The Jeweler's Philosophy

There comes a time for all of us, when we need to make a decision, so we can continue moving down the path. At their core, decisions come down to either gathering / grasping or purging / letting go. Often, we think that the more we gather the better we are. This is true to a point. It seems easier to gather than to let go, this is human nature. We feel the need to accumulate. The truth is that if you are always gathering you are also always carrying all the old things, ideas, and processes. We need not be afraid to put things down whether we come back to them later or not. More often than not, the harder decision is the right one and most the time it is LETTING GO. The nugget you will learn in this episode is that often by letting go of one thing and freeing up a hand, you can grab something better, and go all in! In other words, cut your dead weight and focus on the shit that matters!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

Look at the things you do now. If you were to make a list of all these things, how many of them would your younger self scoff at? You know all those things we told our parents we would “NEVER DO!” Or how about all the things we said we would let our kids do, and DON'T! It's ok if you're reading this and feel a little bad, know that we all do. When we first make a decision, most of the time it is finite and absolute. This is because we are unaware of what we don't know. We can't make a different decision without a different perspective. We can only make decisions based upon the information we have at the time. As time goes on, our decisions may change, and this is fine, because our perspective and point of you is always evolving and changing. Embracing these new decisions is what this episode is all about!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

The short answer is systems! Instead of always manning and running our machine (business), we build a mechanism or process that physically replaces us or the need for our input, because of the rules we have set forth, now we have freed the time needed to do that task. Systems are the great multiplier. With a system you can have 2 people yield that same output as 10 if done correctly. Listen to this episode and learn my hacks to spotting where to start systemizing first and getting started in your business today!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

As artist we often think that our businesses are somehow so very different from other types of businesses. The truth is the biggest difference between the 2 is us. We all think that we are the only ones that can do all these things. We think that we are the only ones that are as creative as we are. We need to stop and look at all the businesses that are super creative. Think about the products that you actually buy; those companies have systems, and they make things! Why can't we use systems too? The good news is, WE CAN so let's try! Listen to this episode, you'll see what I mean! Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

If you never finish its never done. How many of us get super amped about new ideas? The big question is, what happened to the last big idea? If your anything like me, you get crazy great ideas all the time! Your unfinished pile is just as crazy as mine! It's Full of ½ finished GREAT ideas! Now think about if you finished just one of those, and what that could do for you! Look we finish the shit that needs to get done but I'm willing to bet it's not the stuff that lights you up; that stuff is all in your unfinished pile. Let's start getting some shit done! I hope this episode gives you what you need to start or keep going!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

Believing in yourself is such an important thing. This is different than having faith in terms of religion. When we are talking about faith here, we are referring to believing in yourself and the things you hold to be true in your life. We need to have faith that the things we are doing will work out in our favor. It's trusting that the things we are building towards, will see themselves into reality. It's all about believing in ourselves and continue moving down our path even if we're the only ones that believe in what we're doing. The truth is, we do this more than we know. This episode will help you and give you a framework to use this idea as a tool not just as something we do without realizing it but learning how to control it so we can achieve our goals faster. Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

Energy is palpable. This is most notable when we talk about feeling vibes, attitudes, or even kindred spirits. The fact is the things we focus or dwell on are the things we get more of! As a result, if we are always looking and seeing the bad shit, we will get more bad shit! Now, if we focus on good and positive, we will get more of that! What if we use this idea and use it to help us find, gather, and grow? What if we focus on the things that will take us to the next level, EVEN if we don't know what the answer will be! This episode will help you frame the steps needed to start doing this in your own life and business!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

There are always a lot of questions on how to find good people in business. If we can follow this one rule the rest seems to work itself out. Relationship First, Business Second, is all about the way we feel about the people we are choosing to do business with. As an artist a lot of our “Business” relationships, also make up our work. This episode with give you an idea and lay out where your head should be while working on aligning yourself with people in your industry.Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

Fear is something that we all deal with in different ways. You can let fear make decisions for you like most people that never achieve their goals and dreams; or you can choose to make decisions for yourself. At the end of the day, it comes down to what's more powerful, your desire to achieve great things or being afraid to even try because someone might say something. They could say nice things too and we all love a complement, I'm just saying. I hope this helps!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

We have talked about how as artists we are always working, because being an artist is a lifestyle, not a job. This is different this is about the guilt we feel when we are doing anything but working. That is unhealthy and unsustainable. This has nothing to do with being an artist, No, this has everything to do with the way our society makes us feel the NEED to work ABOVE all else. Likely you, have probably fought with this for years just as I have. Listen to this episode and I hope it gives you some nuggets and gems you can apply to your life.Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

It’s easy sometimes to get stuck where we are right now. The thing we need remember is that where we stand right now in time is just that, “right now” but soon it will be tomorrow, then last week, then last year. Keep in mind that the journey is long! It takes a lifetime!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

It comes down to pushing yourself. Too often we think, because we make our products, that the only push that matters are physical. We push ourselves to try new techniques, tools, and materials. The truth is mental pushing is the facilitator for the physical push. Listen to this episode and learn how you can start using these in tandem so you can achieve more of your goals!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

Have you ever had the lyrics of a song come through crystal clear at the exact right time in your life?!“I’ve got so much soul in my body, but no one keeping me honest” K. Flay, Giver.Music is a huge part of my life! Not only does it give our lives a soundtrack and sets our mood and tempo, but it also has prolific thought in messaging in the lyrics. I have used music as a tool in my life for many things! When I was younger it helped me overcome depression and heartache. It has helped me relieve stress and angst in my life. Now, I have always been a lyric person and they have always helped me think about things differently, see another perspective, or spoken to me when I need to hear it the most! I’m not sure how music affects you, though I do know that by listening to this episode you’ll gain more insight in to how you can use it to help you overcome the biggest stumbling blocks your head!Enjoy,Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

Ep111- S2 Ep57 Your Heart & Your Head Rarely Connect…Look You’re never going to have abs if your eating fast food every day! It’s a fact that most people never get the things they truly want! This is mainly due to 1 thing; the want is free, achieving the goal means putting in the work. Most people want things to happen to them or for them. The truth is the majority of people don’t want to put in the work to make it a reality. That’s because our heads tell our heart these things are not for us, unachievable, too much work, too hard, we don’t deserve them, there’s not enough time… the list goes on! Think of your own dreams and why they are not getting the attention they deserve! The truth is this is true for 90% of people! We are no exception. The trick is to realize that this is happening and do things that strength our mental fortitude and give us a base for achieving things we want with means we don’t like. Listen to this episode to gain more insight and learn the tools you need to implement this in your life! Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

ARE YOU UP FOR THE TASK?!This one might surprise you! So much of what we do is mental problem solving. Yet when we are building our work, we can adjust and change on the next piece. This seems to not be the case for most when it comes to business and our business process. maybe it’s because when doing things that don’t excite us, we tend to not want to revisit or revise these until it's killing us.Here is the challenge:1) Make a list (WRITE IT OUT!!) of all the things you don’t like in your business…2) Figure out if “YOU” are the one that “NEEDS” to do ALL those tasks…3) Pick one of the things “YOU” don’t need to do. I recommend the one you HATE the MOST or that is causing the most issue…4) Take that thing and HARD STOP, and do something different5) Take a month (30 days) to find a NEW way to accomplish this task that DOES NOT involve you!6) Repeat this every month for 3-4 months7) Then start working on 3 of these a monthNow go do great things!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

Momentum is Built in PhasesMomentum is defined as: the quantity of motion of a moving body, measured as a product of its mass and velocity. When we talk about momentum in terms of business we are talking about the movement, growth, scope, size, etc. In the beginning we think momentum is something we create. Though at its core it is the distance between the Start to where we stand right now. Momentum is created and measured mostly by time! Don’t get so hung up on things that you think matter, more than they do. Most company’s change logos, names, colors, packaging and even products! The important part the Nugget is don’t wait to start! The faster you start, the faster you start creating your momentum! I hope this helps!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

Everyone has an opinion, that doesn’t mean it’s worth taking. Only take advice from people that you respect or look up to in that area. A great and very common example for small business owners is asking their attorneys financial questions, and their accountants legal questions. Now, these professionals know they can’t answer these kinds of questions and they tell you that. What about all the other “Advice” we get from unqualified sources? Like investment or business advice from your banker, parents, or neighbor when none of them are investors or business owners. All I’m saying is, just because you respect someone on some level, doesn’t mean they know everything on every topic. We need to be more discerning with the advice we take. By choosing the advice we take more carefully and spending the time to go look and seek out better advice, we will be much further ahead, and that time will be well spent! Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

Monetize Your ContentWe all make content for people to consume. The key is we have to recoup the money and time spent on making all this content. That means our content needs to be aimed at our customers. This is the trick though how do we make money with content we are making? This episode goes into the thought process and gives you tips on what to do, to start seeing a return on your efforts. If you are just looking at followers… you’re focused on the wrong thing. Listen to this episode to learn how to think about this, differently! Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to  BuffaloCraft.com now!

“VACATION” IS FREEDOM!!!We all want more freedom, right? Have you ever stopped to think and plan what you would do with that freedom? I hadn’t really either until I when to Thailand for 6 weeks! Something happened while I was there. I have never really taken a “Vacation” in my life, much less as an adult. My trip to Thailand was a work trip that had more then 50% of the time to explore, gather input, and do “Vacation” things. I realized that “Vacation” is GREAT, as long as you do it the right way. I know what you’re thinking… hear me out my definition of “Vacation” is: Doing what you want, when you want, how you want, with 0 compromise!! This also happens to be my definition of freedom! It’s crazy that we all think it has to be a waste of time or not working. Also, not true its ultimate freedom! And because you are there to “have fun” you are already giving yourself the biggest leap forward, the unbridled availability of time. Now I ask you again what would you do with your freedom when you get it? Listen to this episode and learn how to frame it to not mean what the rest of the world thinks it means! Let’s take back “The Vacation” and use it for the tool it is!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

Day 5 in Thailand (Seeing Things Differently Is A Valuable Skill!)As artist we make a living by seeing alternative solutions to common problems and then selling those solutions to our customers. We use our “out of the box” thinking skills to pull and piece things together to create new things, ideas, techniques and answers. If this is true, why then do we let our respective industries dictate certain things in our lives and business. This episode goes into the process and mindset that I adopted in Thailand and now am implementing in my businesses. Listen to this episode and see if you can start to see things differently in your business. We need to be sure the things we are doing are what we want to do; not just doing things we THINK we need to because that’s what everyone else is doing. We are the captain of our own ships!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head over to BuffaloCraft.com now!

Day 24 in Thailand The Sanctuary of Truth (What it Means to Be an Artist)PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS ONE A FEW TIMES!!!!A woman working at the Sanctuary of Truth approach me and started talking to me; She dropped CRAZY knowledge about what “Being an Artist” means and why we get to experience this amazing opportunity in our lives! She was able to put into words things I have been thinking about and trying to understand for about 10 years now. She gave me the words and an outsider’s view. She affectively articulated things I have been unable to in the past. I hope it hits you the same way it hit me! Here is what she said…Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

Day 20 in Thailand (The Industry Is So Much Bigger…)Being an art-based business owner and a professional jeweler working in the industry for over 10 years, I Have seen a lot of “The Industry,” or so I thought! It wasn’t until getting to Thailand that I realized, what I thought was the industry is just a tiny segment of the huge beast! Pick a small external part of the body, say a fingernail, ear, or eyeball. That part of the body is what we are all thinking our respective “industries” are. The issue is that we are blinded by what we see. We think because we see so much, we know the hole story. Really, we only ever see most of that one part. It takes time and energy to see, learn, and experience more. We all need to find out more about our respective industries! This ABSOLUTELY gives us new ideas and ways of looking at things. New ways to solve old problems and new problems that are being solved in unique ways! You know when you found something good when you feel small in comparison to the whole! Look for the person behind the screen. Learn from them and what they have done!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

Day 18 in Thailand (“Working” is Relative)We as artist have much more to do then most people with other careers and lifestyles. Working is not just us sitting and making the things we make! We need to stay creative and motivated so we can constantly be making new work to keep the doors open. The issue comes when we realize that what used to fill us with inspiration, no longer hold the same luster it once did. This is a great place to be if you can see it for what it is GROWTH! Growth is funny though, to grow we need to change; not just “WHAT” we’re doing, but also “HOW” we are doing it. This creates room for the growth to occur. For me this came in the form of relinquishing the roll of “manufacturing” my product. It’s hard to give your work; something that you’ve lovingly, created, crafted, and intimately made, to someone, with the hopes you get back what you’re wanting! I know this firsthand. I’m here to tell you, you have nothing to worry about as long as you follow your gut and live by this principle “Relationship First, Business Second!” After all we have more inspiration to gather and more work to make!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

Day 13 in Thailand (Keeping a Level head is a Lot of Work)We as artists need to have a thicker skin then most. Look, we all know that our work is not for everyone. It may not even be for most and this is fine! We seem to forget that EVERYONE has an opinion and back story. We all have our own demons, and everyone is looking for confirmation bias. It’s hard to rise above, when ignorant people say stupid shit that they have no concept of, instead of doing the research and finding the answers. This is just part of the job, when our job is putting ourselves out there. The good news is, we get really good at painting the picture we want people to see, and we can use that to our advantage. Listen to this episode, I hope the gems and nuggets in the episode give you, new frameworks and tools to deal with these issues. Research is the cure to ignorance! Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

Day 11 in Thailand (Common Art-Based Business Pricing Pitfalls)So many of the issues we have with pricing stems from our own insecurities about money. This is a cultural thing, and it’s not easy to see at first. Though once we do, we realize that our biggest stumbling block was ourselves and our false beliefs. The other big problem I’ve found with pricing is we all forget what it was like before we could “DO” the “Thing.” It’s important to remember that most of the time we are selling our work, ideas, process, and skills to people that CAN NOT do what we do. As a result, we need to keep in mind that we are not our customers! Work on seeing what you do from their point of view, they are coming to you to be “The Answer”. Answers take skills, and skills take time and money to acquire. That’s why we can make money with what we know. Just because we think it’s easy, or have insecurities about our work, doesn’t mean anyone else does. Keep in mind that we are solving our customers problems. This episode is packed with nuggets and gems! Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

Day 7 in Thailand (A Helpful Default Mentality is Possible)What if our default mentality was that of being helping, instead of being secretive or always have an angle, or just downright negative? How would this affect the way we think, act, and run our businesses? Let me tell you what this really looks like in a grand scale! It’s a beautiful thing and something that frankly, I thought was impossible. I know what you’re going to think “It’s too good to be true!” Well, it’s not, and it’s AMAZING!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

Day 4 in Thailand (Do You Need to Get Out of Your Own Way?!)What happens when you start working with someone that can say “YES” the same way you can? Now, think about it from the customers perspective because now, That’s YOU! You’re getting the same treatment; you give your customers. Let me ask you this, would you work with a customer that told you how to do the entire job? I wouldn’t! The reality is I came halfway around the world to find someone that could be the answer to my problems. If I could, and wanted to do all of it, I would have stayed home. Part of getting out of your own way is letting people figure it out in their own head. I hope this episode gives you a lot to think about in your own business!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

Day 3 in Thailand (Finding the Right People to Work With)What if you got to do ONLY the things you loved in your business; what would that look like? This is my first workday in Thailand. I am here for one main reason, that is to set up a manufacturing supply chain for my jewelry line Elegant World. I am focused on finding the people that can already do the work, manufacture in scale, and are as excited about my product as I am! This is very different then my do-it-yourself custom jewelry business. It’s important to point out working this way means, I get to LOVINGLY MAKE 1 piece of jewelry that becomes the master. This is what I love doing! Then I get to give it to someone that loves my work to make it in volume. While they are working that, I get to work on other things I need and love to do, like gathering artist input. This can be ANYTHING that inspires you. The possibilities are endless. I hope this gives you a new perspective. Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

Day 2 in Thailand(It’s Eye Opening to See Yourself, The Way Others See You)I found out pretty quickly that being in Thailand during Covid, to make my line, and visit my friend, was not viewed as a normal thing. This isn’t to say it was viewed as a bad thing either. I was surprised to learn how the decisions I’ve made come across in other people’s eyes. It made me truly realize how "point of view" affects not only our thoughts but our actions, and the way WE THINK others see us. This clarity of my headspace gave me this bird’s eye view that I have never experienced before! I hope it comes across in this recording!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

Day 1 in Thailand (No Way to Pay for Anything!)I’M OUT OF QUARANTINE!! I find myself having different problems now, like currency. I have money and I want to spend it, though no one wants what I have and getting what I need is proving harder than it seems. It turns out most currency exchanges are closed on a holiday weekend, in a country with virtually no tourism at the time, on a Saturday before 10am. This doesn’t seem like an issue until you check out of your hotel at 7am and find yourself stranded. Luckily the Thais are great! They always find a way!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now! 

The Quarantine Chronicles Pt 14 (Day 14: Ready to Soak it ALL in!)LAST DAY OF QUARANTINE!!!!! I can’t wait to get out and start the trip! I’m going into this trip with an open mind. I’m really trying to keep my head clear and absorb what this place has to offer without trying to over analyze or have any real preconceived ideas of what the trip should or could be. I’m here to experience this place and all it has to offer; I’m ready to soak it all in!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

The Quarantine Chronicles Pt 13 (Day 13: Delayed Gratification)The internet and this idea of instant gratification, that we as people, have willingly adopted as the norm needs to be met with a reality check! The only way to succeed in anything is to understand and except delayed gratification. Now I’m not saying that you should work on something that has nothing to do with what you’re trying to do. Rather to delay the end gratification to a point that you can gather and build all of the right steps to achieve that goal. Anything worth doing is worth doing right. Sometimes that means the time needed to achieve the gratification is much longer than we may want or have anticipated. Trust me your patients are met with an equal and opposite payoff; it WILL be worth it!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now! 

The Quarantine Chronicles Pt 12 (Day 13: Creating a Better Tomorrow)We all need to realize that sometimes, we need to lose, to win. I love my family! That’s why I’m here in Thailand and in quarantine. This idea of sacrifice to get a head is one based in truth. I’m here in Thailand to build something bigger than just myself, stronger than me alone. Something that I can depend on, that will allow me to spend more time with my family. The ironic part is I need to spend six weeks away from my family, so I can have more time with them. This episode goes deep into this way of thinking and how to frame it correctly so you can have it work for you, not against you. Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now! 

The Quarantine Chronicles Pt 11 (Day 12: Riding the Ups & Downs)How many of us feel this constant roller coaster when we think about time? I like to think about this like a bank account when it’s full or, added to, we feel safe and relax. Then when it starts to get low, we, QUICK try to put more in. I find this to be true with my deadlines as well. When I get a new job in, I think “well I have 6 weeks, no need to rush”. Then on week 4 I think “well I have 2 weeks still.” Then comes Monday and I think SHIT, now I have 5 days! Time to get to work. What if we could look at this problem from another angle? Listen to this episode and see if it helps with that! Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

The Quarantine Chronicles Pt 10 (Day 11: Farm Your Time; Enjoy The Crops!)We have talked a lot about time on the show; how to find more of it, how to use it better, how to find and kill your time thieves, the list goes on. The question now is… What do we do with this newfound time, and why do we feel bad if we spend it on a NON-WORK task? Give it a listen, I hope it helps!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

The Quarantine Chronicles Pt 9 (Day 10: Motivation & Its Many Forms)As art-based business owners we tend to have more motivation than the general person. It takes motivation to decide to make and sell our work. Often, we are motivated to try new things or gather new skills. What happens when our biggest motivators are taken away or changed, then what do we do? How do we approach motivating ourselves for something totally new, or something we have never done or experienced? How do we get and keep that motivation while keeping our mind open and not overbuilding these unknown things in our heads? This episode will give you some great tools you can apply in your own life to help you find and keep your motivation. Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now! 

The Quarantine Chronicles Pt 8 (Day 9: Quarantine is NOT The Destination!)By this point we all know about quarantine and we all have gone through it or know someone who has. I feel that most of us are not excited to quarantine or are “volunteering” to do so… unless you’re me of course. That’s exactly what I’m doing! I traveled halfway around the world to set up manufacturing for my jewelry line Elegant World and in doing so needed to perform a FULL 14-night, 15-day mandatory “voluntary quarantine” to enter the kingdom of Thailand. That’s where this story begins.Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

The Quarantine Chronicles Pt 7 (Day 8: The Only Way Out Is Through)It’s hard to put into words. The reason I’m here in Bangkok is to make my jewelry line. The reason I’m in quarantine is because I need to be to enter the country. Sometimes the things we want to do, our goals or dreams, take us down some pretty weird sides streets in our lives. Often this is where, as artists, we find our best stuff! Being an American we think that there is always away around things… an easy way, out right? This is NOT that! Sometimes the only way out of the woods is through them. In this case, the only way into the kingdom is through the woods!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

The Quarantine Chronicles Pt 6(Day 7: The Artist, The Beautiful Technician, and The Art-Based Business Owner)This is a hard one to put up, because this idea is still fresh in my head. I’m still working through these ideas, I offer this up in an act of transparency, as well as to open a larger conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now! 

The Quarantine Chronicles Pt 5 (Day 7: How Déjà Vu Can Help Guide You)Once you learn to open your mind and except things for what they are or could be, you start looking for other connections that you may have previously missed. That’s really where I landed on this idea of being reassured and guided by my déjà vu. This episode is a little obscure, though I think it helps frame some of these connections that now I’m realizing maybe more cosmically, or universe related, then just crazy coincidences. I for one am using them as a barometer in my life, how about you?Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now! 

The Quarantine Chronicles Pt 4 (Day 7: Forcing Your Hand On Becoming the Artist)Change is inevitable! What if your failsafe was no longer an option… what would you do then? It’s crazy to think that as an artist or a jeweler that my failsafe would ever be removed. My skills are my own, just because I own those skills doesn’t mean I can legally use them anywhere in the world. Learning to embrace something new, may just be the best thing that could happen to you! Listen to this part of a conversation with my wife and you’ll see what I mean.Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out  BuffaloCraft.com now!

The Quarantine Chronicles Pt 3 (Day 3: Coming to Terms With Both of Yourselves)“Lying” carries such a negative connotation to most of us. It comes in so many different forms. Stretching the truth, embellishing the story, negating parts of a story, or flat out not telling the truth, can all be considered lying to the right person. We all lie so often, that we even lie to ourselves... this is where I found I was LYING THE MOST!! This is part of a coaching call I had with one of my clients. Here I lay out this idea and how to come to terms with somethings in our heads. We all need to embrace the things in our heads and own them! The are ours, except it and move on! This will help you! Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now! 

The Quarantine Chronicles Pt 2 (Day 3: Cleansing Your Mental State)This is the second half of the conversation with my wife Kate. It’s easy to get swept up in the day-to-day of our lives. We as artists, more times than not, take the things we fill our day with for granted. We think that what we make, our art, is special and we seem to lose sight that the way we are making it is special as well. This episode gives you a good look into my head, and my train of thought on how we ALL, myself included, can make more and worry less about things that don’t matter. Just like our artwork, not all of it is going to hit hard! Though you won’t know what hits and what misses without putting A LOT of work out there. We all need to be looking for trends! Listen to this episode and you’ll see what I mean. Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

The Quarantine Chronicles Pt 1 (Day 3: Framing Quarantine)This is part of a conversation I had with my wife on day 3. We as people are thought to be “reactive”. From a very early age most of the things we do and decisions we make, are reactions to the things happening around us. This episode talks about and lays out a different method of thinking. This idea of planning as to control the outcome, rather than reacting to the world around you. This may not seem like a hard concept to grasp though; I couldn’t fully grasp the true meaning until all the things I would react to… were taken away. I mean in quarantine you are alone, and all your food shows up at the door at set times. What is left to react to? This takes a different mental state to navigate. Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

We all doubt ourselves, right?! The better question is, WHY do we doubt ourselves? There are already so many people in the world doubting us or waiting to doubt us we don’t need to add fuel to the fire. Too often when that doubt sets in it’s hard to get out of that feeling. What if we could get above the doubt and saw it for what it really is… a false view of ourselves. More often than not our doubt is the way we think other people see us. The crazy thing is that that’s still only in our own heads! Listen to this episode and you’ll see what I mean!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

Have you ever felt like you’re not doing enough? Me too… the biggest issue with this line of thinking is when we look at what we HAVE done it still adds up to a lot! We sometimes feel stuck or tied to ideas or beliefs because that’s what society, or our family, religion, the general public, and media are telling us how we should feel. I’m here to tell you that you have a choice! This episode will shed light on the part of our personal perception that “We aren’t doing enough” and will help you frame this differently in your head. Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

Often, we lose sight of what others have done to become great! Its hard to realize or even know for that matter what someone has given up in their life, in the pursuit of greatness. These sacrifices can be time, physical, mental, monetary, and even emotional. It’s important to remember that what one person is willing to sacrifice may not be a sacrifice you are willing to make, and that’s ok. Just know that the road to greatness is paved with our own blood, sweat, and tears! I hope this episode helps put into perspective this idea of “cost” as it pertains to our goals. Are you willing to pay the cost for your dreams of being great?!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

The zone is a real place! The trick we all need to wrap our heads around is how do we unlock the door and enter the zone whenever WE WANT! I hope this episode helps you find or narrow in on your entrance to your zone. Once you find the way in, practice staying there longer and longer! Continue to practice leaving and entering the zone at will until it becomes second nature!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

Custom Work, do you love it or hate it? There’s good money and great growth as an artist and business owner in this line of work! As someone that has spent about 6 years, full time in this realm of custom work, there is a lot to talk about here. Custom or commissioned work was a huge aspiration of mine early on in my jewelry career. Though it has its own rules, I hope this episode helps you get over your fears and preconceived ideas or reaffirms your interest in going after custom work. It’s hard getting over our art as art, while at the same time bending to meet others desires. Push yourself to grow and get payed along the way! Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now! 

We have talked a lot about pricing in the past. This is also one of the most popular things I talk to people about. We all need to wrap our heads around this idea that price is arbitrary as a number alone! The idea of “PRICE” is a way of thinking! It starts the second our customers find us or start interacting with us! This can be landing on a website or social profile or walking into our store. The prices or number is either validated or not, based upon our ability to adequately frame our value to our customers. In a broad sense it comes down to the way we value our time work and skills. If we change some small things, in the way we talk and interact with our customers the results can be amazing. Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!

This idea of coaches and their importance is found more in sports and business than art or jewelry. It’s not until we break down what a coach does and what their role really is. In the business and sports realm, its often said that “professionals, hire coaches and hobbyists or dabblers, do not!” Having a coach shows that you are vested in what you are doing. There is someone else on your team keeping you accountable and motivated even when you’re not! They can see the road ahead and act as your GPS. They help you achieve your goals! Most coaches like to win! As a result, with a coach on your team you’re more likely you to succeed, because if you win, they win! And if you lose… well you have work to do! We should all look at our lives and see where we can use some help to be the best we can be! If your serious about something… SERIOUSLY GET A COACH!Enjoy!Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”Mark Farrell “The Jeweler”For more info about growing your art-based business head to out BuffaloCraft.com now!