As I write this, I’m preparing for a full week away from the office and high-speed Internet access. As you read it, I’ll already be back to work at my desk. Truly getting away and leaving the office is getting harder and harder. The laptop is always nearby, the cell phone is in my purse, and I have no delusions that my responsibilities are fewer. But I’m going to try. I’ve enlisted the help of my business protection team: Shari Cornish, my crack VA, and Pat Velte, my Web guru, will help things run smoothly while I’m away. They are the most valuable part of my emergency preparedness. If something were to happen to my business or me, they would be the go-to people to keep things rolling. However, I’m not sure they’ve thought of it in this way. Perhaps it’s time I tell them. Who is on your art-career protection team?

Be Part of My Inner Circle

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How to Document Your Art using Professional Guidelines

Complimentary Recording

Are your inventory records a mess? Do you even have inventory records? Your inventory records are critical documentation for your career. You might as well get them right so you don't have to go back in ten years and try to reconstruct all of your accomplishments. In this complimentary teleseminar, Harriete Estel Berman will cover the essential information you should be keeping for each artwork. To listen to this recording, go to:
http://www.artbizcoach.com/classes/document.html

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Protect Your Art Career

What if your entire mailing list was suddenly gone? Zapped from your computer? What if your Web hosting service crashed and had no copies of your site backed up? What if, heaven forbid, you had a flood or a fire?

Would your art career be protected in these situations? Or would you have to start over from scratch?

We take it for granted that things will always work well and be available whenever we need them. Until suddenly they don’t or aren’t.  Then, we usually blame it on someone else, when the truth is we haven’t done everything we can to protect our businesses and careers.
Sadly, this is when most emergency planning is done--after it’s too late. Protect your art career now starting with these items:

• Back up your computer on a regular basis. How regular regular is depends on how much data (written and images) you generate. I’ve been backing mine up monthly, but I’m changing that to weekly right now. My future is inside this little silver box.

• Keep copies of your most important information stored offsite.

• Update your virus protection software.

• Get a safety deposit box to protect your passport, Social Security card, marriage license, birth certificate, insurance policies, and other critical papers. I think mine is $35 a year--a small price for a big load off my mind.

• Update your business insurance for your home office, studio, and travel. If your workspaces are in your home, you may need a separate policy or rider for your policy. If you travel from festival to festival, see that you are insured en route.

• Keep a business manual that can help someone run your business in case you are incapacitated in any way.

• Share your whereabouts, flight information, and contact information with at least one person at all times.

• Enlist your team. Who can you count on to run things if something should happen to you or your art business? Make sure they know of the critical nature of their role.

• Get everything in writing. Agreements with dealers, retailers, and those who commission your work should be on paper and you should understand the specifics of each arrangement.

The Craft Emergency Relief Fund has a 2-page document that would be valuable to print out and use as a checklist: http://craftemergency.org/files/DisasterPreparedness.pdf

What other things have you done recently to protect yourself and your art business? Share your thoughts on the above list and leave your own ideas on the Art Biz Blog: http://www.artbizblog.com