Being an entrepreneur requires making decisions independently. That’s both the blessing and the curse of working with a small or non-existent team. The need for a community to reach out to for advice and input has been long standing, and thanks to Sean Low, there’s an answer.
Founder of the Business of Being Creative, Low has taken on the challenge of uniting the creative community and is leading others to a place of transformation. We had the opportunity to learn more about the BBC Collective and are looking forward to sharing the details with you.
Timeline Genius: How did you determine there was a need for this type of service?
Sean Low: I have watched what Seth Godin has created with AltMBA, Jonathan Fields with his 108 and Danielle LaPorte with her Firestarter Sessions and just felt the time was right for me to do something that could really help creative business professionals specifically. I sent a survey in March to my blog subscribers and received a tremendous response. From there, I decided to put The BBC Collective in motion.
TG: What made you decide to bring the BBC Collective into fruition now?
SL: I will always work with creative businesses directly. Being witness and guide to transformation is my drug of choice. However, the power of the collective to make profound change, to lead others into another way of understanding how their business might work, has never been greater. Together, voices of those committed to seeing if there is another way, those seeking to be perpetually curious is how the world changes and creative businesses are transformed.
Technology has afforded us the ability to connect as never before in human history. I want to use this power to raise those who are willing to stand up and do the work. Creative business needs to be propelled forward, to develop new and different techniques to surprise and delight its clients. This takes work and commitment to whatever knowledge I and my guest lecturers might impart. It also takes community to learn together and, more important, stand together to go another way. A way that is a truer, deeper and more powerful reflection of the business behind the art. Most important, it takes consistency, showing up every week to challenge ourselves and make each other better.
TG: Who is the BBC Collective for?
SL: Anyone in creative business (owner or employee) who is looking to elevate their business through a process of weekly exploration. I expect members of the collective to want to work hard on challenging themselves about why they do what they do with the goal of transformative change. Being perpetually curious, willing to listen to different viewpoints and be part of the conversation are prerequisites. I am really hoping for a broad cross-section of creative businesses so that we can really be cross discipline and learn from each other in a real-time, practical, on-going way.
TG: Is there any particular field or industry that would benefit the most?
SL: I intend it for those who are willing to learn, teach and be part of something bigger. While the BBC Collective is open to any creative business professional, I am seeking those who are most hungry for change, willing to imagine a different paradigm for their creative business. I want collaborators, ruckus makers and those willing to simultaneously bring the group with them and be part of the very same group. I intend for The BBC Collective to be intensely rewarding and I am going to lead it as such – no dumbing down anything and no sacred cows. And the broader the group of professionals, the better. So often, the answer to any business problem lies in those places where the answer has already been given. The power of cross industry work is to see solutions those industries have gleaned where you industry might never have even dreamt the solution as a possibility.
TG: What type of personality do you think will benefit the most from the BBC Collective?
SL: Someone who is willing to listen, learn and be vocal. Professionals hungry to see what can come next and who enjoy being surrounded by like minded professionals. I do not think those that like to learn passively and to go it their own.
TG: How does the BBC Collective differ from a mastermind group?
SL: My understanding of a mastermind group is that it is similar professionals in a focused group who try to keep each other accountable. Such a wonderful and worthy endeavor. My aim is bigger than that though. I want to inspire radical change, to get creative business owners to throw out all they know and be willing to rewrite how things should work in today’s connected world. If mastermind groups as an offshoot, that would be awesome. Whatever will really push things forward towards an evolution of creative business, wedding businesses very much included.
TG: When things get busy, would you consider the BBC Collective a useful tool for staying focused? How so?
SL: Absolutely. I think the commitment to spend an hour or so each week invested in the group, to participate in the discussion will be its own reward. The investment will drive further investment in the private Facebook Group (and possibly sub-mastermind groups) where the collective will keep each other accountable. Change is hard and being committed to change is even harder. Surrounding yourself with those working in the same place will, I hope, push members through any excuse (i.e., I am too busy) to ignore the effort.
TG: What would be your ideal results for the participants of the Collective?
SL: A radically different vision of their own creative business, with new processes, pricing and metrics of success. Clarity is incredibly important. I want BBC Collective members to learn more about their industries, where they fit in the industry and how they can change what that niche looks like on a hyper-local, regional, even national basis.
TG: Where do you see this program five years from now?
SL: I would like to see multiple BBC Collectives – some industry specific, some cross-discipline, each generating incredible content for members and providing an incredible forum for community. From these groups, I would like to be part of an effort to reshape how creative businesses are perceived and how they run, whether that be through a series of whitepapers or trying to establish industry standards, this I am not sure of yet, but the overarching aim is to bring creativity and empowerment to the business of creativity, not just the artistic endeavor itself.
If you’re interesting in joining the BBC Collective, visit https://thebbccollective.com/ for more information.
