I hate/love/hate the business end of it all

Laura McCabe got to my idea of the best business name ever before I did. She called her business, "Just let me bead."

I hear that spoken as a plea, "Just let me bead!" As in - please, please, don't make me market! Don't make me do bookkeeping! And so on...

Some of you, I know, are geniuses at the other side of the beading biz. Some of you may even actually enjoy it. But, if I'm right about how Laura McCabe meant it, I can certainly relate. Most days, I'd rather have a root canal than market - but short of developing a sugar daddy or winning the lottery, I'm pretty sure I'm stuck with having to handle the business end whether I like it or not. So I'm always pleased to hear the voice of experience speaking.

Stacey Cornelius is self-confessed "raving idealist and idea junkie." Fortunately, she's begun to leak ideas at her seams and they have flowed into a blog called, "The Studio Source."

Her banner announces her purpose:
"Do what you love and make a living at it. The Studio Source is here to help build extraordinary businesses by focusing on approach - how you show your stuff, how you connect with your customers, and how you manage the business side of creativity."

Stacy has a BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design, solid experience in retail management, the IT industry and she owns and operates her own successful business. As someone who knows her, I can tell you she has impeccable taste, huge creative talent and a solid grasp of the business end of craft. Stacy Cornelius is one smart cookie.

The Studio Source could be the poster-blog for good blogging practice - Stacey offers solid practical advice and food for thought - but she also challenges us to think for ourselves - How do we market our work? WHO is our marketing target? Do we know the 15 tips for an effective website? Does our website and business card reflect our individual sense of style? Whose advice do we take? Do we listen to our customers and if so, what can we learn? The blog is presented in short, well-written and readable bites. I've found that I come away from even some of the briefest entries with plenty of food for thought.

And she's funny. Human. This may be the voice of some hard-earned wisdom, but she's as beleaguered and beset with the vicissitudes of life  as the rest of us. Witness a note from the beginning of her latest entry:

"Editor’s note: I am in a state of what my friend Thea calls “crankass.” Ants are jumping on my head as I write this. I am only exaggerating a little—we are experiencing a small ant invasion, and my desk sits directly below a beam where the little monsters are jumping off to get access to the rest of the house. Mostly I hear a tiny “thwap” as they hit the desk and try to meander off, but occasionally one will land on me. It’s a little disconcerting."

Perhaps you'd like to check for yourself. Participation is encouraged, so please, if you have a personal experience to share, or a question - feel free. Subscription to The Studio Source is easy. It will NOT garner a flood of unwanted spam or solicitation, will not ask for your cash, but will bring alerts to your email as entries are published.

Happy reading!