Starting with a 'Why'
Why become a creator if I am a designer?
When I started working as a visual designer and film editor in the industry, I used to look up to the senior designers and editors who worked throughout their careers to reach a stage where (now after so many years) they have the freedom to work and enjoy. “Will I have to wait this long to get this freedom in the creative industry?”, I used to ask myself.
The more I observed the industry closely, the notion of freedom became a distant thought because I could see super talented newbie designers joining the industry every day. I always asked myself, “What can I do today to secure my career from these super talented beings?”
I was concerned about the competitive advantage I could gain over others in the industry. (now I know that it is called Moat. I spoke about it in this video in detail).
Rare and valuable skills can be one option to build a career moat only if they do not obsolete by automation and artificial intelligence.
So I thought, "what is it that I can do today to defend my career prospects in the decades ahead? I need an advantage that will be hard for machines to replicate."
And, I got my answer here: Audience as a career moat, i.e., becoming a true creator!
From posting a video with zero subscribers to a community of 20k design aspirants in 16-18 months is learning worth sharing😊. It was only because of my audience on YouTube that helped me reach out to the design aspirants and share my vision in the market in front of big-time coaching brands and corporates.
Why audience building is the future
One domain where humans seem likely to retain an edge over machines is our ability to influence other people. While machines may find ways to entertain and inform us, we humans take cues about what products to buy, politicians to vote for, and companies to work for, from other members of our species. Given the immense economic value of these choices, our ability to influence one another will likely remain a sustainable advantage for the foreseeable future.
~Nick deWilde
What does this mean?
Put simply, building a large audience is a good strategy for anyone who wants to build a resilient career in the creative industry.
Beyond mere downside career protection, an engaged audience can also help with:
Fundraising – legitimizing you with potential investors
Job Searching – putting your ideas in front of prospective hiring managers
Recruiting – building relationships with possible hires
Customer Acquisition – creating a marketing channel to reach customers
Relationship Building – lubricating relationships with interesting people
Idea Generation – connecting you with people who can expand thinking
So, how to build an engaged audience? What content to create to engage an audience? What if nobody likes my content? And, what does it even mean to build an audience?
I know, your brain would be bombarded with questions like these. But first, let's start from the beginning.
Defining Creator
In simple language, a creator in the digital space is one who creates content online. If you are posting photos on Instagram or writing a post on Linkedin or even replying to an email, you are already creating content in the digital space. All you need to do is to be more aware of what we post and when we post. To achieve this first start with adopting a creator mindset.
Now, when I say creator mindset it does not mean bringing creativity in your life or some design thinking course. It means, taking control of decisions, career, and time in your life. Here are two simple steps to get rid of blocks, inhibitions, or apprehensions of becoming a creator.
Adopting Creator Mindset
👉Do not hold yourself back from posting anything because you are worried about what your friends, family, or co-workers think?
The fact that you attended the same high school, share the same group of friends, or share the same DNA, doesn’t mean your interests are aligned for the rest of your life.
~Jessie van Breugel
The only barrier to entry for sharing your thoughts with the world is in your own head. Nobody actually cares what you are doing on the internet.
But, if you start sharing your thoughts and work, you'll see that there are people who actually care (in a positive sense). There are people who think the same as you think. And, they want to connect with you.
To come out of this inhibition zone, start looking for like-minded people and join the tribe!
👉Stop comparing yourself
Unless you’re running the Olympic 100 meters finals, comparing yourself to others doesn’t do much good for you. Instead, focus on one thing you can control: your own output.
After all, as long as you don’t put your content out, there’s nothing to compare. The moment you step into your own spotlight is the moment you start winning.
So, start to create.
Some people spend their whole lives waiting for the sound of a starting gun that never goes off. There is no such thing as “fully ready.” So don’t wait. Pull the trigger yourself. The thing you’ve been waiting for is your own permission.
As trained designers, we are already creating a lot of content for our clients. Somewhere deep inside our hearts, we always want to create a brand, a company. or a design studio for ourselves. It's time to become a creator in the real sense and create a better career for ourselves.
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