You might not think of what you make as art, but I do!
Perhaps it’s my obsession with Ted Lasso (and the fact that I watched Brett Goldstein’s Emmy acceptance speech too many times), but I really wanted to title this post “You are a fucking artist.” (If you’re a Ted Lasso fan too, I sincerely hope you read that in Roy Kent’s gravelly voice. And if you’re not a Ted Lasso fan, drop everything in your life and go watch it right now!)
Here’s the deal: whenever I start talking about my online mentorship program, Artists and Profit Makers, I always get people who reach out and say that they don’t think the program is right for them because they aren’t really an artist.
Perhaps you’ve felt like that yourself.
Maybe you don’t consider yourself an artist because you make prints instead of originals.
Or you make designs that are easily repeated. Hell, maybe you even outsource some or all of your production.
Maybe you work in a material or with a technique that doesn’t feel like art to you because the traditional art world has told you it isn’t “real” art.
Maybe you’ve just never let yourself take on the mantle of artist because it feels too big, too scary.
Or perhaps you decided that there was no money in being an artist, and felt it was better to position yourself as a brand or a creative or an influencer.
Whatever the reason, you’re having a hard time considering yourself an artist.
Well, in the immortal words of Roy Kent, “Fuck all.”
This is not to say that I think your thoughts/concerns/fears/doubts are invalid. Quite the opposite. We need to acknowledge them in order to move on. But just because you have these thoughts doesn’t make them true.
I’m here today to tell you that I consider what you make art. Yes, you.
Here’s the deal. I don’t subscribe to the elitist art world bullshit that classifies some things as art and other things as “less than.” I believe that if you bring something into the world, whether that’s with your own hands or your own imagination, you’re an artist.
And I believe this because there’s power in being an artist. And despite the “starving artist” myth, there’s value in being an artist. There’s value in art. I believe artists bring incredible things into the world, and that we (yes, that includes you) should be paid well for that!
That is what Artists and Profit Makers is all about. It’s about owning your identity as an artist, no matter what you make, and then figuring out the best ways to turn that into a profitable business. That doesn’t mean you have to be profitable to join. We’ve got members at all stages of their creative businesses. But it does mean that you should want to be profitable in the future. If your goal is just to cover your material costs or make a few bucks, A&PM isn’t for you.
You don’t have to change the kind of work you make to join Artists and Profit Makers. Like I said, I have a much broader definition of art than the traditional, elitist bullshit art world does. But being a part of Artists & Profit Makers might change the way you think about what you make. It might make you realize that you are doing incredible work, that you are in fact making art, and you deserve to be paid well for that.
I’ll admit, that’s a scary thing, to step into your power as an artist like that, and to demand that the world pay you well for your skills. But the beauty of A&PM is that you don’t have to take that journey alone. I’m there every step of the way, whether it’s dealing with specific business questions, overall strategy, or that thorny mindset stuff.
Here’s what one member had to say:
“This is hands down THE best business membership I’ve ever joined. I think active training or active mentoring is a perfect description of what Megan does. Other memberships I’ve been in the “mentor” is so far removed from their group and only pop in for monthly Q&A’s and it’s so much harder for us, as the students, to gain any real/valuable clarity from that structure. Megan’s daily presence feels like constant little nudges (ok, sometimes giant!) that keep us on our path towards our goals.”
-Patricia Vargas, Parima Studio
And yes, you read that right. Daily presence. I’m in there every day, Monday through Friday, (I take the weekends off because I like to model good work/life boundaries) answering questions, giving feedback, and providing support. It really is like having me as your own personal coach/mentor/cheerleader. (And if we’re being honest, therapist.)
There’s no commitment and no hard feelings if you decide A&PM isn’t right for you. (I promise, I don’t take it personally when people leave. I won’t hold a grudge and we won’t have bad blood. To paraphrase Roy one more time, “I”m a grown woman, not a baby child.”) So seriously, if you’re wondering if A&PM is right for you, the best way to find out is to join for a month, try it and see! And while you’re there, you can binge-watch over forty trainings that are available exclusively inside A&PM! So what are you waiting for? Head to artistsandprofitmakers.com to join today!
