“I get lots of ideas,” somebody may say, “but I do not know how to translate these into getting paid work. Have you any suggestions?” Let’s explore getting the right balance between creativity, customers and cash.

1) Creativity.

Creativity often involves the process of ‘opening up’ and ‘closing down’ before settling on your ‘finished product’. Inspiration is the starting point. You will normally start with an idea - be it to solve a problem, invent a product or provide a service. You will then ‘open up’, gather information and explore many different directions. After awhile, you will want to ‘close down’ - keeping the good parts of the idea and discarding others. Sharpening your focus, you may ‘open up’ again - getting more information on your chosen topic - before again ‘closing down’. You will keep following this creative process until you are happy with your ‘finished product’.

Creativity also often involves the process innovation, implementation and impact. You innovate, implement the idea and make a positive impact. If you want to get funding, however, it is important to apply the ideas for customers. There are a few rules to follow.

a) Build on your strengths. Always use your ‘A’ talent. Customers are more likely to buy brilliance - so focus on what you do best.

b) Spend some time in a ‘white room’ creating your ideas but then, when appropriate, go out into the world to make sure your ‘product’ can help customers.

Creativity is fun - but you will also need funding. “Get out there and get your first three customers,” is the advice given to budding entrepreneurs, “the customers will help you to shape your future offering.” This brings us to the next step.

2) Customers.

“I don’t like to sell,” somebody may say. “It feels like I am imposing on people. “ I agree - so sometimes it is important to reframe this as: ‘helping the customers to succeed.’ Get alongside customers, share your knowledge and help them to reach their goals. Before taking that step, however, know how to ‘position’ your finished product for potential buyers. If you are planning to work for organisations, for example, show how it can help them to improve their profits, product quality or people. Then go out and help customers. You are not selling - you are helping them to succeed.

“But what about money?” somebody may ask. “I have been told that it is ‘unprofessional’ to work without getting paid. But I am stuck in a negative circle. My network is small, they don’t have much money and I have not got any paid work. What do you suggest?”

“Actors need to work - otherwise they seldom get considered for future parts,” is the rule in the theatre. I take a similar view when it comes to knowledge workers, for example, finding potential projects. It is vital to: “Get out there, get alongside customers and get working.” Providing you do good work, somebody will say: “How can we take this further?” That is when you can ask for funding.

“But I don’t want to be taken to the cleaners - or be seen as unprofessional,” somebody may argue. Agreed - and everybody must develop their own style. My own approach, for example, has been to visit potential customers and spend a couple of hours with them once or twice. The aim is to pass-on practical tools they can use to succeed. If they would like a third visit, we explore the possibility of funding. This is one approach - other people will find alternative methods that get business.

Build a reputation for doing superb work. Make clear contracts, satisfy your customers and do that ‘little bit extra’. Get to meet other people in the organisation. If appropriate, clarify their challenges and share your know-how. Keep following these principles, expand your network and build the business.

3) Cash.

“Man does not live by bread alone,” is the saying. True - but we do need food to survive. So it is important to get paid. Freelancers often remember the satisfaction of sending their first invoice and getting the money in the bank. Being from a certain tradition, I believe in generosity. If you want to follow the fulfilling road and get funding, however, it is good to develop commercial awareness. Granny’s advice still remains: “You have to earn more money than you spend.”

Try tackling the exercise on this theme called Creativity, customers & cash. This invites you: a) To describe your creative idea: b) To describe how you can get potential customers: c) To then perform superb work and get the cash in the bank.

Creativity. The creative idea I have is:

*

Customers. The specific things I can do to
reach out and get potential customers are:

*

*

*

Cash. The things I can then do to perform
superb work and get cash in the bank are:

*

*

*

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