DIY Business Association

By Jenny An

Tavit Geudelekian and Andy Kopas

Occupation: Video Game Producers and Designers

Business: King Post Productions

City: New York

Age: 28 and 26

Tavit Geudelekian and Andy Kopas took what they learned from the big guys and spun the experience into a more agile company of their own.

A year ago, they worked for Kill Screen Magazine to create an affiliated production label called Kill Screen MFG. They’ve built games for Puma, Pitchfork, Sony Records  and Incubus. The duo also has produced events and fetes for game publishers. The rest is a whale of a tale.

What’s your #BHAG2012?

Our BHAG is to create the foundation for our company to create a video game based on Herman Melville’s Moby Dick.

Tavit and Andy built this game, Incubattle, for Sony and the band Incubus when they worked with Kill Screen. "It was a fun one-or-two-player, old-school, beat-'em-up game that featured all the members of the band as playable characters," Tavit says. The game launched in web browsers in July 2011 and was played over 100,000 times. Incubattle is currently not online but should be returning soon to a browser near you.

What skill did you learn on the job?

Salesmanship. We’ve always prided ourselves on the passion we bring to projects we work on, and this past year has been an exercise in turning that passion into a pitch.

How did you know you were ready to start your own company?

We always told ourselves, “Let’s not treat King Post like a business until it is a business.” Now that we have contracts lining up and more work on the horizon, we both just sort of shrugged and realized, we are a business.

What’s most rewarding about working for yourself?

The little victories are so much bigger when you’re working for yourself. Every efficiency we learn, every new friend/partnership or contact we make brings us a lot more joy.

A taste of Banana Bandits, a game that King Post is developing as we right this caption. Slated for release on the iTunes App Store in late July/early August.

Have you ever collaborated with anyone or an organization? Are you open to collaborations?

Our business is completely reliant upon collaboration.

We use a myriad of specialists from coders, to designers, to artists to digital marketers and community managers. That said, we’re always thrilled to meet new people and make new friends. We’re looking for experienced game developers, artists and designers, and we’re always open to helping nurture new talent that may not have experience in games but want to break into that industry.

Are you open to mentorships?

While we’re totally open to interns and mentorships, we’re still working to get stable as a company so we can truly provide these people with the value and education that we were provided in some of our best internships and mentorships. Once we reach a critical mass of projects, we’ll be wide open to the idea.

Email King Post Productions at kingpostproductions@gmail.com.

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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

Nate Cooper

Occupations: Educator and consultant focusing on technology and entrepreneurship

Business: Pedestrian Consulting

City: Brooklyn and Manhattan, New York

Age: 31

Nate Cooper is an entrepreneurship 2.0 success story.

The former trainer at Apple turned his tech savvy into a thriving personal business—with the help of organizations like the Freelancer’s Union, coworking space New Work City, Skillshare and Meetups.

The self-proclaimed “happiness evangelist” founded Pedestrian Consulting in 2011. Now, his days (and nights) are full of consulting gigs and working on a comic book that’ll teach readers how to build websites. He’s also a cofounder of Reboot Workshop, an “unconference” for freelancers and entrepreneurs on how to live their independent lives in an even more rocking way.

What’s your #BHAG2012?

Empower others to continue learning outside of academia, especially around entrepreneurship.

How did you acquire the skills you needed?

Let’s face it, IT people are a dime a dozen.

I like to think the reason people come to me is more because of the care and effort I take to train someone. I learned customer service at Apple when I worked in sales and as a trainer.

There’s no better way to learn about [customer care and engagement] than to work in a retail or customer-service job. When people ask me if I build websites, I say “sure,” but what I really offer is the option to learn to do it yourself.

What is your typical work day like?

Right now, I’m working on a book for No Starch Press. It’s a comic book based on my classes which teach how to build websites. I also do onsite consulting and teach classes in the evenings.

How did you know you were ready to go it on your own?

Toward the end of my time at Apple, I had developed a number of internal training modules and done a tremendous job building a team of top-notch people. At the end of the day, though, I didn’t get any credit.

I realized all of my accomplishments were done for other organizations and felt like the next step was building something where I was the product. Then Skillshare came along, and the rest is history.

Working alone can sometimes get lonely. Are you part of any organizations where you can meet like-minded people? Do you attend any events regularly?

The key to making it alone is to not let yourself feel alone. Go to a coworking space, join a Meetup. Freelancer’s Union is a great resource and anything hosted at New Work City. My friend Nate Heasley runs a meetup called Goodnik, and they have excellent mixers. Creative Interns and Be Social Change are also wonderful groups. Then, of course, Jim and I run events for Reboot.

Have you ever collaborated with anyone or an organization? Are you open to collaborations?

Yes, I regularly collaborate with designers. I meet quite a few through my classes. I’m always looking for people who can take on web gigs—design or development, especially WordPress—that I’m unable to. I tend to refer people since I’m more focused on teaching and consulting.

Reboot Nation is a growing group, and we need eager people to help out with any aspect of the running of the event whether it be promotion or just being on hand to check people in.

Are you open to mentorships?

Absolutely.

Nate Cooper | 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.

Amy Flurry, a media vet with 15 years of experience behind the editor's desk.

By Jenny An

Do you want to get your work noticed by magazine editors?

Master of publicity Amy Flurry offers these four tips from her book, Recipe for Press.

1. Think visually.

Photos sell.

“The first thing editors look at when they read your pitch via email or snail mail is the picture,” says Flurry. “And they know within a few seconds if the product will work for their pages and if they’re going to read on.”

2. Create an attention-grabbing one-liner that shows you know the publication.

“A great picture coupled with a punchy header—for example, ‘Wet-Weather Gear for Under $25′—lands your product into the publication even more quickly,” she says.

The header should make it clear to the editor that you read her pages or section and know the type of story or product the publication tends to run.

3. Make a strong first impression with your web site.

If an editor likes your pitch photo and header, he or she will likely visit your web site and social media to read more about you.

“Make sure your site is ready for that kind of scrutiny,” Flurry says. “If your site is still ‘under construction’ or in the middle of a facelift, then put the kibosh on pitching until after the unveiling.”

4. Contact the right person.

“All your hard work is for nothing if you don’t put your pitch in the hands—or inbox—of the right editor,” Flurry says.

Take time to double-check who actually edits the pages you want to be a part of. Read magazine mastheads to find out who’s-who, editorially speaking.

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Read more about Amy Flurry and her book, Recipe for Press, in our “DIY Business of the Week” feature about her.

15 Minutes of Dame #4, By Dixie Laite

“Give the people what they want.”—Everyone from Red Skelton to the Kinks 

“Don’t give people what they want. Give them what they need.”—Joss Whedon

People are so cute.

Lately I’ve had the pleasure to help several people use the 20-10-4 Personal Brand Words Exercise, and I was struck by a common misstep.

People would say something like, “I’m really good at surfing, love horror movies, play guitar and have amazing penmanship—so, what’s my personal brand?”

Your unique selling proposition (your good ol’ USP) is not meant to be a personal ad for a dating site. Your personal brand is your pithy way of capturing what you uniquely, reliably and engagingly bring to the table with your service or product.

Your USP is a way of expressing what you offer, what you value and what people can expect. It should be consistent, engaging and something people want. (And if they don’t want it now, you can persuasively tell them why they should.)

Think about your customers, what they might want, what they might need, and especially what it is about you that answers the question, “What’s in it for them?”

Don’t get me wrong, though. You don’t need hordes of people to want your USP—just enough people.

While it’s great to have something scalable that will draw the multitudes, to operate a successful business, you need a certain number of people who really want what you have (but more on the long tail in another column).

As you think about your personal brand, think about what you have to offer in terms of what people do or might want or need. Let’s say you’re a surfing horror-movie aficionado who can rock out and dash off a legible letter, and you want to start your own party-planning service. I should hire you because…?

Tell me why you’re a good—no, great—party planner. Based on what you’ve told me about yourself so far, I might imagine you’d say that you’re full of ideas on lots of ways people can have a good time; you make the whole planning process fun; you can improvise to make everything look seamless; and as fun-loving as you are, you’re also detail-oriented and nothing’s ever sloppy. I’d totally hire you!

Your brand needs to tell a story

And that story’s happy ending must include you getting hired (or selling something, or being booked, etc.).

Look for how your brand/story makes you special and how it makes what you do appealing. The fictional party planner that I want to hire might decide to go with a werewolf hanging ten as his logo, or he may just decide to find a phrase, title or tagline that expresses his brand promise of perfection powered by imagination and fun. (As you know, perfection isn’t always so lighthearted, so knowing you can get class without anal obsessiveness can be mighty attractive.)

The point is, as you explore your personal brand, don’t just think about you. Think about your customers, what they might want, what they might need and especially what it is about you that answers the question, “What’s in it for them?”

As you work on crafting your personal brand’s message, explore how your personal qualities might make you attractive to potential clients. Also, as I encouraged Liz Gold to do in my last column (“Are You a Talented Self-Starter Who Needs a Kick in the Brand?”), think about how your personal qualities, interests and experience might make you uniquely well-suited to serving (and uniquely appealing to) a particular niche market.

Remember, in business and in life, when you think about giving people what they want or need, you are much more likely to get what you want and need as well.

In my next column (on May 9, 2012), we’ll talk about not falling into the trap of only thinking about what people currently want or need. (Not pitfalling into the trap?) Anyway, until then, dolls, please feel free to let know how you’re doing and if there’s anything I might be able to do to help.

Mmmmwah!

This is the fourth episode of “15 Minutes of Dame,” a column to help you create, develop and promote the living crap out of your 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’s 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

Amy Flurry

Occupations and businesses: Author of Recipe for Press ($23.95) and co-founder of Paper-Cut-Project, a company that creates paper styling elements.

City: Athens, Georgia

Age: 41

Amy Flurry has seen how the media sausage is made and wants to tell the tale.

After over 15 years of working as a magazine writer and editor racking up clips at bold-faced titles like InStyle, Conde Nast Traveler and Lucky, she’s turned that experience into a self-published how-to guide for entrepreneurs to get media buzz.

In the past, self-publishing was associated with “vanity presses” and other not-so-appealing things. But for Flurry, it simply meant complete and total control over her product from the words to the photography to the publicity machine.

What’s your #BHAG2012?

My #BHAG2012 is to empower such a large audience of entrepreneurs to use the power of publicity to tell and share their story that it increases a national mindfulness about what we buy, who’s behind it and where it’s made.

When did you decide to write Recipe for Press?

I’d been thinking about it for years but first decided to hold DIY publicity workshops to gauge the degree of interest. People were hungry for this information as told by someone who’s been on the other side of the desk for so long.

I never really considered a traditional publisher (though I will for reprints or a second title). I decided to self-publish, because I had very clear ideas on the book’s direction, the design and the timeline I wanted this to be done in. I completed the book and even went to see it come off the press all in less than a year. Talk about audacious—I printed 10,000 copies!

What skill or experience has come in handy?

Had I moved forward with a traditional publisher, I would not have enjoyed as much control. So my years of producing magazine spreads—including assisting photographers and styling—gave me the confidence to trust myself with the production of the book. Knowing how to meet deadlines didn’t hurt either.

How do you balance your multiple roles as a DIY business? Are there hours, days, weeks, etc. when one is a bigger priority?

For balancing my book promotion and speaking arrangements alongside my work for Paper-Cut-Project, there is no real balance. I find the time to do it because there’s nothing I want to be doing more. Of course when my kids come home, all bets are off!

Does having multiple interests detract or inspire each of your professional interests?

My interests complement each other extremely well. I have to practice what I teach in the book to promote Paper-Cut-Project on blogs and in print, and we have had incredible results. In turn, I’m more confident when I speak on the subject and in promoting the book because I know it works.

Have you ever collaborated with anyone or an organization? Are you open to collaborations?

I’m open to collaborations and I encourage them, too. What I really want is to work together with someone on a series of short videos.

Are you open to mentorships?

I do have interns (three currently), and for the last 10 years, I’ve offered internships at the University of Georgia. I’ve found these students’ input and insights to be invaluable, and I take very seriously my role as a mentor within our arrangement.

Recipe For Press | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Paper-Cut-Project

Want a taste of the tips you can read in Recipe for Press? Click here to read “Amy Flurry’s 4 Tips for Getting Press.”

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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.

Heather and Katie O'Neill, the masterminds behind fair-trade accessories brand Mushmina

Heather and Katie O’Neill

Occupation: Accessory Designers
Business: Mushmina
City: Philadelphia
Age: Heather 33, Katie 30

Heather and Katie O’Neill turned once-in-a-lifetime experiences into a business that they hope will positively touch more than a few lives.

The sisters spent time in Northern Africa—Heather in the Peace Corps in Morocco, Katie researching traditional handiwork techniques in Mali—and saw talented artisans who couldn’t make a lot of money from their work.

The locals, mostly women, couldn’t sell their wares at the local markets for a good price and didn’t have access to international markets.

“Despite challenges, the artisans are full of ideas, spirit, and vision,” the sisters said. “They are the reason we started this company.” The O’Neills founded Mushmina in 2009, and in a few weeks, the sisters will open their first storefront on Philadelphia’s South Street.

What’s your #BHAG2012?

To become recognized as an international brand of fair-trade accessories and a must-see boutique in Philadelphia.

The ladies with some of their artisans in Morocco.

When did you decide to work for yourself?

We’ve always been creative and made our own clothes, but our epiphany came in Fes, Morocco. We were having lunch at a traditional Moroccan restaurant, we were in our early twenties, and had the idea that if we started a design business we could employ women in the developing world. We worked for other entrepreneurs to gain experience, and decided to take the leap in 2009.

Mushmina's Blue Sprout tote.

What skill or experience unexpectedly came in handy?

Running a small business means you have to be a multitasker—shipping, sales, customer service, designer, driver, translator, you name it.

Working in Morocco involves letting some things take their own course. Patience comes in handy. As the Moroccans say, inshalla, or god willing.

What skill did you learn on the job?

We learned to speak Moroccan Arabic. A large part of doing business in Morocco is getting to know the people we work with. We’re invited for tea and couscous, and we had to learn how to say, “Thanks but I’m full”—Ana shebet.

Have you ever collaborated with anyone or an organization?

We’re a small company and have often collaborated with friends to help us get off the ground—photographers, web designers, Sherri Bolognone for a gorgeous spring shoot in her beautiful hometown of Medford Lakes, New Jersey, and the list goes on.

At this very moment, we’re in need of a PR person to help write press releases and get our story out to the community in Philadelphia and beyond.

The sister act exploring Morocco.

Are you open to mentorships?

Yes, we’re open to mentors and mentoring! The more ideas the better.

Mushmina.com | Facebook | Blog

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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

Stephanie Layton

Occupation: Graphic Designer
Business: Red Scandal Graphics
City: Brooklyn, New York
Age: 28

Stephanie Layton’s first design was as low-tech as it gets. She took some paper, cut out letters and glued pieces onto another sheet.

That was before she learned Photoshop. Now the self-taught designer creates graphics, posters and campaigns that require a little more tech know-how than cut-and-paste skills. She designs for Broadway performers, record labels, fashion sites and more.

What’s your #BHAG2012?

To expand my skill set. I’ve been dabbling in photography and animation but want to get more serious.

What’s your startup story?

I went to the University of Michigan to get a BFA in Musical Theatre. While I was there, a friend wrote a play, and I offered to design poster art for him. I had no idea how to use any design software, so I literally cut out letters and glued them down. I was also working at a coffee shop at the time, and two of my co-workers were in bands, so I designed concert posters for them soon after. All for free, of course—college musicians don’t tend to turn down free poster offers.

It kind of started snowballing from there, and because I was in a music school, I had a sort of built-in clientele. The university computers were all equipped with the Adobe Creative Suite, so I started playing around with design software. After graduation, I didn’t know what to do, so I randomly took a Greyhound bus to Nashville, and lived in a hostel for three weeks so I could figure out what my next move should be while pouring over the ACS manual. I started to discover how much I loved the freedom that graphic design gave me, because I could do it from anywhere and found myself the happiest when working on art projects.

What’s your average work day like?

It really varies, but it usually starts with a handwritten to-do list (in order of priority) and some form of caffeine. I respond to emails first. Then I turn on NPR and listen to it constantly while I work. The only time I turn it off is when I’m on a phone call or working on something heavily text-based. I would say I finish, start or work on four or five projects in a day on average.

Yesterday I finished a postcard for an actor, created a showcase postcard, sent a client new file formats of program notes for his website, created a logo for a Disney-esque teen duo band, had a confusing back-and-forth email correspondence about budget with a guy who needs three band logos, and ordered some business cards for a client.

Do you work full time as a graphic designer?

I also supplement my income with piano accompanist gigs—playing for auditions, classes and shows.

When did you decide to be self-employed?

The graphic design thing has always been something I’ve done alone, and that was definitely part of its appeal. Working for myself allows me to pick and choose what projects I work on, my own rates, and my own hours. I can essentially take a vacation whenever I want, although I’m notoriously terrible at giving myself breaks.

I do sometimes miss having co-workers and a social work atmosphere, and it has crossed my mind to work for a larger design company. That said, I still like my freedom too much! I’ve developed my own aesthetic. And there is something really satisfying about seeing a poster of mine on public display or an ad of mine in Time Out New York and being able to say, “I did that.” Not “my company did that.” Is that egotistical? Maybe, but it’s pretty cool.

How do you find new jobs?

It’s almost purely word-of-mouth, and I feel so incredibly fortunate that I can depend on constant work as a freelancer. I do get some requests from people who have stumbled upon my website, but I’d guess that my Facebook portfolio probably gets the most traffic, and many people message me on there about jobs.

Have you ever collaborated with anyone or an organization? Are you open to collaborations?

I did the graphics for a pilot on Bravo last year, and it was a blast. It was only about a month’s work, but they moved me into my own office in Midtown. I loved sharing an office with other creative folks, so I’m interested in finding other opportunities that allow me to work side-by-side with other people in this way. I’m also interested in finding other graphic designers that I can share work with on occasion.

Are you open to mentorships?

Eventually, yes.

redscandalgraphics.com | 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.

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.

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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.