Prince Armory Business Academy

Hello! If you stumbled upon this page, this is a very early beta outline of our business lessons which I hope to start rolling out starting mid-2022 or when I’m caught up on the major pattern and lesson offerings already in the pipeline.  

The goal with the Business Academy is to empower artists and entrepreneurs to start a business from nothing, to flourish in whatever they wish to pursue whether it is a freelance artist, a small manufacturing operation, a producer and vendor for conventions and festivals or as a designer and artisan of custom costumes and armor.  I will be pulling heavily from my own experience, which I believe has some value. I feel very fortunate to be in a position to make a living as an artist my entire adult life and have some unique perspectives that you won’t find anywhere else.  People like to throw around the word “Talent” a lot but I assure you, there is much more to it. 

And if  there is desire for it, I may uncharacteristically share more of my personal journey and life than I have before in this series to add more context and insight.  I’ve also observed and researched business practices over the years and can share some important fundamentals for anyone starting out or even pretty far along in their journey.  

This portion of the academy will be rolled out in stages starting with the basics and ending with the very advanced.  As with all content, it will take time.  And I will provide a tasteful blend of free and premium content so there is something for everyone.  

Phase 1

Learn basic tips on starting a business, how to market yourself, how to grow a social following, how to pick a craft or art to pursue professionally, and learn how to learn and research important skills that will advance you along the way of your desired path, and how to grow as an artist overall. Learn how to not get overwhelmed by the monumental task of starting and growing a business.

Phase 2

Learn where and how to sell your works.  Get tips on how to be successful as an artist.  Learn about conventional wisdom in business and also my own personal experience which is often in defiance of conventional wisdom.  Learn how to start focusing on the important aspects of business growth.  Learn about productivity-enhancing tricks, tools, and software.

Phase 3

Learn how to secure brand deals, negotiate partner deals, learn about building passive incomes and securing your long term future.  Learn how to hire, and based on my own experience – how not to hire.  Learn how to hire freelancers to help free up your time for important things and tips for managing them. (this is something I’m still trying to master myself)

About Design Courses (They are coming)

I know there will be some questions regarding how to design and how to make patterns and how to come up with armor concepts and such.  That is all coming but instead of lumping it into business courses, it will have it’s own breakdown and outline because we will need to start with the basics and work our way up to the more advanced and complex designs.  

Preferred Apps & Services (AFFILIATE LINKS)

Productivity & Project Management

clickup

ClickUp is a tool that is almost too good. By that I mean it can do just about everything when it comes to managing your tasks and business. But even with a slick interface, it has so many features it can be overwhelming.  I suggest starting with the free version and get used to using it to manage your routine tasks and projects, then start leveraging its potential to chart out your grand visions and long terms strategies, nail time management, and get a complete picture of your workload and timeline.  

Hire Affordable Freelancers

I have used Fiverr for many small jobs over the years.  It comes in handy when you need a batch of backgrounds removed from images, to make some quick ad graphics for social posts, or any number of things.  There are thousands of freelancers so it can be hard to pick but if you are clear about your objectives and very specific, just reach out to a few highly rated sellers and ask if your project is a good fit.  Don’t look for a hero to solve all of your problems on this platform though. In my opinion, Fiverr is best for small, specific one-off gigs.  

More to come!

Disclosure & Personal Position Regarding Affiliate Links:

In an effort to make this academy monetarily viable, clicking on these links means I earn a commission if you purchase these apps or services.  These are all things I use on a regular basis myself and personally vouch for. I am offering these links as part of the overall academy experience to add value by introducing students to useful apps and services they might not have known about otherwise.  I have an affiliate program myself for the academy, and I hope if you enjoy our content that you will join our affiliate program too so you can share in the success by making an introduction to new students who may also enjoy our patterns or lessons. Cheers