Four Things to Keep in Mind
Change is hard / It isn't personal / Use the technology / Keep in touch
I recently got some excellent feedback and questions from one of our members, and I just couldn't wait to share my thoughts with all of you.
In this Special Edition I'm going to give you four things that will help you begin your transition to the scalable business of art that will serve you well for years to come.
One: change is hard. Be patient with yourself (and with us).
It's not news, but it bears repeating. It's normal, expected, and it will pass. Easy transitions to anything new are possible, but unlikely. Chances are there will be a period of struggle as you re-write your brain patterns to cope with new ways of doing things. Change is hard because it requires you to fight your lizard brain and yank all that stuff absorbed into your subconscious out into the light.
Yes, you will need to change your habits and technologies. You already know that something isn't working the way things are, and here we've got a proven, reliable, repeatable way of doing certain foundational things that make every business better - and now so do you. Don't be afraid, you'll get there, and we'll help.
Two: Separate Business and Personal
This is the reason I usually recommend switching to Microsoft Edge. The technical reality is that you don't have to switch to Edge - you can use Chrome, in which case you will need to create a new browser profile. Still, do not. Use Edge. Here's why:
It's like getting a new office. You make a clean break with your old location and must re-examine what you should take with you and what needs to stay behind. It's a chance to clean house. Take it. You might have to figure out where the bathroom is in the new office, but once you do, it won't be an issue again.
It's got the same technical backing as Chrome. It's built on the same browsing engine, so you're not losing any functionality, and gaining some as well. Your favorite extensions will work. We wrote a couple of blog posts on Microsoft Edge productivity tips a while back for our website -Â check them out.
It works better with Microsoft Office and other Microsoft tech. It's true. Not everyone is onboard with Microsoft technologies, but there's a reason most business - small, medium, and large - is on Microsoft. They work fantastically well for businesses of any size. You're a business. It'll work for you. Microsoft provides both the "plumbing" technology like email, document management, and collaboration, plus the Microsoft Azure "data center in the sky" platform that enable advanced solutions. It's cost-effective, provides lots of features, secure, and has top-notch support.
It provides a clean separation between personal and business. Use Chrome for your personal email. Use Edge for business and you'll be more focused, less distracted, and switch easier between wearing different hats.
Using a new browser is just one example of separating personal and business affairs. The next item on the list drives point further.
Three: Teams, Teams, Teams
Teams will make your life a dream.
Yes, it's a little bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea of where I'm going. Make sure you're signed into Teams when you start your day - this is how you can get support from us and eventually communicate with your own team when it grows.
Teams is where you will store all your documents.
Teams is where you will plan your projects and check off your tasks.
Teams is where you will share documents with clients.
Teams is where you will keep track of your inventory.
Teams is where you'll keep track of your event applications
Teams is where you will access art|Hub
Teams is where your employees will find your operating procedures (yes, you'll have those if you don't already)
Teams is where you'll go for training
Teams is where you'll keep your client meeting notes
Teams will become your business phone system when you're ready for it, it'll get your voicemail and email you a transcription.
Teams will be your web conferencing and screen sharing and online teaching solution (you don't need to pay for Zoom, you've got Teams!)
Teams will show your calendar and let you schedule online (or otherwise) meetings
Teams will...
Well, you get the idea. Teams is big. You can just start with Files and move up from there. Here's some free training1 for when you have a moment. Let us know and we'll add the training app in Teams for you so you can just take it there, too.
Also, Outlook. I know i said "Teams, Teams, Teams" earlier, but Outlook too. You'll spend a lot of time in Outlook, and it does pay to know how to use it. Here's free training on Outlook2. We’ll talk more about Outlook in future emails.
Four: Stay in Touch and Ask Questions
This really should have been first, so hopefully you started reading from the bottom. We want to stay in touch a lot. But we also don't want to bug you when you’re busy - we want you to bug us whenever you feel like it.
Get signed in to Teams, go to Chat, and start a chat with me. We may put you in touch with other members of our team for specific issues or questions, and the bottom line is that you should never feel like you're out there on your own, trying to figure stuff out.
We're here for you, and we want you to grow and be successful - it's the same thing we want!
We're thrilled to have you be part of art|Works Initiative,
Until next time!
Free to art|Works Initiative members
Free to art|Works Initiative members