Business Workshop
My dream is confirmed and solidified!
Isabelle Peng
5/14/20257 min read
“You must go on adventures to find out where you truly belong.’’
~ Sue Fitzmaurice
This is the last adventure that I’m going to share from the past. After this, I’ll try not to fall behind and share more recent experiences. I love to share these past adventures so as to inspire myself to take on new ones! ^^
Sure, they make my To-Do list longer; but I have found that all these experiences, outside schoolwork, have added valuable memories to my life. :)
To name a few, volunteering jobs are little steppingstones which allowed me to experience possible dream jobs in the future. They allowed me to travel down the road to see what would work and what wouldn’t. I recently made the hard decision to stop going to the Sarasota Art Museum playdate program. I figured out that working with preschoolers isn’t my thing. :”)
However, I do think that volunteering, in general, gives me a sense of community. The community keeps me grounded and hungry for the world around me.
By attending the FAEA annual conference, I learned how much hard-work goes into earning a Master’s degree and the responsibilities of being a faculty member. From the FAEA meeting and volunteering, I met people, with potentially similar career paths like mine, who kindly allowed me to glean from their experiences.
OAX opened my eyes to a whole new experience in the workplace and renewed me for what to expect as a professional artist.
The Circus Scarf competition allowed me to appreciate the hard work in high school and be brave to participate without being deterred by the fear of winning or losing.
This MIT Startup Weekend Workshop, A Crash Course in Entrepreneurship, was held at a very busy time of the year. I was also told that I would have a very slim chance to get in as a freshman and as a non-business major student. Yet, I had always wanted to have my own studio so I can do freelance meanwhile teach students art. The workshop materials covered everything I had been dreaming of learning. :)
So, I applied and was elated when I got selected to join this workshop! The free book, materials plus food were the icing on the cake. This was definitely my first experience of a professional “on-job” training.
Side note: I discovered cream cheese on top of a croissants is a diehard combination!
I have a passion for illustrating for children's books. Meanwhile I would also like to teach. My ultimate goal isn’t merely teaching art skills but preparing my students to be the next generation creators. I want more students to find their God given creativity as early as possible. This workshop solidified my dream to have an art studio where I can illustrate and teach. :)
I believe knowledge is meant to be shared so in this blog, I’m going to apply the major highlights from the workshop to myself (in no particular order)! ^^
# 1 ~ I Have to Love it
Being an entrepreneur means hard work, needs massive commitment, and is a risky investment. Before I start, I really need to ask myself: how much will this business mean to me? Am I willing to put consistent time and effort into this business no matter how hard it gets? Does my business idea make me jump out of bed every day?
#2 ~ Teamwork Makes Dreams Work
This may seem like a cliche statement that I have heard many times since I was a kid, but it’s so true. Having passion is the starting point but it’s a team effort that will stand the test of time. Do you know that the most sustained businesses are run by great teams? In order to sustain, I will need to find people who share and support my dreams, celebrate my successes, and who can handle conflicts. It’s always wise to test the relationship out before committing to making anyone into a business partner. A business partnership can be as serious as a marriage.
#3 ~ Know My Value in Pricing
Pricing a product requires lots of experience and experimentation. So much so that MIT has a whole course all about pricing. It’s important to know the value of my art and not to be shy to price it accordingly. Always be ready to negotiate and settle for a reasonable price for both parties but be wise in making decisions. Some people will want to take advantage of a new business, so never offer a free service/product unless giving in for a future potential. Research on prices or methods of payments to see what might work best.
#4 ~ Word of Mouth
Getting the first or any customer is always the hardest but once I do, my customers will be my best commercial or testimonials. Those loyal fans will attract potential new customers. It can be a non-monetary gain in addition to selling my products/services.
# 5 ~ Be Flexible and Adapt
As time passes by, things may change for better or for worse, most times, may never go in the way I have expected. It’s good to keep in mind what’s going on in the market and adapt to it. Also, being flexible and keeping options open will help me to sail through the market smoother.
# 6 ~ Have Tight Skin
One of the world’s saddest truths is that opportunity and opposition coexist. The world is harsh, and I will get criticism and even hatred. Sometimes people may misunderstand me, but the fact remains: If I have something to offer, I must persist. There will be someone out there who wants/needs my service. Don’t give up!
#7 ~ Get Firsthand Feedback… From Strangers
As a shy girl myself, this advice sounds like a total nightmare, but asking opinions from strangers is so essential. Especially if I want to do my own market research, I will need to talk to people, mostly strangers. I will need to reach out to others who aren’t my family and friends. I will need to talk to others who don’t know my dreams. I need to learn to introduce myself and ask how people like my business in general, and if it goes well, I may ask for suggestions to improve or other specifics if needed. I may not be able to come to pricing until the specifics of the product/service are well defined and agreed upon. I will need to keep an open mind and may find ideas I never had before!
#8 ~ Prioritize Your Customers
This follows the last point. I see a problem and have a possible solution. Does my solution seem satisfactory to potential customers? Why or why not? Remember, your ideas to solve an issue are great but they can be futile if people don’t see a need for it.
#9 ~ Target the Solution, not the Problem
Many times, this is why businesses fail: they identify the problem for a customer but forget to gear them toward a solution, which is just as or even more important. Don’t leave on an anticlimactic note. Be clear to the customer how I can help.
#10 ~ Challenge a Customer’s Status Quo or the Normality of Life
Most of the time, people don’t like change and hence may reject a new product/service. In business, this is called the status quo. I like to call it “the Normal life.” People can get easily content with their day-to-day lives. I must stir up discontentment to open a door for others to want my artwork or service.
#11 ~ Use a Graph not a Chart
Don’t illustrate the uniqueness of my business relating to other businesses using a chart, do a graph instead! Come up with two things to identify any correlation, using the x and y coordinates and see what fits. Then plot according to that.
#12 ~ Hoarding is not Healthy
If I have an idea or a plan, don’t be afraid to speak it out! I will never know what connections I might make by simply sharing my idea. One of the instructors in the workshop said that if she didn't share her idea, she would not have gotten connected to her sponsor. :)
I must admit that I failed this instantly during this workshop. I had a business idea to work on, but I was too doubtful and too shy/afraid to share because I worried too much that I wouldn’t get a partner for the weekend. Later, I realized that it was such a big mistake! Unlike those who did, I couldn’t get firsthand feedback on my idea or apply everything we learned. Next time, I’ll be more courageous. The good side is that I learned how to be a loyal, kind and talented follower.
All in all, I definitely enjoyed and benefited from this workshop. This is definitely a memory I won’t forget. :) I have learned so much and I feel my passion soared. I was very excited to have the professors sign my book, too. :D
This workshop strengthened my dream to open a studio one day. Till then, I’ll keep working hard and taking more adventures! Whether it’s selling one artwork, teaching one class, or talking to one child at a time, one day I know it’ll all work out. I just need to focus on today.
Till Next Time,
Isabelle