As many of you know, last weekend was Startup Weekend Education in Pittsburgh. A number of us learned some valuable lessons in sales over the course of the weekend, as professor Sweet mentioned in class, and a few of us affirmed via blog. Let me add to the litany of Startup Weekend lesson posts. I call mine “Volunselling.”
The weekend worked as such: A minority of the attendees pitched startup ideas, all voted, and the top twelve selected team members from the remainder to launch their startup. In a way, the majority of the attendees of Startup Weekend were volunteering to help the minority make their ideas realities. I was one of these volunteers.
I worked alongside a team of highly-talented movers and shakers on an app called “Naming Nature.” The team was comprised of a developer, a graphic designer, a business-savvy idea person, a researcher, a writer, and a guy who performed the miscellaneous jobs uncovered. I was the team artist, illustrating plant specimens for the app’s identification system.
Illustration request after illustration request, I filled the 54-hour Startup Weekend time limit. My team was grateful for my hard work and valuable watercolors. So grateful, in fact, that I am now working on the side as a freelance illustrator for one of my teammate’s businesses.
I have long desired to find a way to sell my artistic abilities. The market at times seems hyper-saturated by good and bad artists alike. It can be hard to stand out. And artwork is certainly no commodity. The “starving artist” is a real thing.
Volunteering over Startup Weekend was an “in” for me. If I applied to the company of any of my teammates before the event I doubt they would ever have considered me. By volunteering, I was able to get my work in front of some of the big names in entrepreneurship in Pittsburgh without pressure or obligation. Volunselling, folks.
Trinity Blank 
Ethan David 
Caroline Marie Dawson
Ha – I love that term. And your story. Another cool thing about vounselling is that it shows the volunsolds (people you are volunselling to) that you are wiling to go the extra mile without being bribed by money. The decision-makers in any company will have some amount of vested interest therein, and will probably be looking to work with people who are also dedicated to their work. Volunselling is a great way to show off that work ethic and push to be hired – without being a used car salesman.
This is awesome, Jordan! Your illustrations are great. Like you said, volunteering is seriously one of the best ways to get an in with a company you’d like to work for some day. It shows you’re willing to go above and beyond–especially because you’re willing to do it free of charge.
Linking volunteer time and sales is such a great thought! I’m glad you put them together. Sometimes the best clients come from those who experienced your work first-hand for nothing. I’ll have to keep that in mind. Good for you 🙂