Valuable Skills for New Arts Entrepreneurs

Happy New Year! Those of you following the podcast are aware that my wife and I accepted positions at Kent State University last year. Since May, we’ve moved, renovated most of a house, learned new gigs, etc., which is why the blog posts have slowed—but one of my New Year’s resolutions is to consistently contribute to the blog. Another resolution is to be more effective with my time, so I thought I would begin the year by sharing some content I created for a career mentorship site when asked about the most important skills for recent arts graduates to have and highlight in their resumes: 

• Across the arts the specific skill sets may vary, but highlighting critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership skills that enable candidates to build a portfolio of experiences and creative activities is very effective. Self-starters with a wide breadth of experiences are better equipped to see patterns and infer new trends, which bodes well for future growth.  
• Empathy is the most important soft skill because it enhances most, if not all, of the other soft skills. One who more deeply understands another person’s point of view creates an environment that fosters a greater degree of engagement and trust. 

• ​​Beyond the proficiency or expertise people need to function effectively in their respective fields, research skills are the most important hard/technical skills.  Knowing how to effectively gather and process data transcends all industries and business activities. 
• Time management and the ability to embrace ambiguity both greatly impact one’s financial situation. Because time is not a visible commodity it is not always top of mind. Time management is one of the most valuable commodities in a venture because efficient use of time saves money in all aspects of the value chain.  Those who focus on efficient use of time by refining processes and activities bring more value to their organizations. 
  • A trait consistently recognized in successful entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs is their ability to embrace ambiguity and to pivot when an endeavor doesn’t go as planned. That open-mind paradigm allows them to recognize and create opportunity.

​Thanks for reading, and best wishes for a great 2022!
Nick