Often we don’t have to reinvent the wheel to learn something new – we can just ask experts in the field who can draw on their experience to enlighten us. Below, we’ve shared insights insiders from various industries have shared with us.

Jeanne Rietzke | Artist and Writer

I have been a fine artist for over 30 years. Unless you are a fine artist, you don’t realize how expensive creating, selling, and marketing art has become. Everything has become a burden on the artist, from the tube of paint to reproductions of originals to websites to entry fees and commissions. I have calculated that creating, marketing, and selling one large painting can cost $1000.00. My large pieces sell for $1650.00. If commissions are involved (thirty to fifty percent), I don’t make any money. People need to understand this when looking at art. Read more>>

Aurielle Bryan | Executive Director of Media Services & Filmmaker

When we meet with potential clients who have never worked with a media production company or a creative agency before, the one thing that continues to surprise them is the amount of time it takes to see the fruit labors (aka ROI). One arm of our company helps businesses visually package their brands in order to be ready for the marketplace. This could mean anything from brand design and strategy to commercials to web design to marketing strategies; none of these things produce instant results. They can take months (and in some cases over a year) to begin to see the results. Read more>>

Virginia Rose | Indie Author & Artist

Probably the biggest thing is that writing is actually a pretty small part of being an indie author. I thought going into it that all I had to do was write a book and publish it, but that has been far from the truth. I think a lot of people don’t realize, that being an indie author makes you the owner of a small business. I’ll probably end up spending far more time marketing my book, than I actual did writing it. Read more>>