hobbies as jobbies (running in circles)

The thoughts of fame and fortune coming from our fingertips as we knit and sew on a Sunday afternoon, work looming in forefront, are common amongst our crowd. Fantasizing about how great it would be to take these talents and move them forward to become our lives, then the happiness our talents will bring us daily and the joy we would get with every trip to the post office to send our creations to a far off land.  Its harder than it looks. Its harder than we imagine. I think back to an editorial from Slate magazine about a couple pursuing their dreams of a small coffee shop and having it almost ruin their marriage. With lack of research and acknowledgement of the effort put forth to make a business really thrive, it may be doomed. 

I'm not smashing dreams here, I'm here as your business aficionado saying how much more it takes than just a few hours a day.

The business ladies over at Design Sponge talk about how many hours a day one needs to spend on dealing with just advertising clients alone in order to make them happy and then in return get paid so you can continue your art. They've done an amazing job over the years to put out articles by various bloggers and business people alike explaining a plethora of business speed bumps as well as know how for a budding business. 

I feel as though I may be heading into negative nancy land- but I'm not. I enjoy the big picture and have been educated to understand that the industry and the industries surrounding a business effect it from top to bottom. I want to make that the big picture clear and bright for aspiring artists and explain how to outsource and how to use other people's talents as well as their own to move forward and make business success realities. I want to BE that person who runs their own venture and is successful not just financially but emotionally. 

This little rant was inspired by an article in the New York Times a few weeks ago. The Article tells the story of the artist Yokoo Gibran who in her 30s quit her day job to make her crafting business dreams a reality. In the first year she made something of $140,000. But not while knitting a scarf or two a day. They compare her in the article to law associates in two ways: the amount of money she made last year, and the amount of work she put in to make it happen.

Its been a pleasure hearing Kate from For Me, For You talk and twitter about her budding business. Her necklaces are beautiful and she works on them through her short weekends to make sure she has enough for the next shop update. There is a reason she is one of the more popular blogs out there. Smart lady!

Oh. And there is our very own Emily. Well, Hello. Good moring. She has skills amongst the gods, and her work ethic matches her talent without question (you haven't even seen some of the brilliant clothing that she has constructed!)  Her pursuit of further education will do her well and her ability to see trends before they even hit the runways a year(s) in advance is magical. 

What does one do with such a talent? Does it go pursuing an individual business or does it move its talents to other companies to share it with the world through that medium? Or do you just let it be what it is and enjoy it without being any kind of financial rewards?

Now- one may ask, why dedicate yourself to a blog so heavily? Are you looking to make it something that makes you money? Isn't this your pursuit of an opportunity? 

Not every person on this great blogosphere is out to make money off of their blog. Like I said before, it takes dedication further than the thoughts one has on a day to day or week to week basis. 

This brings me to something I think about a lot when it comes to fashion. I get complimented on my outfits. It happens. Nice folks out there and a high volume job. They see me and they tell me. Great!! So sweet. And then the lightbulb- do I make it my life? Can I find the passion deep enough for it to thrive even under the pressure of making a business work and survive? 

This is what I have been thinking about endlessly. Any thoughts? Questions? Comments? Concerns? Encouragement? 

love you, mean it (long time no see)

Barton