This Facebook memory originally posted on July 27, 2018 got me to think about my practice of giving in advance of making a profit…..
“THE ART OF FEARLESSLY GIVING BACK: Thank you to Tyler Butler of 11Eleven Consulting and Uptown Magazine for this July #fashionfeature. What awesome shots of the #fashionistas who attended the #AoFGB opening featuring WebPT and 6 charities they support at the Arizona Science Center in May of this year!
View full article: https://issuu.com/richmanmediagroup/docs/ut-0718/22
Glam / Fashion Credits: @TheSparkleBar and @BCBGMAXAZRIA
@Deborah Stone Bateman | @Ruby Farias | @Christina Hawbaker | @Lauren Artin Gundrum |@Dana Gundrum | @Jasmine La’Shawn Coleman | @Tricee Terry-Thomas”
I BELIEVE that it is every humans & every businesses responsibility to give back. “Giving” is the first line I add in every budget even before I add my operating expenses. Additionally, partnering with community organizations, shouting out good ideas and good work is a life long mission of mine!
I BELIEVE in giving so much that I have donated 10% of the sale of every piece of art that I have produced through out my entire life. That is not 10% of the profit… that is 10% of the sale. It was the same with my salon – every month I gave 10% of sales to an area charity… then I paid my business bills. Often times my business expenses are self funded and come before groceries so that I could give that 10%!
I unapologetically believe that the purpose of business is to make money. Businesses that do not support themselves cannot stay alive. If good businesses die they cannot give back can they? That being said 90% of sales from my art business goes 100% right back into operating my business (ie the cost of paint, canvas, frames, brushes, telephone bill, website hosting, operating my gallery at the time, CPA and attorney fees etc etc.) Truth? I have not yet taken a personal salary from any of my creative efforts. That is right – I have received ZERO personal income from the paintings that I have created, marketed and thankfully sold so far with the fearless projects.
This is entrepreneurship bootstapping style. We invest everything we have into making our businesses operate in the beginning. (Psst…. If you sell your art, you are in business & business is not a dirty word!)
Truth be told – I have worked my ass off for free or at a significant loss alot in my life but….. I would not have it any other way.
The 10% I have given to numerous charities throughout my life has fed my soul far more than the cash would have fed my belly. I also happily give all the charities I champion countless hours of free marketing and advocacy.
I fully understand that the effort I have put into growing my businesses is necessary for the success story that is being written with each dollar!
THE ART OF FEARLESSLY GIVING BACK project highlighted WebPT’s amazing conscious leadership and 6 of the incredible charities that they support was such a huge project. I learned soooo many lessons from doing it. We all were so happy to support art, business, community, fashion & journalism in the valley as a whole at the AoFGB I opening at the Arizona Science Center!
I have not done a big project since the WebPT project because one of the biggest lessons I took from that project is that how I work is INTENSE, time intensive, & very emotional. Those of you who have followed me while I am creating have seen this….If I am not careful, a big project can drag me under emotionally & financially so I have to be humble when it comes to delivering my next project.
For those of you wondering when I will paint again…. I am losely targeting the opening of my 7th Fearless series for Dec 2022. I hope to be back in my studio making work by Feb 2022. I’ll share the work with you as I always have when I make it.
For now…. I am regenerating spiritually, writing a lot, keeping my smaller work private in my journals, preparing for a new awesome studio space to work in and have started as of today to BLOG about my art and the arts in general here regularly!
I am also hyper focused on getting Micalizzi Media out of diapers so I can self fund my next project like I always have.
…. And yes as you would expect in Dec 2022….. 10% of SALES not PROFIT will be given to a worthy charity because that is how I roll.