Michelle Roshanzamir is a consultant, grant writer, and producer helping creatives and leaders bring their ideas to life and work on their businesses.
She works with a range of creatives and leaders to bridge the gap between the creative and idea side and business, coordination, and management side of the equation.
Her clients include creatives and leaders typically working in the arts, entertainment, and culture sector. This has included creatives such as writers, performers, and artists to leaders and managers at nonprofit and for-profit organizations.
She’s worked with individuals and organizations to:
1. Coordinate and manage events, productions, and projects
2. Determine and go after funding opportunities, including grant writing
3. Strategy development and implementation
Having real world strategies to bring your idea to life is totally achievable.
What is MVR Creative all about?
I help creatives, executive/artistic/managing directors, and leaders bring their ideas to life and work on their businesses.
I work with a range of creatives and leaders to bridge the gap between the creative and idea side and business, coordination, and management side of the equation.
You’re passionate and driven about the work you do, but can be overwhelmed and all over the place when it comes to getting organized and turning your ideas into an actionable, results-driven plan. Having real-world strategies to develop your business and bring your idea to life is totally achievable.
You can keep doing more of what you love and move forward with confidence on your ideas – and your business – in a way that makes sense financially and aligns with your values and goals.
Tell us a bit about your background and how you started your company.
The germ for what I’m doing now started when I was in college: I was an art school student who scoffed at much of the business side of things, despite my own growing interest and experience in management and producing.
While my time at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) was impactful in many ways, I knew I wanted to continue learning, and went to California State University, Long Beach (CSULB)’s MBA/MFA Theatre Management program. It was a great combination: I had the opportunity to balance both the ‘business-side’ and ‘arts-side’ of the work I was starting to do and wanted to continue doing.
With one semester left in the MBA/MFA program, I decided to drop the MFA side of the program and shift gears, and just focus on the MBA. While it was a difficult decision to make at the time, it turned out to be a wise choice: I ended up focusing more on the MBA side, taking courses and continuing to meet people I may not have otherwise, and continue developing the skills I use to this day.
While the experiences in school were useful, my experiences outside of school were proving to be just as valuable. I keep seeing how much creatives and leaders – many of them working in the arts, entertainment, and culture sector – struggle with the business and management side of what they’re working on.
Continuing to work at the intersection of stories, ideas, creativity, and business, I took the leap and started MVR Creative in 2019.
What would you say are the top 3 skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur and why?
Three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur are:
- Take action, even if it’s one small step at a time.
- Knowing you can’t do it alone – and bringing on the people to help.
- Your employee experience (or internal company culture) is just as important as your customer experience.
How has the pandemic and lockdown affected your business?
I had started looking to transition my services more online before we went into lockdown, and I’m happy I did! While that didn’t apply to everything I do – doing things via Zoom is great, but producing events or other projects only cater virtually so far – I’m definitely happy I was able to translate some of what I do virtually.
If you started your business again, what things would you do differently?
Having a clearer sense of what services I was offering and at what price point – and making more offers to help people sooner!
What’s a productivity tip you swear by?
Calendaring my time and a to-do list has been a productivity hack I love!
If you only had $1,000 to start a new business, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
While additions or variations on what I’d spend it on, depending on if it’d be a product or service-based business, some of the things I’d spend it on include Website, Newsletter service/provider, Mailchimp, or other services
- Incorporation/business filing fees
- Test run of a product (even a small batch!) if doing a product based business
What helps you stay driven and motivated to keep going in your business?
So many of the people I’ve worked with have struggled to bridge the gap between the idea or concept of what they want to and actually taking the steps to make it happen. Add a layer of the whole ‘starving artist’ myth and have the practical – often business – skills to make their lives a reality. The help I’ve been able to provide the people I’ve worked with. It’s hearing things from clients like “You don’t have to do this alone” and “It brings clarity to the work I do,” and more.
What is your favorite quote?
I don’t know if I have just one, but a Rumi quote I love is:
“It’s your road, and yours alone, others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you”
What valuable advice would you give new entrepreneurs starting out?
Take consistent action – even if it’s a small step – to make your next thing a reality and know you don’t have to do any of it alone. And having real-world strategies to bring your idea to life is totally achievable.
What is your definition of success?
A simple definition of success I love is: Success is getting what you want. It’s getting clear on what your best life looks like and making it happen. Even if it’s taking one small step at a time.
How can readers get in touch with you?
Two of the best places to find me are either via my website, mvrcreativela.com, or on LinkedIn
Random Video Interview: Arun Sardana – How to Overcome Fear & The Definition of Success
