Starting your own business, whether full-time or part-time, has many advantages, including the freedom to be your own boss and the flexibility to set your own hours and decide how and where you want to work. But is that enough motivation?

In this episode, co-hosts Nola Boea and Lori Vajda speak with listener and aspiring entrepreneur Beth Ortman about the difficulties she encountered in determining her business's "why." Is knowing your "why" important? Our answer may surprise you. Hear how we helped Beth discover her unique ‘why’ and how you can use our process to find yours.

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By the end of this episode, you’ll learn 

• Which is more important when starting a business, knowing your “How” or knowing your “WHY”? 
• How knowing your purpose can lead you to find your “Why” 
• Knowing your how, what, and why are the three steps to achieving personal satisfaction 
• Practical tips and questions to ask yourself so you can find your entrepreneurial “Why”

Key points Lori and Nola are sharing in this episode:

(02:54:12) According to surveys, dissatisfaction with a career is the second most popular reason for wanting to start their own business. This is the #1 reason.

(07:57:03) Knowing what is your motivator when things get tough, is only part of understanding your ‘why’, but it’s not more important than knowing ‘how’

(10:47:13) When you’re in a state of joy, your impact may not be visible, but your impact on the world is profound.

(14:52:09) Here are five reasons you don’t need to know your your 'why'

(23:19:77) Here from the listener as she shares her thoughts about our approach to finding your business ‘why’

(21:03:14) Four books anyone thinking about starting a business should read

Resources

Instagram - Beth Ortman's studio - https://www.instagram.com/bethortmanstudio/?hl=en

Connect with Beth Ortman  Website - https://www.bethortman.com/

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[00:00:00] Nola: Today's podcast topic comes from a listener:
[00:00:03] Beth: Hi, Lori and Nola. My name is Beth and your recent podcast about retirement really hit home as I'm looking to potentially change careers. So the thing that I'm running up against is, I'm noticing a lot of people that are either transitioning in their career or just starting out in their career, the idea around what is my why and I have a problem answering that. Sort of a black hole for me is, is this normal? Do you guys have any tips on defining this?
[00:00:31] Nola: Stay tuned listener, because in this Ask Muse episode, we're tackling this audience member's entrepreneurial question of knowing your why. How important is it and what do you need to know before you start your new business?
[00:00:44] Lori: Welcome to Sticky Brand Lab, where we bridge the gap between knowledge and action by providing you with helpful information, tips, and tools from entrepreneurs and other experts so you can quickly and easily jumpstart your side business. We're your hosts. I'm Lori Vajda, and this is my co-host, Nola Boea. Hi Nola.
[00:01:06] Nola: Hello, Lori.
[00:01:07] Lori: This is a first for us in that we are actually bringing in a question provided by the listener, and we have the listener in the audience mode as we are doing this episode. And later, we're going to bring her on to share her thoughts about our ideas around knowing your why.
But before we get to that, Nola, I have a question here for you. Now you've gone in many different entrepreneurial tracks and you've had a variety of different careers along the way. Everything from early childhood director, right. Of a childcare program. And now with your MBA, you're working in a nonprofit, but you're in strategy in that company. So excluding your current work, because we know how much you love that one, were there any previous jobs that you were in, in which you daydreamed about starting your own business?
[00:02:06] Nola: Yes. Pretty much most of them. What about you?
[00:02:13] Lori: When I was working on my undergraduate, I actually had a professor tell me that I would be a terrible employee in corporate world and I took that to heart. So I didn't start off working in the corporate field, but I did work in a variety of different positions I ever daydreamed about working for myself, it was more because I wasn't happy with what I was doing, rather than me having an idea of a business that I wanted to start.
[00:02:43] Nola: I can totally relate.
[00:02:44] Lori: And I think a lot of people want to escape the corporate environment for a variety of reasons. In fact, did you know, in a recent survey, dissatisfaction with a corporate career is the second most popular reason people have for thinking about starting their own business, at least in the United States. Can you guess what the number one most popular reason is for people wanting to start their own business?
[00:03:13] Nola: You say number two is, I hate my job, so I've got, I need to get my own company. So I don't know.
[00:03:20] Lori: Well, according to a survey done by Guidant Financial in 2021, the most common motivation, 29% of people who answered the question said their primary reason was because they wanted to be their own boss. I think that makes a lot of sense, but I think of those people whose desire is to be their own boss, few of them will go on to start their own business.
[00:03:45] Nola: But starting your own business does mean that you have the freedom to not only be your own boss, but be the boss of your time. Which is certainly appealing.
[00:03:54] Lori: Yep.
[00:03:54] Nola: And it gives you the freedom to make decisions about how and when and where you want to work. But, is that enough to really be a motivator? And I think that might be actually maybe an unspoken part of Beth's question about knowing your why.
[00:04:12] Lori: Yeah. So Nola, initially when Beth's question came in, you and I started talking about it, and we realized right at that moment that we kind of had different perspectives that we were applying to our answer. As we discussed this more, we thought, hey, why don't we just bring Beth in? She can hear our perspectives, and then we can see what resonates with her and if she has some other questions. But before we get input from her, I just kind of want to talk about this whole "knowing your Why" concept.
Now, I'm sure it happened well before Simon Sinek's book, Know Your Why, and his TED Talk really took off, but it's kind of a buzzword right now. In fact, I just got back from VeeCom, is what it's called. So it's this big conference that happens. And the whole idea was to have entrepreneurs come in and talk about different aspects of their business. And the one thing that happened over and over again is that people had almost like dueling perspectives. Which led me to think there's probably not one right answer here, but there's the answer that resonates with you.  But the whole idea for Simon is that it comes back to this idea that as humans we are compelled to do something for a reason. So when you know what your Why is on an intrinsic level, what motivates you from the heart, you are more likely to be successful at it than external motivations like money or job title. And are you familiar with Frederick Nietzsche?
[00:05:51] Nola: I've heard of him, but I haven't read his stuff.
[00:05:55] Lori: One of his quotes is, "He who has a why can endure any how." I thought that was apropos here because if you really understand what motivates you from your soul there's something internal driving you to do that.
[00:06:14] Nola: Yes. And I do think that's easier said than done. Hence, getting hung up on it, right?
[00:06:19] Lori: Yes.
[00:06:19] Nola: So listener, Lori, and I are going to discuss our different thoughts on this topic, and Beth is listening in, and then we're going to bring Beth on the show. And I'm curious to hear her reaction to our different perspectives. And then we'll together walk her through an exercise to help identify her Why.
[00:06:38] Lori: I like it.
[00:06:38] Nola: All righty. Let's have at it.
[00:06:40] Lori: My general piece is that starting a business is really hard, and the whole point that we started the Sticky Brand Lab podcast is that we wanted to help people who were contemplating starting a business for whatever reason, get going. Because once you have launched your business, refining it, improving it, you can do later. And so that kind of is where I'm coming at from this. I think your reason for starting a business can be, I want to have a cushion for multiple streams of income. I want to see if my business idea actually has legs. Can it grow? Do I have the time, energy to do it? One of the questions that came up at the conference was, do the thing that no one else is doing. Well, how do you know what other people are doing? How do you know if what you are doing is going to work? So the idea here is, you could launch a business with a great Why, but get into it and realize you don't like it, or the thing that you're doing, you don't like. Or that people aren't interested in your business idea.
And so for me, the Why is what is going to be the motivator when things get tough. When your Why feels more fluid than solid. And I think that you can come up with a why later. A matter of fact, I also believe that you can craft an entire founder story as your business becomes really more successful as you figure out who you want to work with, why you want to work with them.
So for me, your why changes over time and it evolves. So you don't have to have a perfect why to get going. Now I'm going to pause right here because it looks like you've got some strong opinions. But the one thing that I definitely want to stress is if you're thinking about starting a business, don't let the fear of not knowing your why stop you. You can move forward with one reason and watch it unfold later on.
[00:09:01] Nola: So I do like that. Don't let, not knowing your why stop you. And I do appreciate approach of, of being fluid about it. I can respect that. I think when we were first coming up with this topic, I kind of took pause when you had said, you can have as your why that I want to make more money and I want multiple streams of income. And I'm thinking, no, that's the product of carrying out your why. And to me that's not deep enough. Unless, then I had this little debate with myself. What's his name? Not Jimmy Buffett. Buffett, the head of, head of Berkshire Hathaway. I would bet you that for him, and people like him, getting more and more money is a game.
But with that being said, there have been times where I have launched a company because I wanted more income, because I wanted more security. And there comes a point where there ain't enough money on the planet to keep me going in this rat trap that I've created.
So let me step back. The typical understanding of a why is that you have to turn it into service. And I think that's really Simon Sinek's thing. Is, I am going to do this because it's going to help other people do this. Or, I'm going to give this benefit to the world. If you're crunching numbers as a bookkeeper, sometimes you have to connect those dots. Especially in the creative my opinion is that by doing that thing, basically, you're going to have this state of joy and you are designed to provide whatever that is to the world. Even if it is an athletic endeavor, even if it is music or art, you may not know how you are helping others. You may not know that contribution. My opinion is, if you are in a state of joy, your impact may not be visible, but your impact on the world is profound. So there I said it. I think it's harder in that case to state the formulaic, if I do this, then it'll have an impact on these people, because they're benefiting this way. I think that if I'm doing something so natural, I feel like is in me to do, the world's going to benefit from it because this is in me to give to it.
[00:11:15] Lori: So, you're saying that when you are coming at it from how your business will benefit others, that you're more likely to feed your soul, feed your desire to be of service, and that will expand your business. Is that what you're saying?
[00:11:37] Nola: Well, the whole philosophy around identifying a why is that you'll be more fulfilled if you're in service of others.
[00:11:44] Lori: Right.
[00:11:45] Nola: Basically.
[00:11:45] Lori: I get it.
[00:11:46] Nola: And I'm just saying that it's not that cut and dry. That sometimes just doing what you are meant to do is in service of others in some way.
[00:11:55] Lori: Can you say a little bit more about doing what you're meant to do as being in service? Because that's, I think, where I got a little lost,
[00:12:02] Nola: When I say, meant to do. When you're in the flow, when it's something that's a process or a creation that is in you that needs to come out, like art or just something that you enjoy. Simon Sinek says that's only part of the equation. Because he says if you do something you love, that brings you happiness. If you do it in service of others, that brings you joy. And maybe that's the difference between a hobby and a business. Again, my philosophy is, just by doing it and turning that into a business, that joy, that passion that comes automatically in doing that thing is a service in my opinion. But with that being said, we often say the difference between being in the business and working on the business. So being in the business is doing that creative thing, whereas sometimes meeting with clients or trying to manage logistics could be not so natural to you, and that's the part where you have to have enough of that love of what you do to get you over it.
There's an artist I know of. She had this following online and I followed her, but she'd always wanted to have her own storefront. So she got her storefront and it was really charming, and it's like, hey, my dream come true. And then Covid hit. And then Covid passed. But then she couldn't get it staffed and, in the end, she took stock, and she says, I am being a shopkeeper more than I am being an artist. And I'm going back to my first love. So, it's a balancing act in my opinion. But the thing about what you had said, it's from the heart. This example I just said about the artist who decided to close her shop she listened to her gut, she listened to her heart. I think that part of listening to your heart is what makes you want to bring this to the world anyway. What makes you want to birth a business. Just because you have the ability to grow doesn't mean you should, or maybe you do. But then it's be very intentional and aware about which tasks you take on for yourself and perhaps be very intentional about delegating certain things.
[00:14:01] Lori: Your answer really lends itself to that whole idea, knowing your purpose or following your passion. And I think that there's a fair amount of the segment of the population that knows what they're passionate about or knows what their purpose is. People might work in one way and then do their passion, write music, write poetry, create art. They do that on the side and then wonder, can they start a business, based on it. And so my response to, you don't need to know your why, or your why doesn't have to come from the heart, it can be something as simple as, I want multiple streams of income. I want whatever fills in the blank. It can be from the head, and I'm going to give you five reasons why I think that is important.
Here's where I'm coming from. I don't know what my purpose is. I don't know what my passion is. I've changed my career. I've changed the places I've worked. I have worked at them, and acquired knowledge. I love learning. I am by nature a person who loves to get out of my comfort zone and try new things, and I think entrepreneurship opens that up. So for me, the very first business I started taught me about marketing. It taught me about branding. It taught me about positioning. Taught me things that I wasn't going to learn on the educational track that I took to get my master's degree. And those insights, those skill sets, they helped me in the career that I was in at that time. So it didn't matter that there wasn't a one for one, I wasn't in marketing, I wasn't in communications. I was providing mental health services, but understanding the business aspect of providing that service really helped me grow in a totally different way than I would've otherwise. So, I think entrepreneurship can be a hands-on, real-life learning opportunity that you don't need a “why” for. You just need curiosity for. You need to be in wonder.
I think a second reason that you don't need to know your why, is because things change. The direction of what your skillset that college gave you, that your employment is giving you, that can change with new technology, with new rules, with new regulations, and you need to be agile. So the ability to be flexible means that you recognize you're starting a business and your why can be flexible. And I think because of that, you end up recognizing that you can adapt your business model based on feedback that you get from your audience. And that when you're working with people that you like, you start to narrow in what gets you excited. And perhaps that's when being in service really starts to unfold for you. Because now you realize that you are giving people something that they're craving and it aligns with what you like doing and who you like working with. And that flexibility helps you determine what your why is.
A third reason you don't need your why. Sometimes it's not until you make mistakes and refine that you actually get to the core, the thing that excites you. When you can tap into that, that's when I think it aligns more with what people's why is. But until then, they don't have any idea what that is, and I think that's okay. I think it's okay to take action without having a fully formed why because I believe it's in those action steps that you're going to tap into something that's purpose driven.
My number four is you have an idea for starting a business, whether that's a product or a service. But until it starts interacting with customers, you don't start refining that strategy or the product itself because you don't have that feedback. And I think that's another reason why your why will change. And I think that's okay. I think it's okay to go into a business and know that it's going to be refined or that you might end up going in a track that really resonates with you, but you didn't know it until you got in there. Your business is going to change. It's going to be refined. And another version or a different direction may be the aha moment, but you won't know that until you put it out there and get into it.
And my fifth reason is there's personal and professional growth that happens when you become an entrepreneur. And knowing how that taps into you intrinsically can give language to what motivates your why. But you won't know that until you hit those challenges, until you get other people's perspective, until you realize that the thing you thought excited you doesn't really excite you. This thing over here really excites you and you want to lean into that.
So for me, I don't think you need a fully-formed why before starting your business. I think it can be ego driven to get going. But in the moment that your excitement for what you're doing and that of your audience comes together, I think that is where your why really takes shape. It comes from the heart and it's motivated with the head, if you will, with the practical strategic parts.
[00:20:12] Nola: Well, that is a very well thought out approach. And actually, I can't say I disagree with a lot of it because what you just said is, you might step out there thinking you're doing one thing, and if it doesn't turn out the way you planned, that's okay. Because as we have said before, failure is really a step in another direction. It's really just guiding you to what might actually be better. It's really a learning experience. And curiosity is a way to just really follow the next breadcrumb to where it takes you. You don't have to know the full picture. You don't have to necessarily have it all full-fledged, and it gives you some wiggle room and some forgiveness.
I don't know if I will say that needing more money or just having a business itself is enough. I don't know. I like your speech. I think it's just something that, with that being said, I want to put a caveat into what I said because it's like, you know, follow your heart. Do what you love, bring joy to the world. Well, in addition to that, before you actually step out, do at least a one-page business plan. Do your market analysis. If you're going to turn this into a business, do treat it like a business. But I am curious to know what Beth thinks.
[00:21:29] Lori: And so listener, we are going to play Beth's complete question that she submitted to us, and we're going to ask her to move from audience where she was listening in, into being a guest so we can actually get her response. Stay tuned.
[00:21:47] Beth: Hi, Lori and Nola. My name is Beth and I'm a senior user experience designer and fine artist. My company is Beth Ortman Studio and my website is bethortman.com. So I have been a user experience designer for over 25 years now, and recently have started thinking about working towards a career shift as a textile surface pattern designer. I started out in, uh, fine arts. I have a sculpture and painting background, and this feels like a good combination of those skills. Plus, all the things that I've learned in UX. And your recent podcast about retirement really hit home as I'm looking to potentially change careers. I'm 52 years old and in order to move beyond that so-called retirement years, I want to be able to have a more interesting creative career that is less, I guess, quote, traditional. So the thing that I'm running up against is, I'm noticing a lot of people that are either transitioning in their career or just starting out in their career, the idea around what is my why. And I have a problem answering that. Sort of a black hole for me is, is this normal? Do you guys have any tips on defining this? I wanted to reach out to you all, these past few years of all your work has been super helpful and it feels a lot less around being alone in this nonlinear path. Anyway, thanks again for everything. You guys are great and the podcast is great and I really appreciate your help. Take care.
[00:23:12] Lori: Welcome, Beth.
[00:23:14] Nola: Hey, Beth.
[00:23:14] Beth: Hello. Hello.
[00:23:15] Nola: It's so good to have you on our show.
[00:23:19] Lori: Yeah. So our first question to you is what were your thoughts? Feel free to share.
[00:23:24] Beth: You know, it's funny. I listened to both of you and I find myself agreeing with both of you in a lot of ways. My original hearing of the idea of why was that Simon's Ted Talk, I didn't read the book, but I definitely listened to the TED Talk and part of my frustration with the TED Talk was it felt like such a 20/20 reverse understanding, right? You can kind of look at Apple and say, okay, I'm going to deconstruct Apple and come up with their why, and it was about the brand and elegance and all of that, but I can't think that that was what they started with. It just didn't, some of that stuff just didn't feel that focused. I've been in the tech industry for 25 years and I don't think I've ever found anything built that well from the beginning. So, yeah, it's interesting.
And then Nola, on your point on sort of the authentic self that you were talking about, weirdly, here's my quote unquote data point on something like that. When I do my artwork, if I get into the flow and I post it on Instagram, people like it more. I can't explain that. That's not real data, but
[00:24:24] Nola: I wouldn't doubt it.
[00:24:25] Beth: It's an interesting phenomenon that I've noticed. So I do think there's an authentic self and I think, Lori, to your point, I've always looked at my curiosity as my superpower, so I can't imagine going into something completely knowing my why, because technology changes every five minutes. Our why changes every five minutes. So I, again, I'm kind of coming down on both. I feel like what's interesting about trying to define the why is how we adapt and move forward with what we're willing to put up with in that sort of nine-to-five job. And I think for me personally, service in equals service out. So moving forward, my desire to start something is this idea of taking my past in technology and my love of fine arts and combining them and making something that allows me not to be the only sole proprietor of that. Getting into licensing and servicing equals hopefully multiple services out. And I think there is an authenticity and I think there is a almost a woowoo side of things that allow you to make that decision to move forward in your passion, but also understanding that it is a business. And that when you're up at that 2:00 AM doing your business or whatever the scenario is, and I feel like the passion of what you're doing, is just not going to be enough for those times. It's just, I think there's a balance there.
I feel like I'm talking in circles, but I feel like there's just this, a little bit of Lori, a little bit of Nola, that really makes this third thing really makes a lot of sense. There's a lot of, I have this passion and I want to do this. And there's this, I have this business sense and I'm open to all possibilities, and I think putting those two things together would really benefit somebody getting into business to be their own business owner.
[00:26:12] Nola: That's so cool. I'm so thrilled by your reaction. That's amazing. Beth, let me ask you, have you had any other entrepreneurial ventures prior to the one you're thinking about now?
[00:26:24] Beth: I've thought about many. I remember even in high school, I was actually making earrings. Oh, wow. And I love the idea of owning my own time, but I never had the words for that. I never really understood that that was part of that way of thinking. I wanted to open up my own graphic design business. I started as an illustrator in graphic design because that was the path to make money. It wasn't in my DNA n a to go down that route. So yeah, I've had many, many times and many, many moments in my life, in my career where I was like, I want out. I want to do my own thing. And it was never about money. It was never about anything other than wanting ownership of my time and my freedom.
[00:27:06] Nola: And if you did not move forward with them, do you think it was the lack of the really strong why?
[00:27:14] Beth: I think that in my mind, I wouldn't have even asked for the why. I don't even think I gave myself permission to allow for a why I didn't say it at the time, but I think fear was a big harbinger of that decision. I don't think I would've admitted it then. But the safety and the security and where I was and, and honestly, I've loved my job. I've been user experience designer for 25 years, and it's been a really cool job. So it's not the typical scenario where it's like, I hate my job and I want to leave. I feel like it's more, I want ownership of my life and I don't want to work for somebody else.
[00:27:48] Nola: There you go. So, tell us a little bit more about this creative business that you want to launch now.
[00:27:55] Beth: Yeah. As weird as user experience design, this is probably even more weird. It's called surface pattern or surface design, and it's taking art and turning it into things that can be put on wallpaper or stationery, pillows, home decor, you name it, soup cans. It's, it's a really fascinating career that we don't think about and I guarantee you hearing about it, you will now see patterns everywhere in your world. And it's just been a interesting mix of my tech background and my fine art background. So putting those two together feel like a good marriage. I'm in my fifties, so what better time to start a new business?
[00:28:36] Lori: So is the patterns that you're wanting to create, are those based off of your artwork or are they based off of something else?
[00:28:46] Beth: No, they're based off of my artwork. So, my artwork right now is fine art watercolor. This is something more of understanding what trends are, what people are looking for in home decor or in textile art or fashion, and then using my art or my style and then translating it over to those type of scenarios.
[00:29:07] Nola: That sounds really exciting.
[00:29:09] Lori: Yeah. What has been your experience using your fine art and creating textiles or home decor? What previous experience have you had?
[00:29:19] Beth: None. 10 years ago or so, I took a piece that I had done. It was a black and white illustration. And I, for grins, had it printed, at a company called Spoonflower on a fabric swatch. And there was this crazy little spark inside that just lit up. I can't explain it. It was black and white on watercolor paper, and then I had it printed black and white on a piece of cotton. So there wasn't a visual difference, but there was this spark that happened and I have not been able to put that back down.
[00:29:55] Nola: That's a good sign.
[00:29:57] Beth: Yeah. 13 years later here I am.
[00:30:00] Nola: So what's getting in the way of taking off in this new spark?
[00:30:03] Beth: Pretty much everything that you both listed earlier. Time, I have a pretty intense job that takes up a lot of my time where I'm on the computer 40-plus hours a week, and right now I've been on my computer additional 40-plus hours a week trying to build an inventory of these designs. I think fear is always a big part of it. Were people not going to like it, it's not going to do well. It's a saturated market. All the things that you can tell yourself from these external pressures. And it's funny because the question around the why that comes up, so this why thing is, so for me, attributed to goal setting, and maybe that's a, a commitment issue, but the idea of understanding this, why, as in my head, an equivalent as a goal, just felt insurmountable to understand how to even break that down.
[00:30:55] Lori: So I think some of us think we need everything all ironed out and working perfectly before we can do a business, and some of us are just so, I want this business for whatever is motivating me. I want the money; I want the recognition. Versus what often stops us in that fear moment of, if I don't know it perfectly, if I don't have it lined up perfectly, if I don't have my logo done, I just can't go with it. Which path do you feel speaks more to what gets you stuck?
[00:31:30] Beth: First, having every duck in a row, having all of the things thought out. That's always been the thing that stopped me. This time, I recognize those things as the things that are stopping me, and there's a program that I just took part in. It was an eight week immersive program for surface pattern design, and her motto is, do one thing a day. And that changed everything for me.
[00:31:55] Lori: Yeah. I think you're not alone. A matter of fact, in a survey that looked at the difference in men and women who start their companies, what some of those differences were. Men tended to go with an idea and just try to sell it. Get out there and do it. They're excited by it. And women wanted everything all neat and orderly organized before they would do it. And I think men recognize that failure is just part of the process, whether it's in your career or it's in starting a business. And women don't have a lot of mentors to model that, so they tend to want everything to be perfectly aligned so they can prove that they're the best person for the job, versus I have the solution that you're looking for. What do you think about here if we gave you some questions to help you think about your why for starting a business, versus do you have your checklist all done before you launch it?
[00:33:04] Beth: Yeah, I would love that.
[00:33:05] Nola: Just think of this as more of a fun game than a quiz.
[00:33:08] Lori: What was your goal for taking this course or even taking your art and designing the patterns into textiles?
[00:33:17] Beth: One point for Nola. It was my intuition. I had been looking at it.
[00:33:21] Nola: Oh, this really is a game, isn't it? Ah scored! No, I'm just kidding.
[00:33:26] Lori: That's because she went with you first.
[00:33:28] Nola: But yeah, that's a big deal. Intuition.
[00:33:30] Beth: It was a really strong intuition that I wanted to know more of the long game to understand if I was willing to put up with what it took to get there.
[00:33:39] Nola: Very cool.
[00:33:40] Lori: Question number two, what do you want to achieve?
[00:33:43] Beth: Autonomy. And I really want something that I feel will be an exciting way to learn and advance myself into doing things that are creative and still maybe being relevant. So for me, this feels like a good transition into the next phase.
[00:34:00] Lori: Question number three, what do you care about?
[00:34:04] Beth: Yeah, quality. I want to produce something that people want to have in their home and live with.
[00:34:10] Lori: Question number four, what are values that are important to you?
[00:34:14] Beth: I'll go back to quality again. No matter who I work for, if I can do a quality job, that reflects better on me, and by association, the company gains from that. For me, I always want to do the best I can with the knowledge that I have. Curiosity for me is equality. It has led me down many paths. I will say the learning, I just love learning.
[00:34:37] Lori: What motivates you?
[00:34:40] Beth: Probably my desire not to be bored. I have crazy drive if I'm even taking time off that I should be doing something towards something. This idea of purpose. When I do get bored, I should be doing something towards a purpose. I just feel like I have a purpose.
[00:34:58] Lori: What keeps you going through those tough times in work, in learning this new craft of yours?
[00:35:06] Beth: Flexibility. Understanding where the frustrations hit, and then it's like, okay, how do I problem solve myself out of this?
[00:35:13] Lori: What are you really good at?
[00:35:15] Beth: I think create a problem solving. Whatever situation I'm in, I can take a lot of facts and turn that into something, whether it be artwork, interface element, websites, sculpture, whatever it is.
[00:35:28] Lori: How do those answers align with why you want to bring pattern design to textiles as a business?
[00:35:37] Beth: Maybe it feels a little hubris of me to say this, but it feels that I have something to say and share. If I can do it on an authentic level on my part, then I feel like it can translate to somebody else. And I feel good making this stuff and I hope that that translates over.
[00:35:56] Lori: I think I might have a working “why!”
[00:35:59] Nola: You've identified a lot of your passions, goals. Now it's time to start connecting the dots. What do all these things have in common? What is that red thread that ties them all together?
[00:36:15] Lori: Here's some examples of why statements that people use or can use. So you can say anything from, I want to help people live a beautiful life in a beautiful space. I want to make a difference in the world through creativity. I want to create something that will last, because definitely textiles do. I want to be my own boss. I want to have multiple streams of income, so not everything is dependent on me showing up. I want to share the joy that comes from making my art with others. And I want it to be in a space in which they then combine my joy with their joy of a beautiful space.
So I'm going to use a little bit about the big passion that I heard is, what you said, all of these things under the umbrella of create. You are a creator and things can't keep you from being a creator. You have an intrinsic need to create that creativity has lended itself to this question of, I know that my art gets the most response when I've created it from a place of joy. For some reason, I know that that piece, when I post it, is going to get more comments than something that I was really working detail meticulously on.
So, creating from joy means that your art brings other people joy. And I think one of the interests that you've had is art and technology. So this tool that you're using to create the patterns that could lead to the textiles hits both sides of your brain. Which is what you mentioned, user experience for the last 25 years, has really helped you think about the end user as well as the company, except now that your art represents the company. So for me, it feels like creating textile patterns that could be used for homeware or office or something to create an aesthetic, aligns because of that. It's those two worlds coming together. So the idea of freedom is what entrepreneurship creates for you. It creates freedom and flexibility. Even if you do it as a side business.
So your why is I want to create and I want to do it from a place that brings technology and artistry together. So the functional use of creativity and technology is in the textile. That's the functional use of what you manifest.
[00:39:09] Beth: I knew you all would have a good answer for this.
[00:39:13] Nola: But it's a matter of just hearing it back to you.
[00:39:16] Beth: In a eloquent way.
[00:39:17] Lori: Yeah. Thank you. If the fear of rejection was not on the table, what would get in the way of you trying to sell your work?
[00:39:31] Beth: Probably just understanding how to communicate and reach out with a very concise proposition, I guess, to licensings and different companies. And then doing it over and over with different companies because the rejections will come in and you just have to kind of move forward.
[00:39:51] Lori: So your why resonated and now you were able to find the obstacle or the stepping stone to what you needed to do, which was, how do I articulate it in a way that somebody would give me an opportunity to show them what I have? But the thing that stood out from what you said is the thing that I personally also have been struggling with, but then I heard Guy Ross say this: Very few people have the kind of impetus, the internal mechanism, for sales. He said one of the reasons many entrepreneurs will take a kind of a stint with sales is so that they can get that practice. And he said, if you think of no as a muscle that you have to build, then you recognize that sales is the equipment you're using to build the muscle. Pretty cool, huh?
[00:40:49] Beth: He's pretty awesome.
[00:40:50] Lori: Your why doesn't have to be big or grandiose. The thing that's really important is that you do something that excites you and motivates you when you get to those hurdles that stop you from going forward. How does that sound to you, Beth?
[00:41:08] Beth: That makes total sense to me. Yeah. I appreciate that.
[00:41:11] Nola: Yay. Well, thank you, Beth, for sending us your question, especially for coming on the show as our guest. This is a first and I have really enjoyed our talk. But before you go, how can listeners get in touch with you or where should they go if they want to learn more about you or see your art and follow your progress?
[00:41:32] Beth: Sure. I appreciate that. And first, let me say thank you for your time, the both of you. This has been really great and like I said, I knew y'all would have the answer and some good guidance for me, so I appreciate it. My Instagram's at Beth Orman's studio. And then I have a website that's www.bethortman.com.
[00:41:52] Lori: Listener will be sure to put the links in our show notes. With that in mind, we hope the ideas and thoughts we've shared here today have sparked your interest, curiosity, and willingness to turn your knowledge, experience, ideas, and your why, into multiple streams of income, and empowered you to become a first-time entrepreneur in the second half of your vibrant life. Be sure to stick around to the very end of this podcast for a fun little surprise.
[00:42:20] Nola: If you found the information we've shared helpful and want more tools, tips, and inspiration delivered to your inbox, sign up for News You Can Use, over on our website, stickybrandlab.com, or click the link in our show notes. And remember, baby steps, big effects.
[OUT-TAKE]
[00:42:39] Beth: Actually, I think it's time for you to introduce.
[00:42:45] Lori: I was wondering where you were going, but I was going to let you go all the way in. Okay. 

  In this two-part, double-episode Ask Muse edition, Lori Vajda and Nola Boea give cartoonist Garth German, creator of GarthToons, actionable advice to monetize his art and turn his creative hobby into a profitable side business. 
     In Part 1, Garth described his main challenges: Growing his audience, turning them into buyers, and pricing his custom work for two very different types of clients. Right now he’s “feeding the social media beast” and taking requests for merchandise or custom work as they come, but much of his marketing is sheer guesswork. 
     In Part 2, Lori and Nola give Garth give overarching strategies and tactical tips to target specific audiences and attract them to a business-focused website. They also give effective ways to package and price his custom work yet retain the joy of creating art.

In this two-part, double-episode Ask Muse edition, Lori Vajda and Nola Boea give cartoonist Garth German, creator of GarthToons, actionable advice to monetize his art and turn his creative hobby into a profitable side business. 

​In Part 1, Garth describes his main challenges: Growing his audience, turning them into buyers, and pricing his custom work for two very different types of clients. Right now he’s “feeding the social media beast” and taking requests for merchandise or custom work as they come. But much of his marketing is sheer guesswork.

In part one, Elizabeth Ionita and Chanelle Lavigne shared their vision for creating a business platform where professional women could come together to find resources for personal and professional exploration and development. Tune in as Lori Vajda and Nola Boea share their vision for creating this recurring revenue stream. Will Elizabeth and Chanelle be in agreement? If you’ve dreamed of starting a membership business you will not want to miss this episode. Get access to the handouts, resources and step-by-step guidance so you can take small steps leading to big effects and for creating and launching a successful new membership business.

Have you dreamed of starting a networking community? Maybe you’ve wondered if it’s possible to create a thriving community in which members would be willing to pay a fee to access premium content, resources and attend ‘members only’ events. In this episode of Ask Muse, guests Elizabeth Ionita and Chanelle Lavigne ask Nola Boea and Lori Vajda to help them explore this business idea.

​In part one, Tara McKinney explained to Lori and Nola the challenge she was having taking her varied interests, passions and approaches to spirituality and applying them to a singular business model. Tune in to hear their innovative suggestions for helping this hybrid thinker and practitioner create, market and brand herself and her business. Listen in as Tara shares her thoughts on several messaging ideas Nola and Lori present for her consideration. Will she be able to use them to capture people's attention and get them to lean in? Hear her thoughts as they share DIY resources, checklists and step-by-step guides so she can take small steps leading to big effects to create and launch her new business, herself.

In this episode of Ask Muse, guest Tara McKinney asks Nola Boea and Lori Vajda to help her explore business ideas that combine her passions for yoga and healthy cooking, along with her interest in ayurvedic approaches, and turn them into a profitable side hustle. What started out as a podcast club with members from around the world, soon gave Tara a platform to share her recipes, knowledge and experience with others. The response has been overwhelmingly positive and brought to light Tara’s desire to help others with her holistic approach to mind, body, and spiritual connection. The combination of positive feedback from members and her own entrepreneurial interest brought Tara to Ask Muse for help creating a business strategy, directional approach and messaging that would resonate with her like minded prospective clients.

In this episode of Ask Muse, you’re going to hear Nola and Lori talk to stylist, colorist and now business owner, Scott Rottenberg. Scott’s been a hairstylist for more than 30 years, yet he has no online presence or brand reputation. With the doors permanently closed at the salon he had been working under for the last ten years, Scott chose to start anew and work for himself as an independent hair salon owner. With this entrepreneurial shift, Scott, a self professed techno luddite, came to Ask Muse for help creating a business strategy and establishing an online presence and reputation so his clients, and prospective clients, can find him online.

In part one, Lori and Nola heard the challenges entrepreneur and hairstylist Scott Rottenberg was having now that he was out on his own and trying to establish his new business. Tune in to hear their suggestions for helping this self described techno-novice, create, market and brand himself and his business. In addition, Nola and Lori designed and presented Scott with resources, checklists and step-by-step guides. Each standalone document was designed so Scott could take small steps leading to big effects as well as DIY most, if not all, the elements himself. 

In part one, Lori and Nola heard the challenges entrepreneur and business coach Carol Boston was having resonating with virtual audiences. Now hear their suggestions for messaging that is sure to get Carol’s target audiences' attention. In addition, Nola and Lori designed and presented Carol with two workflows. One workflow helps her choose virtual events that are a good match for her business, and the other is to help her ‘Master the Art of the Virtual Appearance.’