It’s helpful to mentally create two separate work identities for yourself. The first identity is you as an artist and maker. In this identity you use your talent, skills, and experience toward designing and making things. The second identity is you as an agent for your work. As an agent your job is to package, negotiate, and sell what your maker-self has to offer.
The first identity is, for many of us, easier to inhabit. We’re internally driven to make things. It feels good. It might not always be easy, but we love it and will do it no matter what. The second identity can feel forced and uncomfortable. Although many of us are excellent promoters and negotiators of other people’s work (our children’s and our spouse’s, for example), when it comes to our own work we are quieter.
In order to comfortably inhabit the second identity, then, we need to make a conscious effort to see our own work as an agent would see it. An agent is not worried about being boastful and she isn’t afraid to ask for what her client needs. She’s collaborative and positive and she’s confident when it comes her client’s abilities. Most of all, she isn’t afraid to make a counter offer.
Someday soon you’ll open your inbox to discover an email from someone asking if you might be interested in working with them in some way. They might want you to review a book or write a guest post. They might ask if you’d contribute a pattern to a magazine or sew with a particular fabric collection, or any of hundreds of other possible requests.
When I get emails like this my gut reaction is to respond as a maker. Do I want to sew this? Would it be interesting to work on that? I’ve learned, though, that I’m better off giving myself a little time before writing back. I take a few hours to make myself shift identities from me the maker of my work to me the agent for my work.
Acting as my own agent, I conduct a thought experiment. I ask myself, “In an ideal world, what kind of relationship would I want with this company?” “If I could work with this person in any capacity, what would I want us to do together?” This is the time to let go of real-world restrictions and allow myself to dream big.
After all, consider the steps that took place before that email landed in my inbox. There was almost certainly a planning meeting at which a set of action steps was created, one of which was to email me. Now, it’s my turn to have a planning meeting, even if it’s just sitting by myself at the kitchen table with a notepad for half an hour.
In 2012 Goodsie was a hot new ecommerce platform hoping to gain traction in the DIY craft community. I’d written a blog post questioning whether makers were better off having their own online storefronts or sticking with Etsy and I’d mentioned Goodsie in the post. The next day I got the following email:
Hello Abby,
My name is David, I’m a founder of Goodsie.com. I recently came across your post, ironically it was passed along to me by someone who works at Etsy! First and foremost, I would like to thank you for including Goodsie in your article, it always feels good to know that your product and hard work is appreciated…I’d love to know if there are any ways we can work together, whether that be us helping you create a store on Goodsie, giving tutorials to your community on how to set up shop, or advertising on your site. Please let me know if any of this sounds interesting to you.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Tx. David
My initial reaction to David’s ideas came from my identity as a maker. I already had an online shop and I don’t take ads on my blog. I wanted to turn him down. I forced myself to wait a little while before responding and in those few hours I shifted to my identity as an agent. I asked myself, “If I could work with Goodsie in any capacity, what would I want to do with them?”
(Just to be clear, this thought process isn’t always about asking for more. Sometimes the offer is perfect as is and sometimes the answer is just a plain old no.)
In the case of Goodsie, I decided that what I would want most would be to talk about ecommerce with David, or his brother and co-founder, Jonathan, and share that conversation with my audience. I didn’t have a podcast yet, but my desire to talk with people doing interesting things in the industry was burgeoning. I wrote back and asked if we might record a follow-up conversation and Jonathan agreed. It was my first time talking with a CEO. It was terrific and never would have happened if I hadn’t taken on the role as agent and made a counter offer.
In 2011 an editor at Lark Crafts emailed me asking if I might be interested in reviewing the book Big Little Felt Universe. I knew right away that this was a book I was interested in and I was going to say yes, but I waited before responding, giving myself time to take on the identity of agent.
I had an idea for my own book and had recently sent a proposal to Lark, but hadn’t heard back. Could this editor help me get my book proposal noticed? When I emailed the editor to say I’d be happy to review the book I asked if she’d seen my proposal. She said she hadn’t and requested that I send it again, this time directly to her. A few weeks later I got the book deal for Stuffed Animals. Again, taking the time to act as my own agent and advocate for my work I was able to achieve my bigger goals.
Every one of us needs an advocate in business. We need someone who sees the value in what we have to offer, helps us hone our message, and isn’t afraid to negotiate on our behalf. The good news is that we can be that for ourselves if we make a conscious choice. Hire yourself as your agent. You won’t regret it.
Just wanted to say Great Post. I dont sew much and dont have a crafty business, I hang around here because I enjoy your writing and your topics. Your advice today is good for many other situations, I will certainly keep it in mind.
Thanks.
So often, your posts about running a small-business are so relevant to me! Thank you for sharing your insightful observations – they are really helpful. As a self-employed craft business, it is hard to find useful, down-to-earth tips and advice from others in the same boat. Your comments make me think – more often, I can easily assume the “Agent” persona (coming from a corporate background) but don’t give myself enough time and space to put on the “Designer” costume – and this is where I’d really to expand. So thanks again for your thought-provoking comments.
That’s so interesting, Lisa! I think I have to work equally hard at both.
This is exactly what I need to hear. It’s okay to ask for something different when an offer is made. And it’s okay to benefit from these types of situations. Too often, people feel that this would constitute “using” someone in order to get ahead, something that is frowned upon in our society (though it’s more the idea of it that is frowned upon since we all “use” other people). The result is that individuals worry about how their requests are perceived (particularly when it involves some kind of compensation).
Thank you for reminding me of this. Your post is so on point for me.
What a great post! This is a wonderful reminder that we can be advocates for ourselves as much as we are for others, sometimes it just takes giving the situation a moment and reframing how we look at it. I loved the real world examples, it gave me some good food for thought for when this happens to me in the future. Well done!
I’m so glad to hear that, Stephanie.
abby, this is so spot on and helpful. i am a terrible agent for myself – and i say as much often – i have a very hard time promoting myself and my work. (in fact, on the occasion of my first art opening i baked brownies and stood around with a platter offering people brownies all evening – because my brownies are one of the few things i feel confident about promoting! thank you for this really important reminder and the tactical advice to stop and switch hats. thank you.
I just made a promise to myself to read your post every time an offer comes into the studio. I’ve been a designer for many years, but I always forget to be my own agent. Thank you, Abby, for being practical and smart.
That’s a great story about how you got your Stuffed Animals book deal! Way to go, agent you!
Your examples make this an outstanding post. From my experience, women are often timid about negotiating – myself included. As I have gotten older I have gotten bolder too. And your story helps reinforce that just forcing the conversation (not necessarily for more money, but for a better opportunity) can make much bigger things happen. I appreciate your transparency.
Thanks so much for this wonderful post, Abbie! Your point is beautifully illustrated with examples from your own experience, which helps us as readers to truly understand your message. Many of us are staunch advocates for our friends and colleagues. If we can bring that same mindset to our negotiations for ourselves, we can enhance our business opportunities as well as boost our morale when we are in our maker roles.
I love reading your post, they are always so refreshing and educating in some way, your in Telligent’s is wonderful and just a breath of fresh air, If I were healthier I would start making things again and sailing them , I made dolls years ago, just as an extra income, I sold them for $50.00 a doll way back the, I cant even imagine what they would sale for now. Everything was hand made on them from the face I painted on them to the hair I rolled, and they sold like hot cakes. Oh well that was many years ago, now I am stuck to a oxygen machine, and cant do much of anything do to a back injury. Thank you for your honesty and thank you for not having advertisement on your paper. I realize they earn money on these but it is so annoying fighting the adds to see the paper that I end up not reading them and just delete them. GOD bless
What a great though experiment to conduct each time you’re faced with a new opportunity.
Both in terms of allowing yourself to say “no” and focus on your core business/art AND being open to opportunities which may initially not seem appealing.
Thank you so much for this post, Abby! Such a simple idea, yet not always simple to do! But I totally agree, particularly with the idea of taking the time to think and consider an offer or other possibilities before responding…even if it´s still a no.
Really interesting post…thought I might add my experiences. Last year after publishing my book I began the hardest part of the whole process …marketing. A friend had suggested that I try contacting ‘Sussan’ a leading Australian women’s fashion retailer that also sells a small range of books and gifts. After practising what I was going to say for an hour (or more) I rang their head office and asked to be put through to their gift buyer. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be put thru but I was! I was so nervous my heart was pounding as I told her about my book and asked whether she might be interested in seeing a copy. She was happy to see my book and later emailed me to tell me she loved it and they wanted to buy 250 copies. I was extremely lucky that my first attempt at marketing had been such a positive experience that it made the next call just a little bit easier.
I am sooooo behind in reading your posts, but I DARE not delete a one! Thank you especially for the video. Yes, truly, men need support to “have it all.” NOT!