Ilona Meagher
imprintink.com
imprintink.com
Ilona Meagher is New Media Project Manager and Cisco-certified web design entrepreneur. Following 15 years as an award-winning flight attendant for a major international air carrier, she transitioned into the graphic and new media art fields beginning in 2001. Her company, imprintink.com, teams with clients to provide creative and seamless planning, design and development of custom websites, multimedia portfolios, and other traditional print and new media, marketing items. Recently, Ilona has volunteered to lead design teams to deliver complimentary websites to non-profit and educational organizations.
A proud and active member of the Phi Theta Kappa Society as well as the Society for Technical Communication, the Association for Multimedia Communications, and the World Organization of Webmasters, Ilona holds a Highest Honors degree in English - Technical Communication. She's studied in, traveled, and photographed much of North America, Europe, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Ilona's also won awards for her writing and customer service, and her latest web project is currently being judged in a national web design contest. She enjoys sharing her professional transition and entrepreneurial experience with others, and believes that preparation and planning are key components of fostering success as a freelance artist.
A first generation American (her parents came to America following the 1956 Hungarian Revolution) and a Chicago-area native, Ilona currently operates her business and resides with her husband in the Rockford area.
Session 1: The Business of Being Creative: A Guide for the New Freelance Design Entrepreneur
What do you give up as a freelance artist? Paid vacations, benefits, a regular paycheck. Basically, everything that falls under the security umbrella for most people. What do you get as a freelance artist? You'll set your own rules - and hours. Take the jobs you like. Whatever you design will be associated with you - not another art group or design firm. And all of those tax deductions! If you're ready to strike out on your own, this workshop is for you. Get ready to:
- Quiz yourself to see if you're ready to open up shop
- Examine the pros and cons of being your own boss
- Learn what skills you'll need to run a freelance graphic art business
- Setting up your business legally, keeping records, and planning for success
- Find out what you should be doing now to build your business tomorrow
- discover ways to increase your visibility and kick up your marketing campaign
- Fortify yourself, your business, your art
Session 2: Current Entrepreneurial Trends: Setting Yourself Apart in the New Era of Self-Employment
Self-employment as an independent artist is quite common in the art and design fields. Currently, 1/3 of all commerical artists are self-employed - a higher proportion than in any other industry. With the growth of the internet and www, opportunities exist today for you which did not a mere decade or so ago. Are you ready to take advantage of these opportunities? This discussion will help you to:
- Focus on the latest stats and trends in today's booming entrepreneurial set
- Get to know who your competition is - and learn to position yourself among them
- Understand why self-promotion is vitally important to the freelance artist
- Craft a professional art marketing portfolio: traditional, flip-chart, portable, online, video, or digital
- Learn how to compose press releases - and determine when to send them out
If you want to thrive rather than just survive in the competitive graphic arts industry, the self-employed artist needs knowledge and the right tools to shine. This session aims to get you headed in the right direction...