Hello Creative Launchpad blog audience
As you know we've been flat out at work for the last few weeks trying to tie up loose ends and complete the Nottingham projects, which means we've neglected the 'finer' things in life (like sleeping...)
Nevertheless, we wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a very happy festive season, and here's hoping we all get the chance to recharge our batteries.
Best wishes for a prosperous new year: make sure you tell us all about your progress!!
Carla, Jon and Bianca (and on behalf of Kelly, who no doubt has better things on her mind at the moment!)
Wednesday 19 December 2007
Tuesday 4 December 2007
Well I'm off on my travels next week. I will be meandering around South India and Goa for the next 8 weeks, hoping to expand my knowledge of the world and gain inspiration for my own creative work.
Although on holiday I know my entrepreneurial brain will still be ticking away, I’m hoping I manage to find some beautiful trinkets to import (making sure the people who make them are paid fairly and the products manufactured ethically) or at least the opportunity to start a plastic bottle recycling scheme for the beaches of Goa… Lets see what my next hair brained idea will be …. :)
I’ve started filling a new sketch book (ideas map) which I am praying will be full to the brim on my return. Most importantly since starting my business 5 years ago I haven’t really had a proper holiday and I can’t wait for the “down time” When you are running your own business there is rarely a moment when you can “switch off”.
The down time will allow me to think hard about the future for Carpet-Burns; more importantly how I want to develop myself professionally. Its only now ive had time away from my business I can see the real value and importance of maintaining a good life work balance.
Although on holiday I know my entrepreneurial brain will still be ticking away, I’m hoping I manage to find some beautiful trinkets to import (making sure the people who make them are paid fairly and the products manufactured ethically) or at least the opportunity to start a plastic bottle recycling scheme for the beaches of Goa… Lets see what my next hair brained idea will be …. :)
I’ve started filling a new sketch book (ideas map) which I am praying will be full to the brim on my return. Most importantly since starting my business 5 years ago I haven’t really had a proper holiday and I can’t wait for the “down time” When you are running your own business there is rarely a moment when you can “switch off”.
The down time will allow me to think hard about the future for Carpet-Burns; more importantly how I want to develop myself professionally. Its only now ive had time away from my business I can see the real value and importance of maintaining a good life work balance.
Thursday 29 November 2007
Blogging resources
We're not ashamed to publish Antonio's list of resources on our blog so that you have to visit it to view them!
The Social Network Makeover: Resources
"Listening"
http://reader.google.com: The best RSS reader in my opinion.
(There are others)
Reading blogs:
Get out there and find them!
http://technorati.com: Great blog search engine. Find the blogs that
are talking about what you're interested in.
http://google.com: You can also use the Google Blog Search
Blog Examples:
http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/: Excellent blog on worldwide art
http://techcrunch.com: Good one for new tech stuff - won't always be
interesting but they do cover all the new, major social networking
sites.
http://wishfulthinking.co.uk: A great example of a creative industries blog. Useful content, regularly updated.
Writing blogs:
Clear Blogging By Bob Walsh:
http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Blogging-People-Changing-World/dp/1590596919/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-3198394-4972417?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183409076&sr=8-1
Blogging Platforms:
http://wordpress.org (if you want your own domain name)
http://wordpress.com (easier and simpler but you can't use your own
domain name unless you do a simple redirect)
http://blogger.com (Very simple blogging platform)
Online Video:
http://youtube.com : Great for all-round use.
http://www.brightcove.com: More professional setup, more versatile but
harder to use. Enables you to sell online
http://www.jumpcut.com: Great for beginners - you can edit the video online
Podcasting:
http://odeo.com/ : Good place to start
http://www.channel4.com/4talent/feature.jsp?id=127: Intro to
podcasting - also check the videos for more!
Social Networking:
http://myspace.com
http://facebook.com: I have a feeling Facebook is going to be very
important over the next few years. At the moment it's a personal
networking tool but I think they could be very successful in bringing
it into business.
http://del.icio.us/: Use this whatever you do. It's brilliant.
http://squidoo.com: Definitely worth checking out - could be a big
player in the future.
http://flickr.com: For photography but you can also use it for other
sorts of visual imagery.
http://shapeshifters.net: Interesting online community for creative people
Miscellaneous Tools and Links:
http://analytics.google.com : Find out who's visiting your site.
http://feedburner.com: For the more technical of you - soup up your RSS feed
http://antoniogould.com : Check out the "Articles" category - most of
them should be relevant. If you have a comment, please leave it and
let me know!
http://www.channel4.com/4talent/feature.jsp?id=181: New Media 4Casts -
a series of podcasts I've produced over the last year on new media for
creative people
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.10/tail.html : The original Long
Tail article
Other misc. pages used in presentation:
Global Microbrand: http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/001976.html
Long Tail Diagram: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Long_tail.svg
English Cut Tailors (example of a Global Microbrand): http://www.englishcut.com/
Si hunt: http://www.brightcove.com/channel.jsp?channel=452336500&firstVideo=0
The Black Apple Blog: http://www.theblackapple.typepad.com/
Dismantled on Boing Boing: http://dismantleddesigns.com/index.php/?page_id=17
Rebecca's Flickr Profile:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebba/sets/72157594157565155/
The Social Network Makeover: Resources
"Listening"
http://reader.google.com: The best RSS reader in my opinion.
(There are others)
Reading blogs:
Get out there and find them!
http://technorati.com: Great blog search engine. Find the blogs that
are talking about what you're interested in.
http://google.com: You can also use the Google Blog Search
Blog Examples:
http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/: Excellent blog on worldwide art
http://techcrunch.com: Good one for new tech stuff - won't always be
interesting but they do cover all the new, major social networking
sites.
http://wishfulthinking.co.uk: A great example of a creative industries blog. Useful content, regularly updated.
Writing blogs:
Clear Blogging By Bob Walsh:
http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Blogging-People-Changing-World/dp/1590596919/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-3198394-4972417?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183409076&sr=8-1
Blogging Platforms:
http://wordpress.org (if you want your own domain name)
http://wordpress.com (easier and simpler but you can't use your own
domain name unless you do a simple redirect)
http://blogger.com (Very simple blogging platform)
Online Video:
http://youtube.com : Great for all-round use.
http://www.brightcove.com: More professional setup, more versatile but
harder to use. Enables you to sell online
http://www.jumpcut.com: Great for beginners - you can edit the video online
Podcasting:
http://odeo.com/ : Good place to start
http://www.channel4.com/4talent/feature.jsp?id=127: Intro to
podcasting - also check the videos for more!
Social Networking:
http://myspace.com
http://facebook.com: I have a feeling Facebook is going to be very
important over the next few years. At the moment it's a personal
networking tool but I think they could be very successful in bringing
it into business.
http://del.icio.us/: Use this whatever you do. It's brilliant.
http://squidoo.com: Definitely worth checking out - could be a big
player in the future.
http://flickr.com: For photography but you can also use it for other
sorts of visual imagery.
http://shapeshifters.net: Interesting online community for creative people
Miscellaneous Tools and Links:
http://analytics.google.com : Find out who's visiting your site.
http://feedburner.com: For the more technical of you - soup up your RSS feed
http://antoniogould.com : Check out the "Articles" category - most of
them should be relevant. If you have a comment, please leave it and
let me know!
http://www.channel4.com/4talent/feature.jsp?id=181: New Media 4Casts -
a series of podcasts I've produced over the last year on new media for
creative people
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.10/tail.html : The original Long
Tail article
Other misc. pages used in presentation:
Global Microbrand: http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/001976.html
Long Tail Diagram: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Long_tail.svg
English Cut Tailors (example of a Global Microbrand): http://www.englishcut.com/
Si hunt: http://www.brightcove.com/channel.jsp?channel=452336500&firstVideo=0
The Black Apple Blog: http://www.theblackapple.typepad.com/
Dismantled on Boing Boing: http://dismantleddesigns.com/index.php/?page_id=17
Rebecca's Flickr Profile:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebba/sets/72157594157565155/
Wednesday 28 November 2007
Blog revamp!
Four months on from our first inspiring meeting with Antonio Gould, social media consultant, our blog has begun, but it's not quite working out. Today, three of the Launchpad team sat in on Antonio's blogging seminar, similar to the talk he did at Etsy in New York. During the seminar, Antonio asked the team how we felt the blog was going, and more importantly he asked our audience what they wanted from our blog. Two great suggestions were an opportunity to feedback and respond to the service we provide and the training sessions we put on, as well as a list of useful resources that we commonly refer people to. Well, I'm at home so I don't have access to the resources at the moment, but I'll add them soon. In the meantime, the twenty people that attended all promised to visit our blog and comment on it... and let's hope they do!
Tuesday 13 November 2007
Take the entreprenuerial route and stop living in a box!
The “just do it” approach is something Richard Branson is famed for. His can do approach now means he is one of the best loved and most successful entrepreneurs in the UK, possibly even the world. Being himself and enjoying every moment is key to his success.
After reading his autobiography and actually meeting him in the flesh last week it’s clear that even the most inspirational and successful entrepreneurs have self confidence issues. However we don’t grow unless we take risks, which in turn allows us to gain the confidence we need to pursue our dreams and “Screw it, Just do it”
After reading his autobiography and actually meeting him in the flesh last week it’s clear that even the most inspirational and successful entrepreneurs have self confidence issues. However we don’t grow unless we take risks, which in turn allows us to gain the confidence we need to pursue our dreams and “Screw it, Just do it”
Wednesday 19 September 2007
Why is professional a dirty word for creatives?
It is shocking to me that so many creative people wince when the word professional is mentioned, and I’d be interested to know what it is about the word and what it signifies that is so appalling! Having studied Fine Art and having worked in a number of arts venues and organisations in Nottingham, it is amusing to observe that this is such a widely proliferated phenomenon: perhaps this has something to do with my own interpretation of what it means to be professional.
I think of the word professional as denoting a standard that all working people should reach in order to foster a level of trust and reliability between individuals and organisations – no man is an island, and in the working world it is almost impossible to work in complete isolation, meaning that most people have to rely on others at times. When you develop working relationships with others, a certain level of professionalism is assumed. Like good grammar, a professional attitude ought to be invisible: it is only when it is lacking that it is noticeable. It seems to me that it has become remarkable to meet someone professional, just as it is remarkable to find text without grammatical mistakes!
A friend of mine, whom I greatly admire, is an advocate for amateurism in the arts.
She once wrote to me, remarking on a quote from artist John Coplans (if memory serves) who said that he always wanted to remain an amateur, because that would mean everything he did, he did out of love..
http://dictionary.reference.com/ (which provides RSS feeds – perfect for those wanting to expand their vocabulary and improve their English) gives this definition of amateur:
1. a person who engages in a study, sport, or other activity for pleasure rather than for financial benefit or professional reasons. Compare professional.
2. an athlete who has never competed for payment or for a monetary prize.
3. a person inexperienced or unskilled in a particular activity: Hunting lions is not for amateurs.
4. a person who admires something; devotee; fan: an amateur of the cinema. –adjective
5. characteristic of or engaged in by an amateur; nonprofessional: an amateur painter; amateur tennis.
Perhaps it is this love and devotion to their work that means creatives think ill of professionalism – there is almost a sense that genuine creative work is created out of love, that it contains a human touch. Do creative people think that becoming professional means falling out of love with their work?
The Beatles told us money can’t buy love, though many people investing in creativity might contest that. A genuine devotion to work can be very valuable in marketing and selling work. One thing that is sure, though, is that love can’t provide an income and perhaps it is time to challenge those ideas that make professionalism so unappealing. After all, a professional attitude might just improve your chances of continuing to do what you love.
I think of the word professional as denoting a standard that all working people should reach in order to foster a level of trust and reliability between individuals and organisations – no man is an island, and in the working world it is almost impossible to work in complete isolation, meaning that most people have to rely on others at times. When you develop working relationships with others, a certain level of professionalism is assumed. Like good grammar, a professional attitude ought to be invisible: it is only when it is lacking that it is noticeable. It seems to me that it has become remarkable to meet someone professional, just as it is remarkable to find text without grammatical mistakes!
A friend of mine, whom I greatly admire, is an advocate for amateurism in the arts.
She once wrote to me, remarking on a quote from artist John Coplans (if memory serves) who said that he always wanted to remain an amateur, because that would mean everything he did, he did out of love..
http://dictionary.reference.com/ (which provides RSS feeds – perfect for those wanting to expand their vocabulary and improve their English) gives this definition of amateur:
1. a person who engages in a study, sport, or other activity for pleasure rather than for financial benefit or professional reasons. Compare professional.
2. an athlete who has never competed for payment or for a monetary prize.
3. a person inexperienced or unskilled in a particular activity: Hunting lions is not for amateurs.
4. a person who admires something; devotee; fan: an amateur of the cinema. –adjective
5. characteristic of or engaged in by an amateur; nonprofessional: an amateur painter; amateur tennis.
Perhaps it is this love and devotion to their work that means creatives think ill of professionalism – there is almost a sense that genuine creative work is created out of love, that it contains a human touch. Do creative people think that becoming professional means falling out of love with their work?
The Beatles told us money can’t buy love, though many people investing in creativity might contest that. A genuine devotion to work can be very valuable in marketing and selling work. One thing that is sure, though, is that love can’t provide an income and perhaps it is time to challenge those ideas that make professionalism so unappealing. After all, a professional attitude might just improve your chances of continuing to do what you love.
Monday 3 September 2007
Welcome to the first Creative Launchpad (creativelaunchpad.co.uk) blog.
We have finally decided to take our own advice about blogging and get one started, mainly thanks to Antonio Gould (antoniogould.com) who delivered an excellent session for us on blogging and podcasting for your business recently.
Antonio made a convincing case for the fact that no one working in the creative industries in 2007 can afford to ignore the developments that have taken place in recent years, making the liveweb an effective international shop window for all types of businesses – and there are loads of ways to do that for free.
In the coming weeks you can expect blogs from all the members of the Creative Launchpad team about issues that we think are important to creative individuals – not necessarily what we are funded for, or what our targets are – but what we think you want to hear about.
Each team member has their own specialism and interests as well as their own individual pet hates and loves, so this will be an opportunity for us to share them.
So the next time that one of us goes off on an office rant about the lack of dirty workspace, or funding or why creative people don’t like to make money, we’ll tell them to get blogging!
We have finally decided to take our own advice about blogging and get one started, mainly thanks to Antonio Gould (antoniogould.com) who delivered an excellent session for us on blogging and podcasting for your business recently.
Antonio made a convincing case for the fact that no one working in the creative industries in 2007 can afford to ignore the developments that have taken place in recent years, making the liveweb an effective international shop window for all types of businesses – and there are loads of ways to do that for free.
In the coming weeks you can expect blogs from all the members of the Creative Launchpad team about issues that we think are important to creative individuals – not necessarily what we are funded for, or what our targets are – but what we think you want to hear about.
Each team member has their own specialism and interests as well as their own individual pet hates and loves, so this will be an opportunity for us to share them.
So the next time that one of us goes off on an office rant about the lack of dirty workspace, or funding or why creative people don’t like to make money, we’ll tell them to get blogging!
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