Reflection

Both the Better World Project and Launch Project have taught me that, despite any mental or creative blocks that I may be facing, it is imperative to move forward in taking initiative within whatever project is at hand. There are always small improvements to be made towards growth, whether it be addressing your network, brand, social media presence, etc. For example, I was struggling to brainstorm new flash ideas for my appearance at the Clark Collective and eventually settled on drawing a pickle jar with ladybugs inside of it, titling the piece "Lucky Pickles". At the following pop-up this piece was the only one sold, the buyer telling me that it made her smile because of her love for pickles and the fact that she had just had a spillage incident a night or so before visiting my table.  I was so glad to have made a sale while connecting with this customer, thanking myself for persevering through the creative block and putting the pickle jar to paper. 

I also learned the importance of connecting with my audience/target demographic. For the Better World Project, I was in contact with two local tattoo artists who were incredibly willing to be a part of my project. One of them was on vacation in Greece and still took the time to respond to the questions I asked of her. I will be forever grateful to her for being so enthusiastic about doing so. For the Launch Project, I consulted with many of my peers, roommates, and friends when trying to establish my brand. My roommate, the owner of her own photography business,  and I bounced ideas off of each other throughout the entire process, advising on branding and the overall presentation of our businesses. The community aspect of any budding entrepreneur's process is truly what will help propel them to success. 

The experience has highlighted that I need to develop my skills in marketing. Marketing is a key ingredient in drawing customers in because it is normally the first impression that one's business will make on a potential customer.  It creates brand identity, telling a story and separating you from others. I entered with good intentions and knowledge yet I feel that specifically regarding my social media presence, the presentation was not as clear as I would have liked. My hopes to promote fellow female artists seem to overshadow my own work, making my account slightly confusing at first glance. 

To address this, I intend to post more content dealing with my specific designs and inspirations. While I most definitely want to continue using my social media presence to showcase and support female artists, I must intertwine this properly with my own brand's image. I may create templates to place each new piece that is being featured within so that it is immediately recognizable as a post made by my business. This will also work to grab potential customer's attention, making them intrigued to learn more. 

There is a strong chance that I will use these skills in the future, especially since I entered this course with the eventual goal of owning my own small business (outside of Demoiselle Tattoos). I feel that I am adventurous, personable, and driven, three traits that are important to the entrepreneurial process. I hold a strong understanding in the growth process of any personal, social, or business venture, giving me an advantage in feeling comfortable with the inevitable unknowns associated with being an entrepreneur. I cannot wait to see what the future holds and am so grateful to have been pushed by the Clark Entrepreneurship program to engage in such projects!