Q & A with Felicity Letcher

Felicity Letcher is a Creative Business Consultant working on our Wayfind Creative programme.

We would like to ask you some questions…

1. As a creative careers mentor – what do you most want to achieve?
   My entire working life has been involved in the creative sector across a range of different disciplines including art, comedy, theatre, dance, singing, screen and gaming. I’ve also been responsible for creating environments for creativity and collaboration to thrive. I want to pass the lessons I’ve learnt during my creative journey to others. I want to help them (Creative Wayfinders) discover a pathway to a sustainable creative practice that is also financially rewarding. I’m here to assist mentorees to look for the signs of opportunity: how to spot them, how to go after them and then how to make the most of them once they have the opportunity in their hands. I’m also keen to develop their skills at collaboration and co-operation which are essential to having a sustainable life in the creative sector.
2. What do you hope to offer Wayfind Creatives?
   Giving mentorees scaffolding to climb on, help them discover their own pathway and share my experiences and learnings from my journey.
3. What are your particular areas of expertise?
   Structuring a creative practice. Establishing good business structure and practice. Creative and business planning. Identifying and establishing the market for your work. Presentation of your work and your brand, funding and portfolio development.
4. What do you think is the greatest strength of being a creative?
   Resilience. The ability to listen and collaborate.This is not an easy path but it is extremely rewarding.
5. What do you think is the greatest challenge of being a creative?
   To understand that no success is over night. That it comes from years of practicing and developing your craft, your brand and your market. Being able to articulate what success and sustainability will look like for you.
6. Has life changed for you since Covid-19? If so, please share…
   Yes, Covid 19 has had a big impact. We used the opportunity to change our focus and take time to go back to things that my husband and I both loved. This involved reassessing our wants and needs, downsizing and taking an active break from our creative service company. My husband is now fulltime in his art practice and I am focused on upskilling and developing a new screen business that has an ethos of collaboration in order to out to the international market. I have always been committed to the development of the creative industries and raise the capability of those who are starting their journey in it. These decisions enables me to spend time doing that.
7. What will your life look like in a year?
   More consolidated and focused than this year! I’ll have a couple of key focused projects that I’m involved in with great people attached in a strongly collaborative environment.
8. What’s the most important lesson life has taught you so far?
   My dad always said “Do what you love and the money will come.” I’ve lived by that and it has always served me well. Don’t be in a rush, good things take time. I also think that you need to work with good people who are kind and will look out for you and what is happening in your life. In other words “Don’t work with A-holes”!