Now that most of the holiday chaos is behind us we can get back to business. This is part two of our topic that explores the relationship between the things you are talented at (and enjoy) with the ability to make money doing them. Be sure to read part one.
An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field. -Niels Bohr
Somewhere a person is having trouble with an issue you could help them with. I guarantee it is happening right now. There is no reason why you can’t be the one to help and you can’t get financial gain for your expertise.
A lot of people have trouble putting value on their knowledge because it isn’t like ordering food. The cost of everything needed to make a meal and prepare it to be offered is quite exact but you can’t say the same for your knowledge. As a photographer this is something I still struggle with but one day someone put it in perspective for me. I was at an auto repair shop and a lady was upset because it took a very short amount of time and effort to fix her vehicle but the amount she owed them was still a decent chunk. The owner listened to her complaint and empathisized but she was still upset…he paused and said this…
“You are not paying to have a wrench turned 3 inches. You are paying for the work and time it took to know that to fix your car, a wrench needed to be turned 3 inches.”
Don’t undercut the value you can offer people in any field. Here are the main things you need to think about if you want to break down the walls and make money for yourself.
1. What knowledge do I have to offer?
2. How can I package this knowledge to sell?
3. Who needs my knowledge?
4. How do I connect with the people who need my knowledge?
Here is an example, if I woke up and had a lot of musical talent out of the blue I would try to find an angle from that talent. Everyone has a band or knows somebody in a band and everyone wants to be heard. I would help bands record. You could offer this service on a lot of different levels. It could be as simple as listening and consulting to doing the heavy lifting by actually doing the recording for a group. The more you can do to offer different packages to appeal to more people the better off you will be. There are a lot of ways to meet bands through the local music scene and you could start a website showing the quality of work you can produce for a price that is reasonable.
The 4 points are addressed. You are helping a person out while doing something you love and getting financial gain from it. That is a great feeling.
It is almost 2009. There is absolutely no reason to be doing something you hate. Get out there, meet people, show them what you offer has value, and make it happen.
Chris and I have been working behind the scenes to put Ideas and Angles in a position to hit the ground running in 2009. Juggling site updates, e-mails, phone calls, and meetings isn’t always easy and sometimes the growth feels like a huge blur but we took some time to reflect on the past 7 months. We still believe we can make Kansas City a place where technology and social media thrives.
There are so many people who have given us support on this journey…
Chris and I have known each other for more than 15 years. We have both been blessed with encouragement and love from our friends and family. I often say that I have no idea what I did to deserve some of the people that are in my life. Your interest and helpfulness in this project are not taken for granted by either of us.
Thanks goes out to the local social media community backed by the Kansas City Social Media Club. The relationships built through our shared loved of creativity, technology, and entrepreneurship have helped foster friendships that we hold very dear.
All eyes are on 2009. We look forward to announcing partnerships that will expand our abilities to help clients. There are some projects in the planning phase that will flex the power of social media to build brands from scratch. We also are finalizing plans to take on new clients that are involved in different and challenging fields.
Happy Holidays to everyone and best of luck in all that you tackle in this coming year. Remember, if you say nothing nobody will repeat it!
Looks like people are starting to notice the good things coming from Kansas City. We are excited about all the projects being developed aside from our main goal. Making Kansas City a place where technology innovation and social media thrives.
(Via USA Today)
Kansas City
Never considered Kansas City as a vacation destination before? Over the past few years, the city has been working hard to make itself a destination worth the trip. And the effort is paying off big time during 2009 when more than $9 billion in major improvements will be reinvigorating its downtown area and lending major credibility to its arts and dining scenes.
Recent developments include the new nine-block Power & Light District, downtown’s newest mixed-use neighborhood packed with restaurants, shops, and entertainment and performance venues. There’s also an outdoor stage featuring live entertainment more than 150 days a year. The Crossroads Arts District hosts one of the largest art walks in the nation from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first Friday of every month. Downtown, there’s also the new Sprint Center, which hosts large concerts and special events, and the College Basketball Experience, a giant entertainment facility with interactive exhibits and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
Beyond downtown, revitalized and expanded attractions draw crowds as well. The well-known Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art just finished an expansion last year. Already ranked among the top art museums in the country, the new expansion increases the museum’s exhibition space by one third, and makes more room for the museum’s collections of modern and contemporary art, African art, and photography. And just in time for its 100th anniversary, the Kansas City Zoo has also undergone a major renovation.
As if that isn’t enough, Kansas City is expanding its culinary reputation. Long known as a mecca for barbecue, a number of Kansas City chefs and their fine dining establishments—including Bluestem, American Restaurant, and Michael Smith—have recently received national recognition as well.
Even better (especially this year), Kansas City is one of the country’s most affordable major cities to visit. It’s well-served by airlines including American, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, and United. So much service means prices tend to stay competitive. Hotels, dining, and attraction costs tend to be less expensive than in many other cities around the country as well. In fact, Hotwire.com recently ranked Kansas City as one of the top value-priced destinations in the U.S. based on airfare, accommodations, and entertainment prices in 50 U.S. cities. Plus, there are dozens of free museums and attractions to visit.
The reasons to come will just keep expanding. 2010 will bring the opening of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, and the unveiling of a newly renovated Truman Sports Complex (home of the Kansas City Chiefs).
Photo by Zachary Cobb
It took a while for me to realize I was an expert at something. I was in college working a summer job staining and sealing wooden things like decks and fences. The company prided itself on its quality work and they did brisk business. I remember before we all went out one morning our boss talked about how some guys were referring to many customer questions up the chain when they could have been answered by crew members. “We have taught you everything, you are wood protectant experts.” At the time I rolled my eyes but he was right, I could talk someone’s ear off about the ins and outs of finishing decks from my training there.
I took to photography really fast starting up my own freelancing business at ZCPhotography. Photography and the different techniques I use to get my unique brand of photography seems really easy because it is what I am talented at. I didn’t value it very much as something I could help teach others because I figured if others wanted to take to it like me they would be able to with the same ease. I didn’t put much value in my expert status.
It hit me this weekend that everyone has some kind of strength. My business partner Chris is fantastic at coming up with fresh ideas and finding other people’s strengths they didn’t think they had for business purposes. My mother is amazing with people, she helps people in the hospital at some of their most frustrating and painful moments. My father leverages relationships for business and philanthropy purposes as well as anyone I have ever seen.
My friend Brad is the drummer for the band “Destination Go” who was recording this weekend. During a break I sat down at his chair and started drumming it up. It was hard. Sure, I put together a few beats that made sense for about 5 seconds but some of the stuff he does? I think I could literally never pull it off.
Think about what you are good at, it could be simple to you but it is a big deal to someone who doesn’t have that strength and they could be seeking it out.
In the second part of this post we will talk about using your newly found expert status to generate business ideas.
