Jeff Staple said, "A business plan is 50 pages of bullshit that allows you to look back 10 years from now and call bullshit on yourself." Basically he says business plans are useless. With that said, guess what I learned afterwards for an hour and 15 minutes in my business class? Business plans. I thought it was pretty funny at first, but after awhile I was really annoyed. I just listened to this awesome lecture, and now I have to listen to my professor, a 50-somethingyearold businessman and usedtobesuccessfulmaybe, talk about business plans. It wasn't just about any business plan either, but the wrong business plan, a wrong business plan about horses. This class is specifically supposed to be about being an entrepreneur and how to be a freelance designer/illustrator, yet we are learning about the "wrong" things to do in a business plan (which may or may not be useful) and its content is about horses? (the plan was also made over 5 years ago). So while our teacher is giving us outdated, unrelated and uninspiring material, all I'm thinking about is... why am I taking this class? and why am I forced to take this class?
What would engage my attention is relevant, current and real-life examples of successful companies and their plans, people like Jeff Staple...
On another note, I thought it was also interesting I didn't see anyone from my business class (basically all the seniors in my department) at the lecture :/
But before I get too in-depth on my perspective of school, I'll just end on this note... After the lecture my friend went up to Jeff Staple and asked if education really mattered
and he said,
No.
I would respectfully disagree that business plans are BS...while certainly your class may not have been the most relevant to you (which is a shame), and business plans change over time, if you are realistic in your research and planning, the plan can help guide you in your ventures. After all, the plans have to begin with the amount of capital you can get, your target market, the service, etc, that you envision at the outset. The plans have many other pragmatic purposes, even if the plans change over time...which they should, because you have to adapt to the realities of your business. If you consider it a fluid document that needs to change over time, it is an important aspect of running a business. It also helps you evaluate and make decisions about the various aspects above (investment, markets, etc). What may have started as one idea will certainly morph into another, but having a record of where things change is important, because it helps you improve as a businesswoman. The document is also essential for pitching your venture to stakeholders and vendors...how can you convince someone to work with you without a clear plan of action?
ReplyDeleteWe have talked also about the value of education. I think that in your case, it has been very important for you to have formalized training from art scholars and other artists...even if you disagree with what they say, their input helps you form your own perspectives. Even if you didn't like everything about it, you wouldn't be as serious an artist without having attended VCU. Also, a college education for your field is the difference between working at Ritz Camera or a Museum gift shop and being able to take on more "mainstream" freelance projects. I have met people who didn't finish college and made a success of themselves in art, but they really had to hustle, were also very talented, and were surrounded by people who DID have a formalized education to act as patrons.
ReplyDeleteI also think that you are the type that would have preferred a far more self-directed type of study, where you could have had a larger say in the types of mentorship that you would have received...consider all of this for the future, when you are helping other artists develop!
Lastly, I am also sad that your business class is lame. To quote Maggie, there is nothing worse than some lame @$$ business class, because it wastes the time that should be spent on something you really, really NEED! If you could have gotten a class tailored to being a freelancer, you would be well-set up once you graduate...are there any other opportunities for this outside of VCU, perhaps in Richmond or DC? I think an intensive seminar is really needed for you to branch out, as well as some mentor relationships with other people who have done freelance...
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