5 Realities Of Owning A Media Arts Business
At this point, millions upon millions of articles have likely been written about topics such as the Gig Economy, blogging as a valid source of income, and how to use art and creative talents to get rich quickly. Usually, the big draw (pun intended) is a promise of large income for very little work. How about we bring it all back down a notch and talk about some of the realities of owning such businesses?
I speak from experience when I say that owning and co-owning a creative business is not nearly as easy to do as has been advertised in the past. If you choose to become a creative entrepreneur, you are indeed taking the road less often traveled, as this road involves a lot of work others do not want to take part in. With that in mind, let’s take a look at five realities of owning a media arts business!
- It Is Not For The Faint Of Heart
Starting a business of any sort is not something everyone can do, mostly because not everyone is called to it or is willing to put in the elbow grease to do it. It doesn’t matter if the business is in blogging, in t-shirt design for the web, in photography, in tutoring, or in finding freelance film work. If you want to own a business in the arts, you have to realize that you are getting into something that will force you to work hard at all the times when you don’t want to (and all the times that you do want to, of course!), and will cause you to forgo a lot of simple pleasures from time to time so that you are not distracted.
This is something you have to want and will to succeed; otherwise, it will fail, and you will have wasted your time. I know this from personal experience, as I have been doing almost everything including currently co-owning a small multimedia production company. I put in some crazy hours, and have forgone lesser job opportunities in favor of doing what I know I’m called to do. I have gone into massive amounts of debt in order to get certain projects done right so that they actually go somewhere rather than be kept small and going nowhere fast. I have had to also deal with varying opinions from family members who didn’t (and still don’t) have faith in what I have chosen to do. It’s hard. It is not for the faint of heart. There will be struggle involved especially if you want to do it right and be original in your work.
- It Will Drive You Crazy
One of the biggest ways owning a creative business in the arts and/or multimedia production is the fact that (especially in states such as Missouri), there will likely be little to no respect for your work unless you are already famous.
At my small production company (known as R.A.W. Productions LLC out of Jefferson City, MO; look us up!), we have been going for broke doing the convention circuit for about two years. We have made some decent sales, and we have most definitely impressed people with our awe-inspiring booth setups both when we were a vendor and now as an attraction. However, outside of actually seeing our customers face to face and making sales, we don’t seem to get much traction. This is because our main hurdle is complacency in the community, and Missouri is notorious for vetoing anything to do with funding the arts. Of course, such factors for your business will vary as per location.
The complacency alone drives many arts business owners mad. Imagine working hard doing what you love only to have people not care? Granted, most people find it to be enough to be doing what they love; however, in order to survive and flourish, you have to make a living. It’s just the way things work. Not fair, I know, but that is how it is. Because of this fact, and the fact that people are for the most part unwilling to involve themselves in what artists have to offer, this drives people crazy.
- You Will Work Long Hours (Or Nothing Will Get Done)
At R.A.W. Productions, I easily pull down 80 hours or more per week, and often stay overnight to get things done as well as save on gas and vehicle repair. The reason why I push myself so hard? I believe in what I do, and in the projects I have the honor of bringing to life, whether in book form or on the big screen.
If you plan on starting a business of any kind, bear in mind you will be working long hours. Longer hours than you had planned on. I’d like to also add that this is hard enough as a single person without any attachments; if you already have a family going, or even a pet, this could make things difficult for your business depending on the level of support you have.
The thing is, you have to be the one to put in those hours. I have to be the one to put in the hours where I work, lest nothing get done! It will be grueling, and you will find yourself tired from drawing and writing night and day as well as marketing and making connections where possible. However, it won’t get done unless you do it. Commit yourself fully to your business, and keep to the grind.
- It May Get Expensive
Another factor that seems to scare a lot of people off is the cost. It starts off small with things like purchasing a web domain name and a fun web layout from Wordpress or Wix, but then it grows in ways often unexpected. Hidden costs include purchasing or replacing equipment you may need for what you do, gas and vehicular repair to get there and back from your work, food costs, and any other things you may need in order to get the job done right.
If you’d like a little encouragement, look at the life of Walt Disney when he was just starting his company. He went all in. Go big or go home. He went for broke for his dream, and watched it pay off. Now granted, you shouldn’t bite off more than you can chew especially if you have other obligations. On the other hand, you shouldn’t let those obligations completely stand in your way. Otherwise, again, nothing will get done.
- It Is Rewarding (Later On), So Long As You Work For It
I know that this article sounds a bit exhausting. You probably wonder if I enjoy what I do, and if there is a better way. The truth? Even after all that I’ve just mentioned, with the complacency factor, the cost factor, and the long hours, I truly enjoy what I do, and wouldn’t give it up for anything. At this particular job, I get to stretch my skillset as far as it can go on a daily basis, and stretch further and further all the time. I’m given the golden opportunity to do big things with little now in an effort to bigger things with full funding later. My ideas and my stories as well as others will one day be on the big screen, on book shelves, put into video games, and sold as merchandise to audiences that love them! As for my work as a part-time blogger, short story writer, and t-shirt designer, if I keep on grinding, I get to see customers and audiences enjoy my work there as well. They may even learn something new and be inspired by what I’m doing! I have to tell you; that is completely worth all of the effort. But…I have to keep doing what I’m doing even after I get there. For then I will be rewarded for my hard work!
Now, I don’t mean to necessarily scare you off or make you feel unsure about yourself if you are seriously considering owning a business of this nature. These are just a few factors to consider when starting and running a creative business. You will want to take some time to weigh everything out and think for yourself about whether or not this is a fit for you at this point in time. Bear in mind that it is incredibly rewarding, and those who push hard for success find themselves much happier than those who chose not to because they were fearful of the unknown. It’s a wondrous adventure worth taking! So, how about it? Are you ready?