QUIZ Will you make it as a self-employed creative?


Longing to set up a creative business, take this quiz to investigate your survival chances

Scoring : If more than one statement is true use the one with the highest score.

Results:I f your answers are mostly

 Ones  Don’t do it

 Twos and threes  It’s worth a try

 Threes  Go for it, you have a real chance of success  

MONEY MATERS

Do you have any savings which you are prepared to lose?

  1. None or less than £1000
  2. Under £5000
  3. Over £5000

 Do you have another source of income?

  1. No
  2. Yes, but it doesn’t cover my living costs
  3. Yes and it covers my living costs

 Are you motivated by money?

  1. Yes it is important to me, I equate my worth with my earnings
  2. It is not important to me, but I am fearful about risking my financial security
  3. Not particularly,  I am ready to make real economies to make it work

What capital outlay does your business need?

  1. I need to buy the materials and equipment
  2. I have most of the equipment but need to buy some materials
  3. I only need to spend to replace what I sell

TIME ISSUES

How much time can you spend building your new business ?

  1. While the children are at school
  2. Evenings and weekends
  3. As much as I want

What suffers from the time you intend to dedicate to your business?

  1. Less time with my family
  2. Social life
  3. Nothing suffers significantly

ASPIRATIONS

Where do you most want your business to be in five years?

  1. Making real money  and employing staff
  2. Financially secure and outsourcing some aspects
  3. My skill widely appreciated and a good home/work balance

Why are you starting out on this route?

  1. I need a job
  2. I think I would like to work for myself
  3. This is all important to me

 WORKPLACE

Do you have a place to work?

  1. I am going to rent  space
  2. I will manage from home to begin with but  the room has to be dual use
  3. I  can have a dedicated room/outhouse at home

The location of  your workplace

  1. I  live in a very isolated location
  2. I have a limited market for my work on my door step
  3. I live in a location with plenty of suitable outlets for my work

 BACKGROUND

Which of these describes the attitude of those around you?

  1. This is something I want to do but it mystifies those about me.
  2. My friends and family are really supportive
  3. I have several self-employed creative friends and  family

 Which of these describes your previous experience or training?

  1. I have an arts background
  2. I have been employed in this field
  3. I have a business or sales background

Which of these is true about your health?

  1. I have had mental health issues
  2. I have some health issues
  3. I am really healthy with lots of energy

ABILITIES

How do you see your skills?

  1. My friends and family tell me I am really good
  2. I am very skilled at my craft
  3. I am hugely creative

Which of these describes your work style?

  1. I am collaborative
  2. I am a bit erratic and bossy
  3. I am determined and organised

Give yourself an extra 3 score for each of these skills you possess

  1. Social media literate
  2. Very computer literate
  3. Good sales person
  4. Highly organised
  5. High tolerance of repetitive tasks

 Which of these describes your personality?

  1. Introvert
  2. Extrovert
  3. Bit of both

Do you drive?

  1. No
  2. Learning
  3. Yes

How did you do?

I am going to try it and see what my score would have been when I started my enterprise …

not every question exactly fits but I scored :

1 one, 5 twos and 12 threes so that would have made me mostly threes which is fine as it did work out for me.

You might argue with some of my rankings, so write me a comment and I will tell you why I ranked as I did. Also write me a comment if you think I have missed out an important factor. If you can convince me, I will change the quiz.

I haven’t put anything about what your actual enterprise is going to be because it  isn’t the idea that is really important but how you implement it. If it’s a remarkably terrible idea, or you are totally lacking any skill, then you will probably fail, however well you do in the quiz.

19 thoughts on “QUIZ Will you make it as a self-employed creative?”

  1. June says:
    Reply

    Hey just wanted to give you a quick heads up and let you know a few of the pictures aren’t loading properly. I’m not sure why but
    I think its a linking issue. I’ve tried it in two different internet browsers and both show the same outcome.

  3. Dixie Nichols says:
    Reply

    Ah yes supplies. Lovely sounding word I need “supplies” I need to spend money because I need “supplies” Must buy lots as better in England, wouldn’t do to run out. STOP. Sales then supplies. NOT supplies first. Remember I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE UP TO.
    Financial security is going to get wobblier. I am glad you cant buy supplies locally because you dont need them yet.
    You have to show people what you think you can sell and you arent doing so because you fear people might not like it enough. You prefer to stay in the land of the hopeful . You are entering an unbelievably full area of the market, your product has to be outstanding before you need fret about supplies.
    If the product is great it wont matter how good a sales person you are just get the price right (by which I mean high).
    Selling an English product in Portugal could be good move, sourcing locally means they have seen it all before. Often what seems a negative, works out to be a positive.

    • Cynthia says:
      Reply

      Thanks! No worries – I don’t mean I need supplies today – only that if I am going to get underway in earnest, I want to know what is accessible and at what prices (including shipping if need be), when I do need to create replacement stock or if I am going to take commissions (which is part of the plan). Much of my existing made up stock and on hand materials were purchased before recent thumping increases in prices of silver and gold, so I want to be sure my pricing reflects current supply-replacement expenses, so the replacement piece isn’t double the price versus prior.

  4. Cynthia says:
    Reply

    Very helpful and thought provoking – and encouraging! 1×1, 4×2, 14×3 including extras. The wobbly bits are key though: financial security, and finding a market for my goods where I live – much research to do there, with language issues to make it that much more fun!! Also I am rubbish as a sales person, personally. Still, this helps with the thought and planning process, huge thank you, Dixie! One thought that occurs to me as a possible additional question: local sources of materials – all my supplies at this point are from England – brought with me when I moved or picked up on return visits, but I need to find local sources – so far what I have found has not been high quality, but again, research ahead to try to sort that out.

  6. nique_designs@live.com says:
    Reply

    Hi Dixie,

    I have just finished the quiz and I am surprised at my score. I got 6 twos and 14 threes!!!
    I know I have a lot more to learn and organise but I think this has given me the boost I needed.

    Thanks Dixie

  7. Bridget Karn says:
    Reply

    Hi Dixie,

    Well 1 one 5 twos and 11 threes, definitely seems worth a go!

    Re: LinkedIn conversation – I have used Photoshop on my previous Computor, this one doesn’t have it – but can use my husbands. Must admit that I’ve just been uploading pics straight from my iphone, maybe using a better camera would help too. Thank you for the advice!

    I will start a blog too, should prove an interesting reminder aswell as an important link to interested customers.

  8. Margaret Diane Thompson says:
    Reply

    Hi Dixie,
    Just finished this quiz. 1’s = 1, 2’s = 2, 3’s = 18 + 5 for extras. WOW! Does that mean I should be asking myself, “What are your waiting for, just go for it?”

    Thanks Dixie!

    • Dixie Nichols says:
      Reply

      Hi Margaret Thats a really very high score I am currious what was the 1 for ? Next move is to actually let people see some samples of your work online and ask for feedback Thats your next scary crossing What do you make????

  9. Kiki Polglase says:
    Reply

    Hi Dixie,

    When I found you clever quiz idea I was really excited…..well, my computer wasn’t and I could not download it, even after trying your different options……drat !

    It would have been a useful opportunity to reflect with your help whether my AlikiBags should remain an expensive hobby or will ultimately turn into the small business I dream of.

    Thanks for at least making me think again,

    Kiki x

  11. Dixie Nichols says:
    Reply

    Sounds as if you are on top of things on that front. When you have time look into Facebook pages.

    Briming with ideas is just the place you want to be. However try (and its really hard ) to manage your expectations for how it will go when you get started.

    Incidentally I have added another question under aspirations on keenest I guess you will collect another three on that

  13. Teresa says:
    Reply

    Thanks for this quiz Dixie. I did it and had mostly No 2s and 3s but as my major No 1 was a time issue I’ve resigned myself to not being able to give it a go until my full-time work contract finishes at the end of next year. The result did give me a glimmer of hope for the future though.
    Teresa x

    • Dixie Nichols says:
      Reply

      You can do some things now just accept that its going to be slow. You could set up some of your online presence, but keep it all private until you are really starting Even if its a hour a week it will allow you to find your way round. Also by doing something it will help you tell if you really do want to do it.

      • Teresa says:

        Thank you Dixie.
        I have a blog and a flickr account and am also registered on Linked In and have a Facebook account. I’m hoping to use them all in some way when I get started, as well as getting a Folksy account and getting involved in the crafing community in my area. I have lots of connections, information and inspriation – just waiting to use it. :-)
        Terea

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