LESSONS LEARNED FROM A GIANT ‘LIQUORISH ALL SORTS’ SCULPTURE
I spent the Christmas holidays indulging in passion – making stuff (calling it ‘art’ is a bit of a stretch). I invaded my husband’s workshop (he’s a proper artist, unlike me) and threw myself into making a sculpture that’s been nudging my subconscious for years saying ‘make me, make me’. Creating helps me to relax & get away from the screen – but most of my projects never see the light of day. I usually abandon them midway, realising that my skills don’t match my vision, and the half-finished projects litter the storeroom.
This time something was different. As I erected my completed giant ‘liquorish all sorts’ sculpture at the front of our driveway (a welcome to ‘all-sorts of people’ – burglars and psychopaths aside) I reflected on why this one was successful.
It really came down to three critical factors:
1) Preparation
I spent a few months researching what liquorish all sorts look like, working out the correct scale, sourcing the 3,500 beads to adorn the blue bobbly one, finding the right exterior paint, raiding the workshop for all the tape, brushes, drop sheets & glue that I’d need
2) Expert guidance
When Tyrone (my wonderful, patient husband) realised I was serious, he went out of his way to lend me his tools, space, glue gun and expertise. He gave me instructions so that I didn’t waste time, resources or screw up
3) Commitment of time
No matter what was happening, or who showed up for Christmas drinkies, I put in several hours a day to work on my sculpture. Indeed the more people that I told about it, the more motivated I got. I experienced first-hand the power of enrolling others. When my burnt fingers hurt from gluing over 3,000 beads, and I was frustrated by the slow progress, my friends would ask ‘how’s the liquorish thing going?’ I got inspired to get back to it.
Standing back, admiring my Alice-in-wonderland-esque sculpture, it dawned on me that the path to success – whether it be a giant liquorish all sorts sculpture or winning a corporate partnership – is very much the same.
To win corporate partnerships your organisation must be prepared. No matter how many corporate contacts you or your board has, how many pitches you make, success will not come unless you’re ready. My online training program helps non-profits get partner ready, but if you’d like to know if your organisation is organisationally ready, find out here through our free Readiness Q&A.
If you are organisationally ready, then following a proven & successful process designed by an expert that’s built some of Australia’s most enduring partnerships (that’d be me!) is a wise move. Time & resources are just too precious to waste perusing a strategy that won’t produce results.
And then it’s up to you to put in the work. We have a proven formula that’s empowered over 700 students over 20 years, a 7-step formula & best practice tools delivered over 9 months online, with live chats every month, a supportive community of peers going through the same journey (as well as previous graduates), to keep you focused and motivated.
If a corporate partnerships strategy is something you’ve given up on before, or perhaps never pursued because you didn’t know where to start, give our Readiness Q&A a go - it’ll guide you on what work needs to be done. You’ll get the results which you can share & discuss with colleagues & Board. Give it a go here
Hailey Cavill-Jaspers
