Today for yanpennings, we are diverging from our regular programming. I wrote a newsletter about my working relationship over at Naked Marketing School - a place where we teach artists how to market. 

 

And I liked it so much, I wanted to share it here too:

There is a major hang up to the odd couple perfection that is Bec and I (the two educators behind Naked Marketing School).

 

Although Bec may be the yang to my yin, the Bec to my Yan, the marketing expertise to my bootstrapping artist entrepreneur, the extrovert to my introvert, the scheduling archivist to my claim that “time doesn't exist, so just be here now….”

 

And although our delightfully opposite approaches uniquely situate us to be a balanced solution for helping artists become profitable…. 

 

 

The fact is that Bec and I live 7,342 nautical miles apart. 

 

That means that in the three years since we began Naked Marketing school, spending hundreds of hours in the company of each other's minds, dreams, idiosyncrasies and ideas, we have physically seen each other exactly once. 

 

We managed to squeeze in a world class adventure hiking Utah's slot canyon, and creating one of my most favorite photo collaborations ever when we did (which you can see more of at the bottom of this email). But more on that in a minute.

 

I want to tell you first about how all that space that held the closeness between us has helped me. I want to tell you how working with partners long term is personally terrifying to me. And how much this partnership with Bec has taught me about growth in business, growth in art, and growth as a human being.

Almost four years ago to the day I was at a breaking point in my business. Being an artist can be capital L Lonely. I'd been teaching and creating solo for a decade and I felt at the end of my rope in terms of what I could offer students alone. I knew my students needed access to skills that were outside of my expertise. Because I could only give them so much, I felt like I was failing them. 

 

I felt so stuck because here’s the other thing: I loathe group work. I was the kid in class who opted to work alone every time and shuddered at the announcement of a group project every time. 

 

Even as a kid, I wanted to do things my way, on my terms. This trait followed me into adulthood. The shadow of this impulse for independence, which proud solo workers such as myself are slower to admit is this:

 

Part of the reason you want to do things alone is because you are afraid there is some defect in just how you do them that if others saw they would reject, judge and shun. 

 

Was I proud of all I had built as Yan the artist and single mama mystic? Sure. But I was also carrying around a niggling, subconscious, shame that I was un-work-with-able.

 

Who could handle my freewheeling mind and spirit?

Who would have patience with my neurological divergence and it's sometimes unpredictable limitations?

 

So one snowy Sunday, much like today, I took my quandary to the mountain. I needed to grow and work with others but I was afraid. That day, in the sub freezing temps I heard the names of two people, while a third name was planted like a seed. Each name landed in my inner ear with an inexplicable feeling of instant trustworthiness and affection. I felt nudged to approach these people with collaboration ideas, even though those ideas were not yet fully formed. 

 

Of course, one of those names was Bec. I immediately asked her to give a special presentation on marketing to the class I was teaching at the time, Teethkiss. She immediately said yes.

 

From there the seed of Naked Marketing started to grow. We didn't know there was a pandemic looming around the corner. We only knew we wanted to help artists overcome their debilitating belief that marketing was impossible. We wanted to show them their marketing could both work and feel true. 

 

Since then, the road for Bec and mine’s working relationship has had countless joys, more than a few bumps, and at least a couple of frustrated bursts of tears between the both of us. Through world + personal crisis and growing pains for us both, more than once I've looked up, sure I must have annoyed her for the last time, and was shocked instead to find the steadiness of Bec. Her grace at communication. Her compassion for my limitations. Her efficiency at task management. Her endless humor, and true blue curiosity for just how we can help ourselves and other artists live and breathe fully without sacrificing vulnerability or sustenance. 

 

When Bec was in Utah this fall, we laughed, created, teased, ate, and adventured. I was somewhat apologetic about my humble, first time homeowner home, and she said to me “You know I love you for much more than where you live, right?” I did. Her non plussed presence was proof.

 

Bec also shared with me an artist’s project she recently completed. In the project, which was remarkable, I saw all I had come to deeply know and admire in Bec while working by her side. Her deep and abiding tenderness, wisdom and curiosity surrounding the human condition; particularly that of working femmes and mothers.

 

I sat in awed gratitude, humbled to have been working for years with a woman so gifted with sight. One who inspired, accepted, and lead me all at once. All the while pushing the boundaries of what is possible for mothers and artists supporting themselves. 

 

In the last nearly four years now, Bec showed me, I am in fact, work -with - able. 

 

Either that, or she faked it really, really, really well. 

 

I believe that together, Bec and I have the precise concoction of wisdom that can show you, however wild and untamable your artist self may be - that you are work-with-able too. Your nature is here to serve you. And embracing it will assist you in all ways, including business + marketing success. 

 

To that end, get your “nature,” ready. This week we have all kinds of exciting stories, shares and an announcement on the way that we want you to be prepped for! If you're an artist who’s been waiting to learn from us in an easier way, the announcement that's coming is for you. 

Xx, 

Yan

P.S. Wanna be the first to hear about said announcement?

Now for one of my most favorite photo collaborations ever…