"There's no certainty - only opportunity."

Here are my takeaways from my conversation with Ngaira:

It takes time and patience
To establish credibility
To network
To build trust 
To build a tribe around your product
To find and polish your product
To continually evolve in the best fit direction
And there are no shortcuts - the sooner this is understood, the better  

Be open to try anything and everything - this is how you carve your path You don’t go into uncharted territory knowing the way to a destination. Same with businesses - you might have to try different paths, go forward, turn back, go sideways and that is okay. With each move, you get a clearer understanding of what you enjoy doing, what clients appreciate and need, and how you want to spend your time as the head of your creative business.

Be okay with doing things radically different - be a risk taker Pursuing a creative career is a ripe opportunity to take risks, learn, and reap the rewards precisely because there is no map. It can be rewarding to carve out one’s own path based on their talents and skills and what they learn about the market - Ngaira is a prime example.   

You will be running a business You’ll need to think about how to make operations efficient, make data driven decisions on whether to hire, who to hire, additional avenues to make money, innovate, cut products, where to find clients and reliable suppliers, pay your taxes (yes, taxes), and so much more. The best part is, when done consistently, you develop a well rounded view and well acquainted with the ins-and outs of your business all of which is useful when it comes to making meaningful business decisions.

Ngaira’s resource recommendations:
The Futur ​
Proko