Rachel bridge, journalist for the Sunday times talks to me at centralworking.com on ‘How to make a million before lunch...’

Fed up with working for someone else? Want to start your own business but don’t want to wait years to reap the rewards?

Take every shortcut you can … and get there fast.

Rachel Bridge, Enterprise Editor of The Sunday Times, offers her inimitable brand of business advice in this new her book 'How to Make a Million Before Lunch' 

Here are my notes on the great talk she made at my home from home for entrepreneurs - Central Working; 

 

5am

Wake up - Forget sleep and sacrifice! All entrepreneurs get up early

6am

Be passionate about what you do, make sure you inspire others to feel like they can do ANYTHING.

7am

Do not be fooled by thinking if you invent something it is a sure way to becoming a millionaire. (It can happen, but stay clear if you are a first time entrepreneur- you are practically bound to mortgage up your house and sell your life to a world of patents and paperwork.)

8am

Keep it really, really simple, like the guy that started putting adverts into toilets (Admedia who now has a turnover £7million)

You do not have to reinvent the wheel - change the tyre instead.

9am Research Your field. Understand your industry. Simon Cowell became the man he was today by shadowing Pete Waterman for 3 years when he was learning the ropes. If you can not find your Pete find a mentor instead.

10am Do not think of opening a shop, no one buys in shops anymore, they browse! Internet  is the way to go.

11am Promote your business in the newspaper relevant to you. Find out who writes about the things you want to do and get in touch.

12am Contact Rachel Bridge via the How I made it column (if you have made it that is) or aim to be in the Small business feature in The Sunday Times which needs case studies each week.

1pm JUST DO IT

Purchase Rachel Bridges' book 'How to Make a Million Before Lunch' via amazon for £7.15 here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Make-Million-Before-Lunch/dp/0753539349

Inspired? Then Paint!

The other day I was asked how I select my art materials and I am, as you can imagine, like a kid in a candy shop when I am at my art warehouse shop! Painting is one of the most popular hobbies in the UK, enjoyed by people of all ages and  if you are thinking of reigniting your artistic side but don’t know where to start, then this blog is for you!

If it has been years since you picked up a paintbrush but have been inspired to do so again, read on and I will tell you the do’s and don’ts of selecting your art materials without being overwhelmed by what is on offer!

Painting Mediums

Watercolour – The most popular painting medium for artists and the medium I first learnt on! This medium is so special as you can create very bold colours followed by the very softest of tints. You can purchase watercolours in tubes or in small blocks, I prefer the blocks as you can create the depth of colour on the brush by how much you swirl!!

My Watercolours

Aged 10, my first watercolour painting

Gouache – This is another form of watercolour but it is opaque rather than transparent in nature. Primarily available in tubes, this comes in a huge range of colours and is used by illustrators and artists’ alike.

Oil Paints – Oils have a firm texture and can be applied in a number of ways with a number of mediums that can alter the drying time length of the sheen of the finished painting. Solvent based mediums, such as turpentine thin the paint and must be used to clean brushes.

If you have not used oils before then there are a range of water-based oil paints which are great for beginners (far easier to clean than the real-deal and you wont be in danger of fumigating yourself whilst creating).

Acrylic Paints – My personal favourite were developed in the 1950’s. When wet they are water-soluble, when dry they are waterproof. They are very versatile and easy to use.  Acrylics are readily available in a range of colours and also have fab metallic, pearlescent and fluorescent colours. All the colours mix well and can be applied to literlally any surface!

These are my white, grey and black colours in the Golden Range

Many mediums are available to alter the paint by adding texture, gloss and matt effects as well as a whole library of other fascinating effects. You will have lots of fun experimenting!!

You can get student quality paints which are great for starting out - Daler Rowney do a great range of colours.  - here is a photo of my lovely Golden Paints. 

My wonderful Da Vinci Brushes

The world of brushes – Brushes can be bewildering! I have spent over £100 on 1 brush before (The one on the left!) The quality of them varies and it is always good to have a good brush collection.

As a general rule of thumb, for watercolour you would use a soft brush (such as nylon and sable) and oil paints would use a hard brush (such as hog) and of course, you guessed it – acrylics can use both.

Round brushes – carry a lot of paint – use for detail and broad areas of colour.

Flat brushes – excellent for laying down flat, even areas or washes.

Fan brush – great for blending colours and creating cloud effects.

I hope that explains the basics to you, if you would like to know anymore then please message me. 

I would also love to see some of your work. Please share your art with me? 

Be Inspired J

Black & Red - The Cards for the Future

My latest piece, A 78” x 73” textured abstract created for the reception area of a commercial office building has been finished and is being installed into its new home this week.

This marks an exciting point for me – the painting, entitled ‘The Beginning’ is significant not only to me, but also to all the businesses that will look at it as they enter their new office. It symbolises the creation – the start of something new. It is an exciting piece of work with movement and passion – vital ingredients for a new business to grow and succeed. I am sure it will feel right at home in it’s new home of Cornwall House, Slough and I hope it brings inspiration and thought to those as they enter the building each day.

The name also signifies the relationship I have with the wonderful commercial interior design company www.greyinteriors.com . In a world that is not just black and white, Grey Interiors provide all the shades in between with their vision and turnkey approach to commercial interiors.

Finally, I hope this painting exposes Joanna Gilbert art into the office, hotel, restaurant and bar industry - I loved creating art of this scale and I would love the opportunity of creating a series of paintings for a specific area / building in these areas. 

I ask that if anyone knows of anyone who can help me fulfill this dream please email me on info@joannagilbert.com

So, let’s begin. Are you ready?  

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR 2011 / Getting Yourself Heard!

The Gramophone Painting
Concept (C) Gilbert 2011

We all have resolutions, but after a lovely Coffee & Bubbles meeting a few business minded girls collaborated and thought about what could be improved within our companies and we wrote these 10 Commandments. 

Follow these rules to ensure you business is being HEARD and you will reach THE PENTHOUSE! 

1.Thou Shall Commit to Twitter every day for 15 mins twice a day

• Find a subject appropriate to your industry and have a bank of quotes with pics you can tweet to raise awareness
• Do #followfriday #ff for specific people giving a reason why people should follow them
• Use Tweetdeck as the platform to view mentions / comments etc
  
  

2.Thou Shall Not Procrastinate

• We know the drill, do To Do lists, set reminders on phones and
• JUST DO IT!

3.Thou Shall Not Get Disheartened

• Persevere through set backs, it is not a no until they tell you to F Off!
• If they do say ‘NO’ pls ask WHY so you can learn for next time

4.Thou Shall Make Time to Help Other Fellow Networkers

• Always think of how you can help others

5.Thou Shall Get to Grips With Marketing

• Subscribe to Enthuse Marketings Free newsletter full with tips http://enthusemarketing.co.uk/

6.Learn Thy Blog – It’s a Bloggy Blog World

• Follow blogs similar to your industry and comment on them to raise your awareness

7.Thou Shall Provide Testimonials

• Linked In – Please provide where appropriate testimonials on products / services you have used from people within the group

8.Thou Shall Feel The Fear & Do It Anyway

9.Communicate To Your People

• Use Mail Chimp for newsletters http://www.mailchimp.com/pricing
• Remember the Bloggy Blog World
• Use Twitter
• Video Feeds

 10.Identify Thy Strengths & Weaknesses and Resolve To Improve & Maintain

• Review your strategy and see what is holding your company back then overcome them 

Image shown above is a painting concept created by Joanna Gilbert within the Love Music theme. Joanna Gilbert provides art for interiors, Email info@joannagilbert.com to discuss a project . More can be seen at www.joannagilbert.com 

You Can't Fight Fate

Last week I was wishing for week 3 to come, this week I am kind of wishing for week 3 to go. I have had a major set back regarding Duncan and he has decided not to go ahead with my art concepts at this time. You can’t fight a fate line and me painting for that hotel was not meant to happen right now. 

But, he does still have a painting of mine in his flat so will always have a reminder of me and what I do which is more than most could ask for.

On another note, more doors are opening as I look onwards; I have come across a very interesting website ‘www.escapethecity.org’ and will be seeing what opportunities open through that.

I am also excited to meet the lovely Sarah Jones from Grey Interiors to discuss various art ventures that will happening this year.

So, am still trying to think big, despite my blow. Many factors are working overtime to ensure I still reach for those stars…

Dare I tempt fate and wonder what week 4 will hold? I don’t think so, perhaps we are better off just living for today and putting everything into now, whatever will happen, will happen.

Congratulations to Cliff Doyle on his new purchase ‘Peacock at Dusk’ A personal favourite of mine. 

Finally it was great to meet my first twitter friend @Ms_Sublime and have a good old girlie natter over great food. You can read more about her blog using the link below. 

www.escapethecity.org

http://www.greyinteriors.com/

http://vintageapothecary.blogspot.com/

What will week 3 hold?

Just into week two of this year and I have some amazing news. I met up with Duncan Bannatyne and he loved my art concepts for his Spa hotel in Hastings and will check with ‘his team’ but fingers crossed I am going to be able to start painting them soon.

If so, there we have it - Joanna Gilbert will officially be an artist with a client list that includes Duncan Bannatyne.

As a follow on project, I have also been asked to visit the Bannatyne Spa Hotel in Somerset with a view of assessing the reception area for any artwork and concepts.

So all in all very, very exciting.

People are saying that it is my year to shine, let’s prove them right. 

All images copyright Joanna Gilbert 2011

The Future

Please click the follow me button and keep upto date with my blogs this year...

HAPPY TWENTY ELEVEN EVERYONE! 

It seems funny to look back at my posts from January last year and see how far I have come. 

This time last year, I had a vision of working for celebrity clients and now it is a reality (YAY!) I also had the pleasure (and pressure!) of holding my first solo exhibition 'Windmills of My Mind' which was tough but fantastic at the same time. 

Working on this allowed me to explore different techniques and resulted in my creating my own art style which I have called 'artdeco-meets-popart'. It is very current style that could well be printed on coasters and placemats before the year is out! 

My art is now being displayed in anywhere from commercial offices, to exclusive houses in affluent areas to Harley Street! 

I can honestly look back on 2010 and know that I put everything in and more that year, and as a result have pushed my career on greatly. 

Where ever I go I seem to notice possibilities and I wonder if this is why people say that I inspire them as they often ask my advise on business strategies and design ideas. A recent trip abroad to Poland exposed me to a whole array of new people - I came across some fantastic artists in Warsaw (Marzena Turek-Gas / Dorota Lacek / Marek Sulek / Anna Alicja Trochim)  and I hope to work with them in the new year and specifically introduce them to people I know in the UK. 

This year I will carry on this exciting journey following my passion for art. I am entering my work into the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and my ‘Twinkle’ painting is being used on the cover of Talitha Giusti’s forthcoming single which is very exciting.

I am keeping my mind open for any opportunities, and as always I will put everything I have and more into each one.

MY ADVICE TO YOU - THINK BIG!

Happy New Year to you all x

http://www.gorczyca.art.pl/index.html

http://www.turekgas.blogspot.com/

http://www.mareksulek.pl/

http://www.galeriadelfiny.eu/home/?page_id=33