I swear by the gods there is a black hole in my stationery drawer.

Pens go in, and never come out. Art supplies are purchased and promptly lost into the abyss. Staplers that I SWEAR I saw in there only a few days ago disappear without a trace.

After the umpteenth time I barged into his office yelling accusations of stationery theft, my husband (not-so)gently pointed out that maybe “they’re hiding somewhere underneath the piles of crap on your desk.”

“‘Piles of crap’? What ‘piles of crap’?” I cry in indignation.

Read On…

I’ve just got back from the Veldensteiner festival, a one-day medieval/folk metal festival held on the grounds of Veldenstein castle in Bavaria. I got to see one of my current favorite bands, Eluvetie, play, as well as Subway to Sally and a couple of others.

One thing that struck me about this festival is just how clever the marketing is. A medieval festival in a castle is a sure win, if a little tired as a marketing concept. A metal festival on the grounds of a castle – that gets serious points for epic atmosphere. And combining the two?

The metalhead and the medieval reenactment community have a lot of cross-over, since most metalheads (especially those who listen to folk metal) have more than a passing fascination with history, knights, castles, and medieval . Likewise, many medieval reenacters enjoy metal, since the songs often relate to, or invoke, the specific time periods they’re interested in. The two come together in folk metal (or medieval rock) where modern, guitar-driven music meets ancient tunes and instruments.

This festival is a lesson in exactly how to find a niche and fill it. Aside from a billing that mixed both ends of the spectrum in medieval and metal music, they had knights and jesters, a medieval village where you could see people black-smithing, sewing, and going about their medievally lives, a market where you could buy some seriously cool stuff (and, unlike the re-enactment community, who often take a “I could make that myself” approach to handicrafts, the metalheads were buying up a storm) and, of course, a castle to explore.

Instead of the usual hot dogs, chips and hamburger stands, men and women dressed in period costumes sold baskets of fruit, giant flat breads smothered in garlic and tomato stew, cups of homemade soup and, of course, a huge variety of sausages and meats cooked in open fires, stuck on sticks and slathered in homemade sauces. I ate far, far too much.

I’m telling you this because a) I think it’s awesome, and b) I think it’s a GREAT example of finding a unique niche and creating a range of products / services (in this case, an event, where tickets are sold, but also, it’s not just a concert, so there are vendors, entertainers, food, etc) that directly target that market. It’s sheer brilliance.

Just thought you’d like to know. I’m off down south for a couple of days, to live as a queen in a tower room at Colmburg castle, eat roast pheasant, and generally get up to lots of mischief. I hope whatever you’re doing, you’re having as much fun as I am.

Don’t miss all the fun! Sign up to receive blog updates by RSS or Email, and while you’re in a signing-up mood, don’t forget the Grymm & Epic Gazette – you’ll get my FREE ebook “Unleash the Beast: Release Your Inner Creative Monster”, as well as a weekly dose of creative inspiration. Grymm!

In Monday’s Epic Interrogation, NYT Best-Selling urban fantasy writer Jeaniene Frost talked about honestly about her first failed attempt to quit her job – you can read the full story in Jeaniene’s interview, but basically, she quit too soon, thinking the money would be coming, and the money didn’t come. She had to go back to her day job, just to make ends meet.

Imagine how scary that must be, not just for Jeaniene, but for her family, too. Luckily, she’s now doing so well she’s been writing full time for two years with no sign of stopping.

You can quit your day job and make a living as a creative entrepreneur. There’s work aplenty out there for artists, writers, musicians, sculptors, actors, dancers and designers, if you learn about the business side of your art and apply yourself to finding it. You can find more joy than you’ll ever know working for yourself and spreading your unique creative message all over the world. But how do you avoid quitting too soon?

I am not a full-time writer. I’ve been running my freelance business part-time for nearly seven years now. When I’m not writing, I work for a non-profit creating braille books and resources for blind and low-vision NZers. As I’m legally blind myself, this job is especially important to me, as I know firsthand how hard it can be to access things you want to read if you can’t actually read them. Full time work may suit me some day, but right now it doesn’t, because I love what I do.

However, here’s what I would make sure you had in place before considering quitting your day job:

Read On…

Like the great Elder God of Lovecraftian legend, you intend to take over the world.

You’re not a hobbyist. You’re not “starting small”. You’re dead set on making your creative business your full time income, and you’re doing it RIGHT NOW.

You’ve got products created, a business plan (in your head or on paper) and a website in the works. Everything is coming together nicely, except …

When it comes to the words, you’re out of your depth.

You don’t know what to say to people to adequately convey the awesomeness of your product, and why they should care. You don’t know how to create a written presence that matches your swanky new design and bad-ass business attitude. You don’t just want to appear online, you want to launch with a BANG and a ROAR.

You know what you want, but turning your ideas into actions is more difficult than you thought. You’re an artist, a creator – you don’t know the first thing about product launches and PR and the proper place to stick a semi-colon.

You’ve invested everything you have – both financially and emotionally – into this venture. There’s no “if” about it – you MUST succeed. But you’re gonna need some help. Specifically – MY help.

The Great Cthulhu is a package of serious writing for serious business owners. (You can’t see it, but I’m making my serious face). This is for people setting themselves up for success with a professional web presence. I’m talking about YOU – creative coaches, graphic designers, writers, fashion designers, dancers, musicians, directors, actors, crafters and spiritual guides.

Don’t feel embarrassed because you can’t do it yourself. I’m good at this marketing hooplah, and you’re good at creating the awesome stuff. You’ve got “changing the world with art” down pat, mate. Let me make sure you reach the right people.

Here’s what I’m going to do for you:

• Create a blow-you-away awesome About page to make your customers fall utterly in love with you.
• Write 10 kick-ass blog posts to attract and retain your core customers. These will not be rehashed or recycled information, but quality content specially researched and tailored to your blog or website to draw in readers and keep them interested. (And its search-engine optimized? Did I mention that?)
• 4 internal website / sales pages to turn your browsers in buyers.
• 3 hours of consultation to brainstorm, monitor and generate long-term business success.
• Facebook and Twitter setup and a guide to monthly campaign planning to ensure you’re reaching and interacting with your target audience.
• And, I’ll sweeten the deal with a FREE copy of my Grymm & Epic Guide to Blogging.

For $799, that’s a pretty sweet deal.

Buy The Great Cthulhu NOW

Here’s how the Grymm & Epic Packages work:

You tell me what you want. I ask a few silly questions. You might send me a few pictures. I might do a little voodoo dance. I email you a draft. You tell me how terrible it is. I then rewrite it into something perfect and awesome. You love it so much you send me flowers and chocolates and offers of marriage. I respectfully decline, although I do eat the chocolates.

Turnaround time:

Depending on my schedule, I’ll have your multi-tentacles beast of a project finished in 3-6 weeks. I can accommodate most urgent jobs, but please email me first if you’re on a tight deadline.

Editing:

Before I write a single word, I take the time to define your project’s needs and make sure I have all the information I need to do a good job.

I don’t just storm into writing with pens blazing. I take the time to make sure I’m writing what you need the first time around.

Because I do all the hard work before I even put a single word on paper, I don’t normally need to do a lot of extensive editing. You get one full “do-over” if things go massively pear shaped, and as many small edits as you need to make you copy sparkle like a teenage vampire. Major additional edits may incur an added fee.

Don’t just take my word for it – here’s what my happy clients have to say:

“Amazing writer! Totally cleaned up what I was trying to say and made it better! Will use again – a must for any business owner!” – Stephey Baker – creative coach and transcentalist artist – Marked by the Muse.

“It’s exactly what I had in mind, only better. Perfection! Steff gives her all and you will be quite pleased with her work. I sure am!” – Jennifer Smith-Righter – artisan jewelry designer – Wearable By Design

“A pleasure to work with. Has an incredible talent that can make every listing sell itself. Highly recommend her services!! Thanks so much!” – Mary – maker of handmade aromatherapy bath and body products – Belle River Naturals

So, don’t waste any more of your precious creating time worrying about your marketing copy. After all, you’ve got some serious work to do! Let me work my magic, and in no time at all, you’ll be rocking the world.

Buy The Great Cthulhu NOW

PS. There is, of course, a money-back guarantee. If you’re not happy with the service received while employing me as your writing goddess, and you agree not to use any of my writing, I’ll give you your money back, no questions asked.
PPS. Payment plans and customized packages are available. Please email me with your desires and I’ll see what I can do!

Leda Petit is a bit of a legend around my neighbhourhood. New Zealand’s own Queen of New Zealand burlesque, her talents range from tantalizing solo shows to corporate events, group performances and private parties. Leda’s also the sprightly lass in charge of the Auckland branch of Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art Group, where young artists (such as myself) go along to draw beautiful women

I’ve seen Leda perform several times, and am stoked to be able to talk to her about the business of burlesque, and where she finds those amazing costumes.

General

Firstly, we just want to know who you are, and what you do. Can you share your journey from Mini-Leda to burlesque sensation?

Well to start with I wasn’t always known as Leda Petit! I started in burlesque picking up clothes in a sweet little comedic routine as Judy Garment for one of Auckland’s first burlesque troupes, The Hootchy Kootchy Girls (HKG). The HKG was a wonderful place to learn the basics of burlesque stage craft, and I had a few years to expand the character and hone my performance under the guidance of Erin Basta, the director & choreographer.

After a time I decided it was time to expand and to titillate audiences under my own name. I had a desire to create and choreograph acts of my own, which involved more extravagant props & costuming, which could be stripped away at my own pace & to my own music choices. With this new step forward came a new stage name & Leda Petit was born. The title of burlesque sensation their for the taking & by producing quality classic burlesque acts I supported the audience’s belief in me.

Leda Petit (photo by Luke Tarver)

As of today, right now, how’s business going? What are your current projects? What are you excited about?

Business in 2011 has been relatively slow. Generally corporate gigs & private parties keep you busy in between producing your own shows or burlesque revues, but with money for such frivolous things in short supply it has certainly lowered my burlesque business! People always want to know if you will do things for less money, or even free, but ultimately, I charge what I charge because I’ve paid my dues. I have been performing burlesque for 5 years now & have performed internationally. I’m no longer an amateur performer!

That said, I certainly have more time to put together some of my dream shows. I’m currently working on a new act to debut this year, & have a couple of shows I want to produce together with another burlesque performer, Magdalene. They should be suitably extravagant & glamour-filled.

How long did it take you to grow your business from the initial idea to where you are today? Was there any one event that served as a catylist for your success?

I would say that it has taken a good 3 years to get to where I am today. Nobody ever starts at the top, you have to continually improve yourself. Certainly, in dance, you never give up the opportunity to learn more. Because I started performing burlesque in NZ before it had reached the height of popularity it has today, I definitely felt I had to try harder to win the audience over. It was something so new to most audience members. I was constantly having to educate the audience on top of being a great performer. Elegance, good manners, strong business sense & hard work have never failed me when it comes to success.

Leda performing her famous birthbath routine (photo by Luke Tarver)

Did you go to university? What was your experience like? How useful has your degree been in getting you to where you are now?

I have never gone to university, although I am considering attending in the near future so as to better expand my love of burlesque into full time work. Until this point everything I have learned has been through mentors or experience, which is the way I work best. If they still ran apprenticeships I would be a happy lady! However, you have to have the right tools, & sometimes a University degree is what you need. Although of course I could have it all wrong & be on the right track already. [laughs] Ask me again in a year or two.

How did you learn about the business side of your industry? Do you have a mentor/business coach/critique group/association or did you learn it all yourself?

Contrary to popular belief, I do have to have a day job to support my lavish costuming & production values! Fortunately for me, my day job is working as an actors agent. This has given me an invaluable understanding of the performance industry, what is & is not acceptable (either from my myself or others), & how to protect myself & my image through contracts. There are many fantastic burlesque performers, but it is a lot harder to manage & promote yourself without this knowledge.

Who or what has been a support or inspiration to you throughout your journey?

My boyfriend Brett has been my support & inspiration throughout my journey. He patiently listens as a brainstorm new shows, & new acts, when I know such an over-saturation of rinestone & glitter it must be at times. He’s always there to help me work out problems, small or large, & he’s always a helping hand during shows. He’s also the best PR person a girl can have!

You work a diverse range of income streams and different types of gigs. Did you intentionally set out to do this? What are the advantages and disadvantages of managing so many different projects?

Well, as I said before, although I’ve had some very successful years money-wise in my burlesque work, being an NZ based performer is not a way to make a living. Unless you have a patron to help fund your dreams, all costuming & props are paid for out of your own pocket & consistent work in burlesque isn’t guaranteed. There isn’t the demand for it here that there is overseas. When your work from performing isn’t as regular, it pays (literally) to have other sources of income. For me this includes working at the agency during the day.

The upside and the downside to being on your own is the fact you don’t just swap hours worked for money earned. How are you finding this? Do you earn more now or less than when you worked a normal job?

Nothing compares to being paid to do something you love doing. However, like they say, a girl’s gotta eat & has to be paid accordingly. Generally there is little understanding of the workload that goes into performing, the cost of getting there, the prep time & the hours of rehearsals, not to mention the fact that you are paying for a unique performance, specific to the burlesque artist you’ve hired. Performers in general here are often underpaid & overworked. Luckily, as the sole manager of my career, I have the power to say no whenever I feel like I’m not going to be paid for my work!

What’s one thing you’ve done that dramatically improved your earnings?

Asked for more money! Never undervalue yourself. You’re always worth what you ask for.

Promotion:

I’d love to talk about promotion. What have you done to bring attention to Leda Petit?

The best promotion you can do is by performing in shows. Your work speaks for itself then, & the power of word of mouth is strong. Another tip for burlesque performers is to do like Gypsy Rose & Dita von Teese: Always be well groomed & glamorous, whenever possible. You will be a walking billboard for your dedication to your craft. I hate leaving the house for a night out looking less than a million bucks.

What have you tried that doesn’t work? Why do you think that is?

I’ve tried the competition route. At certain points in my career I’ve felt like it could be beneficial to have a ‘title’ that I won. Of course, win or lose, competitions never feel right to me. Often you have to pay to enter, when the organisers are making all their money off you, & what should be a communal, fun effort between burlesque performers is made strangely standoffish. Besides, the best titles I’ve been given have been from the press – ‘Queen of NZ Burlesque’ is one – & they are the best reflections of public opinion & true marks of success.

What promotional activites give you the greatest return?

Photoshoots, video clips (whether showreels or interviews) & dressing to impress. If people are thinking about hiring you, the best way to convince them is to show them what you’ve got.

(Photo by Barney McDonald)

How important is networking?

Networking is invaluable. Always have the time to meet people who are interested in what you do, even if at the time they only want to say hello & have a quick chat. Always have a business card handy & you never know what may come of it. I recently had a painter contact me about doing an exhibition that would involve surrealist burlesque paintings of myself that came out of a brief chat about life in the Wine Cellar.

Do you get more out of face-to-face or online networking?

Personally I feel like you get more out of face-to-face networking than online. Online is a good way to do your research, to find out who’s legitimate & who’s not, but nothing beats the personal touch.

How do you approach online networking? What tools and techniques do you use? Do you actively seek out people you’d love to get to know, or just let the whole thing happen organically?

I’m an organic online networker. I mostly utilise Facebook, eventfinder & The Big Idea to network – this includes promoting & listing the burlesque based events I run. Having a prominent online presence gives you a validity that always stands you in good steed should you need to approach someone online yourself.

What kind of face-to-face networking events do you attend? How do you approach this kind of networking?

I consider all outings social or work-related to be a chance for face-to-face networking. As long as you are open & accessible you will never miss an opportunity to meet someone who you could work with in the future.

The Entreprenurial Life:

What are three tools of your creative business you absolutely could not live without?

Computer. Costumes. Brainpower!

What have been some of the best things to happen to you because of your business?

Getting to travel overseas to perform has to top the list! Meeting & being inspired by all the other burlesque performers, circus stars, musicians, dancers, photographers & costume designers that make this glorious genre tick. The sense of accomplishment that comes with starting at the bottom & moving further & further up the ladder of success. To name a few …

Where do you get your stunning costumes from?

My costumes come from a few places. My sewing is limited, so I tend to make only my pasties myself. My stockings come from Secrets in Lace. Flo Foxworthy, a very talented woman, makes my full burlesque costumes, from bras to panties to corsets. She’s an incredible seamstress & very good at understanding how to put together a costume for maximum tease. I also have a corset by Ivy of Asphyxia Corsetry. It is a a marvel in tight-laced engineering!

Are you a workaholic? How does your business impact your personal life?

Oh definitely. When I have a show to produce I literally forgo all social outings. It’s important if you want to do your job properly & create a memorable piece of entertainment. The same goes when I have a show I’ve been asked to perform in. I spend time every day rehearsing, making sure that I know my acts inside & out, & giving myself the confidence to deal with any sort of costume malfunction that may arise.

However, the great thing about burlesque is that it is a social kind of work & so you don’t feel completely starved for company during those long hours dressing the stage, going over PR opportunities & rehearsing.

(photo by Barney McDonald)

What have been your priorities when setting up your business? What were the reasons you’ve set things up in exactly this way?

My priorities are:
- to create acts that are unique, glamorous, elegant & showcase traditional burlesque that entertain
- to have a professional attitude at all times (sometimes this means being a hardass!)
- to protect myself & my image

To me these are the core of my business. Without them, I would have anything to market in the first place & no way of protecting what I create. It’s important, especially to me, to remember that even when you do something you love, you sell yourself short by not expecting to be treated as a professional. So many burlesque performers allow themselves to be ripped off; thinking that it’s ok to do a show for no money just so you can “get publicity”, or allowing promoters to own all images/video footage of them taken at their shows. It’s sadly common place. Remember to ask yourself: “Are they making money off your performance?” If so, then you have the right to demand to be treated professionally.

Do you set goals for yourself? What kinds of goals have you set for the coming year?

I do like to set goals, small or large. My goal for this year is to expand my knowledge of the business side of what I do, so that I can better protect my career & hopefully expand my love of burlesque into other areas. I have great plans for a beautiful burlesque bar sometime in the future….

Have you ever had negative press or comments made about yourself or your business? How do you deal with them?

Of course. I don’t think it’s possible to put yourself in the entertainment business & not receive negative press or comments at some point in your life. If the nature of that negativity is a review, the best thing to do is to learn what you can from it, so that you can improve. This kind of negativity should ultimately make you stronger.

If however, the nature of the negativity comes from someone choosing to speak slanderously about you, the best way of dealing with it is to never engage on a personal level. As long as you are able to keep a professional attitude & not resort to the same sort of tactics, you will always come out on top. Because ultimately people know the difference between constructive criticism & backstabbing, & it won’t affect your career at all!

What’s the best thing about being Leda Petit?

The best thing about being Leda Petit is the chance to constantly challenge myself as I explore the ever growing world of NZ burlesque. I’ve been here since it’s beginning & I plan to see it through to the end

What do you think the future holds for Leda Petit? What exciting projects loom on the horizon or in the back of your imagination?

Well my greatest plan is the burlesque bar. I hope the future holds a very successful translation of that from dream to reality!

Thank you Leda for taking the time to talk to us about the fabulous and glamourous world of burlesque. I know I look forward to your next show with great anticipation! If anyone’s got any questions for Leda, shout out in the comments below.

Email me if you’re keen to participate in an EPIC interrogation! Warning – there are thumbscrews involved.

Don’t miss all the fun! Sign up to receive blog updates by RSS or Email, and while you’re in a signing-up mood, don’t forget the Grymm & Epic Gazette – you’ll get my FREE ebook “Unleash the Beast: Release Your Inner Creative Monster”, as well as a weekly dose of creative inspiration. Grymm!