Passion or Sense?

[jazzactivist]

Well, I am still pontificating about what to do when my job at the university ends. I am pulled in what seems like two opposite directions. On the one hand, should I do the sensible thing and retrain in something that adds a different dimension to what I already do and try to make a living from that eg Employment or Environmental Law, or do I opt to try to make a living from something that I am passionate about ie gardening, books, jewellery making, even though I will have to start almost from scratch and it won't bring in as much of an income. I don't have enough money to hedge my bets and do both, so it has to be one or the other.

Which direction would you advise - Passion or Sense?

[lily]

Difficult, could you manage on a much smaller income? If so, I'd be tempted to give the creative aspect a good trial, if you don't at least try it, you might always regret not having had a go.

[Oola]

The sensible thing would probably be a good idea, but then I imagine you have a plethora of experience and qualifications to fall back on anyway. If you can downsize I would be tempted to give the more risky 'creative' aspect a really good go - but just be sure before you launch into anything that you've researched that field as much as possible and you have a realistic business plan/goals in place.

The problem I had for a long time was wondering around not sure what I wanted to do, so I drifted around and wasted a lot of money. I'm still doing it, but with a bit more of a focus. If you need any advice re: Internet stuff, I'm sure Rich would be more than happy to answer your questions, as he's a web developer and programmer, and knows a thing or two about e-commerce.

Don't forget Internet freelancing is always an option - so you could always do something as a sideline. You could do some sort of distance learning stuff to keep an income coming in, or even do some distance learning yourself for that extra 'angle', whilst you try out something different that you're passionate about.

[SummerSkye]

Personally, I would advise letting your creative side take over, as Oola pointed out above you have enough qualifications to fall back on if need be. If you don't give it a try you will never know whether you could have succeeded or not. I have heard so many people say in their later years how they wished they had followed their heart not their head. Best of luck whichever you decide to go.

[Pippa]

I fully endorse what Summer says above, give the creative side a go. What is the worse that could happen? I have done loads of menial jobs over the years, they don't last for ever and pay the bills, so if you are stuck, work in a shop or cafe for a short period. I think with your skills and qualifications, you would be able to work from home, partly writing and rest of the time being creative.

[SummerSkye]

Just remember Jazz, if you never test your wings you won't know how high you can fly.

[sheddie]

On a more cautious note jazz where would you be thinking of selling your jewellery etc. It is all important before creating a lot of stock to know where you can sell it. I am not putting a damper on your creative side but it is hard going out there unless what you make is very unique and appealing to the right market. I always repeat Location, Location because the shop I had for about 7 years was in the wrong Location and you would need to be able to throw quite a lot of money at the internet and then it takes a time for anyone to pick you up. Good Luck though and follow your intuition. X

[jazzactivist]

Thanks Sheddie for your note of caution. I have got a bit of skill in making silver jewellery, as I did this for a while when I was young, selling at craft fairs and festivals and when I travelled to different countries. Although it was a long time ago so I would have to refresh my skills. The region where I live has a lot of crafts people and there are quite a few craft markets, open studio days, and shops that specialise in selling crafts. I was thinking of starting small and just having craft stalls and using a room in our house as a studio with a stand of jewellery in a suitable window. Then moving to a simple website. Our women's network is also intending to have a stall at a local market to sell a range of things made by women where our members can rent a 1 ft square piece of the stall to test out how their goods sell. If I do end up buying a narrow boat or similar I was thinking that it could be a floating gallery... I also thought that it might be possible to use an old-fashioned bike from which to sell jewellery from the basket. I would need to check out trade bylaws and health and safety for this though.

On the ther hand, while I like the idea of making jewellery again, I am also keen on garden design and gardening, and on skills for sustainability. The list goes on.... but I have to make a choice somewhere. Thanks everyone for your helpful comments.

[sheddie]

That's ok I don't want you to make a mistake! I think there are so many people making costume type jewellery that yours would have to be pretty unique to you.But on the other hand there are people out there that would pay good money for commisioned bits. I think gardening is another thing that you must do your homework first and know what your market will be before you go in feet first.Either way it takes quite a while to become established, but if your intuition is telling you to give it a go then follow it, I am only going by myself and friends who have had business's. Good Luck whatever you decide. X

[dinger]

I would just say follow your heart and see where it takes you. Good luck whatever you choose .

[jazzactivist]

Thanks Sheds and dinger. I used to make sterling silver and gold jewellery when I was young, Sheddie, so am hoping that I can refresh my skills and combine this knowledge with more modern recycled materials to make some eye-catching pieces. I prefer the craft approach to the fine art one - making jewellery that is more than just decorative, and has more than one use. So, hopefully, I haven't become too shaky and squinty-eyed over the years to go back to it. I realise that it is a different world now and materials and outlets are much more expensive, but as dinger says, I'll just have to see how it goes. Thank-you all for your supportive words of encouragement.

[sheddie]

Have you made a decision yet Jazz or still mulling it over? X

[jazzactivist]

No, sheddie! The trouble is that I have so many interests that it is really hard to choose what I would like to concentrate on over the next year or so, with the view to making a living from it. I am worried that I might make the wrong choice and have wasted lots of time, energy and money. However, I am really keen to get started on something... I am hoping that something will click into place in some way and that will indicate to me in which direction to go. On the other hand, I know that I should just choose something and start and then other opportunities will come my way. Does anyone have any ideas as to how I can narrow down my choices?

[sheddie]

Write down a list of for's and against's this is what I do. It might make a bit more sense when written down. Is it between gardening full time or jewellery making? X

[jazzactivist]

Thanks, Sheds, I am a great one for lists. I suppose what I have to consider most is the potential to earn a living from whatever I do. It doesn't have to be extravagant, just enough to cover the bills. The thing about being married to a poet is that from time to time he wants to take time away from paid work to write. Sometimes he is lucky and gets an Arts Council grant to do it, but I have always been the higher earner so it will be a big change for both of us. I also need to consider what I would love to spend my days doing. Over the past few I have got a bit of an idea as when faced with spending time inside looking through my jewellery books for ideas for starting up again, or outside working in the garden, the garden won every time! I would love to have my own small business offering design, organic growing and planting for productive gardens - individual and community. I could start off from home, but will keep in mind your comments about location. Thanks very much for your help so far, you have given me some very useful pointers.

[sheddie]

The main thing is to be happy in whatever you choose, maybe you could do a bit of both.But I think people do like a woman designing their garden and I think the painted decking days are now gone, so something new is called for. X

[jazzactivist]

Thanks Sheddie, I think that you are right and I could do a bit of both. Perhaps garden design and planting in the better months and jewellery making during the cold winters. They do seem to fit together quite well. I am glad to see the back of all that blue decking as well. I think that lots of people got fed up with it when they realised how much upkeep outdoor wood can need, plus it is slippery in the wet and mice can take shelter under it too. I prefer more natural planting and landscaping, that keeps pace with the recent changes in climate. My main love is productive gardens. I am quite a practical person with jewellery too - I like it to be able to be more than just decorative, with practical purposes built in. How did you get started in your collectors business - was it something that you always knew you would do, or did the chance come later in life?

[sheddie]

Hi Jazz how about making jewellery that is making a real statement, maybe to do with flowers, but big!! When I was dealing with antiques from the Garden I found women were called for when something artistic was required. I find what you have in mind very inspiring.One off jewellery bits would be good in Alfies market in London, if you could get a dealer there to like your work.I always had to make money from a very young age through neccesity and found I had a good 'eye' and was always an entrepeneur. I just love doing a deal of some kind. X

[franbee]

After my OH gave up the day job, he started doing more of his hobby, woodwork, and advertised locally. He got quite a few commissions, different things. As he made the pieces, he took photos. After the job was complete, he wrote up the construction, and together with the photos, sold the write-up to a woodworking magazine, (having previously contacted them). He's done quite a lot of that now, got paid for the job then an extra fee from the mag.
If you could do that at all with any of your projects, it's quite a useful extra earner.

[sheddie]

I may have an 'eye' for earning but don't think I could put anything down on paper, your OH has done really well and I'm sure you will too. X

[jazzactivist]

Your OH experience is a really good example, franbee. I enjoy writing articles, so once I get going well then I could try that too. I love big statement type jewellery, Sheddie, plus it is easier to make than small fiddly pieces, so your suggestion is excellent. Thanks for the tip about Alfie's Market too.

I have eventually decided, with your help, the best way forward for me. I still have a few months left at the university, so will do a 6 month top up course on professional fundraising through the Open University. This will add an up-to-the-minute aspect to my current work skills and there are plenty of charity fundraiser jobs everywhere, so I can use that to fall back on if I have to. Then I will do a course in garden design whilst also rediscovering my jewellery making skills. Hopefully, as I go along I'll be able to progress my plan of working for myself in gardening and jewellery. My OH has agreed that I can give up work for a year, living on some of the profit from the sale of our house to develop my intentions, and if times get hard then I can fall back on the fundraising jobs. It sounds like a fairly good plan on paper, so now it's just a matter of getting stuck into the action. It's so exciting I don't want to go to work tomorrow...

[Katelb]

Jazz,I have just picked this thread up and concentrated properly on reading it.Is there any way you could do whatever you are doing now on a scaled down basis,two days a week or something? or/ set up your own private consultancy enablng you to pick and choose how much work you took on from home,and run that in tandem with your jewelery making? like that you wouldn't need to completely burn your boats and there would always an income of some sort.

[franbee]

I'm glad you've progressed a little Jazz, and I hope it all comes to fruition. Fran x

[Ivy]

Passion if you can afford it financially. You might regret not having taken the chance when it was there once you are stuck in a "sensible" job that bores you.

[Redstart]

Go for it Jazz! I went freelance by teaching and working freelance at the same time and more or less didn't see my family for a year. It got to a stage where something had to go and it was teaching.

It's now 5 years later and I have no regrets at all!

[jazzactivist]

Thank-you everyone for all your encouragement. I am really excited about the idea of completely changing how I make my living to do something creative, so it is just putting the practicalities in place which seems quite complex but probably isn't once I have made the decisions about how to proceed. I have to go to see the campus director next Tuesday where I expect he will tell me the exact date when my job will end, so that will be a relief as I can plan how to move forward much more clearly.

[sheddie]

MANAGEMENT Jazz that's what you need and a certain amount of luck too. X