I have not done a book review in a long time. It’s not that I haven’t been reading, because I have. It’s just that few books I’ve read are not either worthy of a review, or I don’t have enough notes from a book for a review. Plus, I don’t keep every book I read. Most get resold or gifted to others.
Today I will go over Soul Proprietor by Jane Pollack. This book is broken down into 101 lessons. I will just go over some of the key ones, with my thoughts on each.
1 Take care of your image, and you will be taken seriously. If you want to be a professional, dress like a professional. The same goes for every part of your business the public sees.
2 If you really want something, pursue it directly. Don’t wish it to happen, make it happen. If you want new equipment for your art business, buy it.
4 The public needs to place us, and it’s our job to make it easy for them. It’s okay to be “The Barn Guy” or whatever people call you. If you paint flowers, you can be “The flower lady.” Think of it as your unofficial brand.
10 Getting advice from an expert is critical. You’ll save time and money. A lot of entrepreneurs learn on their own. Many of them never succeed. Think about it.
13 Attention to detail matters. This applies to every part of your business. From your business card up to your store or booth, every detail matters. This ties into lesson 1.
21 Whenever you receive a compliment, simply say, “Thank you.” This is what I do, and so should you. You don’t need to elaborate on anything. Be humble.
23 Be open to new encounters. Be careful not to prejudge people. This is so true. I once had a customer who looked like he could not afford most of the items in my booth. To my surprise he bought one of the more expensive items. I’ll never make that mistake again, especially since reading this.
30 In the long run you learn more from your failures than from your successes. To me, a failure is a lesson in disguise. Learn from it.
35 Tackle today’s tasks today. Don’t postpone anything that you really have to do. I admit I am a procrastinator. I have lost out on art shows because I failed to sign-up on time. If you can do it today, do it!
36 Make a commitment to improve yourself a little bit each day. You’ll see the results. This can be in many different forms. Maybe some exercise each day, or some motivational reading. Practice your sales pitch with your family. Do something for you every day.
46 A sense of humor is helpful in learning humility. This is a concept I used long before I read this book. When I was a fire service instructor, I would try to add some humor to some of my classes to make learning fun. I still do that with my photography classes.
48 Go! You might meet somebody! This was a tough one for me being an introvert. But I do it, and do not regret it. I’ve met some other artists, and other people as well just by going out and talking to them.
58 Don’t quit before the miracle. So many proprietors give up too soon. Hang in there, believe in yourself, and wonderful things can happen.
61 When you get an inspiration, go for it. This is so true for artists. You may never get the chance again for this. Carry a notepad with you so you can write ideas down.
65 Step out of your comfort zone when someone asks you to do something that seems hard. Another one for us introverts. Almost everything is outside our comfort zone. Chances are, whatever it is they are asking is not as hard as you imagine. You may learn a new skill or meet someone that could help you.
69 Build your reputation one customer at a time. Treat every customer like family, and they will keep coming back. Greet every customer with a smile and a greeting. Thank every customer whether they buy something or not. People will remember this, and you.
74 Stay focused on the people who are buying your products. This sort of ties into lesson 69. If possible, stay in contact with your customers. Send them a thank you letter or card. Treat them with respect and courtesy, and they will keep coming back.
82 If you are able to pursue your passions, you are among the lucky few. Not all entrepreneurs are artists, so they may or may not be pursuing their passion. Some artists, the ones who can do their artwork as their livelihood, are the lucky ones. They are not really working, but getting paid to do what they love.
83 What makes you unique makes you successful. Embrace your weirdness. Every artist, no matter their specialty, has a personality. Let it shine through (unless it scares people away).
84 Stay with the process. Don’t give up. It may take a while to get where you are going.
90 A fail-safe method to move toward a goal: promising a colleague you will accomplish a challenging task within a specified time. This works because you don’t want to lose face with your colleague. Make sure it is realistic though. You can’t promise to paint the Sistine Chapel by next Friday.
98 It is possible to continue doing the work you love for as long as you like. I recently watched a video where the photographer said the same thing. If you are physically able to do what you love, why quit? I’ve seen artists at shows that are still going strong in their 60’s and 70’s.
100 Heed the advice of those who have gone before you. It’s a good way to avoid mistakes. This is some time worn advice. When I first started doing art shows, I’d go around asking questions of the established artists. It helped me avoid rookie mistakes.
Overall, this was an informative book. Although aimed at proprietors of all types, I think she was really trying to help artists striking out on their own. If you are one, I recommend you buy this book, read it, take notes, and go on to be successful.
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