

Life Purpose Boot Camp
Eric Maisel
New World Press; $12.29

I had the pleasure of interviewing Eric Maisel for our ICAP Busines call this week just after I read his newest book, Life Purpose Boot Camp. In his book, Dr. Maisel takes you on an eight-week journey that lets you discover your life purposes (yes, we don’t have just one) and learn to make more meaning in your life. While many of us are seeking a more meaningful life, it’s up to us to develop a menu of meaning opportunities that lead to that. So we are not so much seekers as creators or meaning-makers. One of the benefits of doing the program is an increased level of awareness particularly in the choices you make. For me, some of the keys in the book beyond developing this personal menu are how you upgrade your personality so that you can life your purpose and the steps you can take on a daily basis towards living your life purposes. I loved the idea of creating your own icon as an anchor for your life purpose. Many of the examples involve creative people, which adds to its usefulness for artists.

Look for the book at your favorite quilt or book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

—————-

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just use it in its entirety and be sure to include the blurb below:

Morna McEver is the founder and CEO of the International Association of Creative Arts Professionals where creative arts entrepreneurs craft business success. Her weekly e-zine offers tips, techniques and inspiration to help you craft business success from your creative arts passion. You can sign up for a FREE subscription at http://www.creativeartsprofessional.com.

In the past few weeks several of my clients have talked with me about what I am calling trade show frenzy. They are going to Market for the first time and do not know what to expect, what to bring, etc. I thought I would share some of my tried and true tips.

1. Set an intention before you go. Of course, it would have been good to have done this a few weeks back, but it is never too late to set an intention. What do you want to have happen as a result of your going? Is it more sales? Is it more names on your contact list? Is it to pick up a distributor? Is it to fill holes in the shop inventory? Is it to make connections? The clearer you are about what you want, the more likelihood that you will be focused in that direction and it will happen. I also think it would be productive to start each day with a focus on what that intention is. This puts you in charge.

1. Be open to all the possibilities in front of you. While you have an intention, you will be confronted with many, many opportunities. You may have the chance to chat with someone you admire. You may make a connection with a distributor who is interested in your patterns. You may have a chance meeting with a shop owner looking for a teacher or vice versa. You do not have to make a decision about the possibility, just make note of it and follow-up later.  P.S. Be sure to have business cards/handouts with you.

1. Watch for energy drains. This could be too much noise (and Market will be noisy). It could be that you are hungry or thirsty. It could be too much chocolate from the stash every booth seems to offer. Maybe you have a headache. It could be general stress. Look for where it shows up in your body. This is about awareness. You probably already know where your energy drains come from so be prepared. Have water and healthy snacks available. Know where you can head when the noise gets to you.

1. Most of all have fun! It can be overwhelming — and remember if you do not get everything done you want, another Market comes around in May.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just use it in its entirety and be sure to include the blurb below:

Morna McEver is the founder and CEO of the International Association of Creative Arts Professionals where creative arts entrepreneurs craft business success. Her weekly e-zine offers tips, techniques and inspiration to help you craft business success from your creative arts passion. You can sign up for a FREE subscription at http://www.creativeartsprofessional.com.

Savor Each Stitch  
Carolyn Friedlander
Lucky Spool Media, LLC; $27.95  

I had been looking forward to this book and was thrilled when my copy arrived. For those of you who do not know Carolyn Friedlander, the talented pattern and fabric designer, you will once you have read just a bit of the book. Her voice comes through very clearly in this thoughtful book. Trained as an architect, Carolyn found that quilt making satisfied needs that architecture did not, specifically color and working with her hands. She explores six elements of quilt making — line, contrast, scale, emphasis, color, volume, and texture — with the goal that you will think differently about design and challenge yourself. A variety of eight projects allows you to explore the design elements. While this is recommended for confident beginners, I think more experienced quilters will enjoy the opportunity to be more present in their design process. An added plus is the lovely photography, which showcases Lake Wales, Fla., where Carolyn was raised on a cattle and citrus ranch.

Look for the book at your favorite quilt or book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

I had a conversation with one of my clients last week about her massive to-do list. She was so busy doing things like shipping and answering emails that she could not work in her brilliance. For her this is designing. And, I can tell you she was frustrated, and her business was suffering from this.

Not delegating for some of us is really about giving up control. It is hard when we know how to do everything correctly. (Do we really?)

And, we think that by the time we show someone how to do it, we could have done it ourselves. Yes, it does take time initially. The end result is worth it.

For others it is not knowing where to start — what to delegate, who to delegate to, and where to find this person.

Here is a system that has worked for me and my clients.

1. For the next couple of weeks, write down all the tasks you are doing. And, I mean all the tasks. Even personal tasks.
2. Go back and identify the tasks as Entrepreneurial/Managerial (tasks you must do) or Administrative/Technical (tasks that could be done by someone else). You might even find tasks that are really unnecessary and should be deleted.
3. Next to those that are Administrative/Technical and assign a dollar amount that you think you could pay someone for doing these tasks.
4. Sort the tasks by category. You might find some related to your website, some to social media marketing, some to personal items, some to bookkeeping. This will help you identify the type of person — their qualifications — you need to hire.
5. Identify potential resources where you might find help. Possibilities include assistu.com; ivva.org; odesk.com; elance.com; craigslist.com; your church; your neighborhood; the local shelter; arts groups or guilds you belong to. Once you start thinking in this direction, you will come up with other ideas.
6. Start with the lowest cost items first or the ones that are most frustrating to you. For many people, bookkeeping is the first task they delegate. Set up expectations for the task, create trainings/procedures for the person you hire, and develop a system to be sure that things get done.

Yes, this takes time, and should be something to revisit on a periodic basis. It is easy to slip back into doing it yourself instead of teaching someone else to do it, especially if the hire does not work out as you expected.

So what should you be delegating that you are not? Who are you going to hire? And, when? Share what one item you are willing to let go of.

If you have taken steps to delegate, or have more questions regarding delegation, please feel free to leave a reply below or on the ICAP Fan Club Facebook page.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just use it in its entirety and be sure to include the blurb below:

Morna McEver is the founder and CEO of the International Association of Creative Arts Professionals where creative arts entrepreneurs craft business success. Her weekly e-zine offers tips, techniques and inspiration to help you craft business success from your creative arts passion. You can sign up for a FREE subscription at http://www.creativeartsprofessional.com.

Mindset
Carol S. Dweck, PhD
Ballantine Books; $16

I read this book, subtitled The Psychology of Success, earlier this summer at the recommendation of a friend. I have come to believe more so over time that our mindset, not our knowledge or how hard we work, is really the key to our success. For more than 20 years the author, a world-renowned Stanford University psychologist,  has studied mindset. In this book, she discusses two different mindsets: the fixed mindset, which “creates an urgency to prove yourself over and over,” and the growth mindset, which is “based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts.” The growth mindset allows for growth as we stretch and challenge ourselves. What is key for all of us is that our mindset is not fixed and we can learn to use a growth mindset to become successful and happy. What I found fascinating was the look at leaders in both sports and business who had fixed or growth mindsets, e.g., Jeffrey Skilling of Enron contrasted with Jack Welch of General Electric or Bobby Knight contrasted with John Wooden, both legendary basketball coaches. Dweck includes help for looking at the world in a new way to change to a growth mindset. She also includes a graphic by Nigel Holmes to remind yourself of the differences between the fixed and growth mindset to help you make decisions that lead to a future you decide.

You can look for the book at your favorite quilt shop or book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.