Welcome back to class. Today, we’re talking about ONE KEY THING that’s absolutely essential to successful planning.

All of the best planning in the world can go straight out the window if this one thing isn’t there.

I’ve experienced it. You’ve experienced it. So let’s talk about the difference between having this one critical piece in place and not.

With your best work, creative projects, sales, commissions, and opportunities ahead of you, this is one topic you won’t want to miss.

Next Steps:

1. Find more information at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com.
2. Buy a copy of the book "Let Your Creativity Work for You: How to Turn Artwork into Opportunity" by Heather Allen, MGIM-MBA at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com/book.

Raise your hand if you have a clearly defined budget and a strategy for investing in yourself as a small business owner in the year ahead.

I don’t see a lot of hands up. Let me rephrase...

Raise your hand if you’re not quite sure what to budget for, business-wise, or where to make minor shifts and adjustments to invest in yourself and your creative business.

Okay, more hands are up now.

When it comes to business budgeting, most people keep on keeping on with what they’re doing without making time for this type of assessment.

However, budget planning is for anyone and everyone. It doesn’t matter how much income or revenue is flowing through your business, large or small.

Think of a budget as a wishlist. And what a perfect time of year for creating a wishlist.

Start by thinking really BIG and expansive. Then get down to the nitty gritty numbers to figure out what’s essential and where to start.

For example, your 2025 wishlist might include heavy duty equipment. Okay, great. What’s that going to cost? Is that something you can plan for?

Or if your 2025 wishlist sounds anything like mine, there are mostly small budget items that are more about deciding to use different digital tools.

This is a great time of year to put a business budget together.

Here’s why:

• • Budgeting now gives you a chance to invest in yourself and your business in a smart way because there’s typically money to be saved through Black Friday and Cyber Monday discounts
  • Typically before people start their annual planning and strategic plans for the year ahead
  • Your budget gives you a baseline to make more realistic goals for the year ahead
  • Basically tells you what essentials / must haves need to be in place to operate and function as ideally as possible

I’ll walk you through what’s on my list and why. This is sure to inspire you, so take notes and get your 2025 business budget going!

Next Steps:

1. Find more information at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com.
2. Buy a copy of the book "Let Your Creativity Work for You: How to Turn Artwork into Opportunity" by Heather Allen, MGIM-MBA at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com/book.

When you’re in business for yourself, wearing so many hats, doing everything yourself or delegating to a few reliable individuals, everything depends on your energy, your focus, your drive, and your ability to create.

Creative small businesses ask a lot of their creator.

Which is why we’re diving into one of the biggest contributors to distraction, lack of focus, underlying stress, and overstimulation according to many, many studies.

We’re talking about the clutter and distractions that are begging for your attention – demanding attention constantly. We’re also talking about the different types of junk drawers you can clean out in order to be ready for abundance.

Next Steps:

1. Find more information at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com.
2. Buy a copy of the book "Let Your Creativity Work for You: How to Turn Artwork into Opportunity" by Heather Allen, MGIM-MBA at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com/book.

Let’s say it’s Monday morning and you open your inbox to find not one, not two, but three emails from customers who want to hire you for a commission of original artwork. What do you do?

Do you know how to get those new customers from their commission inquiry email all the way through your process to the final product?

Is there a customer service or communication layer built into your creation process that keeps clients informed along the way? Are you keeping communication in mind to instill THEIR trust and confidence in the process? Do your clients have a sense of when their piece will be ready and available for them to take home?

Today, we’re talking about the client, customer, and commission communications that will set you apart from amateur to professional.

I’m sharing a model I use almost every day in the management of creative projects with my team. It’s a great model to use for your client communications, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

Next Steps:

1. Find more information at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com.
2. Buy a copy of the book "Let Your Creativity Work for You: How to Turn Artwork into Opportunity" by Heather Allen, MGIM-MBA at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com/book.

You’re in a creative field so chances are, you have many skills and talents that you’ve turned into income at one point or another. Freelance work doesn’t scare you. You’re up for the challenge. You’re a creative professional in a gig economy, and you’re not alone.

A few questions for you to consider:

• Do you ever find yourself so excited or overwhelmed with ideas for what you want to make or do NEXT that you’re just paralyzed?
• Are all of the options and possibilities for HOW you can put your creativity and talent to use making your head swirl?
• Do you start something new only to find yourself quitting or jumping to the next shiny thing?
• Are you planting seeds that you HOPE will grow but wonder how you’ll find time to water them all?
• Are you feeling anxious about everything that you need or want to do?
• Is your blood pressure higher than normal?
• Are you unsure of WHAT to do today? Tomorrow?
• Are you overwhelmed with balancing multiple projects and initiatives at the same time?
• Do you feel yourself in busy mode, but not sure what it ALL adds up to?

If you answered “YES” to any of these questions, then today’s episode is for you.

The truth is, bouncing from gig to project to new series to another gig and then a new project can be exhilarating.

But the unpredictable and inconsistent nature of some gig, freelance, and creative work can also feel like a feast or famine rollercoaster. One month you’re up, the next you’re down and worried what the future looks like.

If you were to look into a crystal ball, and let’s say you have one right in front of you, what would it tell you about your ROE? Your “return on effort.”

That's what we're talking about in this episode so get your Sharpie and spiral-bound notebook ready for your crystal ball ROE exercise.

Next Steps:

1. Find more information at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com.
2. Buy a copy of the book "Let Your Creativity Work for You: How to Turn Artwork into Opportunity" by Heather Allen, MGIM-MBA at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com/book.

Whether you’re an artist, crafter, designer, or graphic designer, being "Revenue Ready" is essential for consistent sales and business growth.

In this episode, we’re diving into the most critical areas for any creative business owner to have in place in order to ready for that next sale and to get sales consistently.

I’m going over some key points and recommendations to help you achieve that outcome, including:

1. Attitude and openness to being in service of others
2. Clarity on your revenue streams and what you offer
3. Audience awareness to know the in's and out's of who your target buyer is
4. Connection to your audience to nurture and grow your fanbase
5. A means by which to receive and fulfill orders

Your homework: Choose which of these five recommendations for revenue readiness are lacking or require your attention. Spend time digging into this area using the guidance and tips in this episode.

Next Steps:

1. Find more information at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com.
2. Buy a copy of the book "Let Your Creativity Work for You: How to Turn Artwork into Opportunity" by Heather Allen, MGIM-MBA at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com/book.

Today we’re talking about the surprising truth about happiness and purpose through lessons from the book, “Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier,” written by Arther C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey.

If you have a vision for your life but believe there are barriers keeping you from achieving a more satisfied and happy outlook, this is the episode for you.

Links to the book and workbook are below. I encourage you to order both and put in the work to respond to the prompts. You have the power to get yourself closer to your definition of happiness.

• Book: "Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier" by Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey
• Workbook for Build the Life You Want

How to Support Artists and Arts Organizations that were impacted by Hurricane Helene

• NC Arts Disaster Relief Fund

Next Steps:

1. Find more information at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com.
2. Buy a copy of the book "Let Your Creativity Work for You: How to Turn Artwork into Opportunity" by Heather Allen, MGIM-MBA at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com/book.

Welcome to Episode 6!

If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Episode 5 which is called, “Get Organized in Your Business with this Sales Tracking Process for Creatives,” that’s a great episode to listen to BEFORE you get into Episode 6.

Episode 5 is highly tactical. I lay out how you can prepare for your end of month or end of quarter sales review and what you can do to get started with your quarterly and monthly sales numbers, what they mean to you now and what that means for Q4.

Today’s Episode carries that observing and documenting review exercise one step further. Today you get to hear about a simple framework–an acronym–you can use as you look at things like monthly and quarterly sales reviews.

You can also use this framework for decision-making in projects, planning head, planning for a pivot or change in your art business. This framework is not unique to my teaching. It was developed by strategist and U.S. Air Force Colonel John Boyd several decades ago as a practical concept designed to function as the foundation of rational thinking in confusing or chaotic situations.

I’m getting into this topic in my interview with Chris Anderson, former law-enforcement officer turned jewelry maker, inventor, metalsmith, and founder of the metalsmith collective. Chris shares how he transferred skills learned in law enforcement to his business as a jewelry maker, then how he pivoted what he was making in order to turn followers into customers, and how he uses this decision-making framework, this acronym, to make decisions.

Next Steps:

1. Find more information at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com.
2. Buy a copy of the book "Let Your Creativity Work for You: How to Turn Artwork into Opportunity" by Heather Allen, MGIM-MBA at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com/book.
3. To learn more about Chris Anderson, visit

• Website: www.lionpunchforge.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lionpunchforge/