Jennifer Williams-Bafoe
Specialist Business ConsultantCould you give a brief overview of what your various working roles are?
I’m currently a specialist Business Consultant for Fashion and The Creative Industries. I work with a number of business development organisations and Further and Higher Education Colleges. My days vary and I could be working on One to One Specialist advice and guidance with a designer or manufacturer or I could be researching various support networks for Creative Industries or I could be organizing or managing an event e.g. Business Networks for designers, workshops at a fashion event or coordinating designers at a fashion show. No two days are ever the same!
Was it always your intention to make your living through a number of different activities, or did you find that it was the only way for you to support your practice?
I would say that it was always my intention to make a living through a number of different initiatives I didn’t know how to get there and then once I established exactly what I wanted to do I then realised that this was really the only way to support my business.
If you do have to take on work that supports your practice, how is your time divided between the two roles? (i.e. how much of your time would you say is spent on the money-earning role, and how much is spent on the ‘real’ role?)
I would say that my time is split 50/50.
How secure are you, or do you feel, in the way you work?
Some days you can feel secure and other days you must always strategize where the next contract is going to come from and how long it will be for. A bit of forward planning keeps things on an even keel.
What’s it like juggling more than one role?
At first it was fine but now more and more contracts are beginning to come in. However, you can’t be greedy and take all of them you have to cherry pick. There are some good contracts and it does mean that my business will have to expand and encompass new team members other than myself.
When you first started out, what was the first step you took? Was it deliberately thought out?
When I first started out I started slowly and methodically. I built up my contacts and whilst I worked full time I sought out small contracts of work. For example, one day’s presentation and volunteering on various projects but not all necessarily for a wage. Some things were voluntary but I negotiated for contacts. I thought out my progression route. I worked full-time and then negotiated a part-time contract with my then employer. Then, by a twist of fate, I was made redundant and decided to go all out on my own - I haven’t looked back.
How do you deal with the practicalities, how did you find out what to do about things like tax…
As a business advisor it is my duty to understand about specifics relating to running a business. I read books (Lloyds have a very good book), I went on a number of business training courses such as Portobello and BSI standards Training and I joined the association of business advisors and undertook their training. I don’t know everything about running a business as you always learn something new everyday - sounds like a cliché but it is true. I have my own accountant who assists me with my tax and helps me to remember deadlines etc. He is fantastic, as he understands the small creative industries very well.
If you had to pick out one good bit and one bad bit of what you do, what would they be?
The good bit is that you are your own boss and it is up to you to follow through and deliver to your deadlines. Every day is different – the work is always varied, you usually pick and choose the work you want to do and sometimes can command the salary that you think you are worth etc. The down side is that working on your own can sometimes be lonely but you have to be confident enough and focused enough to deal with this. If you fall sick there isn’t anyone to work for you unless you employ staff, so you have to factor this into your work schedule. The hours are longer.
Would you have any advice for someone considering embarking on a “portfolio” career?
The work could dry up so forward planning financially and strategically is wise. It’s way more exciting than a generic 9-5 and you get to work on different projects all the time. Definitely a career for someone who likes change and enjoys a challenge.
