Creatively Working Toward Small Business Success

Like many people who have a passion for the arts, Oral Clarke of Brooklyn, New York wondered how he could turn his love for filmmaking and storytelling into a profitable business venture. Clarke had been harboring ideas for films for years, but in November of 2014, he finally took the plunge into formally establishing himself as a small business owner with Musing International Production, LLC.

As the owner and operator of Musing International Production, Clarke acts as the mastermind behind the small business’s projects. As it typically is in the production industry, Clarke’s ensemble of employees would change from project to project, depending on size and style. He works closely with writers who he trusts to help him maximize his creative visions to the fullest extent. Clarke currently does business from home and is working toward having his own studio.

Whether it’s film, novels, commercials, or music videos, Clarke doesn’t discriminate. He has plans to make Musing International Production an all-encompassing creative force. Clarke will begin his creative career by building his own original content, and plans to welcome other collaborators to jump on board in the future.

Many creative people find themselves brewing with exciting ideas without knowing where to channel them or how to turn a profit from them. Initially, Clarke planned on selling his stories and letting the buyers take over. It was when a friend suggested to him that he form his own entity and take control himself that he formed Musing International Production. Clarke’s creative and professional paths were verified for him when a friend in the music industry approached him with some music videos. Clarke discovered he could contribute his talents to take other people’s ideas to the next level and make them even better. Plus, the formal entity gives him more clout when approaching investors.

“I wanted to make it official for when I approach people with my ideas,” he explains.

Clarke is looking forward to achieving success with his startup venture. He feels he is savvy enough to present his concepts in a way that is attractive to investors. By developing a solid business plan, he will be able to confidently approach film companies and not only execute his ideas, but also help them with theirs as well.

“I have the capabilities to be persistent and do the work. They’ll be more likely to invest in my ideas with the entity and business plan,” he says.

Enjoyment to Self-Employment

Clarke’s favorite aspect of owning a small business is musing, hence the name of the production company.

“I’m a mental person. I have a natural gift of coming up with ideas and executing them. I like the process of coming up with ideas,” Clarke confides.

Competing in the Production Industry

Clarke is too busy making his small business the best it can be to worry about competition right now, although he knows it exists. During the crucial beginning stages of starting up a production company, he is focusing on working hard and letting his creations speak for themselves.

On the business end of things, Clarke wants to win over collaborators and investors. The art itself, however, will appeal to a more universal demographic. His films involve religious fiction, and his audience is mostly those who have lost their direction and seek spirituality through artistic exploration.

The web presence for Musing International Production is still in the works. In the meantime, the small business has a Facebook page. The toughest challenge so far has largely been accumulating the funds required for a production company to function. Computers and film equipment are costly necessities.

Advice for Aspiring Small Business Owners

Clarke offers the following tips for entrepreneurs looking to make their dreams of startup success come true.

“Have a focus in mind. Be precise on what it is that you want to do. Anybody can become a business owner, but you need the right people to involve themselves in the business with you. You need a focus group with people whose ideas work with yours, with an artistic vision. Be dedicated and put in hard work. You need to feed the mind,” he insists.

The biggest advantage to being self-employed, Clarke says, is “not being able to get fired. You put your ideas into your own company instead of somebody else’s. The disadvantage is that you have to let it consume your time.”

1-800Accountant Testimonial

Clarke has had a positive experience with 1-800Accountant.

“I’m building my business plan and learning about how to structure my expenses and keep track of the tax side of things.”

Image credit: The logo included in this blog post was provided by Musing International Production, LLC and is used with permission.