Author: Guest Blogger

Digitally Solve a Problem

In this Pandemic, many of us are staying in our homes working remotely (digitally). Others, who are facing challenges with their own micro business, now need help more than ever. A good place to start (if you are a micro business) is to digitize as many of the aspects of your business possible. To digitally transform your entrepreneurial venture is essential. Look at it in terms of the PROBLEM that you SOLVE for your customers. Take this insight and create digital services and products that also solve the same problem.

The Subscription-Based Model

It is no secret that most businesses that partially or completely rely on digital, are thriving. Take for example Netflix, they were able to transform their DVD business into an online streaming one and have done quite well. The crisis that we currently face is making it imperative to go digital. And most important is to come up with a business model that recognizes the effective model of starting a subscription-based undertaking.

Study Your Competitors

But that does not mean that starting a digital subscription base venture is going to be without its challenges. Like most businesses, there needs to be a tight relationship between the product or service provider and the web client. You also need to come up with an idea that disrupts the industry, doing something that is different than the competition. And of course, this works best if there is a proprietary component to it. You want to think about what other companies have a similar offering as you do. What features do they have and what is missing?

Find Your Audience

It is also good to look at what they do to promote and position themselves. Who is their audience? Will you be competing for the same customers? Putting in a bit of research can make things easier. Who are you trying to reach? Where can you find them online? And how will you get there when they are searching the internet for a solution like yours? When creating a demographic snapshot think in terms of age, income, and other qualities. You also want to make certain that the group you will be going after will benefit from as well as will want what your online subscription service makes available.

Do You Have a Mountain You Need to Climb?

Do you have a mountain you need to climb? I know I do. Many mountains are in my life symbolically. I seem to have a lot of stuff I need to work out which I am doing so with a vengeance. And sometimes with a deep and quiet breath.

The Bond We Have

In a figurative sense we all have mountains to climb. And some of our students here at NYC Aim have climbed mountains in their lives.

Today is a Special Day for Mountains

Hello and welcome to this day 12-11-2020. Guess what today is? That’s right, it is International Mountain day. But why have a day focusing on mountains? Well, dating back to at least 1838, a group of students from Mount Holyoke College students named the day. Other colleges jumped on the band wagon including Juniata College and Smith College named it “International Mountain Day also, with the official naming coming in 1896.

What We Have in Common

But still that question has not been answered. Why have an International Mountain Day? It is because mountains are essential to our existence whether you live at at the highest elevations or even sea level, we have a bond to mountains and are impacted by them in many ways. This includes the fact that mountains provide most of our water.

Our Mountains Need Help

But that’s not all. Mountains have a large grouping of animas and plants and are the home to an estimated 1 in 10 people. For example, my brother lives near a famous mountain in California. Yet each and every day there is a big problem occurring. This is with the reality that climate change has adversely affected things like poverty and hunger affecting the amazing web of life. So International Mountain Day has to do with reminding us that our mountains need help.

Zoom is Redefining Communication

Working with apprentices during the Pandemic is not all that different from the the methodology we were already using: interacting with students through remote means like Zoom.

Saving NYC

That said, we have paused our activities because of new projects coming our way, one of which is working with such groups as “Save NYC Together. “NYC” is right in our name so of course we want to help save it.

Seek Out Organizations

We recomend those reading this to volunteer or help in any way you can deserving organizations that exist.

At New York City Apprenticeships in Media we have long been known for our innovation in media and high educational standards. We are proud as many of our apprentices have gone on to jobs both in the industry and other meaningful paths.

I remember back when I was apprentice and didn’t understand why I wasn’t reaching goals as quickly as possible. I still get that frustration sometimes. It’s all good to feel this way because it is a part of what pushes you forward.

Education and self education are life long undertakings. I find myself learning new things each and ever day.

Branding

Branding first then marketing. Why? Because branding is defining what you brand is all about. And there many aspects to a brand. Too long to go into in more detail. But suffice to say, branding sometimes can start with a logo and everything can be built from there.

Marketing

Once you’ve done your branding processes, then marketing can come into play. Marketing has to do with making your brand visible through various promotion strategies.

Both

You need both

Going Forward

New York City Apprenticeships in Media or for short, NYC AIM, was created on the foundation of helping apprentices launch careers for themselves. Back when we first started this process things were very different than they are today. We work hard to keep our finger on the pulse of what is going to be helpful to employment going forward.

Developing Your Own Path

As many of you know we are big fans of ArtisticPreneurship where the artist takes control of her or his business live and develops a business through this means. We are proud of our apprentices and are happy that many of them have been able to accomplish this. Though we also recognize that is not so much our program as having chosen apprentices who already had a savvy for developing their own path.

Don’t Wait for Opportunities

On a broader spectrum, we hope that over the years we have had an impact on our readers, some of whom may have been seeking a career in media. The message we have given out and continue to do so is to blaze your own trail, take control of your media practice and don’t wait to be given an opportunity but instead to evolve your own road ahead.

All on Our Phones

New York City Apprenticeships In Media, also known as NYC Aim, is very different today than it was when it first started several years ago. The main difference now as compared to then is that these days we do all our work on our phones.

How to Work with Us

And this is a good thing because all our apprentices have phones and all of them enjoy working on them. This has also made it possible to work with apprentices all over America. Our slogan could be “If you’ve got a phone, you can work with us.

Your Phone as a Creative Tool

Of course not everyone wants to edit video, compose music and more on their hand held device. Some may think that this actually inhibits their creativity because of the difficulty of hitting those small keys. This is true but not for everyone. The vast majority of the apprentices don’t feel this way and even prefer using their phone as a creative tool!

Doing Good

You did good. You were down for those in the medical profession by applauding for them every day at 7:00pm E.S.T. Some of you now have blogs and are writing about it.

Not Easy

It’s not easy having a blog, even if your posts are often short like this one. Congrats on having the courage to say “Thank you” to essential workers. It does make a difference. We clang pots at 7:00pm in our household and are proud to do so. It must be difficult to put yourself in harm’s way as a medical professional.

Final Thoughts

Thank you apprentices for having the courage to acknowledge those who are making a difference. You are participating in making a difference by doing so.