THOUGHTS & WHAT NOTS
My 4 P's: Product
Most of the time when I think of a product I think of a physical item that is pre-made and then sold. For me that is not always the case. My work seesaws between service and products. My product is always art, no matter what way you push it. When I first started writing about “My 4 P’s” in mid-2018 I was convinced that my product was ONLY an outline of services. I have come to find out through a series of consulting experiences and commissioned projects that I do both. I have some services and the end result is a product of art. The best example I have and one that speaks to my mission is when I create window and interior displays, and also merchandise a store.
Between planning and finding a process for each service and production of a product there is a lot of work that has to be done in order to create the actual product or successfully execute a service. My 3rd P, product, is the get your hands dirty part of the business. Without a product all you have is inspiration, an idea, and creativity. What you don’t have is the technical expression and reality of something useful for others. In other words, you don’t really have shit.
What I mean by this is that anyone, everyone has ideas, can be creative and have inspiration. The imagination to do or create something. It’s not until you are willing and able to roll up your sleeves and actually produce or in services terms, work with another person and be the solution to a problem that you have actually moved from the planning and process side of things into a product that reaches people.
For me, and I’m sure you are getting the gist of things, I like to talk about myself and my experiences here. I have projects where planning and process is a product that I get paid to do before an installation happens. When I am approached with a truly fantastic project that needs a lot of work up front in order to create the best possible product I start with the planning and process as a product to ensure that I am able to fulfill the needs of the client. Once that planning has been approved I move into the product phase. I begin production, getting my hands dirty, and creating things that no one but me can create because through the planning and processing phases I have put myself into the project. The ideas are authentically mine and no matter where I have pulled inspiration from, the production is my hands, thus making it unique.
At the beginning of 2020 I really got honest with myself when it came to what I do and how I do it. I have fumbled around knowing that I make art, in so way different ways. From retail displays and merchandising to brand development, logos, content curation for social media, and being an consultant for businesses and project management. Trying to put a label on each project so that you, the people, can understand my services and products has been a challenge. At the end of the day, it’s all a form of creativity and art.
Making Connections: Support Local FL
I sit here surrounded by half filled brown corrugated cardboard boxes. The dining room table is stacked with framed photographs, clocks, and a crystal ball. My bookshelf is empty. The walls are bare. My coffee is warm, and my heart is full. If you know me personally then you know a few major things that I hold dear; 1. coffee 2. working together for the greater good of our society and culture; community and 3. the preservation and elevation of ethics and morality. Let’s get right into it. I’ve said it time and time again, community is what builds and grows the cultural experience of an environment. It is typically an underlining theme in my blog. I talk about it a lot. After living in Sarasota for 10 years watching that city grow, being part of an art collective with the mission to share contemporary visual art with the community and continuously supporting small local businesses. They have always supported me right back. The last 3 years have really shown me what I stand for as a person and artist. It’s what makes me more authentic. My truth. And one of the many reasons I am so attracted to Miami. I have attended Miami Art Basel since 2004. I have watched, from a distance, the city grow and realign itself with what matters the most. Becoming a hub for creative entrepreneurs and pushing the boundaries of how people interact with businesses and artists. Support Local is the brand in front of the movement carrying that mission for Miami.
I was able to catch up with Janel from Support Local FL. Janel is the liaison for the brand. She oversees the partnerships, manages the social accounts, and on-boards new businesses. I am so grateful for the opportunity to connect with her over the phone and really dig into what Support Local stands for and how it operates. The mission is clear. Build relationships and support collaboration. Janel said it beautifully “transform the process of opening businesses in Miami”. Janel gets to know the brands and builds the direct relationships with each founder and their mission. She mentioned that they have always worked with makers and businesses, through the parent company Prism Creative Group, an agency dedicated to elevate culture in Miami, and from that sprung Support Local. Support Local is the platform that provides a curated directory of local businesses, taking action and alleviating pain and pressure of starting a business in the Miami area, and how to find the treasures.
Janel, Chief Social Alchemist for Prism Creative Group and Liaison for Support Local FL
Support Local is mindful of the brands it supports, obviously it must be local, and SLFL takes the time to get to know the story behind the business as well as the product. Support Local stands with the brands it represents, they too are a small business. They understand the pain points for new small businesses and makers alike. They are currently connecting on a project with the City of Miami that is going to take work and time to scale but it’s incredible that its happening. The relationships are being built. Through the SLFL website businesses are able to showcase their brands becoming a resource for anyone visiting and living in Miami. Through the website you can find an array of fresh visionary companies. There are hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, a variety of makers, markets, and coworking spaces. By dropping the Support Local name at the business you can unlock a perk, which is listed with the company on the website. This perk is a driving force, it’s the connection point between the businesses that are bred in Miami with the people searching and wandering for the best coffee, yes I went right for the coffee.
Another part of the Support Local mission is to connect the businesses to each other. This is where support meets collaboration meets better business and more opportunities. The first event they did was themed for this, meet and greet style with consumer interaction. The second event which happened in June was themed “Collaboration”. At the most recent event, Support Local had a collaboration board, one side it said “What do I need?” and the other “What do I want?”. The attendees were able to share their information and Janel is the business to business match maker, making the connections, forming the partnerships. Pairing together the makers, graphic designers, market gurus with different local companies, creating the opportunity to utilize the talent that makes the community vibrant and healthy. She also mentioned that these themed events are going to keep happening. The next event is scheduled for July 19 at Made at The Citadel themed “Creativity”. All are welcome and you’ll be able to find me there; supporting, connecting, collaborating and being creative.
Photography Credit Mac's Pub
I gush over all of this. My demeanor has transitioned from stressed about moving to pack faster. It’s so much of what I’ve been craving for the last 3 years all rolled up into this beautiful dusty seashell pink with black, teal, and chartreuse accented website with an authentic mission. Adorned with the tribe I’m looking for, believing in the same things I believe. Creating and driving a community that works together for the greater good of the society and culture, preserving and elevating the ethic and morality. Being authentic. Although the movement is currently based in Miami the goal is expand throughout the state. If you believe what we believe, I encourage you to check out the curated directory of local businesses next time you are in Miami, grab a coffee, head to a museum, enjoy the culture, and give back to the people that create the experience.