I'm learning a lot! I had a lingering question about how to license myself as a performer in Washington, Oregon, Idaho AND Utah. In my research, I found the Small Business Administration online, and found they are tied closely to SCORE, a volunteer network of mentors to small business owners. I met with a couple of nice gentlemen at SCORE in Boise.
Their short answer to my original question was call the Secretary of State in Idaho. That's the agency in charge of business licensing in Idaho. It's funny. I knew that agency was where I'd end up, but I had never considered just calling and asking. As much as it has helped in the past, my independent streak may be my undoing. It's been fun thinking up this plan, but that seems to be as far as I get. Even now, I'm here writing about my plan again, instead of acting on the ideas I'm writing about.
I will definitely give myself credit for writing, though. I know myself well enough to know that writing puts everything deep in my head. It's my story and I believe the story, so I act on it. It's more than that, too. Writing keeps my front brain busy and focuses my subconscious while it does the real hard work. After a session of focused writing, I will just start doing the things I need to next. No list needed. I often don't even do the things I write about doing.
So I told the SCORE guys my initial plan to contact libraries and schools along my route, now from Olympia to Salt Lake City each month. I would offer them a pamphlet with my information and a couple of programs I could do for them. I told this plan to my friend Rebecca once, and she said I'd likely have appointments on the spot at some places.
The SCORE mentors suggested a couple of things about this plan. For sure, I need an online presence such as a YouTube channel or blog that has samples of my style and work. They also suggested I get to know the speakers bureaus in the areas I'm interested in and contact them regarding both the business licensing question and for general advice on getting engagements. Finally, they suggested contacting sponsors, or businesses that serve libraries and schools, that may be in better positions to pay me while then offering my services to the libraries and schools as a gesture of good will.
After meeting with them, I began earnestly building my gatekeeper to do list. I don't know if anyone else has one of these, but I started listing all the things I had to have done and ready before I had to contact anyone. I needed a logo, so it wouldn't change later. I need a YouTube channel with lots of content. I need posts on my blog that showed progress and a healthy thriving business attempt. I need more stories -- always more stories!
Their short answer to my original question was call the Secretary of State in Idaho. That's the agency in charge of business licensing in Idaho. It's funny. I knew that agency was where I'd end up, but I had never considered just calling and asking. As much as it has helped in the past, my independent streak may be my undoing. It's been fun thinking up this plan, but that seems to be as far as I get. Even now, I'm here writing about my plan again, instead of acting on the ideas I'm writing about.
I will definitely give myself credit for writing, though. I know myself well enough to know that writing puts everything deep in my head. It's my story and I believe the story, so I act on it. It's more than that, too. Writing keeps my front brain busy and focuses my subconscious while it does the real hard work. After a session of focused writing, I will just start doing the things I need to next. No list needed. I often don't even do the things I write about doing.
So I told the SCORE guys my initial plan to contact libraries and schools along my route, now from Olympia to Salt Lake City each month. I would offer them a pamphlet with my information and a couple of programs I could do for them. I told this plan to my friend Rebecca once, and she said I'd likely have appointments on the spot at some places.
The SCORE mentors suggested a couple of things about this plan. For sure, I need an online presence such as a YouTube channel or blog that has samples of my style and work. They also suggested I get to know the speakers bureaus in the areas I'm interested in and contact them regarding both the business licensing question and for general advice on getting engagements. Finally, they suggested contacting sponsors, or businesses that serve libraries and schools, that may be in better positions to pay me while then offering my services to the libraries and schools as a gesture of good will.
After meeting with them, I began earnestly building my gatekeeper to do list. I don't know if anyone else has one of these, but I started listing all the things I had to have done and ready before I had to contact anyone. I needed a logo, so it wouldn't change later. I need a YouTube channel with lots of content. I need posts on my blog that showed progress and a healthy thriving business attempt. I need more stories -- always more stories!
But mostly I just need to do it! All of it. My brain says do it all now and then I do nothing. I'm ready now to break it all into projects. Each with a simple next step that I can get to when I can.
GO!
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