Welcome to our humble abode, dearest indiepreneurs! Method & Madness is the resource for creative indiepreneurs--we've got classes, workshops, downloadable tools, and, well, me all working with you towards the success of your indie biz. I started M&M in 2010 because I kept hearing the same problem from my artist friends & colleagues: they loved their craft, but hated all the time, effort, and work the "business" required. It pulled some of the passion out of the craft & added stress to their lives--who wants to deal with that?

I operate Method & Madness from the position that art and business can peacefully coexist. Simplicity, a little strategy, and a lot of passionate creativity make the best formula for a thriving, lucrative indie business.

I'm also a huge believer in the power of collaboration. Most indie businesses are really small operations--we've got to stick together & give each other a hand. The projects on the horizon for Method & Madness center around our community & how we're going to leverage our strength both within and out in the world. We're going to get a little wild, friends. I hope you'll stay on for the ride--I need your help to make it happen. Make sure you connect on FB (that's where we announce a lot of classes & events.), RSS (reading is good.) and Twitter (we can chat around the metaphorical water cooler.). If you want to know more about me, or you just like adorable Boston terriers, go here.

Let's talk soon, OK?

Yesterday, I wrote a post about comfort zones and how we can actually use them to create better businesses.  Today, we’re going to put that into action. Specifically, we’re going to learn how to spot our strengths, and how we can work them into our business models.

So, there are basically 4 ways to go here:

1. Look for repetitions of the same quality.  Bonus points if the patterns cross over into more than one aspect of your life.

*You’re in charge of a 20 person staff at work, and you’re the constant social organizer for your group of friends.  Leader? I think so.

2. Ask people (with whom you have varying levels of interaction) what they see.  Their perspectives (and the similarities/differences between them) will be eye-opening, for sure.

*Your mailman might say you’re always smiling.  Your best friend might say you’re an excellent flirt. Both are signs of an open, friendly person.  STRENGTH.

3. Look at what you DO, not what you say. We all talk a good game, but when it comes to strengths, the doing comes just as easily.

*A great way to see this is to think of the last time you had a major challenge/problem/hardship to manage in your personal or professional life. How did you deal? In crisis-mode, we always default to our strengths.

4.  Look at your bookshelf, computer bookmarks, Evernote notebooks, Pinterest boards, photos/art, blog feeds…etc. If the work speaks to you so much that you want to keep it close, it’s because you see yourself (somewhere) in there.  Everything that surrounds you has a little piece of you in it.

 

Make a very exhaustive list.  Don’t worry about it being too short or too long, or that you’re so self-absorbed and egotistical to be thinking all these wonderful things about yourself. It’s just the truth, man.  Let it out. Title the page: “I am:” and just…go.  Use descriptive adjectives (loving, warm, even-keeled, resourceful), roles (leader, team player, researcher, sharer, organizer, writer), or whatever phrases work for you.  The most important thing is that you have the sources to back up what you’re saying.  Walk your talk.

In terms of realigning your business model, we’re going to take that list, and ask ourselves 3 questions:

• Who am I?
• What do I do?
• How do I do it?

When I did mine, here’s what I came up with:

• I’m an extroverted leader who likes loves putting together the pieces, people, ideas, and projects that make good businesses and better lives. I’m all about empowerment, love, and community. 
• I teach.  I communicate on multiple levels.  I share knowledge. I connect.
• I do this through my blog/writing projects, the community and individuals I align myself with, and the knowledge I share through classes, workshops, digital guides, etc.

Now to the hard question: is this what I’m living right now? 

For me, the answer was no. (it probably was for you, too, or you wouldn’t be that interested in reading this post.)

Fact: I’m a classic extrovert who thrives on leading teams–>Reality: I’ve been working solo for a couple years in my home office.

I communicate on multiple levels and in multiple mediums–>I’ve focused mostly on the written text within my blog format.

I’ve aligned myself with the people/community I want to work with–>I’ve made connections more so than relationships.

 

These are my big three shifts that I’ll be working on over the next few months.  Note that this isn’t about everything I’ve done wrong…it ‘s about recognizing the need to course-correct to make my business fit me better. (NOT the other way around.) And that’s really the main goal, right?

Your business, your life, your way.