I was recently at an event drawing caricatures and was answering a question from a guest on the importance of being good with people and why I believe that my lifestyle in my high school years may have been helping me in shaping my business today. I was pretty good at being a party animal in high school and was very good at getting along with everyone I met. Now I know you don’t think for a minute that partying is training for a career, but now that I look back I realize that dealing with people certainly has played a role in my life. Whether it was having fun in my early years to dealing with people across North America in my trucking career. Today part of my business is doing events for the public and many of the responses I get is about how at ease people seem to be around me. Now I certainly don’t have a grand plan as I am just being myself, but it certainly has helped in life.
The same thing happened with my art, I used to draw cartoons as a kid in my room, did I know I would have a career later in life drawing cartoons and caricatures, no way! I used to say I would be a cartoonist, but to be honest I didn’t really know what a cartoonist was or what they did, but I have always loved cartoons even to this day. That started at the age of ten, at the age of sixteen I began driving and that passion again turned into a career that I am still involved with to this day. If I look back even farther in life I see that my Grandfather was a famous poet and author in his country of Guyana and today I am also an author. Did I know my career path would end up the way it did? No way, not a clue! I feel I fell into my career in trucking, I feel I fell into my career of art, but now that I look back into my career and life it looks as though it was planned. It just wasn’t planned by me!
So how did your business or career start? Was it a well thought out plan or was it a bunch of events that somehow have come together over time or developed out of no where? Did your hobby of yesterday turn into your business of today or your dreams of tomorrow? Are you wondering which way to go with with a business venture? If you are wondering if the talents that you have will play a part in the future of your life, maybe it is worth a look into your past to see if any trends come into play. I can’t promise that you will be successful but it is certainly worth a try. I couldn’t think of a better place to start, as they say, “I wish I knew yesterday what I know today!”
About the Author
Bruce Outridge is a professional illustrator and caricature artist living in Canada. He is also the author of How to Start an Artistic Business in 12 Easy Steps among other titles. For more information please visit his website at www.bruceoutridgeproductions.com
