The Artistic Business- Part IV

All this month we have been talking about the Artistic Business and Small Business as the highest art form.

In Part I: We talked about how thinking like an artist will to help you to position your business in the marketplace.

In Part II: We discussed how thinking like an artist will provide the best platform from which to compete.

In Part III: We talked about how thinking like an artist will bring more creativity and more originality into your business.

Why is it important to develop an Artistic Business mindset? Because if you think like an Artist and do your work as if creating a work of Art, you will create a successful business.

Today we will talk about what the Artistic Business does, and how it behaves. Let’s take a look:

The Artistic Business believes in their work. A true Art Master is fearless in the face of a blank canvas. They set to work with confidence. They know what they want to make, how they want to make it, and believe in the value of the final product before it has even begun. They see the finished image in their minds eye before they have laid the first brush stroke upon the canvas. The Artistic Business sees, and, therefore, can masterfully produce. Because they see the final product, they communicate masterfully. Because they are confident, they are fearless.

The Artistic Business is honest. They are WYSIWYG. What you see is what you get. No matter how you slice it, the Artistic Business is the same on the inside as it is on the outside. They represent themselves and their product honestly. (The fake-it-till-you-make-it mantra does not apply.) They will not talk about their product as valuable until they are sure it is just that.

The Artistic Business welcomes change. They understand that the pathway to success may follow a different route than originally planned. It may even be marked with detours. Openness to detours is a built-in part of the Artistic Business plan right from the start. These detours will not stop them in their tracks. They know that if they keep moving, they will see new opportunities open up. (You cannot steer a parked car.) They know that navigating the path to success will help them figure out what success means.

The Artistic Businesses puts more back into the world than they take out. The Artistic Business wants to leave the world a better place than the way they found it. The Artistic Business helps support causes and works together with others in their communities to achieve common goals. These efforts are not a roundabout way to self-promote. The Artistic Business is honestly helping. They have figured out how to make a difference and sustain business at the very same time.

The Artistic Business has an overarching Purpose. This Purpose presides over every other business activity and is larger than the business itself. This Purpose makes the world a more beautiful place. The Artistic Business has witnessed the effects of other businesses who value profits over purpose. They know the “profits first” mindset shoots the real meaning of profit in the foot. They know that making profit all about financial gain makes the world an ugly place. The Artistic Business does not do ugly.

The world awaits your Masterpiece. The world needs you to share your gifts and skills in a way that makes it a more beautiful place. Want to gain more confidence as a business owner? Employ the Artistic Business mindset in your business. Create something so good that you can stake your entire reputation upon it. Think this is easy?Not on your life. But only this kind of endeavor creates real Art. And nothing can give you more confidence in business than mastering your craft and creating real Art. You then, too, will become an Artistic Business.