DIY Business Association

15 Minutes of Dame #3, By Dixie Laite

Identifying and refining your personal brand is important work that can be revelatory and even fun. But as one of my readers put it, it can also be “gut-wrenching.” (Ouch.)

In the interest of keeping your guts wrench-free, I thought I’d share one reader’s process as we worked together to help her figure out her personal unique selling proposition, or USP.

Here’s part of what Liz Gold wrote me:

“I’ve been a journalist for most of my adult life but have deviated to work as a telephone operator, in an arts recycling center, a day camp, a sushi restaurant, a diner and a retail clothing store.”

First thing, don’t get distracted by all the jobs you’ve had. Or the lack of jobs you’ve had. They may end up in your memoir one day, but they’re not important to your brand. What matters is who you are, what you can do well, and what people need. She went on to say she’s “always on the hunt for clothing swaps, loves dancing, especially old-school hip-hop beats,” and that she’s a “chameleon” who tends “to fit in among different types of crowds easily.”

She sounds awesome, right?

Are you a multi-talent like Liz Gold here?

Still, don’t get too distracted by what you like to do on a Saturday. Unless it’s a passion or avocation that you intend to weave into a service or product, it may not be relevant to your brand (on weekdays at least). Liz also wrote:

“I’ve been in business as a freelance writer for over a year. I write marketing materials for professional service firms (most of whom came from my last corporate job) and write a couple of columns for websites. Mainly, I do content for whitepapers, blogs, bios, case studies, sales letters, etc. But I don’t feel in alignment with what I’m doing, and I’m not getting enough work. I want to work with entrepreneurs, artists, start-ups, creative types who need writers—and corporate types who want outside-the-box thinking and are progressive on social issues. In other words, hip.”

She wrote that she really wants a mission statement and had an idea for a tagline: “Conscious content with attitude.” She’d already done the 20-10-4 word exercise and shared her final four words: raw, aware, connected and transformative.

I didn’t go through the exercise with her, so I called Liz to see if we could go beyond her traits, her hobbies, and résumé to get to some special, unique strengths she could plausibly market and monetize.

I asked her to think about the following basic but all-important questions (and you should too). In my ideal work:

• WHO are my customers*?

• WHAT do they need, and HOW am I uniquely well-suited to solving their problems?

Then I grilled her on her four words. They were fine words, but somewhat vague and hard to weave into a USP as-is. What did she mean by “raw”? (This is seldom a selling point, unless one is a stand-up comedian or a piece of sushi.) She explained that by “raw” she meant straightforward, authentic, edgy and funky, and that by “aware,” she meant “perceptive.”

When I asked her to tell me more about what she meant by “connected” and “transformative,” Liz told me about her connections to and interest in the LGBT, queer, transgender, sex-positive communities. It was clear she was passionate about alternative relationship issues. This was missing from her personal branding exercise, because she felt it might be limiting at best and scary at worst.

I told Liz I think we’d hit upon something. Here was an area where her four words—her authenticity, her perceptiveness, her connectedness and her ability to fit in in myriad contexts—and her professional expertise could be blended to compose a compelling, income-generating, and soul-satisfying USP.

There are lots of groups, businesses and individuals who need help crafting content to help them promote, market, publicize and communicate their message with savvy and sensitivity. Here’s where Liz comes in! She can brand herself as THE go-to person for helping businesses, organizations, non-profits and anyone needing solid content related to LGBT, queer, transgender, sex-positive, erotic and alternative relationship issues. She offers a unique combination of editorial expertise plus knowledge, connections, and understanding in these often-misunderstood areas.

While this doesn’t have to be the limit of what Liz does, she seemed excited about the prospect of applying her professional and personal experience to this market. She’s not restricted to only working on this, but as a mission statement and brand, she might think about marketing herself and what she has to offer to those whose problems she’s uniquely qualified to address.

In a world where you can’t swing a cat without hitting a freelance writer (please don’t swing cats), her passion and skill set make her special and attractive to clients she’d be excited to serve.

Liz: I’d be interested to know if you decide to pursue this, and how. Please keep in touch, and let us know how you’re doing. (And anyone out there needing someone like Liz write in and we’ll hook you up!)

Next time, we’ll talk about some surefire ways to improve your content (website, blog, flyers, Twitter feed, sandwich boards) to effectively get your brand out there.

* Make sure that the answer(s) to this question is not too narrow, and that the “who” or “whos” in question can supply you with the, how you say, “money.”

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This is the third episode of “15 Minutes of Dame,” a column to help you create, develop and promote the living crap out of your own personal brand. Dixie Laite has been putting the “broad” in broadcasting for over 20 years, working in television, online, print and marketing for a variety of household name brands. She is currently Senior Editorial Director for TeenNick and also freelances as a writer, speaker and digital content strategist. Dixie’s column is published every other Wednesday on diybusinessassociation.com. Follow Dixie @DameStyle, email her at diydamedixie@gmail.com and post your suggestions in Comments below.

Click here to read more 15 Minutes of Dame

By Jenny An

Adam Gildar

Occupation: Art dealer
Business: Gildar Gallery 
City: Denver, Colorado
Age: 27

Entrepreneurship runs in Adam Gildar’s blood.

He started his first business, Illiterate magazine, as a University of Colorado undergrad, seven years ago. Then, after identifying a need for art space in Denver, he led the publication’s metamorphosis into a full-on art gallery.

With art-space experience under his belt, in February 2012, Gildar founded his third and latest business—the aptly named Gildar Gallery—which is collaborating on projects with the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver among other organizations.

What’s your #BHAG2012?

My BHAG is to expose artists in Denver to the national and international art worlds.

After realizing that I’m much more suited to a lifestyle that doesn’t involve a clock.

I essentially fell into running a gallery. A few years ago, I decided to rent a storefront on South Broadway in Denver to house my arts publication and online community, Illiterate. Prior to moving in, the space had served as a gypsy jewelry shop. The woman who owned the store lived in the basement and allowed some fairly indigent people to squat there.

With help from friends, we renovated the space and turned it into more than an editorial headquarters. We operated a gallery showcasing and selling the works of artists we’d discovered who had few if any legitimate venues to show their art in Denver.

After two years in business, my two partners decided to pursue other interests, and I decided to focus my efforts on running the gallery as my own with an emphasis on developing the careers of artists through both compelling exhibits and establishing strong relationships with collectors and other organizations. Hence the birth of Gildar Gallery.

Have you collaborated with anyone or an organization?

Collaboration with outside entities is a primary component of Gildar Gallery’s mission.

I’ve been working with Adam Lerner, the Director and Chief Animator of the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, who has curated an exhibit at my gallery called Richard Peterson and the Art of a Warrior Tribe. The exhibit features photographs by Peterson taken during his years as a lead photographer at the San Francisco punk zine Search & Destroy. 

In working with Adam [Lerner], I’ve discovered that while as we may have some separate filters for making curatorial decisions due to our respective positions, there are a number of situations in which overlapping interests occur that can benefit not only both organizations, but also artists and the art going public as well.

Pushing that collaborative spirit further, this is all part of a citywide multi-institutional series of programs and concerts exploring the early years of punk called Search & Destroy. Centered around the MCA exhibit Bruce Conner and the Primal Scene of Punk Rock, the events involve a series of organizations working in conjunction with each other including the Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Art-Plant, Carmen Weidenhoeft Gallery and the Underground Music Showcase.

So yeah, collaboration is big!

Art dealing is viewed as a glamorous job involving parties and the ilk, but what do you actually spend most of your day-to-day doing?

Most people see galleries as glamorous because they are!

But it’s a misnomer to think that glamour negates hard work. In fact, I’d say it’s the contrary. One way I think about any seemingly effortless presentation is, that that the cleaner it looks, the more chaos is brewing underneath.

As far as my daily routine, it’s so varied that it’s nearly impossible to pin it down to one task. In any one month, I’ll fill a number of roles, from curator and socialite, to art installer, graphic designer, PR person, bookkeeper, janitor. You name it—I’ve probably done it at some point.

gildargallery.com | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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On Mondays, DIY Business Association features a stand-out self-starter as our DIY Business of the Week. If you or someone you know is rocking an awesome small business in art, craft, tech, food, media—you name it—we want to know about it. Tell us about your DIY business on the DIY Together Facebook wall, or email stories@diybusinessassociation.com with a short description and links to the DIY business website and social media.

By Jenny An

Grace Bonney

Occupation: Blogger
Business: Design Sponge
City: Brooklyn, New York
Age: 30

Grace Bonney started her blog, designsponge.com, a year out of college, with the simple goal of creating an online portfolio that’d take her to the big time—which, at the time, meant landing a magazine job.

Pretty soon after starting the “online portfolio,” she garnered New York Times mentions and even a web consulting position with House & Garden. And then H&G shuttered.

In 2007, Bonney met with a financial adviser and transformed Design Sponge from a passion project into her full-time career. She hasn’t looked back since.

What’s your #BHAG2012?

My BHAG for 2012 is to get smaller, not bigger. My company has grown a lot over the past few years, and I feel a strong internal need to cut back on that growth and get back to a place that feels more familiar. I made the pretty drastic decision to not do any speaking engagements or panels for most of 2012 (I typically do a fair amount), so I can spend more time focusing on my site and writing.

Design Sponge celebrates great design that's also livable.

Who’s your average reader?

Our average reader is 20–35, about 70% female, highly educated and based in a metropolitan area.

How did you get started blogging?

Design Sponge video on how Grace Bonney got started.

When did you know that you wanted to work for yourself?

The second I had a boss tell me to do something the wrong way. I got an assignment, knew we were doing it the wrong way, and didn’t have the power to fix it or do it the way I knew we should. I was 23. I knew right then and there I would never be happy unless I was in total control of my work life.

Design Sponge also offers consulting for bloggers.

What is your start-up story?

I don’t really consider D*S a start-up, because it began as a one-woman passion project. And in some ways it still feels that way, but with a few additional women. I started the blog as a way to talk about what I loved, not to make money or support myself. It grew into something else, because I think it really resonated with an audience of readers and makers who were, at the time, underrepresented in traditional media. I’ve always let the creative community guide the projects I choose, so it’s led the business down different paths from videos and books to newspapers and radio. I try to trust my gut and always follow whatever I’m most passionate about. I’m fortunate that my business is flexible enough to bend and change around those passions.

Have you collaborated with anyone or an organization?

We’re always on the hunt for young videographers to work in our niche. Video content is something we’ve wanted to do in a more in-depth way for years.

Are you open to mentorships?

Right now I’m trying to cut back on formal arrangements, but I tend to stumble into those situations a few times a year when we can learn from each other. So in that way, I’m open to naturally occurring relationships like that.

designsponge.com | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter |

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On Mondays, DIY Business Association features a stand-out self-starter as our DIY Business of the Week. If you or someone you know is rocking an awesome small business in art, craft, tech, food, media—you name it—we want to know about it. Tell us about your DIY business on the DIY Together Facebook wall, or email stories@diybusinessassociation.com with a short description and links to the DIY business website and social media.

15 Minutes of Dame #2 By Dixie Laite

“She was not quite what you would call refined. She was not quite what you would call unrefined. She was the kind of person that keeps a parrot.” —Mark Twain

(You may not think that quote makes a whole lotta sense, but as a woman who has four parrots, I can say Mr. Clemens is pretty on the money. But more about my unplanned parrothood in a later column.)

In my last column, “Who the Hell Are You?,” I suggested you do an exercise of choosing words to describe yourself—your values, strengths and attributes. First you were to choose 20 words (with this list to use as a resource), then 10 words, then narrow the list to four. I thought it might be helpful to follow someone else going through the process, so here I am reporting for duty.

I’ll tell ya, it was hard choosing my first 20. So many words seemed to apply. Besides, which me was I describing? After all, there’s a tough me and a vulnerable me, a stylish me and a nerdy me, and so on.

But, ah, there’s the rub. We’re all complex people with many facets to our personalities. We’ve got lots of interests and values and often they contradict each other. We also evolve, so that what was seemed an essential component to who we are at 25 may have faded by 30.

This exercise is about getting to the nitty gritty of who you are today—and want to aim to be tomorrow.

It’s like my closet. I have a lot of clothes. If you were to look inside my closet, you wouldn’t know if this wardrobe belonged to Marlene Dietrich, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Annie Oakley or Little Bo Beep. But as I get savvier about who I am, who I want to be, about what’s comfortable and what suits me, I seem to gravitate toward the same pieces over and over. (I’m delighted to say there’s more Charlotte Gainsbourg, less Little Bo Peep now.)

My 20 Words

I initially scribbled these words:

Those of you playing along at home realize this is not 20 words. It’s 35 words, to be exact. So, here’s how I made the first cuts…

To pare down the list, I look at the synonyms and choose the words that best got at what I wanted. I eliminate laugh, funny and humor, keeping wit. (Besides, who doesn’t like to laugh? Sheesh.) I eliminate compassion, keeping kind. I remove love (too generic), keeping affectionate and friendly.

I eliminate serenity and grace—things to which I aspire, but who am I kidding?

I keep playful, articulate and sassy, qualities to which I can more realistically attest. I decide to keep glamour, style, teach, entertain, guide and mentor. I choose vintage lover since collecting “femorabilia” is a big part of who I am and how people see me. (It also lets me lose collector.) I crossed off persuade and choose inspire instead. Uplift is close to inspire and little underwire-y; I keep evangelize instead.

Energy and strength were qualities I’d really like to embody. But I since I have to weed some out (sigh), I decide strong represents a kind of energy, and a big part of the person I’d like to become. Recognizing wise, smart and savvy are somewhat synonymous; I go with savvy since it has the least gravitas. I keep influential, because, well, I’d really like to be. I keep animal lover, because, well, have you ever met me?

So my 20 words, in no particular order, are:

But I can’t relax just yet; now comes round two where I need to turn this list of 20 into 10.

Maybe it gets easier?

10 Words

Picking 20 was hard, but now it’s no longer a matter of weeding out sort-of-synonyms. In this stage, it’s not really word play; now I have to really think about priorities. What do I care about, what do I uniquely have to offer, and what do I want to represent?

First, I’ll prune some more synonyms. Between teach, guide and mentor, I’ll select guide (less pedantic), and style over glamour (less labor-intensive). My first long list included smart, humor, funny, playful, articulate and entertain, so I decide wit might sum these up best. But I feel I do need another qualifier. I think my personal style might be best described as playful. Wit is an outcome while playful is an attitude, and attitudes are under our control while outcomes—not so much. I’d gotten rid of smart and wise, but I feel like I need to include savvy, it being a “sassier” type of wisdom.

Five words down, five to go!

I think about some of my most fundamental qualities. I’m an affectionate person; I’m a relentless hugger and call everyone “sweetie pie,” “dollface” or worse. Being kind is also very important to me. But all that is largely about about being warm and accessible, so though they are fundamental descriptors, I cross off affectionate and kind, keeping friendly in my top 10.

I’ve long celebrated and studied vintage movies, music and clothes, and it’s such a big part of “my brand” that I include vintage maven in my new list. I keep animal lover, too. (Ask anyone on Facebook to describe me, and I’m fairly certain “crazy animal lady” will come up.)

Of the remaining words, which fundamentally express what I want to do, to be? I decide guide, inspire and entertain give the clearest picture.

I feel ambivalent but I finally prune my list to:

The Final Four (Finally!)

Ugh. After all that I have to pare down the list to a measly four. Now it’s even less about words cancelling one another out and even more about honing a message. It’s also time to think about other people as well as yourself. How do you want clients, customers, potential customers, and potential partners to think when they encounter your brand?

While all the qualities on my “top ten list” are important, I decide to define my brand with specific qualities that:

1) make me uniquely me, and

2) could plausibly attract people to my brand, my products and services. (This is called a unique selling proposition or a USP. More on that in an upcoming column.)

Once we’re down to four words, our embryonic USP, I think it can be helpful to turn the words into a phrase or label of some sort.

And my four words? Hmmm, let’s try:

Inspire                  Vintage Maven                 Playful                  Savvy 

In other words my personal brand is a savvy, inspiring and playful vintage maven.

This doesn’t necessarily mean I’m limited to talking about, knowing about, or doing work related to vintage stuff. But as a writer, pundit, speaker and as a brand, these four words can help distinguish, differentiate and define what I’m about. For example, even if I’m talking about global warming or Estonian Frisbee Championships, I can be expected to discuss it in a lively, intelligent, down-to-earth and good-humored manner. And I might have a vaguely Claudette Colbert-ish vibe while doing it.

Now, I could have easily picked four different words. I picked the four I did because I felt they’d be best for a particular service/product I have in mind. But alternatively I could also go with:

It all depends on what service or product I want to pursue, and to whom I want to market what I offer.

Anyway, we’ll explore my lil’ ol’ USP in a later column. Meanwhile, if you haven’t already, do the exercise and let me know where you end up. And if you get stuck, email me at diydamedixie@gmail.com—that’s what I’m here for!

For the next episode of 15 Minutes of Dame…

On April 4, we’ll look at some of your own 20/10/4 lists and how they can evolve into branding lenses for your own businesses.

Until then, Godspeed my sweet DIYers!

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This is the second episode of “15 Minutes of Dame,” a column to help you create, develop and promote the living crap out of your own personal brand. Dixie Laite has been putting the “broad” in broadcasting for over 20 years, working in television, online, print and marketing for a variety of household name brands. She is currently Senior Editorial Director for TeenNick and also freelances as a writer, speaker and digital content strategist. Dixie’s column is published every other Wednesday on diybusinessassociation.com. Follow Dixie @DameStyle, email her at diydamedixie@gmail.com and post your suggestions in Comments below.

Click here to read more 15 Minutes of Dame

By Jenny An

Matt Wright

Occupation: Guitar Tech and Effects Pedal builder
Business: Wright Sounds
City: Portland, Oregon
Age: 35

Not content as an employee, Matt Wright turned an instrument-repair apprenticeship into his own thriving, home-based business. As a guitarist and lover of pedals, Wright also engineers his own lines of pedals, the Fuzz-Stang and Super-Boost! Lou Reed, Jon Spencer and Bill Frisell are just a few of his marquee customers. You know, no big deal.

What’s your #BHAG2012?

My BHAG is to build an innovative electric guitar that everybody wants to play because it looks, sounds and feels like no other.

Matt Wright with Jon Spencer. Proof that entrepreneurs are the new rock stars.

How many hours do you work per week, and what’s a typical workday like for you?

Anywhere from 30 to 50 hours a week. My typical workday begins when my four-year-old wakes me up around 7 a.m. We watch Yo Gabba Gabba or Electric Company while I catch up with email or Facebook. My commute to work involves walking downstairs. I try to start my day by 10 a.m. but always seem to get way more done if it begins at 9:30 a.m.

What is your startup story?

Almost 11 years ago, I started an apprenticeship at a guitar repair shop in New York City. I learned just about everything I know there. Getting the job was quite random, and I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity. Once I felt I had the skills I went out on my own and the rest is history.

The Super Boost pedal. Both aurally and visually pleasing.

Who are your clients?

Most of my clients are referrals from previous clients. It’s split about 50/50 between people in bands and older hobbyists. My ideal clients are people who realize that their instruments need routine adjustments and care. They don’t take care of themselves, people!

Since moving to Portland and starting my own business, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Tucker Martine (producer for My Morning Jacket, The Decemberists, Laura Veirs, etc.), Al James of Dolorean, Joshua Grange (who’s played with k.d. Lang, Dwight Yoakam, etc.), and Kilynn Lunsford of Little Claw.

My FX pedals are used by Lou Reed, Jon Spencer, Marc Ribot, Bill Frisell, Rich Robinson, etc.

Matt's Fuzz Stang pedal. Find out more, or buy it, at his website.

How does the pedal-making business fit into your overall DIY Business?

My effects pedal business began after I reluctantly started taking on small repair jobs and modifications to already existing pedals. When I start something, I get very focused so for a while I was turning down the pedal stuff so I could concentrate on the guitar repair. But the “will you take a look at my distortion pedal” questions kept coming up, so I finally started to take them on. I did a few modifications to some clients’ pedals, and they turned out great. I could actually hear a big difference and I was hooked.

Is it hard to juggle both?

Juggling the two sides of the business can be a bit tough, mainly when I focus on one side for too long. It seems like anything else—if you keep practicing, it becomes easier to do.

How did you decide you were ready to start another branch of your business?

I decided to make a reproduction of a rare pedal that I had used. Old, cool, rare pedals that haven’t been manufactured for decades were being brought back to life by builders all over, so I thought I’d give it a shot. I planned on making 25 pedals—which I figured I’d be able to sell over the course of my lifetime—but ended up selling about a dozen in a couple weeks, including one to Bill Frisell, a guitarist that’s known for his use of effects pedals. At that point, I went full-steam ahead.

Have you collaborated with anyone or an organization?

No collaborations yet, but I would be open to collaborations for sure, especially with a web person. The internet has been a good friend, but it takes up a lot of time to update my Flickr, blog, Facebook posts, etc.

wrightsounds.com | Flickr | Facebook

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On Mondays, DIY Business Association features a stand-out self-starter as our DIY Business of the Week. If you or someone you know is rocking an awesome small business in art, craft, tech, food, media—you name it—we want to know about it. Tell us about your DIY business on the DIY Together Facebook wall, or email stories@diybusinessassociation.com with a short description and links to the DIY business website and social media.

SwissMiss’ right-hand man, Kevin Huynh, to talk about “Ted For the Rest of Us” March 28

A Creative Mornings New York event on February 10, 2012, at Open House Gallery in Mahattan. Charles Renfro of Diller Scofidio + Renfro was the speaker.

By Amy Cuevas Schroeder

You can’t get much more pro-creative than Creative Mornings, the monthly breakfast lecture series for creative types that seems to be taking over the globe lately.

SwissMiss blogger Tina Roth Eisenberg started Creative Mornings in 2009 as an accessible, inspiring way for people to meet in New York. Fast-forward three years, and Creative Mornings has exploded to include chapters around the world, from Zurich to Atlanta to Vancouver.

The growth is thanks in large part to Kevin Huynh, Creative Mornings Breakfast Lecture Series Specialist, and Eisenberg’s right-hand man. “Thanks to Kevin’s help, we’ve grown the chapter number from four to 24 in six months,” the TeuxDeux designer says. “It’s quite amazing.”

On March 28, Creative Mornings is joining DIY Together Speed Connecting NYC as a collaborative partner, and Mr. Huynh will speak on a panel called Thriving in the Entrepreneurial Age.

DIY Together Speed Connecting is an action-packed event in collaboration with New York organizations that foster entrepreneurship and creativity, including NY Tech Meetup, Freelancers Union, Krrb, Loosecubes and New York Foundation for the Arts. Read more about the event and purchase tickets at diybusinessassociation.com/speedconnect.

WORKSHOP Co-Founder Jessi Arrington speaks at Creative Mornings at Galapagos Art Space in DUMBO, Brooklyn.

About Kevin Huynh

Kevin traded all of his belongings for food and transplanted from the Bay Area to Brooklyn in July 2011.

In addition to his Creative Mornings work, Huynh strategizes at Lovely Day, serves as editor for TBD, goes to battle as an organizer for The Feast Social Innovation Conference and produces a variety of shiny creative projects.

@kevinhuynh | http://kiwimonk.com

We looove this Rainbow Parade produced by Jessi Arrington after her Creative Mornings appearance on 11.11.11. (Photo by Younga Park)

By Jenny An

Virginia Kraljevic

Occupation: Artist, Illustrator, Handicrafter
City: New York, NY
Age: 30

An art director extraordinaire and generally all-around creative gal, Virginia co-founded her first start-up at age 26—a media production company called CSE, with a hand in behind-the-scenes motion photography, art direction and design.

She’s worked with Chanel, Vogue Hommes International and Victoria’s Secret, and HGTV’s Secrets from a Stylist, ABC News and Time Out New York have covered her. Before that, she did internship stints with fashion photographer Max Vudukul, Elite Traveler Magazine and creating window displays for Anthropologie.

Cave 8x10 Abstrct Fine Art Archival Print of Original Pen and Ink Drawing by Virginia Kraljevic. Click to purchase on Etsy.

What’s your #BHAG2012?

My #BHAG2012 is to become a professional plate-spinner, figuratively speaking. The ultimate goal is to take on as many interesting and creative projects as possible while staying organized and keeping an even keel.

Tell us more about your media production company, CSE. Is it still going?

CSE closed its doors in 2010 when all partners decided to pursue their own paths in the worlds of motion photography, set design and illustration. Sometimes it’s nice to band together and feed off each other’s ideas and accolades, and sometimes it’s really important to take the plunge and see what you can make happen individually.

Onward and Upward 8x10 Typography Inspirational Quote Print, by Virginia Kraljevic. Click to purchase on Etsy.

Who have you collaborated with?

Lacoste, Vans, Etsy, west elm and Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.

Are you open to new collaborations?

I always love a good collaboration. I’m on the lookout for someone with a silk-screening business who can apply my designs to T-shirts, paper goods and home accessories.

Do you have a day job or part-time job?

I have a day job and a part-time job—and it’s one and the same! Between creating new work, freelance projects and maintaining an Etsy shop, I’m always working or thinking about working. Working for myself can sometimes mean putting in 60- to 80-plus hours a week, but there’s nothing I would rather be doing.

Pepe's Village 5x5 Illustration Print

Are you open to mentorships?

I would be honored to be someone’s mentor, but the commute to my home studio is quite a trek for most. However, I’m always open to answering questions regarding the profession and/or my work via email.

Please note that the only thing I’m never able to offer advice on is “how you can begin,” because figuring out the “how” is the best part of working for yourself, and I dare not take that away from you. The “how” is the fire in our bellies that has us staying up all night reading, planning, charting and dreaming of where to go next. All you have to do is give yourself permission to follow your heart and see where it may lead you.

virginiakraljevic.com | Pinterest | Twitter | Facebook Fanpage

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On Mondays, DIY Business Association features a stand-out self-starter as our DIY Business of the Week. If you or someone you know is rocking an awesome small business in art, craft, tech, food, media—you name it—we want to know about it. Tell us about your DIY business on the DIY Together Facebook wall, or email stories@diybusinessassociation.com with a short description and links to the DIY business website and social media.

Leafy 8x10 Print of Original Abstract Pen and Ink Drawing by Virginia Kraljevic. Click to purchase on Etsy.

Getting to the core of your personal brand

15 Minutes of Dame #1 By Dixie Laite

“Know thyself.” —Socrates*

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. You’ve heard it before.

But there’s a good reason people are always yammering away about knowing yourself. After “be kind,” it’s about the most important job you have, a job that should precede any talk about paying jobs. It may sound corny, it may be corny, but it’s still true: You can’t begin to follow your bliss, build your brand, or even be truly happy until you figure out who you are—and who you aim to be.

Easier said than done, I know. Let’s start with me.

Who am I, and how does this affect my personal brand and overall well-being?

There are some incontrovertible facts I know about myself:

• I love animals.

• I have an encyclopedic knowledge of ’30s and ’40s movies.

• I like scouring flea markets for cool vintage femorabilia.

• I shop online waaay too much.

• I’m physically and emotionally incapable of eating only one Pop-Tart.

In terms of my work life, I’ve been a teacher, writer, editor, public speaker and personal trainer. I take some things very seriously, but not many and certainly not myself.

This is a start, but we need to take this (seemingly) disparate information and explore how this adds up to who uniquely I am and what I uniquely have to offer.

But enough about me, let’s talk about you. (Not for too long, though…then we’ll get back to me.)

Step 1: Describe Thyself

Now you try it.

If you were to describe yourself to a total stranger, what are the three or four things you’d say? (It’s important that you have no agenda with this stranger; I admit if I were, say, trying to date this stranger, I’d probably skew the data quite a bit, but that won’t help you in this exercise, and it won’t help me down the line with that stranger either.)

For now, ignore your appearance unless that’s an integral part of who you are (covered in tattoos, purple Mohawk, etc.) and focus on the qualities, passions, experience and skills that make you uniquely you. Write at least two sentences, but no more than four. Jot it down on a cocktail napkin if you have to. And now…

Step 2: What Matters to You?

Play Q&A with yourself. Think about the following questions, and write a sentence or three to answer:

• What are your values?

• What do you really care about?

• For what do you stand?

• What qualities are important to you in a friend, in a co-worker?

• What virtues do you consistently maintain, and which, in your humble opinion, are totally let slide-able?

• What gets you bent out of shape?

• How do you insist upon dealing with other people, where are you the most helpful, and whom is it you’d most like to serve?

The answers to these questions represent your core values—a huge component of your personal brand.

For me, kindness is big in my book, and I’m always trying to be helpful and affectionate, just short of being a little creepy. I like inspiring and celebrating others, especially women.

Step 3: The Fun Part

So now you know you’re a detail-oriented and unfailingly honest perfectionist who wants to help the underserved become more “green”-aware.

For this next exercise, your challenge is to create a list of 20 words that describe you. Need help? Click here to get your juices flowing. Think about who you truly are, who you strive to be and how you’d like to be perceived—and write down your 20 words. I’ll wait.

Now that you’ve got your list of 20 descriptors, I want you to narrow down that list to 10 words. I’ll wait.

Tough, but now that you’ve refined your list, you’re getting closer to the core of who you are and how you operate in the world.

Now we’re ready to hone your brand even further. If you could only choose four of these 10 words to describe yourself, which would you choose? You’re on a serious word budget now, so we’re getting down to the nitty-gritty of what makes you you.

It wasn’t easy, but you’ve selected your four precious “you” words—words that will help you define your personal brand. You’ve also given some thought to what you care about and have to offer and even how you might want to offer it. Now what?

For next time:

In my next column (to be published Wednesday, March 21), I’ll show you how I created my own personal list, and we’ll compare notes. Then, we’re going to take what you’ve done and turn it into a personal brand description and mission statement to guide you on to the next stages of building a brand identity and eventually a brand experience.

Please email me (at diydamedixie@gmail.com) your own descriptor, defining words and what kind of business you’re in/starting/thinking about, and I’ll help as many of you as possible to take what you’ve got and fashion it into clear, actionable brand and mission statements.

*Or maybe it was Charlene Tilton—it’s a little fuzzy.

This is the first episode of “15 Minutes of Dame,” a column to help you create, develop and promote the living crap out of your own personal brand. Dixie Laite has been putting the “broad” in broadcasting for over 20 years, working in television, online, print and marketing for a variety of household name brands. She is currently Senior Editorial Director for TeenNick and also freelances as a writer, speaker and digital content strategist. Dixie’s column is published every other Wednesday on diybusinessassociation.com. Follow Dixie @DameStyle, email her at diydamedixie@gmail.com and post your suggestions in Comments below.

Best of #diychat 4: Highlights & Feed from March 1, 2012

By Amy Cuevas Schroeder

If you missed the fourth #diychat on March 1, you missed an incredible opportunity to chat with a crew of creative visionaries.

Titled Where Do Awesome Ideas Come From, and How Do You Actualize Them?, the one-hour Twitter conversation was hosted by ModCloth Co-Founder Susan Gregg Koger, Krrb.com Director Andrew Wagner and app developer Donald DeSantis.

Click here to download the #diychat transcript.

Best of #diychat:

“I think everyone has met someone who reorganizes the world around them, who inspires and delivers, unselfconscious. That = badass.” —Donald DeSantis (@donalddesantis)

“What is life without risks? Less disappointment maybe, but surely much more banal.”—Golzar Naghshineh (@FeministGolzar)

“I repeat this quote to myself daily: ‘The secret to life is to have no fear.’”—Andrew Wagner

“Find someone to help run the business side of things, even if only on a revenue share. Or find a biz mentor in your space.”—Donald DeSantis

“No risks = well-traveled path. That’s less fun. The ‘big’ things are outside convention. Conventional is a crowded marketplace.”—Donald DeSantis

“I’d rather fail at a risk that I’m passionate about than be successful doing the same old boring thing.”— @urdirtylaundry

QUESTION: How do you develop a community to grow your business and ideas?

“Our mission @ModCloth is to democratize fashion by empowering indie designers and our community.”—Susan Gregg Koger

“My ideas come from the gaps that I find in life. Usually the stuff I wish for—dots that need connecting.”—Lesley Ware (@creativecookie)

“If you really love something and truly believe in it, you will attract a community.” —Andrew Wagner

“Being yourself, knowing (or finding) your cause, serving a small group of people. Focusing on high relevancy to small numbers.”—Donald DeSantis

QUESTION: Do you know when you’re experiencing a flash of brilliance, or does that awareness develop over time?

“Questioning everything is what has got me anywhere that I’ve ever gotten. I’ve always been a bit a pain in the ass. I’ve never wanted to do what everyone else is doing. I’ve always wanted to put my own stamp on things.”—Andrew Wagner

“I don’t know that I ever really know if I’m experiencing brilliance. It’s usually someone else that points it out.—Lightbox SF (@lightboxsf)

“I write everything down and revisit the next day. If I’m still as excited, it has a good chance of actually being brilliant. But sometimes you just KNOW.”—Susan Gregg Koger

“It’s always great to keep a stash of ideas that maybe never came to fruition. Sometimes revisiting makes them even better.” —Jessie Williams, Founder of Edge of Urge (@jessieEOU)

“You know when lightning strikes. But prepare for non-viability/feasibility. Modify idea, but focus on what made it special.”—Donald DeSantis

“And ideas are like any craft. The more you create, the higher the quality. Repetition sets the stage for mastery, quality, magic.”—Donald DeSantis

Put this in your calendar right now; otherwise, you’ll forget. The next #diychat is on April 5; the topic is Startup Success Stories. 

By Suzanne Chang, #diychat Moderator (@kbyesuz)

You’ve got awesome ideas, right?

We’d love to hear about them.

Join the DIY Business Association community on March 1  at 8 p.m. Eastern for #diychat, the Twitter chat for entrepreneurs everwhere. The long-winded title of one-hour Twitter conversation is Thinking Big: Where Do Awesome Creative Ideas Come From, and How Do You Actualize Them?

Here are the questions that we’ll ask you and our special-guest hosts, Susan Gregg Koger (Co-Founder of Modcloth.com), Andrew Wagner (Director of Krrb.com) and Donald DeSantis, writer of the semi-controversial GigaOm article “Everything I need to know about startups, I learned from a crime boss.”

Q1. For Andrew Wagner, Susan Gregg Koger and Donald DeSantis:

Where do your big ideas come from? Passion? Collaboration? A moment of genius?

Q2. For Andrew Wagner, Susan Gregg Koger and Donald DeSantis:

How do you develop community to grow your business and ideas?

Q3. For Susan Gregg Koger:

How do you balance your passion for fashion with business?

Q3. For Susan Gregg Koger and all #diychat participants:

What is your advice for turning your passion into a business?

Q4. For Andrew Wagner:

How do you use your creativity as an advantage with your work for Krrb and your previous work with ReadyMade?

Q4. For Andrew Wagner and all #diychat participants:

Do you know when you’re experiencing a flash of brilliance, or does that awareness develop over time?

Q5. For Donald DeSantis:  

You made waves with your GigaOm article “Everything I need to know about startups, I learned from a crime boss.” What does it mean to be a badass in business?

Q5. For Donald DeSantis and all #diychat participants: 

Why should people take risks in business?

Q6. (If there’s time!) What have been your unexpected sources of influence in your creative business?

—

Related Articles:

Official March 1 #diychat post

How to participate in a Twitter chat

#diychat schedule of upcoming Twitter chats