| I moved to New York to pursue my passion - acting. I | | | | going to conduct business, what your product is, and |
| knew I wanted to be in a Broadway Show, be on a | | | | how you're going to market it. The plan is meant to |
| soap, and in a movie too. When I got here I was | | | | grow and change to suit your needs. |
| overwhelmed, uncertain where to begin! I had some | | | | The plan can be simple, but should contain the |
| goals in my head, I knew certain steps, but I didn't | | | | following: |
| create clear business plan. As a result, I left a lot of my | | | | Your Vision Statement - What is your particular vision |
| aspirations to chance. Now, I know I wasn't alone.... As | | | | life and your career? I'll give you a hint...you have to be |
| an actor it's not enough to say I want to be on | | | | passionate about it. |
| Broadway, on TV, and in a movie. You need to map | | | | Your Brand - What specifically is it that you sell? What |
| out and plan your career. Otherwise, you leave your | | | | is your Brand? Why do people hire you? |
| career to the whims of the day to day. At some point | | | | Marketing - What are your personal strategies to |
| you have to empower yourself and create a strategy. | | | | meeting Directors, Casting Directors, etc? Are you |
| You'll realize (or come to terms with the fact if you | | | | taking class with them? Do you audition for them? Do |
| haven't already) that you're running a small business | | | | you have a mailings plan? Are you fully taking |
| and you are the person in charge! You create your | | | | advantage of Social Networking Sites like Facebook? |
| path; Not your agent, Not a casting director. You are | | | | Are you creating your own showcase material and |
| responsible for your success as an actor! | | | | putting it on YouTube? |
| When you made the move to New York, I bet the | | | | Support System - Who are the people in your life who |
| notion of you being an entrepreneur and starting a | | | | will help you accomplish your vision? |
| new business never crossed your mind. Most acting | | | | Financials - How much income do you need to live? |
| programs don't have time in their curriculum to teach | | | | What percentage of your income are you setting |
| business skills. In order to run our business efficiently, | | | | aside to fund your acting expenses, living expenses, |
| however, we must learn the principles of business. | | | | and savings for the future? |
| These skills must be practiced and nurtured much like | | | | Organizational Systems - Do you have systems in |
| your craft as an actor. As a matter of fact, let's | | | | place to support your business. The biggest being a |
| consider this a new craft to add to your arsenal. | | | | mobile office set up. |
| We must learn and practice this "new craft" in order to | | | | It's important to realize that it's never too late to create |
| work on our passion - acting. After all, we need | | | | and practice your business plan. That's right. I said |
| money coming in to fund our classes, rent, travel, etc. | | | | practice your business plan. Small business ownership |
| Money in, Money out! | | | | is about practice - trial and error. You learn by doing, |
| One way to develop this craft, which for many is | | | | much like you did learned the craft of acting. Business |
| foreign territory, is to dive right in by writing down all of | | | | skills are another craft that most actors must learn in |
| your goals and projects to begin formulating your plan | | | | order to succeed. Oh and how do we learn Craft? |
| - a business plan. A business plan is your guide to | | | | Through repetition |
| what you want your career to look like, how you're | | | | - Thank you Mr. Meisner. |