Last weekend, Abundance Bound had a booth at the Los Angeles ActorFest, a yearly event sponsored by Back Stage West, where actors have the opportunity to network, attend workshops, meet a large variety of actor service companies, and even audition for casting director panels. I had the chance to meet some of our current subscribers, as well as many individuals hearing about Abundance Bound for the first time, who signed up to start receiving our newsletter.

The responses to our booth are always quite varied. Some people are genuinely excited and hopeful about the knowledge we offer. They are tired of feeling like they are on some sort of financial treadmill, trying desperately to stay just ahead of disaster. Others, are understandably confused. Most of us have never had any sort of education around money, so we don't really have a picture of what it is that Abundance Bound does.

Early in the day, a young actress paused at our table and was asked if she wanted to sign up to receive the newsletter. When she was told that we provide workshops on financial education, her response was "I don't need that. I just got a really good cocktail waitressing job." I share that response because I think it is so common in the artistic community. For years, I spent so much time and energy searching for "the perfect job" - one that would have complete flexibility for auditions, a large enough salary to allow me to cover the things I needed, and something that wouldn't make me miserable if I had to do it for a while.

So let's assume that, right now, the cocktail waitressing job really is perfect. The actress gets all of the hours that she needs, she is able to get up early enough in the morning to actually work on her acting career, tips are good, her boss isn't a tyrant, maybe there is even the occasional opportunity to network with industry that visit the restaurant. Here are the questions. How do we feel about this job in 5 years? What about in 10 years - is it still perfect?

As artists, we may get that "big break" right away. Or, it is possible that it may take some time. Our mission as a company is to empower artists to be financially stable and independent RIGHT NOW. Developing financial skills will allow us to take that cocktail waitressing job if we want it, but to recognize it for what it is - a temporary solution. It also gives us the confidence that, regardless of what happens, we are on a path of controlling our own lives and charting our own futures.

Until next time - to your prosperity!

Miata

P.S. Don't miss our next Introduction to The Artists' Prosperity System scheduled for Saturday, September 30th. See additional details below and register to join us today!

Chances are you are not going to decline financial education because you think you already know everything about it. It is more likely that you are avoiding the issue entirely, because you know you don’t know the first thing about it yet it is just too darn scary and overwhelming. As people from many other walks of life, we artists tend to be great excuse-makers when it comes to financial education. We can come up with some gems that generally fall into two different categories:

• The "I'm not ready" category - I don't have any money, I'll start looking at that once I get more financially stable, that type of stuff is for people who are already earning, I'm too stressed right now to think about the future, I have to focus on just making a living...
• The "I don't need that" category - I already have a good job, I make plenty of money, I already have savings (a retirement plan, investments, etc.), I don't have a lot of/any debt, I'm not interested in being rich - I just want to pursue my art...

So why do we need to be financially educated? Well, first and foremost we need to ensure financial security and safety for ourselves and our families. While it is true to a certain extent that money does not buy happiness, we live in a society in which we need money to live. Most of us no longer grow our own food, build our own houses, or make our own clothes. We must have money to buy these things.

There are those of us with the attitude that when we “get that big break” and achieve financial success, we’ll simply hire someone to manage our finances for us. Consider this. In these days of information availability, when we go into a car dealership to buy a car, don’t we already have a knowledge of the safety rating of the vehicle and what the mileage is, not only of the car we are looking at, but of the competitors as well? Don’t many of us go into the doctor’s office having already used the internet to get an understanding of what is ailing us, and with a possible diagnosis already made? So why would we blindly hand over our entire financial existence to someone and just expect that person will work miracles with our money? Why would we trust someone with our hard-earned cash and our assets with no knowledge of what they may do with the money or what types of risks they may take with it? The fact is that even if you are thinking of hiring someone else to manage your money, you will want to have the necessary knowledge to be sure they are doing a proper job of it.

No matter who we are, there will always be financial demands on us. This may be even truer of artists. Take actors for instance. We have talked about the crucial list of expenses and actor has: headshots, acting classes, workshops, mailings, websites, reels, etc. Or take the painter: brushes, palettes, canvases, easels, paint, etc. You need to know how to plan for these expenses so that you don’t end up spiraling into debt.

The first step really is admitting that there’s a problem. We spend so much time and energy pretending. Here in Los Angeles, where I live, everyone feels a pressure to “look good”. We drive nice cars, wear expensive clothes, keep on a happy face, and in the mean time many of us are buried under credit cards. Many of us are afraid to just be honest about the fact that things aren’t perfect and start looking for the knowledge and skills that will help us to improve our situation. Until you have genuinely reached the place where both time and money are no longer issues in your life there is more that you can learn and more that you can do in terms of your finances.

Financial education is not just about finding a great job or learning to invest or getting out of debt. It’s about the whole picture. What is your relationship with money? Do you know how to get financially organized? Have you developed a powerful financial plan that will allow you to meet all of YOUR goals and desires? Do you have an individual debt plan? Do you know how to start making your money work for you? Do you have an awareness of all of the investment possibilities and which ones suit your personality, interest, and skills? Do you have a community of people who will support you in your financial goals?

In today’s society, financial education is as basic as learning how to read and write. Unfortunately, this is a part of education that young people are lacking and as a result many of us grow up not knowing how to manage our financial lives. We end up living paycheck-to-paycheck and dreaming of someday. We can make today someday, or at least ensure that someday shows up next week or next month instead of some far distant future of which we can’t even conceive. However, it is up to each of us to do something about it. No one can change our financial futures and well being except us. So take some time to write down your excuses and look at them for what they really are. Then discard them from your mind and start on your path to financial knowledge and stability.

From Starving Artist to Money Magnet: A Step by Step Guide to Freedom & Prosperity for Actors, Artists & Creative Professionals

Saturday, September 30th – Studio City, California 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM

It is easy as artists to believe that we can wait to really learn about money until the time comes that we are making a lot of it! This mindset can quickly trap us in a cycle of financial stress and struggle. In this class, you will be taught how to combine financial literacy with confident leadership so that you can accelerate your wealth and riches, materially and spiritually.

ACTion Advisor LA Gateway Program

ACTion Advisor is a bi-coastal coaching and advising firm for Creative Professionals and Actors, focusing on goal specificity, accountability and action in their client's lives. They also assist and lead their clients in relocating to new cities.

ACTion Advisor LA Gateway Program is a personalized, hand held introduction to Los Angeles for the LA bound actor. LA GWP provides two months of advising (two 45 minute sessions per month) plus two personalized days in Los Angeles with your Advisor, to explore options for your relocation.

LA GWP will construct a plan of action for your move to LA and then walk you through that plan on site. Your personalized tour will begin with an initial month of advising prior to your visit to become clear and specific about your LA goals.

To begin your on site tour, you will be greeted upon the arrival of your flight. From here, you'll explore auditioning and networking opportunities, tour affordable housing, audit two classes, meet one on one with two agents and/or casting directors with estabished LA credentials, complete your on site tour with a two hour advising session to create and solidify your personalized LA strategy and then continue with one month of follow up coaching to fully execute your LA relocation.

Contact Camille Bulliard at camille@actionadvisor.net or 310-498-3410 to schedule your complimentary exploratory session.

1st Annual TalentPool International Reel Actors Film Festival

A reel is the #1 marketing tool for actors, yet most don’t have one. The TalentPool International Reel Actors Film Festival was created to challenge actors to complete their reels, screen it for industry executives and celebrate the work of talented actors.

You may think you don’t have enough material, you may think you don’t have the right materials. You do. We challenge you to create and submit a reel you’re proud of. You can do it!