Business

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5 Things I've Learned About Running My Own Business

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5 Things I've Learned About Running My Own Business

There's a lot to running a small business/online shop, and though I feel I've only scratched the surface, I learned a few things in my first year of running the shop that I thought might be helpful to those of you just starting out. Here are five things I've learned:

Act Like a Business

Be honest, be fair, and work with integrity. Be kind to others. Support other small businesses when you can (packaging, collaborations, raw materials, shipping materials, etc.). This all reflects back on your business. If the products you're selling involve fonts (and really, even if it's only your business logo), do the right thing and buy a commercial license from the creator (if it's for personal use only). These may range from a few dollars to $20+, but it's a one-time fee and it's worth the investment to know you are doing the right thing and supporting the original maker.

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How to Make Your Next Presentation The Best Ever

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How to Make Your Next Presentation The Best Ever

We've all given presentations at one time or another. From classes to conferences, workshops to concert settings, presentations are a proven method for sharing information, knowledge, and resources in a succinct, interesting, and engaging way. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking about that time you sat through a presentation that was so boring, you thought your head might explode. Really? Presentations are interesting and engaging?

Hear me out. Presentations don't have to be stale or boring or by the book - mix it up! Make your presentation style unique and engaging by adding in your own personality and by thinking about it from your audience's perspective. Here are 10 stellar strategies for making your next presentation the best ever:

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The Business of Music: 18 Helpful Resources

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The Business of Music: 18 Helpful Resources

As any professional musician will tell you, a career in music is more than just artistry and performance; the business side of music is a crucial component of a successful career in the arts.

The business side of things may include managing gig contracts, paying estimated taxes, sending studio invoices, setting rates, sending emails, professional networking, and attending conferences.

Many professional musicians do more than one thing - performing, teaching, gigging, writing, etc. You are your own small business and tending to the things that keep your business running is an important part of building a successful career. You don't need a degree in business to manage everything I outlined above, but you should take steps to be informed.

There are lots of helpful books, articles, and blogs out there to help get you started. Here are a few of my recent favorites:

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How to Organize Your Finances As a Freelancer

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How to Organize Your Finances As a Freelancer

As any freelancer or small business owner will tell you, managing your finances is a huge part of the job.

From the ebbs and flows of self-employment income to keeping track of all your deductible expenses to paying quarterly estimated taxes, managing your personal and business finances is no small feat.

But, having a clear, organized system for keeping track of everything is a great place to start.

As two freelancers and musicpreneurs, Steve and I have found that sorting our money into different places helps us manage multiple income streams and work toward our savings goals.

It also makes paying quarterly taxes much easier.

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A Day in the Life

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A Day in the Life

A few years ago, I wrote a "Day in the Life" post. Lots of things have changed since then, so I thought it might be nice to share an updated version with y'all. Come see what a typical day in my life looks like! My desk, in a corner of our cozy living room

9:05 a.m. - I carry my coffee (half espresso, half hot chocolate) to my desk in the living room and turn on my laptop. I check my email to make sure there's nothing urgent, but I don't normally respond to things right away. I prefer to take a little time in the morning to read (articles and a few of my favorite blogs) and check in on social media and our websites. After this, I respond to a few quick emails, proof my newsletter one last time in MailChimp, and schedule it to send.

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How to Channel Your Inner Five-Year-Old

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How to Channel Your Inner Five-Year-Old

I love working with five-year-olds. I love their creativity, their fearlessness, their willingness to try new things, their crazy imaginations, and the way they make everything silly and fun. Five just might be my favorite age.

Some suggest that thinking like a five-year-old is beneficial for creativity, leadership skills, and growing a business (source). After all, five-year-olds are about as creative as they come (try asking one to explain why the sky is blue). Next time you need a fresh spark of creativity or you want to see the world from a new perspective, channel your inner five-year-old. Here's how:

Ask questions. Have you been around a five-year-old lately? They ask lots of questions. Want to challenge the status quo? Ask more questions. Want to understand the heart behind that decision? Ask more questions. Want to create something unique and innovative? Ask more, well, you know.

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Favorite Business Tools for Creatives

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Favorite Business Tools for Creatives

As a teacher, church musician, and self-employed business owner, I am always looking for ways to simplify my to-do list and be more productive. Who wants to spend their time doing tasks the hard way when there's a simpler, less time-consuming option? Today, I'm sharing a few of my favorite business tools for creatives to help you save time and hassle on some of those everyday work tasks.

TweetDeck

Schedule tweets in advance (including images!) and manage multiple columns - feed, notifications, Twitter chats, custom searches, etc., all from one central dashboard. TweetDeck does it all, and it's free!

ManageFlitter

Ever wonder how many people you follow on Twitter that are inactive? ManageFlitter makes it quick and easy to see who's active and who's not. ManageFlitter also has a sophisticated scheduling tool, including stats that show you the prime time to post each day.

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Creatives and Copyright

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Creatives and Copyright

Copyright. It's a sticky subject and one not often taught in school. What does the law say? How does it affect what we do as musicians, freelancers, artists, and small business owners? Here's what you need to know:

First, what is copyright law and why does it exist?

The purpose of copyright law is โ€œto promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveriesโ€ (Article I, Section 8, clause 8, The United States Constitution). Copyright law protects anything with intellectual property rights. This includes poetry, books, photographs, art, hymn texts, song lyrics, music, and more. 

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How to Create Email Newsletters with MailChimp

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How to Create Email Newsletters with MailChimp

How many times do you find yourself typing out a list of familiar email addresses so you can send a group email?

I do this all the time. Emails to my piano studio, our two bell choirs, students in my class, etc. 

Today, I'm excited to introduce you to MailChimp - an easy-to-use email marketing program that lets you design and send email newsletters.

MailChimp is a great way to organize email lists, create branded emails, and quickly and easily put together newsletters based on existing templates. With the free account you can send 12,000 emails a month to up to 2,000 subscribers. Whether you're a performer, a private teacher, a church musician, or a small business owner, MailChimp can help you send beautiful, professional (branded!) emails in no time.

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9 Ways to Recharge During the Work Day

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9 Ways to Recharge During the Work Day

Ever feel like you lose momentum as the work day wears on? Been there. I think generally, I'm most productive in the morning hours, but after lunch, I often feel more distracted and just less sharp. Fighting that afternoon slump is tough work! Sometimes, the best solution is to take a quick break. Give yourself 5-10 minutes to refresh and recharge. Get up, lie down, stretch, dance, whatever works for you.

Here are nine simple ways to take a mental break and recharge in the middle of your work day:

Follow along with my creative work and daily adventures: @ashleydanyew

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