Clifford is both a poet and the founder of The Southern Collective Experience –an organization of and for artists. A proud member of the Roswell, Georgia, Ohana, he shares some information about his business and how he’s made his dream a success.
OE: Are you a dreamer, risk-taker, or doer?
CB: All three. To succeed as an entrepreneur you start with a dream – even if that dream initially is to work outside the mainframe. In order to realize that dream, the universe demands sacrifice, and in sacrifice there are risks. You'll never get out of the dreamer phase unless you leap for true freedom. Freedom is often the greatest risk you can take. See the dream, realize it, reach for it, earn it, and then continue to "do". Keep doing. Keep dreaming. Continue to take risks, albeit more calculated steps once experience turns into wisdom.
As fellow entrepreneurs, we would love to hear about your business.
The Southern Collective Experience includes:
- The Blue Mountain Review- a journal of culture read by over half a million people. It was established eight years ago.
- An NPR program called Dante's Old South that's been on the air roughly six years.
- The Business of Music & Poetry, a podcast that focuses on a single artist on how he/she has turned a passion into a vocation.
- An educational series in creative writing and the business of art.
- A team of diverse artists from every genre who work together to enrich life and live the truth.
Who is your ideal customer?
The dreamer, risk-taker, and doer. We don't hoard information or good vibes. The Southern Collective Experience puts focus on lifting up those from every walk of life who grab life by the throat – folks who can't back down – kind, humble people who hope to soothe hard feelings, not stoke them. Art is a business. It's a viable business that makes every day seem like Saturday. I'd like to provide that option to other kindred spirits.
What are your top tips for entrepreneurial success?
- If you're the smartest person in the room, go find another room.
- Constantly learn.
- Find a mentor.
- Cut loose negative patterns, behaviors, and people.
- Expect painful sacrifice.
- Do it for something bigger than yourself.
- Never fail to make your happiness a priority.
- Make a plan but don't count out the need for change.
Eager to hear more about Clifford and The Southern Collective Experience? Visit www.southerncollectiveexperience.com
Or, email him at cliffordbrooks@southerncollectiveexperience.com
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