Confession: I didn’t start networking because I’d heard it was the newest fad in self-promotion, or because I was looking to increase my business. Nope. I started networking because I’d just had a baby, and those once-a-week networking lunches gave me an excuse to get out of the house, and get some much-needed adult conversation.

So…once a week, I’d get dressed up nice in my post-maternity outfit (which, by the way, looked an awful lot like my actual maternity outfits!), and go spend 90 minutes eating good food and talking about grown-up stuff…with a little business talk thrown in for good measure.

See, because my main priority was something other than business, I didn’t have to wear my salesperson hat. Instead, I focused on learning about the members of the group, and building relationships with them. And wouldn’t ya know it? Over time, as the people in the group got to know me, I began getting business. It was then that I realized the remarkable power behind building a professional network, and that to make networking WORK, I had to build relationships!

Since that first networking experience way back when, I’ve gone from a reluctant networker to an avid networker, and now I even run my own monthly networking group. For me, networking is not – and has never been – about selling…otherwise it would be called “net-selling” or “sell-working” (both of which evoke images of over-aggressive used-car salesmen types.) Maybe a more apt term would be “relationship working,” or better yet, “relationship building,” because ultimately that’s what successful networkers are doing: building a network of professionals with whom they have a relationship or connection with.

So the next time someone mentions networking, or invites you to an event, leave your salesperson hat at home. Go meet some people, be yourself and have fun! Eventually, what you do for a living will come up…but by that time, they’ll already love you, and will be more than happy to start sending business your way!

Join me next time, as I continue my journey Out of the Bedroom,
Tamar Wallace | Principal, TAMAR Graphics

Wow. I always get a bit nostalgic when a year ends and a new one begins. And as I close out 2007, I thought it only fitting that I revisit the goals I set for myself right here, six months ago, and see what got checked off…and what didn’t (whoops!)

As a reminder, here are the goals I listed in my July 3, 2007 post:

• Spend one hour each day working on marketing my business
• Finish and submit book proposal
• Write a press release regarding this column for Create Magazine’s Fall issue
• Finish bulk of website update
• Begin focusing marketing efforts on my niche areas
• Connect with one prospect per week
• Join my local Chamber of Commerce
• Develop e-newsletter
• Develop and write out my official “process” and put together marketing packets
• Write one press release per month
• Continue with monthly networking group, and add one more networking event per month
• Win a Design Award

Alrighty then. Let’s see what’s been accomplished, what hasn’t, and what will be continued into 2008.

Goal #1: Spend one hour each day working on marketing my business.
Outcome: I’m sorry to say that this has been a tough one to implement into my daily routine. I know how important it is, but sometimes those paying projects come first…or household chores…or family obligations. I will continue to work on this, but will start out smaller – maybe one hour per week.

Goal #2: Finish and submit book proposal.
Outcome: This was a top priority at one time, but has since fallen to the bottom. It’s still something I want to accomplish, but I found myself spread extremely thin the last three months of the year, and I don’t want to over-extend myself with yet another project. I’ll add this to my 2008 goals, but as something to be done during a slow period.

Goal #3: Write a press release regarding this column for Create Magazine’s Fall issue.
Outcome: This goal gets a big, fat check mark. Not only did I write and submit the press release, but I (and the column) got a mention in the Scoop section of Create Magazine Northeast Sept/Oct 2007 issue.

Goal #4: Finish bulk of website update.
Outcome: Don’t get me wrong, there’s still much I want (and need) to do to my website, but I’ve got all the important bits up there. So…maybe I’ll give this one a half of a check mark.

Goal #5: Connect with one prospect per week.
Outcome: I’ll admit I have not been as diligent as I should have been with this one. I have definitely been keeping up with prospects, but not on a weekly basis. I’ll keep this one on my goal list for 2008, though, as I think it’s a very good goal to work towards.

Goal #6: Join my local Chamber of Commerce.
Outcome: I have not yet committed to joining a chamber, but I am involved with my local one, as I hold my monthly networking meetings there. There are several different Chambers I’m considering, though, and I expect to make a decision and join one during the first quarter of 2008.

Goal #7: Develop e-newsletter.
Outcome: Wow. Yet again, another goal that I can’t check off my list. Sheesh! Did I get ANYTHING accomplished this year?!? An e-newsletter just was not a priority these last few months.

Goal #8: Develop and write out my official “process” and put together marketing packets
Outcome: This is not finished, but I have been working on refining my process, and getting it down on paper. I’ve also started working on items to include in my marketing packets – I just need to finish it all and then put it together.

Goal #9: Write one press release per month.
Outcome: FINALLY! A goal I can check off my list! Fortunately, I’ve had a lot of good stuff to write about, so I have been able to get out my press releases pretty regularly.

Goal #10: Continue with monthly networking group, and add one more networking event per month.
Outcome: While I haven’t added one regular monthly event, I’ve been attending a wide variety of networking opportunities, both online and off. I’ve made some very solid connections and will continue this throughout the New Year.

Goal #11: Win a Design award.
Outcome: I am very happy to say that my diligence and hard work has paid off, and in 2007, I was the recipient of not one, but three design awards (two 2007 American Graphic Design Awards, and a Creativity 37 Silver Award.)

Okay. Those were my official goals. While I may not have accomplished as many of them as I would have liked, I have accomplished much that wasn’t on my list:

• Joined a goal accountability group that has really helped keep me on track.
• Joined quarterlife.com as the contributing Graphic Design Expert.
• Went back to school, and got an A-average my first term back.
• Landed several large clients with some really exciting projects.
• Had my work published in numerous Graphic Design compilations.
• Started an online store with items specifically for graphic designers and creative professionals.
• Witnessed my beloved Red Sox 2nd World Series Championship in four years.
• Rooted my New England Patriots on to their best-ever regular season…and hopefully another Super Bowl win. (Okay, I know neither of these last two “accomplishments” are mine, and certainly have nothing to do with my business goals, but as an avid sports fan living in the Boston area, they have definitely been a big part of my year, and deserve mention.)
• Overall, just had one of the best years in a long time, both personally and professionally.

And there you have it. I’m still a ways away from my ultimate goal – getting out of the bedroom – but I’m a lot closer than I was just six months ago. So, what can I say? It’s the end of the year as we know it, and I feel fine…And I’m looking forward to an even better 2008!

Join me next time, as I continue my journey Out of the Bedroom,
Tamar Wallace | Principal, TAMAR Graphics

No, I’m not going to wax philosophical, or debate religion. And I am not referring to clients – although it wouldn’t be much of a stretch…

What I do want to talk about, though, is how inspiration can strike anytime…and - pardon the cliché - especially when you least expect it.

One night recently, while in bed reading one of my NY Times Bestsellers, I came across this, “Remembrance was a Buddhist philosopher’s trick. Rather than asking [your] mind to search for a solution to a potentially impossible challenge, [you] ask [your] mind simply to remember it. The presupposition that one once knew the answer created the mindset that the answer must exist…thus eliminating the crippling conception of hopelessness.”

Now, I have no idea if this little “trick” is, in fact, based on a Buddhist philosopher (and yes, I did do a brief search online, to no avail), but my initial thought was that this would be a great technique for solving problems of any type…even creative ones.

Since I first read that quote, I’ve had numerous opportunities to put it to the test. I’ve used the “remembrance” technique to help determine how to bid on a project I hadn’t done before. I also used it to help me come up with concepts for a logo that I was struggling with – I came up with one concept easily, but I needed two more. So rather than sitting there, staring at my blank sketchbook, wondering what the heck I was going to do for those other two concepts, I decided that I had just forgotten what the other two concepts were going to be, and all I needed to do was to remember them!

Now, I’d be lying if I said that the answers came to me immediately, but once I changed how I was approaching the problem, the next time I sat down with my sketchbook, the ideas just flowed. And I was able to come up with two more concepts to present to my client.

I even used the remembrance trick to help me “remember” a layout concept for a website design I was recently working on. I’d come up with three design concepts, but I wasn’t happy with one of them – it was very similar to one of the other versions. Right around that time, I had an appointment to get to, and was forced to step away from the computer, allowing me to focus on the problem with only my head. Again, I changed how I was viewing the problem, and tried to just remember a better design solution. By the time I reached my destination, I was able to sketch out a new website layout on a piece of scrap paper I found in my purse (okay, if you really must know, it was the back of my grocery list…but I digress.)

So on three separate occasions, I was able to put this Buddhist philosopher’s trick to the test, and it worked. In fact, anytime I get stuck on something now, I use this technique before anything else.

Sometimes, all it takes is a little memory jog to clear our heads of those Angels and Demons, and get back to business.

Join me next time, as I continue my journey Out of the Bedroom,
Tamar Wallace | Principal, TAMAR Graphics

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day, saying that all of the sudden, I’m just so busy. I’m getting bigger clients, bigger projects, referrals left and right, and was even recently asked to be the guest of honor at a business networking event. His response was that it was much like the musician who spends years playing weddings and rinky-dink bars, only to become an “overnight success.”

So yeah, “all of the sudden” I’m busy, and some great opportunities are coming my way…but the reality is that it’s taken more than eight years to get to this point. I feel like I’ve paid my dues, and am finally starting to reap the benefits from all of my hard work and effort.

When I started TAMAR Graphics, I had no idea what I was doing…and learned pretty much through trial and error (oh, if only Business of Design Online had been around back then…) But I stuck it out.

When I lost my main client (who provided 90% of my income – not something I recommend, by the way), I was so ready to throw in the towel, but was fortunate enough to be in a situation financially where I could try to rebuild…and I did.

When my son was born, I went through another transition, and wondered if trying to build a business while adjusting to my new role as “mother” was too much. Again I decided to tough it out.

So by the time we moved, I figured I could handle the challenges of rebuilding my business in a new and unfamiliar area with my eyes closed. Okay, so maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but I really wasn’t prepared for the challenges I faced. Who knew geography plays such a big role when it comes to marketing and promoting a business? I sure didn’t.

Once I got here, and realized that I wasn’t going to be able to just walk out my door and get business, I looked at my options.

As networking had been a big help in building business when I was in Austin, I figured I’d give it a try here. Unfortunately, there weren’t any networking groups that seemed like the right fit for me. So I started my own through Meetup.com. It took a really long time to get going, and there were several times when I was the only one there, but with patience and persistence, I built up membership, and now my networking luncheons fill up every month. Now, I’m meeting other business people, making connections and getting referrals from members that have led to some pretty exciting projects. And running my networking group has opened doors to other events and opportunities.

Another tool I used to help get my name out there was to respond to my local Business Journal’s “A Lesson Learned” section. I’m not sure if this was specific to the Boston Business Journal, but every week I used to receive an email asking questions like, “Is networking important to your business?” and “What type of personality does it take to be an entrepreneur?” While I had to keep my responses to 50 words or less, if my response was chosen, it was a free way to get my name – and photo – in the business journal. Unfortunately, the “A Lesson Learned” section has been discontinued, but I got at least one call or email each time my response was featured, so it was well worth the effort for me.

Actually, writing in general has been very successful for me. I started in December 2005 with a free blog on Blogger.com. Then, I started writing this column, which forced me to develop a plan, and document my progress, ultimately holding myself accountable – something I desperately needed. And, as part of my plan, I’ve started writing press releases. In addition to submitting press releases to trade journals, I found PRNewswire.com, which has been invaluable. I received a complimentary 1-year membership complete with one year of free web distribution of my releases. I highly recommend checking them out if you haven’t already.

Of course, I’ve also become more involved in my community and my son’s school, just to meet people…because you just never know who you’ll meet. And whether I meet them through networking events, the community or just by chance, if we connect, I always invite them out for coffee or lunch. That gives me the opportunity to get to know them better, and begin building a relationship – a key to successful networking.

So yeah…as you can see, my “all of the sudden” moment has taken some time and effort. But the point is that I got here. I’ve still got a ways to go before I’m Out of the Bedroom, but hey, if you work hard enough, put in enough time and effort, and pay your dues, maybe you, too, can become an overnight success!

Resources:

Networking
• Meetup
• Biznik - Business Networking that Doesn’t Suck
• Business Networking International (BNI)
• LinkedIn
• ConnectBuzz
• Wild Women Entrepreneurs
• Business Networking Me
• FastPitch
• Bizmeed
• Facebook

Blogging
• Blogger
• WordPress - free blogs
• WordPress.org - Open source blogging software and customizable themes
• Typepad.com

PR Resources
• Writing a Press Release
• PR Newswire
• PRWeb.com
• PRLeap.com

Misc
• Business Journals
• US Chamber of Commerce

Join me next time, as I continue my journey Out of the Bedroom,
Tamar Wallace | Principal, TAMAR Graphics

Okay…I’m bad. I know it. It’s been a month since my last post, and I’m sorry! However, my delay has been for good reason. And, as it’s been nearly three months since first getting “Down and Dirty” and putting my 3-month plan down on virtual paper, I thought it only fair to give you an update.

So let’s start with the bad news first. For starters, while I have written most of my book proposal (and by most, I mean I have an outline done), I have yet to type it up and send it off. But in all honesty, that has been put on the back burner. Second, and this is a big one, I have not yet finished my website. Ugh…I know, I know. That should have been priority number one…but hey, have YOU finished yours? Seriously, though, my problem is that once I get going, it’s hard for me to stop and switch gears, so I put it off until I know I’ll have a good chunk of time to devote to it. Obviously I have yet to find that chunk…

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, it’s time for the good news: what I HAVE been doing, and why I’m so excited about it all.

First off, I did manage to get my press release about the launch of this column written and submitted to Create Magazine by their deadline. And even better, I just found out that it got a mention in the Scoop section of the Sept/Oct 2007 Northeast edition. And BoDo got a plug in there, too!

Second…no, I didn’t finish my site (specifically the portfolio section), but I did figure out how to customize a WordPress theme to match my site. So I’ll be launching my official business blog soon.

I’ve been pretty good about connecting with prospective and former clients, which hasn’t brought much in the form of new business yet, but I think that’s not unusual. These things take time.

Speaking of taking time, the monthly networking group I run is finally starting to pay off! After 15 months, I’m starting to get business and referrals from the members in my group. Of course, now that I know more people, I’m also able to give business and referrals, so maybe that has something to do with it, too…

What else…I’ve gotten a few big projects lately that I’m really excited about, and a few proposal requests – also for big projects. And I’ve finally determined my geographic target area, and have been developing a plan to market to that area.

Also, I’ve been meeting my goal of sending out one press release per month, most recently for winning two 2007 American Graphic Design Awards – yup, I can finally cross “Win a Design Award” off my to-do list!

And finally, after much thought, I’ve decided to go back to school to finish my degree. I received my letter of acceptance into the degree program at the beginning of the month.

So see? I’ve been a busy little bee…and everything that I have accomplished gets me one step closer to my goal: moving my office ‘Out of the Bedroom!’

Okay…Maybe I haven’t stuck strictly to my original goal (or guideline) plan, but by giving myself those guidelines, I’ve been able to accomplish other things…like determining my geographic target area, and getting more referrals through my networking group. Now it’s time to revisit my plan, and figure out what my priorities will be for the next three months..until something unexpected comes along and changes the course.

Now if only I could finish that darn website…

Join me next time, as I continue my journey Out of the Bedroom,
Tamar Wallace | Principal, TAMAR Graphics

I am stuck. Creatively, that is.

The majority of my bread-and butter work right now is more template-based, production-style work, than real creative stuff. And while I do get plenty of web design work, once the design itself is done, I have to kick into “code mode,” which isn’t something I find particularly creative. And don’t even think about having me try to switch between “code” and “creative” modes – that’s nearly impossible!

So, given that 75% of my work doesn’t require that much creativity, I’m always looking for creative projects. I mean, who isn’t in this field, right?

Well, recently, I got a nice, creative project. I was pretty excited to get back to my desk and start working on it. But when I finally DID start working on it, I realized I didn’t have any ideas. So I started with my usual tactics…writing down words that I associated with the business – feelings, adjectives, colors – just a stream-of-consciousness list of words, hoping to spark something spectacular.

Once I did that, I looked at my list, and gave it a good, hard, looking at…only to realize I didn’t have anything more than I did before, except this list of words. Then, I decided to assign blame: I couldn’t come up with anything because I’m not so good at drawing. Now, I am working on that, and taking some drawing lessons, but I thought maybe my skills weren’t quite far enough along, and that’s why I didn’t have any great ideas.

So there I was, staring at this list of words, mad because my drawing skills weren’t where I wanted them to be, when I had a thought: IF I could draw whatever I wanted to, and my skills were where I wanted them to be, WHAT would I draw? Again, I drew a blank (pun…intended.)

At that point, I finally realized what was going on. It had nothing to do with the list of words, or the fact that I couldn’t draw the way I wanted to. I was stuck. Plain and simple. I had a creative block. Now that I had a realistic grasp of the problem, I knew I could begin to find the solution.

That’s where I am today. I’m still a bit stuck, but I’m working on it. I’ve found a lot of great resources (see below) to help get unstuck…but for me, the biggest thing has been realizing that as a designer, I’m expected to create on-demand. And as a solopreneur, the task of creating falls solely on me. Given that, how can we be expected to be creative ALL the time? Writer’s have Writer’s Block. Creatives have Creative Blocks. It makes sense to me. But what do you do when you’re on a deadline?!?

Well, now that I know what the issue is, and have found a bunch of resources, I’m working on a way to help prevent this in the future. Little things, like spending 10 minutes everyday before I start my work doing a creative exercise (like those found in Caffeine for the Creative Mind by Stefan Mumaw and Wendy Lee Oldfield or Designers in Handcuffs by Pat Matson Knapp), or taking a 15 minute walk in the park to clear my head and get away from the computer, or listening to some podcasts about creativity and creative blocks.

While there is one project that’s still giving me a little trouble creatively, I can tell I’m getting close. I’m actually starting to look at the problem differently, rather than using my usual methods of problem solving, and I’m starting to feel excited about the project again.

Now, I know this article is a little bit off-track, given the topic of my column, but I figured I’m not the only one that faces creative blocks, and thought I’d share some of my experiences and resources. Because the bottom line is that as designers and creatives, we ARE expected to create on-demand, and more often than not, with a deadline that doesn’t allow much room if we do get stuck.

So here’s a list of resources that I’ve found, and if you have any resources, tips or tricks that you use to help overcome creative blocks, I’d LOVE to hear them!

Resources:

Books

• Creative Utopia: 12 Ways to Realize Total Creativity, Theo Stephan Williams
• Designers in Handcuffs: How to create great graphics when time, materials and money are tight, Pat Matson Knapp
• Caffeine for the Creative Mind: 250 Exercises to Wake up Your Brain, Stefan Mumaw and Wendy Lee Oldfield
• Creative Sparks, Jim Krause
• Zing!: Five Steps and 101 Tips for Creativity On Command, by Sam Harrison
• Ideaspotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea, by Sam Harrison

Online Resources

• Accidental Creative
• Creativity to Spare
• Design Guy
• Media Artists Secrets, Franklin McMahon
• SketcheeBook
• Killer Innovations

Join me next time, as I continue my journey Out of the Bedroom,
Tamar Wallace | Principal, TAMAR Graphics

Have you ever had one of those days where you were super busy, doing a bunch of little things, but by the end of the day you felt like you hadn’t accomplished anything? A day where the pile of work on your desk didn’t get any smaller… and nothing really got crossed off your to-do list?

Well, I had that day last week.

When I first woke up, I assumed I had plenty of time to get everything done. Sure, throughout the day I had small interruptions, like a sink full of dirty dishes, breakfast/lunch/snack for my son, and plenty of potty breaks (oh, the joy of working from home while potty training!). And of course, because I had so much to do, the kiddo decided to not take his nap.

So… in between food and potty training, I managed to get some little things knocked out. I returned some important client emails, and sent out some follow-up emails to a few people I met at an event earlier in the week. I organized the details for my next networking group event, and sent out an announcement email to my member list, as well as to those who’d requested the information. I finished a client project (a day ahead of schedule, I might add!), invoiced the client, and even made a pact with a friend to finish our websites (by 8/1!). Then before I knew it, it was time to wrap everything up for the day, and go make dinner.

Looking back over it all, it seems like I DID get a lot done… but the only thing I was able to cross off my list was the client project. So how is it that I got a lot done, but managed to accomplish very little?

And then I had an epiphany… an “Aha!” moment, if you will.

All those “little things” – emailing clients, organizing my monthly networking group, following up with new contacts, invoicing, etc. – those are all things integral to the daily running and marketing of my business. The problem is, that while I continue to do those things every day, I haven’t been accounting for them in my to-do list. Heck, I didn’t even account for writing this article! And yet these tasks are just as important as the bigger items on my list.

So between this, and realizing that my to-do list is merely a set of guidelines, I’ve come to a new conclusion. Yes, it’s true, I don’t have the best time management skills… yet. But I’m getting better. And I’m going to go over my upcoming weekly to-do list, and see where I need to start fitting in the “little things.”

Yeah, maybe this all seems like a no-brainer, but honestly, I’ve never sat down and thought about it. Those things just get done, and then at the end of the day, I look at my list and wonder, “What did I do all day?“. Well, now I will wonder no more. Because now I know that in order to stay on track, it really is all about the little things.

Join me next time, as I continue my journey Out of the Bedroom,
Tamar Wallace | Principal, TAMAR Graphics

“Losers are people who are so afraid of not winning, they don’t even try.” (Grandpa, Little Miss Sunshine)

So…my plan for this article had been to write about everything I’ve accomplished in the last two weeks and the steps I’d taken towards fulfilling the next set of goals on my list. At least that had been the plan.

Of course, life had other plans for me, like a broken down car, and a child who just doesn’t understand why Mommy can’t play right now. And every time something took me away from actively trying to accomplish those goals, I’d feel awful.

Sure, I got out the press release for Create Magazine on time, and I wrote my book proposal. But I didn’t submit it, and as of last night, the proposal was 10 days past my self-imposed deadline. And on top of that, I’m nowhere near where I wanted to be with my website update.

So when I saw the movie, Little Miss Sunshine, for the first time two nights ago, the line, “Losers are people who are so afraid of not winning, they don’t even try,” really hit home. Hard.

Then a friend of mine helped me put things in perspective. He helped me realize that I am trying – that regardless of my personal fears and insecurities, I am making a conscious effort everyday to meet my goals and rebuild a successful business. A successful businessman himself, he explained that in business, goals are merely guidelines. Things can happen unexpectedly and deadlines get missed, but there’s always tomorrow. And as much as I hate to admit it, he’s right.

So after talking to him, I revisited my to-do list, and looked at what was done (my press release), what needed to be done (writing this article), and what could be done tomorrow (typing up and submitting my book proposal.) And…yeah, maybe I was slightly over zealous with my three-month plan. Or maybe it’s a case of poor planning. The truth is, that while I hadn’t expected my plan to be without bumps in the road, I certainly didn’t expect to run into them so soon.

Fortunately, though, I’ve just started this process, and I can make adjustments as I go along. So, I’m going to take my friend’s advice, and reprioritize my goals…I mean “guidelines.” And yes, I’m going to start thinking of my three-month plan as more of a guide to help me reach my ultimate goal: moving my office out of the bedroom. It’s funny how just changing “goals” to “guidelines” seems to take the pressure off a little, but still motivates me to action. Man, how I wish I’d figured that out sooner!

So to recap: I made a three-month plan of things to do. I met one of my deadlines, and missed one. I learned that I may have bitten off more than I can chew, once I actually started working on my list and came across that first bump in the road. But with a little help from my friends, I realized that the bumps are nothing in the grand scheme of things, and I’ve regrouped, refocused, and am ready to get right back on track to meet my next set of goals…whoops, I mean guidelines.

Join me next time, as I continue my journey Out of the Bedroom,
Tamar Wallace | Principal, TAMAR Graphics