3 Expert Creative Entrepreneurs and the Advice they Offer

Posted on April 24, 2019 by James Hart

The following interviews, conducted by Hanna Mandery, seek to understand:

  • If creative entrepreneurs typically seek capital in starting their organizations
    • OR if leaders of nonprofit leaders, how they raise funds
  • What ways they may have done so, if applicable
  • What advice they have for aspiring creative entrepreneurs. 

This interview process is part of SMU Meadows’ class Creative Entrepreneurship and Attracting Capital.

Ryan Reed: Visual Voice Media Ryan Reed

H: What is your name and your organization’s name? What does your organization do?

R: Our organization is called Visual Voice Media. We are a full service media company, and we produce corporate and commercial videos.

H: Have you sought funding for your organization?

R: Yes, I have sought Continue reading →

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Nonprofit Fundraising Tips from Leading Experts

Posted on April 24, 2019 by James Hart

The following interviews, conducted by Ben Killian, seek to understand:

  • If creative entrepreneurs typically seek capital in starting their organizations
    • OR if leaders of nonprofit leaders, how they raise funds
  • What ways they may have done so, if applicable
  • What advice they have for aspiring creative entrepreneurs. 

John Killian has served as the Chairman of the Board for Parent Project Muscular Jogn KillianDystrophy in the past and is a current member of the board.

Ben: “Have you sought funding for your organization?”

John: “Yes”

Ben: “In what ways have you sought funding for your organization?”

John: “We have sought funding for our organization through several means including grassroots fundraising events, friends and family, and through government grants.”

Ben: “What funding pursuits have proved most effective and why?”

John: “A combination of Continue reading →

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How are Creative Entrepreneurs Finding Funding (or Are They?)

Posted on April 24, 2019 by James Hart

The following interviews, conducted by Kate Vogel, seek to understand:

  • If these creative entrepreneurs sought capital in starting their organization
  • What ways they may have done so, if applicable
  • What advice they have for aspiring creative entrepreneurs. 

Kim Castner: GoGreenLunchbox, LLC Kim Headshot 

Have you sought funding for your organization?

No, we started the business, I had a business partner. We agreed to each put $30,000 Continue reading →

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Planning, Building Relationships, and Collaborating

Posted on April 24, 2019 by James Hart

The following interviews, conducted by Avery Alexander, seek to understand:

  • If these creative entrepreneurs sought capital in starting their organization
  • What ways they may have done so, if applicable
  • What advice they have for aspiring creative entrepreneurs. 

This interview process is part of SMU Meadows’ class Creative Entrepreneurship and Attracting Capital.

Zebretta Johnson (Schooling Talent) IMG_2567

Have you sought funding for your organization?

We did not seek funding for the profit side. Usually, when funding is given, it is out of the heart or interest of the person/giver, or through private Continue reading →

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Three Nonprofit Leaders on Raising Funds

Posted on April 24, 2019 by James Hart

The following interviews, conducted by Swikriti Shahi, seek to understand:

  • If creative entrepreneurs typically seek capital in starting their organization
    • If leaders of nonprofits, rather than entrepreneurs, how they raise funds
  • What ways they may have done so, if applicable
  • What advice they have for aspiring creative entrepreneurs. 

This interview process is part of SMU Meadows’ class Creative Entrepreneurship and Attracting Capital.

Audrey White, Readers 2 Leaders 501© (3), Development Manager Audrey White, Development Manager

Have you sought funding for your organization?

Yes, my primary role as the development manager is to seek Continue reading →

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How Nonprofit Leaders Fundraise & Advice They Have to Offer

Posted on April 23, 2019 by James Hart

The following interviews, conducted by Andrew McBride, seek to understand:

  • If these creative entrepreneurs (or a nonprofit leader) sought capital in starting their organization
  • What ways they may have done so, if applicable
  • What advice they have for aspiring creative entrepreneurs. 

This interview process is part of SMU Meadows’ class Creative Entrepreneurship and Attracting Capital.

James Jillson- Nasher Sculpture Center – 501(c)(3) James Jillson- Nasher Sculpture Center

Have you sought funding for your organization, and in what ways have you done so?

Yes, the bulk of my job at the Nasher involves raising funds from individuals for the Nasher. This includes Continue reading →

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Coco Bonvecchio & the Entrepreneurs

Posted on April 23, 2019 by James Hart

The following interviews, conducted by Coco Bonvecchio, seek to understand:

  • If these creative entrepreneurs sought capital in starting their organization
  • What ways they may have done so, if applicable
  • What advice they have for aspiring creative entrepreneurs. 

This interview process is part of SMU Meadows’ class Creative Entrepreneurship and Attracting Capital.

First: PlayFore Games LLC, Founder and Creator, Brandon Fernandez BrandonF

https://www.playforegames.com

Have you sought funding for your organization?

Yeah, I took a personal loan from my parents actually, of $25,000 to manufacture my first purchase order.

In what ways have you sought funding for your organization? If you have not, how were you able to grow without outside capital?

Using traditional financing no. Continue reading →

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Is Attracting Capital Necessary for a Startup?

Posted on April 23, 2019 by James Hart

The following interviews, conducted by Jack Mayo, seek to understand:

  • If these creative entrepreneurs sought capital in starting their organization
  • What ways they may have done so, if applicable
  • What advice they have for aspiring creative entrepreneurs. 

This interview process is part of SMU Meadows’ class Creative Entrepreneurship and Attracting Capital.

Ezra Cohen, EzraCohen.TV:

Ezra CohenQ: Have you sought funding for your organization?

A: I’ve never taken funding… I started working as a freelancer. First time around was a senior in college, and I took any job I could possibly get. My first gig was Continue reading →

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Callie Nelson asks, “Are Business Plans Necessary?”

Posted on May 13, 2018 by James Hart

The following interview series and analysis was conducted by Callie Nelson, an Arts Entrepreneurship student at Southern Methodist University, Meadows School of the Arts. The goal of this project was to assess if creative entrepreneurs typically start with a business plan and if they think they are necessary.

Cabell Gorman 

Cabell Gorman is both the founder and owner of the Cabell Gallery, located in Lexington, Virginia, and is also an avid painter. Her works are sold in her gallery and online at cabellgorman.com. However, the Cabell Gallery was not her first business. Cabell’s entrepreneurial career began as an owner and operator of a candle manufacturing company, “Candles by Cousins.” Cabell received her BS in Art and Sociology from Hollins University, so through the interview, she Continue reading →

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Rodman Steele with Creative Entrepreneurs on Plans and Planning

Posted on May 12, 2018 by James Hart

The following interviews were conducted by SMU student Rodman Steele.

Cary Pierce – Founding member of Jackopierce, musician 

Did you have a business plan when you started Jackopierce?

We Probably had a business plan for our first record… One page that said hey – what are we doing, what are we using our money for. I think we did that once because some guy wanted to ‘invest’ in us… I really took the reigns because we were managed by a guy at the time, Brady Wood. He became our manager because he was our social chairman at SMU. He booked us our first gig, and he handled all our early finances. [Brady] had everything in QuickBooks. Jack and I broke up in the end of ’97. We got back together in 2002 and I had become adept at QuickBooks so I started handling all the business stuff. A big shift happened for me when I got an accountant… I had it all in one giant account in Quickbooks, but then my bookkeeper said nuh-huh, you need to set up different companies. Cary Pierce performs solo, has a catalog of songs that have nothing to do with Jackopierce, and Jackopierce is its own company. As simple as it is, its major. Continue reading →

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