Your creativity deserves to thrive, not just survive
You are navigating your way through trying to stay afloat, but feeling challenged because:
You have brilliant ideas but feel uncertain about how to turn them into a thriving business.
You struggle with pricing your work, often settling for less just to secure projects and keep your creative practice alive.
You're exhausted from juggling multiple jobs to support your creativity; your passion is a side gig instead of the sustainable career you dream of.
You feel overwhelmed and lost navigating the business side, and don’t know what decisions to make to move forward.
But deep down inside you want to:
Transform uncertainty into confident action with the knowledge that puts you in control of your creative future.
Build a sustainable income that honors your worth, allowing you to support yourself, your family, and give back to your community.
Turn your passion into your primary source of income.
Join a supportive community of fellow creatives to share your joy and grow 🌱 together.
Your solution:
The #StartHere Creative Arts Business INCUBATOR
Embark on a 12-week journey designed to empower Creatives like YOU! This business incubator provides the essential tools and step-by-step guidance you need to confidently build your business and navigate creativepreneurship.
The #StartHere Incubator is your launchpad to creative business GROWTH!
-
Develop a tailored business model with step-by-step guidance from your coach, Nic Roc. You'll craft a framework specifically designed for your creative business, giving you a clear roadmap for success.
-
Create a launch strategy that fits your unique creative business. Whether it's a new website, announcing your services, launching a product, or building a marketing and outreach plan, we'll guide you to the process that works best for you.
-
Join a supportive digital community of fellow creativepreneurs. You'll have the opportunity to:
Share your journey and get valuable feedback
Present your expertise to your cohort
Be highlighted on You Belong Here's marketing channels
Gain recognition as a founding member of our #StartHere Creative Arts Business Incubator
-
Leave the program with a rooted framework and know-how strategy to guide you into action. You won't just have a plan – you'll have the confidence and support to execute it.
Together, we'll build your path to economic empowerment, enabling you to sustain yourself and contribute to the well-being of your community. Join a supportive cohort of fellow creatives and discover the CONFIDENCE to turn your passion into a thriving business!
WHAT TO EXPECT
-
*We stay nimble and flexible. Once we find our rhythm together, we can gauge if 2-3 months is too fast. If more time is needed, we’ll come up with a plan to add more time.
-
The first half of our program focuses on learning about and building a business model.
-
You’ll have dedicated one-on-one sessions with Nic Roc to work solely on your business model and develop an action plan and strategy that is uniquely aligned to your creative business needs.
-
Every week, for the duration of the program (minus holiday breaks) we will be offering Office Hours to support you in your development, and/or Coworking sessions to get $hit done!
-
As a creative and artist, I understand how important it is to teach and learn via multiple senses, as well as creative communication. In this program you’ll be learning about some topics that can feel overwhelming. That’s why I’ll be guiding you through understanding from a more simplified and creative approach. Topics we will be covering:
Developing your Unique Value Proposition, Core Values, Mission & Vision
Identifying your Customer/Target Customer/ Customer Segments
Understanding your cost & revenue model
Building clarity around your services/products
Leveraging opportunities, partnerships, collaborations
Creative Marketing Channels
-
You will have an intimate community to know and support. I want this program to be intentionally small so that you get the attention you need to thrive.
-
Video instruction will be provided for self-paced study. Video recordings of all of our group meetings will also be provided for additional review and reflection.
-
You’ll be added as a founding member of our beta You Belong Here community, which will provide access to online courses, free downloads, resources, webinars, digital coworking, and space for you to host your own workshops and digital gatherings.
-
Valuable resources to help guide you in the development of your action plan, strategy, and future endeavors.
-
As a founding member of the you Belong Here Digital Community, you’ll be highlighted on You Belong Here’s blog. You’ll also be highlighted as an alumni of the incubator program. Furthermore, you’ll have the opportunity to be a paid contributor for future blogs.
You’ll leave #STARTHERE with CLARITY REGARDING YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS AND A plan for the next steps of GROWING YOUR CREATIVE BUSINESS!
⏱Investment of YOUR Time
I understand that as an artist, your time is precious and often divided among multiple commitments. Here's what you can expect in terms of time investment:
Program Start Date is Monday, November 11, 2024 @5:30pm PST*
Approximately 12 hours per month
This includes:
Weekly group coaching sessions (2 hours each)
One-on-one consulting sessions (During the second half of the program)
Optional office hours and coworking sessions
*Start time can be adjusted if majority of attendees request an earlier time.
🌻Investment: $325
Payment plans are available
👉🏽Special offer: Pay in full and get 2 free hours of consulting with Nic ($300 value)
Ready to Start?
Don't let another year go by wondering feeling lost, and trying to figure it out via trial and error!
Join the #StartHere Incubator and make 2025 the year your creative business takes flight!
Meet YOUR GUIDE, NIC ROC
Keeping it REAL…My Journey to Building #StartHere
Like many creatives, I used to think business was simple: make something, sell it, get paid.
In 2008, I started my first business with zero guidance, avoiding everything that felt "too business-y" – from proper banking to taxes. My pride and fear of doing it "wrong" and sticking it to the man, led to devastating consequences: an IRS audit, credit card lawsuits, and constant financial struggle. It took my accountant firing me as a client to wake me up to reality!
This struggle became my purpose. As founder of You Belong Here, San Diego's first creative incubator space, I saw other artists facing the same challenges I had. Over six years, I witnessed talented creatives grappling with financial instability, and their mental health suffering from the constant uncertainty. The gap was clear – we needed business education that spoke our creative language.
Once I embraced learning business, everything changed. I built two successful creative businesses, broke through the $100K+ sales mark, got my products into 80+ boutiques worldwide and licensed a line of producs to Urban Outfitters, ANNNDDD…I even kept my brick-and-mortar alive through a friggin pandemic.
The #StartHere Incubator is born from this journey – designed to give you the business foundations I wish I'd had, taught in a way that resonates with your creative spirit.
With 16 years of entrepreneurial experience under my belt, I've navigated the ups and downs of the creative business world.
But my greatest achievement? It's the moment when I see a fellow creative realize their potential and turn their passion into a thriving business.
The #StartHere Incubator is more than just a program – it's a mission to empower creatives like you to build sustainable, fulfilling businesses.
LET’S DO THIS TOGETHER!
#STARTHERE FAQ
-
Start Date November 11th, 2024
Part 1*: Business Models for Creatives
Group Classes will be on Monday’s at 5:30pm - 7:30pm.
Monday November 11th
Monday, November 18th
Holiday Break will on the week November 25th.
Monday, December 2nd
Monday, December 9th
Part 2: Strategy, Implementation & Action
Each attendee gets up to 4 hours of one-on-one consulting for strategy and action plan development.
You will book your times via Calendly between December 16th, 2024 - February 15th, 2025.
Each week there will be an offering of Office Hours or coworking hours.
If we find that this rhythm is too fast or too slow, I’m open to being flexible with our timeline.
Additional time may be required if you choose to work on your business outside of the cohort meeting hours. We've designed the program to be flexible, allowing you to balance your creative work, other jobs, and personal life while still making significant progress in your business development.
-
We will cover all of the elements of a business model. Traditionally speaking, the elements of a business model may not apply to you as a creative artist or as a new entrepreneur. This is okay. We stay nimble and flexible and work with what we have. I’ll teach you how to leverage and develop out certain areas that you may not be familiar with.
Here is an example of the topics we will be covering:
Developing your Unique Value Proposition, Core Values, Mission & Vision
Identifying your Customer/Target Customer/ Customer Segments
Understanding your cost & revenue model
Building clarity around your services/products
Leveraging opportunities, partnerships, collaborations
Creative Marketing Channels
-
This program is about you investing in yourself and committing to your goals. In life, once we try to change habits it can take months to see the outcome. My hope is that you commit to at least 1 month of the program. And if it no longer serves you, you will be reimbursed 50% of the program cost or 50% of what payments you have already made (if you are paying in installments), minus any credit card transaction fees or processing fees.
Please note, if the program is not completed, you will unfortunately not have access to the digital community. OR if you want to stay in the digital community, you will be offered a monthly subscription fee.
-
I’d like to stay nimble and flexible and keep the option open for a hybrid of virtual and in-person gatherings. Our coaching calls will be virtual, as well as online learning via the online courses. However, coworking hours can possibly be in-person.
-
A maximum of 8-10 attendees. This will allow me to create an intimate environment where everyone can feel comfortable and supported!
-
I would recommend that you have been in business for at least 2 years. However, this is not a requirement.
This program is great for anyone hoping to figure out some solid infrastructure in their busiess, to help them make decisions and lead with intention and growth.
YOU DO NOT need to have completed programs, known viable services, and or leads/customers/contacts, to be in this program. I want to help you build out these foundations.
Business models are a great introduction to understanding the framework of a business. So as a first-time business owner, this program will be insightful.
-
Unfortunately, not at this time.
However, we can recommend that you apply for the monthly Quick Grants from CCI that are reserved for professional development for artitsts, and arts & culture practioners.
I can write a statement of support, just let me know.
-
Please contact me (Nic) and share so that we can collaborate on a workflow that honors you and your capacity.
-
No problem, you’ll have loads of ways to catch up and interact. All sessions will be recorded and posted within our digital community for review. You’ll have access to guided online courses that you can watch at any time. You’ll also have access to downloadable worksheets to help guide you and get you caught up.