Happy Birthday to Me!

A year ago, on December 1, 2007, I launched my business full-time.

I have been doing publicity for about seven years, now, on mostly a part-time basis, primarily for myself, or friends. But in July of 2007, I lost my job, and started thinking about what the future might hold for me. I decided to give the full-time publicity thing a try. I enrolled in a small business course at BCIT and wrote a business plan, and on December 1, launched Titania Productions full time.

The whole time I was in the course, and even before, I was constantly asked the question: “can you make a living the arts?” And, honestly, my answer was, “I’m not sure.”

I’m happy to report, that, after a year, it is becoming more and more apparent that you can, indeed make a living in the arts, and I am proof.

It’s been a crazy year. I came out of the corner swinging, and my first job, in January of 2008, Dishpig, at Havana, sold out and kept getting extended. Not every show was like that this year, but for the most part, I have had a lot of fun, and my clients have been happy. I also went through a re-branding process, changing my name to Rebecca Coleman: Marketing and Media Relations, and went from being a guest blogger on The Next Stage to having my own blog, which I love. I have also gotten more and more interested in using Web 2.0 Technology to market your work, and have begun to give workshops on that, and incorporate it into my business.

The new year also holds much promise–I have eight shows opening between January and the end of March, and am currently interviewing assistants to help me with the work load. I have contracts clear through until the end of the 2009 season, so it looks like I’m gonna be okay.

A big thanks to the people I worked with this year–clients, media, graphic designers, photographers, web designers. It’s been a blast. I consider myself very lucky to have a job that I love to do.

Here’s to the next year!