Blog post 1: beepurple
Guest speaker from the university entrepreneurship support service ‘beepurple’ – to help with a business or social enterprise, start-up idea or freelance plan.
After I graduate from my course I may decide to start some kind of business that is related to my practice. This business would help towards making a living and paying towards my personal practice.
I can access the support as a student but also after I have graduated. Practical workshops, one to one supports that can help with discussing ideas, grant funding and opportunities to access funding.
I decided to research the different services and workshops beepurple offer.
- Startup course in the summer – learn skills intensely in 5 days, to learn how to work self employed – research this and plan on doing on, apply for it https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/careers/2022/05/18/free-business-startup-course-for-students-and-graduates-worth-2500/ “During this insightful and interactive course, you will learn about ideation and ideas validation, communicating your ideas, finding your customers, marketing, selling online, managing your finances and keeping it legal”. I have booked a place on this course, as it states, even if you do not necessarily have a solid idea for a business, but are thinking about working self employed, this course is beneficial.
- https://www.strategyzer.com/library?type=Tools – Link for The Business Model Canvas (BMC) – to help get all and any ideas you have in your head onto paper.
I have signed up to the newsletter for this service.
“The Business Model Canvas is a strategic management and entrepreneurial tool. It allows you to describe, design, challenge, invent, and pivot your business model”.
- This can work for start-ups and existing business.
Although at this moment in time I do not have any ideas for my own business, I would like to have some more information on being self employed. I have created an account with beepurple so I am able to book a one to one appointment and take full advantage of their services after I finish my course in May.
We were shown an example of an artist who has taken advantage of beepurple’s services to start their own business.
- https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kellyangood/kickstarter-gold-videre-35mm-diy-pinhole-camera-ki – Kelly Angood raising over 75,000 pounds through kickstarters funding.
Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/?country=GB is an online platform that helps to bring a creative project to life. People who are interested fund and support your creative project, in return for unique creative packages that are part of their project.
Advice was given on beginning to work as a freelancer.
- Start building up a portfolio of your best work now whilst you are a student.
- Create a 60-second reel of your best work.
- Update your CV.
- Write a list of potential clients, and reach out to them via LinkedIn, email, social media or phone.
- Think about your pricing strategy. How much will you charge your clients?
A link to help with this: https://bectu.org.uk/get-involved-in-the-union/ratecards/
I feel this is something I can easily do whilst I am still studying and will stand me in good stead for after I graduate – keeping on top of my work and thinking about how I present myself to others.
