How to raise money for a pilot project?
She's awkward!!
Discovering new grounds
Do you ever ask yourself these questions: I would love to do this but I don’t have the money?
It’s too hard and too complicated, I’m not sure where to go? Have you ever thought of maybe breaking it down? You know if you have an idea or a number of ideas like Moi, Breaking it down is the best way to start.
Eating an Elephant
It is a virtually impossible task, which requires a number of discipline. In order to eat an elephant, you must do it one chunk at a time. You must ask yourself some very real and honest questions
What do I want to do?
Can I do it?
Do I have the appropriate resources and expertise?
Do I need to seek some or all the external resources?
Do I need anything to finance it?
So how much do I need?
Who would need to help me?
Where could I find the resources?
Don’t seat at home or at work and lounge around with untamed frustration, thinking of what you want to do. Simply because you are desperate, this shouldn’t unable you to best express and deliver those plans. It’s important to keep everything simple instead of winding yourself up about what you can and can’t do. This might be your chance.
My guilty pleasure
One of my favorite online series Awkward Black Girl http://awkwardblackgirl.com/ is raising money . They’ve had six online series, sell t-shirt and now are running a promotional campaign to expand their series. Through the help of www.kickstarter.com they are hoping to raise $30,000 in the next 22 days of which $12,335 they have already raised. Kickstarter is the largest funding platforms for creative platforms in the world.
So if you are an artists, filmmakers, musicians, designers, writers, illustrators, explorers, curators, performers, Kick-starter will help you to play with your projects, events, and dreams to bring it to life. Never knew about it until now.
Every Kickstarter project must be fully funded before its time expires or no money changes hands.
1. It’s less risk for everyone.
2. It allows people to test concepts (or conditionally sell stuff) without risk.
3. It motivates. If people want to see a project come to life, they’re going to spread the word.
So Kickstarter is great but it’s very much an American platform. The good news is we have similar online platforms in the UK. We have the following :
http://www.pozible.co.uk/
http://www.wefund.co.uk/why-use-wefund
http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/
The rules are very similar but I recommend you check each website to get the right information. Well it might not be the best way for me to raise money for equipment at present but none the less it is very useful info for the future or for anyone else. I strongly encourage it.
Cost effective resources
Finally at one of the blogging event that I went to recently I discovered a page called http://fiverr.com/ It’s UK equivalent is called http://www.clickfive.co.uk/
http://www.fivesquids.co.uk/?gclid=CKXJ2svajqoCFU0JtAodKGuLwA
A great place for you to buy or sell services from people for a certain skill or expertise they have for the rate of £5. It could be fall under the categories of funny and Bizarre, Social Marketing, Graphics, Advertising, Technology, Business, ….. You name it they might be able to provide it.
Have a look at these sites and tell me what you think
Acceptance
How do I accept my in-between job phase? Should I welcome it, should I roll in it(like mud and just get dirty), or should I eat it one chunk at a time the way I deal with most tricky situation. I say that cause lately growing in finding myself and not having enough resources has been major trouble.
Don’t get me wrong I look for work and job opportunities where the opportunity fits but I get real frustrated like most in-betweeners. No I’m not going to call myself unemployed as it comes with a stigma, certain feelings and an overwhelming sense of failure. No-one will force me to use the U-word. After-all how many unemployed person do you know who is striving to try as many ideas as I am.
I believe your words define you and clearly I want to be defined and known as an agent of change. Someone that makes a different despite not being able to have the resources. But doing with what I have. Maybe
Speaking of resources
I have been fighting the need to be complacent and procrastinate, by putting off any opportunity to blog since I would like to blog regularly but I have a very limited PC. I desperately need to get a laptop which will allow me to leave the house not only regularly but allow me to explore other outside activities without killing myself. At the moment, a lot of discipline is required for me to do most of my operations from home.
The rate at which my progress is happening and the rate at which I am updating my post is completely off-track. The need to update my blog and the finances needed to transform it into what I see in my head is off the record. You can’t imagine how much it frustrates me. I know I’m a perfectionist and most time that is what I seek. It puts me back to re-thinking ” keep it simple stupid” and that is what I am compelled to do. Which proves me once more that I can live beyond my means and the things I believe I need.
This brings me to my conclusion
With growth comes a certain discomfort I could really do with some suggestions. How could I raise money to?
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Buy a netbook
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Camcorder
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and find people to help with in the layout
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And people to help with production material
I need……… You! The reader to assist me
Hey I’m back!
I did say I would be back with details for my first storytelling event.
So here it is the final preview of the leaflet for the event. It’s called “Tell it, like it is”
26th of July at the Blacksheep bar, Crystal Palace.
For more info follow me on Facebook and like me. As I now officially have a Facebook page.
So here it is-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/whathejobisthiscom/189838771065289
Please confirm if you’d like to attend or share a story on the night.
I will be back soon.
Overwelmed job-seeker bearly escapes suicide
Awkward Mathy time to go!!
Gee!
I never thought having a blog would take so much out of me. I don’t just mean in the way of having a regular post 2-3 times a week. I’m starting to loose count of the amount of fingers to thumb I’ m supposed to have. Nevertheless pressing on, it feels that the closer I get to accomplishing one step, the higher the next bar seems to get. And with all the excitement of new things happening it all seems to be happening pretty quickly. I have a schedule busier than the newly wed Prince William and Kate Middleton. This makes me the busiest career transitioner and job-seeker out there so far.
I’ve quickly realised that I want to create my own job but I also know that the time and effort involved in the process of this journey is incredibly demanding.
So you all know that I’ve successfuly delivered my first storytelling performance, twice now. Well officially I am ready to embark in an evening of storytelling, organised and performed by me. So this new attempt may feel like suicide but deep inside I feel that the wisdom and expertise recently acquired, combined with my training and facilitating experience would make a great event. I could be wrong bur I’m willing to take that jump.
Though the second business adviser encouraged me to look at how to monotise my ideas, I really want to play with it and see how it would work for me. You could say it’s like a trial period, or a clear investement in time and place.
Do you think it’s easy to turn every idea and make them work for you by earning money for it? Can you be successful my monotising an idea you are passionate about?
My storytelling event will launch as a pilot on July 26th 2011 at the Blackship Bar in Crystal Palace. I will be back with the details for this event shortly.
Procrastinator? Yes! Than you are a lameassbird
Lame A-Bird
I will start this post with 1 word 5 syllables Pro-cra-sti-na-tion.
My most revered enemy. Sorry for keeping you waiting I was having computer troubles at exactly 12 noon today(or should I say yesterday as we are now Wed) when I was about to put this post up. My computer screen decided to freeze on me. Why above all days, at all times? I don’t know? I shall ask that question to the screen the next time I see it.
Still I could have done better you know. It started with sleeping late. Then I’d get distracted by whatever was happening outside the house, then being too tired the next morning to do anything. Then more distraction And now I’m slowly realising I have mountains of work to do which as left me feeling slightly overwhelmed.
The usual stuff, when you Pro-Cra-Sti-Nate. But seriously, how many times do you say to yourself” I will do this project tomorrow” but the first thing you do is talk about it and talk about it,and talk about it some more but you haven’t actually done anything yet. Please don’t pretend, You know it’s true. I bet you, that to do list that hangs up on your fridge, with the ten items you were supposed to do last week, still hasn’t been completed.
You’ll probably tell me “Mathy I got work to do, and I have a job, I haven’t got the time, or there’s not enough time in the day to do all of that” and I will say ” RUBBISH” quit making excuses and do it.
You know it took me 6 years to take action and change career direction. But it also cost me. I wished I had taken action sooner. As I feel my circumstances have speed-up the process towards the change. Not that I didn’t know what I wanted to do.However for 6 years I have been procrastinating. Yes!! I put my hand up. I own up to my lame-ass-bird. I realise that I allowed other people to tell me how to be live and to conform to whatever social norm was acceptable.
Damn! Was I stupid ? I should probably write it on my forehead. “lame-ass-bird”. It wont help either way I’ve already done the deed. let’s just hope someone learns from my mistake.
I don’t know about you but I feel it’s pointless to make so many plans and achieve so little. Should you have any long-term goals? Of course? Just don’t dwell on them try to live in the Now. In the moment that you exist in. It makes life so much liberating and so much easier. If I was you I’d make that decision right now to go and get that list, in the kitchen, on your fridge and forget all the reasons you can’t and do it now. Don’t be a lame-ass-bird like me, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!?
Third Career – from Photographer to E-Marketer
Jeremy Walker
It’s a Saturday morning and I have a 11.30 am appointment with Jeremy Walker owner of Degas Guruve, an e-marketing company that achieves result on the web through website and e-solution.It’s quiet sunny and in my excitement of my meeting with Jeremy I almost forget that our appointment was in LWS and not Cafe Nero. I bump into Jeremy and we walk to LWS cafe.
Jeremy is a very creative and fun character to be around also very relaxed. Whilst sketching in his notepad Jeremy was inspired by David Guruve to name his company.
Jeremy has been through two recessions one in 1993 and the other in 2007. His first career started as a photographer for ten years but the recession on 1993-1994 made him move into motor finance. He went from an entry role, to Manager, to Business Analyst and was their running a number of projects.
Just as he started his new project, one morning at a local theater one of the CEO made an announcement, that the company were not doing well financially and that they would me closing down a number of offices. Through the process of his job-loss Degas guruve was born.
I will say no more and let you listen to the audio.
- Jeremy and I
Interview with Jeremy Walker
| Jeremy Walker lives in Crystal Palace he is the owner of Degas Guruve Limited.If you are a small or large company and you need e-marketing advice You can contact Jeremy at www.degasguruve.com | ||
Awkward Moment-The business adviser
I went to see a business adviser!!
I know, great right!? Not really. First my appointment was in Islington and I live all the way in South London and I took the overground which took an hour. Then when I got out the station it was 3:52pm I had less than 10 mins to make it to my appointment on time and to my surprise adviser’s office was more than 10 mins away. So I started jogging with my heavy Wellington boots, rain jacket and brolly.
This is the scene in the movie where you think “she’s going to trip!!!!” and No! Not yet. At least not physically.
So I get to the advisers office, my appointment was 4pm it is now 4 mins past four. It’s already starting to feel slightly awkward as it would if you were late. The receptionist is very pleasant, I sign-in and she directs me to the lift and says” 3rd floor and wait for your adviser”
Pre-meeting – on the train
I was a little excited and thought I’ put a lot of questions together for him to answer. Even a little hand-written presentation of my business venture. I had a lot of things to say I.e.
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Will I get a business mentor?
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How can I raise money to get new equipment?
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I need someone to assist me with my blog design
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I’d like to have a film-crew
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How can I get someone to help me proofread
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I just need support please help me “MR Business adviser”
Well there’s more but I don’t want to bore you with the details.
By the lift -
Third floor, I look out and nobody!? No adviser! So I wait a few second before I start wondering around like a curious 5-year-old in a sweet factory. Then I hear;
” Are you here to see the adviser?
Yes!
Please follow me”
So I follow this tall long-legged, blonde lady, who walks like she’s on the catwalk. I was very close to asking her if she was actually. When we get to the adviser’s office she asks me to sign in again and gives me a badge, then wait some more. The Business-adviser comes in shakes my hand, then escorts me into another room.
Okay guys this is my moment and I’m ready to blow him away! But Before I start, he has to tell me all the legalities and the things he can do for me and then he starts -
“Here at Business support we help start-up business who have already been registered or been running for a while. So please tell me about yourself.”
So you don’t help Pre-start then!?”
“No but we have a program called DWP that we can put you on to help you. But since you’ve come from all the way from South London let me make your journey worthwhile by answering some of your questions”
Awkward silence………….
“Uhm I don’t know if you might be able to help me as I am in the early stages of my business but I will tell you my background.” So I tell him all about me with this disappointing feeling in my stomach that he wont help me.
- Awkward Mathy time to go!!
Then he asks me about my research. How much had been done and being a business adviser he talks me through all the potential no,nos, and by this time I feel so awkward I feel I must have a banner on my face spelling those letters. It almost felt like my execution.
When I left to, keep my spirit up I had to think; “what information did I hear today that might be useful to me”
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Contact Arts Council for funding
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Try advertising for volunteers through gumtree
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Research other storytelling companies thoroughly
It’s not the business adviser’s fault if they can’t help pre-starts like me. I’m not the right candidate for them that’s all. The good news is I’m seeing another Business adviser who’s an existing friend and old colleague this experience should be more encouraging. So wish me the best.
See you later!!
Storytelling at Sparklondon
Tonight I give you two for the price of one!
Yes ladies and gentlemen for your eyes and ears only, this is a one time opportunity to hear both my audio and hear all about my second SparkLondon storytelling event, where I was assisting the organiser but I also had the chance to tell my own stories.
If you google me you will find me on the following website -
http://www.sparklondon.com/
Under latest spark stories
http://www.mixcloud.com/sparklondon/
Seeking Success – Mathy Lisika-Minsende
http://sparklondon.libsyn.com/2011/06/a%20href=%22http:/www.wivetonhall.co.uk/contact.htm
and finally under podcast
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/spark-london/id348365296
This is the audio
Excited an Nervous
Super Cool Grandma
How do you like me?!!
