The Start-up of You Chapter 2

"Develope a Competitive Advantage"

I really enjoyed this chapter, it made me really think about my own personal soft and hard assets relating to my art creations that I sell.  As I read this chapter I spent a lot of time pondering how I can apply it to my business.  I like how he talks about being competitive, and being able to answer how my product is better then the rest.  Plus, I have to be better too, not just my product.  However, sometimes I feel like I have to be able to do it all and it becomes overwhelming.  How do I do web design, marketing, create art, customer service, financles all equally well?  He said:

"If you try to be the est at everything and better than everyone, you'll be the best at nothing and better than no one." pg 29

I still have to do all those things, but I can promote the thing I am really good at - my art!  I need to still do those other things, but by strongest part, that is the best, my selling point - is my art. 

People often ask why I am going to business school, I always reply, "to turn my weakness into a strength."  I know I have a lot to learn about the business side, non of it comes naturally, but I am trying to learn.  Read Hoffman says to do exactly just that (pg 33) - which confirms I am headed in the right direction!

My 3 peice puzzle:

1.) Soft assets: customer service skills/ people person/ ability to take someones ideas and get them on paper/ knowledge about paint for in home murals, signs and windows/good clientele with positive reviews/wood cutting for my mural boards/canvas stretching for my custom wallpaper.
     Hard assets: business bank account/paints and brushes/ in home studio

2.) Aspirations and values: My deepest wish is to be able to continue to create custom artwork for clients.  I want to be able to work from home and schedule my working hours around the hours my kids are in school.  My hope is to grow my business enough that I can employ my daughter if she would like to (she is extremely artistic as well).  I want to expand my clientele from Spokane, Wa and Northern ID to across the country or even the globe by promoting my mural boards and wallpaper that can be shipped.  "Broad enough to allow adaptation and reinvention" and "Your identity doesn't get found. It emerges" (pg. 34-35)

3.) Market Realities: "Market research is not a one-time thing" and "You aren't entitled to anything" (pg 37-38)  I have a lot of this to do. I know the market for custom art work is small.  I know that I have to compete against inexpensive vinyl and wall decals.  I have to show that quality and custom design is worth it to my clients.