I think the Businessman has the wrong idea. Keep letting the Craftsman do most of the work. Keep watching the bottom line. But cautiously ally with the Artist, and start seeing the Artists work (and occasionally giving stuff away, or complex special commissions) as overhead and investment, as R&D, as brand-building opportunities. And then let the Craftsman cautiously raise prices as reputation grows.
I've also seen friends similar businesses absolutely founder on getting wrapped up in special commissions, so it would seem to be good to avoid them. The thing that has always confused me, though, is it has always seemed a relatively easy problem to deal with in theory -- just start charging what it costs the artist in time. Including charges for fittings, design, etc. And then simply not doing special commission for people who aren't willing to deal with that. But yet friends would underquote, and then get not charge for the actual time, and so on.
...just start charging what it costs the artist in time.(I am assuming here that you mean time+labour&overheads+profit (if desired) as your equation there
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Make it beautiful.
Make it now!
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I've also seen friends similar businesses absolutely founder on getting wrapped up in special commissions, so it would seem to be good to avoid them. The thing that has always confused me, though, is it has always seemed a relatively easy problem to deal with in theory -- just start charging what it costs the artist in time. Including charges for fittings, design, etc. And then simply not doing special commission for people who aren't willing to deal with that. But yet friends would underquote, and then get not charge for the actual time, and so on.
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