Occasionally that business person is an artist. Think of Walt Disney. Walt was a good artist, but certainly not the best. (He did have a uncanny understanding of the artist’s process, which helped in being the boss. And then again it’s hard to equate his own artistic ability when he worked with one of the greatest animators of all time, Ub Iwerks.) Walt’s greatest strength was his business savvy. He just so happened to be arguably one of the 20th centuries’ greatest businessmen. But if the artist is not a businessman, perhaps the artist golfs with a great businessman.

I believe half of any artistic success is who you know. (You got to be friends with those businessmen.) They don’t teach you networking in art school, but those “classes” are actually still there. Usually, the crappy artists learning to bull their way through to a passing grade. We all know the teacher’s pet is going to pass, even though they’re may not be that talented. That’s learning how to “sell” and “network”.

I believe the other half is talent. Businessmen know that a talented jerk is still lucrative. You’ll hear them say, “That guy is such a pain in the rear, but he’ll rake in the dough! So we’ll have to deal with him.”

So, the solution is to become a businessman or meet a businessman and pitch your idea. Perhaps you’re a terrible artist, but really know how to network, sell, or “bull” your way through to succeed.

Or become so skilled at what you do, that no one can ignore you.

Either way, somewhere a businessman is dieing for the next great idea, that you can provide.

The internet is a great thing because in many ways it’s Mars… uncharted territory. What will be the great oil rush idea that creates an industry? In 1999 people thought internet cartoons will work like TV, sponsor supported. Before that they thought it would be customer supported like magazine or newspaper subscription.

Funny how in ‘99 people talked about short cartoons or “content” SWFs viewed through “Flash Portals”. Today it’s MP4 videos viewed through YouTube type of sites. Will it work this time? I’d say just like then, yes for 1% of the stuff out there…. just like TV, film, and other motion graphics.