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Creatives Meet Business

Listen in on what industry experts had to say at the latest Creatives Meet Business event. Host Ashland Viscosi curates and shares the best content and tips from the live events to help creatives and artists transition into creative entrepreneurs.
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Now displaying: March, 2018
Mar 19, 2018

Hi there folks!

Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship.

This episode features Aubrey Wilkerson, Executive Director of Out Youth, who joined us in August during our roundtable event on Fundraising. As you'll soon find out, he has so much to share about revenue streams and how to play to your strengths for funding sources. Because there's so much magic in this episode - let's hop in and hear what Aubrey has to say!

  • 0:00 to 3:41 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Aubrey Wilkerson
  • 3:46 to 4:52 - Introduction of Self and Topic
  • 4:53 to 7:10 - Sources of Funding
    • Grants
      • Researching and finding grantors
      • Writing Letter of Intent 
      • Writing Grant
      • Interviews / Site Visits
      • Executing the Grant
      • Reporting and Deliverables
    • Corporate Gifts
    • Individual Giving // Employee Giving
      • Find Prospective Funders
      • Meeting 
      • Emailing / Direct Mailing 
      • UT model was 12 contacts a year with only one ask a year for money
    • Event Fundraising (Gala, Luncheons, etc)
    • Each category has a lot of work associated with them
    • Think about your capacity and how much you can take on and execute when thinking about diversifying your revenue streams (and whether or not you can)
  • 7:11 to 8:23 - Should You Diversify Your Funding Streams?
    • Depends! It depends where you are with the project and much more
    • Out Youth annually reviews its revenue streams to see how to better diversify for coming years
    • If all your funding is from one source (all your eggs are in one basket), you better watch that basket closely
  • 8:24 to 9:49 - Downside to Isolated Funding Streams
    • Individual Giving
      • Responsive to things outside your control (like the economy, election cycles)
    • Grants
      • High reward
      • Grantors can change funding models and not renew the full grant, might mean releasing employees if the grant is lost
  • 9:50 to 11:00 - Diversified Revenue Streams as Future Goal 
    • At some point, the goal should be to have diversified income streams
    • Start with your best and natural fits first, the lowest hanging fruit first
    • Have future goals for improvement in areas that aren't your speciality
  • 11:01 to 11:46 - Making a Case for Supporting the Arts
    • Learn how to message the importance of investing in all forms of art
  • 11:47 to 13:07 - Beyonce Story!
    • Included because it's heart warming and lovely!
  • 13:11 to 15:07 - What Aubrey Learned from Years in Fundraising
    • The value of stewardship and building a relationship with donors
    • Fundraising jobs at first are technical, it wasn't till he was actually asking for money that he learned how it all worked together
    • If someone is actually connected to the project, asking money for it is easier
  • 15:08 to 16:28 - Donor Circles / Donor Societies
    • How they work
    • Host a low impact event (wine and cheese) that's an update about the organization or project and then don't ask for money
  • 16:32 to 17:38 - Ashland Closing Remarks

If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on InstagramTwitterFacebook or subscribe to the newsletter.

More on Fundraising, stay tuned!

Thanks!

Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Mar 7, 2018

Hi there folks!

Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship.

This episode features Meghan Wells, Cultural Arts Division Manager at the City of Austin Economic Development Department, who joined us in August during our roundtable event on Fundraising. As you'll soon find out, she has so much to share about how to be a better collaborator. Because there's so much magic in this episode - let's hop in and hear what Meghan has to say!

  • 0:00 to 1:06 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Meghan Wells
  • 1:10 to 1:49 - Introduction of Topic (Public / Private Partnerships)
    • Public sector = government
    • Private sector = community members that want to partner
  • 1:50 to 3:44 - Be Authentic
    • Tell your authentic story
    • Be committed to making good work and to your craft
    • Be invested in yourself
    • Make good work, then get it out into the world
    • Document it - take pictures, record things, build a portfolio, create a budget history, list of references (partners / clients / funders / collaborators)
    • Build a world
  • 3:45 to 4:53 - Partnership is an Art, Not a Science
    • This is one way to do it, there are others. Forge your own path.
    • Talk to someone who has already done it, find a mentor
    • Fiscal sponsor - "big brother" entity to give feedback, best practices
    • City of Austin staff is a resource
  • 4:54 to 5:26 - Know What Your Goal Is
    • What is your goal?
    • How will support help you reach your goal?
    • What will your project or work contribute back to the funder? 
    • How will you provide a public benefit?
    • Do your thing
  • 5:27 to 6:12 - Work Within Established Funding Frameworks
    • Know the deadline
      • Start WAY before the deadline
    • Read the guidelines (make sure you understand them)
  • 6:13 to 8:46 - Build Relationships
    • Build trust, help make them understand that their investment in you is a smart one
    • Half of this is luck (and timing)
    • Example about how outreach can turn into more and build a relationship
    • Don't be shy, share your information
    • Ways to network
    • Just start talking to people
  • 8:48 to 9:16 - Get Feedback
    • Ask for critique
    • Helps your work improve
  • 9:17 to 10:00 - Think Like a Business
    • Figure out a long-term plan and transfer it into a business plan
    • You need to make money
    • Think about how your income and expenses are part of the picture
    • Small Business Program at City of Austin has resources
  • 10:01 to 10:43 - Don't Be Afraid of Testing Your Assumptions
    • Reshaping your identity and exploring new areas of creative work is healthy, but don't have too many that you aren't focused
    • Keep everything under an umbrella, but taking risks is good
    • Funders like innovation, think about that in the context of your work
  • 10:44 to 11:25 - Biggest Piece of Advice
    • Plan ahead
    • Start Early
    • Ask a lot of questions
    • Don't give up, if at first you don't succeed, try again
    • Timing can help you or hurt you
    • Build relationships
  • 11:30 to 16:36 - Ashland Closing Remarks

If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on InstagramTwitterFacebook or subscribe to the newsletter.

More on Fundraising, stay tuned!

Thanks!

Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

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