Mary Carty

Finding ways past old problems.

Are you spinning on the same step?

This week I have been thinking about blocks. The things that get in your way. The annoying old problems that cause frustration in your business. These blocks might be a way of thinking, a skill you don’t have, or a skill set you need to develop. All these problems result in a lack of productivity and cause no end of stress; what my Dad would describe as “spinning on the same step”. If you identify with this experience, I hope this post will help you find a way forward.

Blocks to progress

Working with the Animation Workshop as business development advisor, reminded me of the same blocks I encountered when building  my own business.  Before Christmas, I mentored nine startup teams, working across games, apps, film and animation. The quality of their work was truly amazing.  The technology solutions were well thought out as were the game mechanics and the story worlds. But two areas caused the most problems; marketing and business model.

Many times, these problems arise  from lack of time and lack of planning. There is so much to do if you are a one or two person team. It is difficult to move past your core competences; the things you gain the most enjoyment from. So it’s understandable to avoid these areas and spend all your time on the things you love.

Finding Ways Past Old Problems

Next time you find yourself spinning on the same step, ask yourself the question, am I moving forward? If not, then make a list.

• List of people who can help you in that area – business, marketing, administration or accounts.
• Is there a great podcast you can listen to?
• Is there a friend who can help devise a plan or give good feedback.
• Could you hire a professional for a few hours each week to get you started.

If you are in the happy circumstance of sharing your work space:

• Could you all club together and hire a professional for a day or two each week.
• Further, why not negotiate a better rate if 5 companies choose the same accountants firm for example.
• A weekly group seminar, where learning gained from one company could be shared with others would also be invaluable.

Online resources

There are some great online resources to find professional help for short, medium and long-term projects. We have used all three over the years and found them very useful.

ODesk – great for freelancers and outsourcing  teams.

ELance – for freelancers and outsourcing teams.

Fiverr – great for small projects, design, animation, video or copy writing.

Download our free online marketing plan

To help you fix the marketing problem, here is a plan I’ve developed for creatives. It’s a simple plan with two or three activities each day. In the beginning, it should take about an hour of your time. Download my Online-Marketing-Plan-For-Creatives. Let me know if it  helped you move forward!

Conclusion: Ask for help early

The key to finding ways past old problems is taking action. Ask for help today. There’s no point wasting more time and growing more grey hairs! As the Gaelic proverb goes,

 “Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireas na daoine” – we all depend on each other.

What do you guys think? Are you good at finding ways past old problems? Have you worked out ways to stop spinning on the same step? What tips and advice could you share with us? I’m very happy to hear them and share your experiences.

Many thanks

To all the companies in The Arsenal, thanks for sharing your vision with me. It was a pleasure and an honour to work with you all. Big shout out to Emil and Isak for the invitation and for all your help along the way.

Images 1 (c) InnerUs by Fruzsina Gaal


Image 2. (c) The Arsenal by Mary Carty