Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in career development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Elizabeth McDonald, Co-Founder of em2CONNECT, located in Consecon, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
em2CONNECT is a small creative facilitation practice made up of the high-energy and ideas-driven duo of Emily Martin and Elizabeth McDonald.
em2CONNECT specializes in rebranding, repositioning, and promoting flexible thinking around artistic careers. Our work is centered on THE PROCESS - a collaborative support program where artists (re)define their artistic philosophy as a foundation for strategic career thinking.
As a writing team, em2CONNECT has won over $100,000 in grants from major organizations, including the Fulbright Foundation and the Canada Council for the Arts, and has prepared client materials for successful academic and artistic jobs.
With em2CONNECT, we are raising collaboration to “the power of two” and on a mission to support, connect, educate, and inspire the arts community.
Tell us about yourself
I am a trained opera singer, but about 15 years ago, I decided to focus my energies on teaching singing so that I could have more flexibility to be home with my children. Since that time, I have taught at the university level in Canada and have helped singers achieve excellent success on the very specific path of becoming opera singers.
When the pandemic hit in the spring of 2020, and all performing arts shut down, I had so many emerging and established opera singers reach out to ask, "what do I do next"? This crisis in our industry brought to focus not only the challenge of sustaining an artistic career but also the issue that, as an industry, we have not learned to be flexible in our thinking and the application of our training.
The partnership of em2CONNECT with myself and Dr. Emily Martin was formed to address this lack of flexible thinking. We provide coaching facilitation to artists who want to learn how to have multiple streams of income from their artistry. There is not just ONE PATH!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
em2CONNECT has supported artists in rebranding and rethinking how they "fit" into the artistic world. We have had a number of artists develop new works, shift their career focus and embrace multiple opportunities, and ultimately create the artistic output that gets THEM excited!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Working ON the business - as artists, we are not trained to do anything but our art. Learning all of the business skills has been hard, and learning which experts you need to consult with and when has been frustrating.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Know your WHY - if you are excited about why you are doing your work, then you will keep going!
- Work with people you respect always!
- Don't take contracts for the sake of money, regardless of the situation. You will always regret it.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.em2connect.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/em2connect
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/em2connect/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/em2connect/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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