Some people see the world differently. When something becomes apparent to
them, they have to respond to that blinding flash of creative vision.
Creativity coach Mary Lou Johns of
Blue Sky Coaching
teaches that the first stage in the creative process is gathering input through
observation. If we want to increase our creativity, we must keep our sensory
skills on the alert for new experiences.
Actresses make use of all their senses to bring roles to life. So it was
natural for actress Lynne Lambert to launch a new career by relying on her
visual acuity.
About 10 years ago, Lambert was a successful commercial actress on stage and
in the voiceover market. She was also a leader in her union in New York City.
But she noticed that her bookings were dropping off and, after looking into the
problem, realized that her career was slowing down because of her age: She was
well over 40.
Lambert, however, is creative, tenacious (no one is successful in the arts
without great discipline and tenacity), and has strong organizational and
leadership skills.
And, as so many New Yorkers do, she rode the subway to most of her bookings.
One day, she looked at the subway map and had an "aha" moment. The map was a
terrific graphic. She could see this colorful, unique design on fun, hip
clothing. Lambert had absolutely no experience in clothing design,
manufacturing, licensing or distribution. She did have a burning desire to see
what she could do with her concept.
She learned that she could license the images for a reasonable fee along with
a percentage of sales, and she launched the business with T-shirts. She was off
and running.
Lambert believes in asking questions. She has found that people are willing
to help if they know you are sincere and hard-working. In an early licensing
meeting, she was so naïve about the process that one of the consultants took her
aside and counseled her to protect her designs or she would be vulnerable to
deep-pocketed companies that might not have her ethics.
Lambert listened, and when counterfeiters tried to siphon off sales, her
solid relationships and legal protection enabled her to save her intellectual
property and her future.
Fast forward to 2008.
NYCSubwayLine was a winner in the
Make Mine a
Million $ Business competition two years ago and is now a million-dollar
business. Lambert took what she learned and applied it to other markets. She was
approached to work with the London subway system and found a creative way to add
to its iconic shirts, expanding the business of all concerned. She believes her
company can expand to other cities and subway systems around the world.
What are the takeaways from Lynne’s experience?
- Keep your eyes peeled for good ideas.
- Give your intuition a chance.
- Be humble enough to admit what you don’t know.
- Ask experts to help you.
- Don’t give up when the going gets tough.
Sometimes, getting stuck on the subway is the best use of your time!
Bonnie Price, founder of Silver Vixen Enterprises, is a lifelong entrepreneur. She owns SilverVixens, an online membership community to connect and inform Women of a Certain Age. She also writes the After 55 blog.