When is the last time you thought about your electricity?
Not once, not twice, but three times in as many weeks I have been asked if I have a battery backup for my computer. (I must admit that I did not.) But when things come at me multiple times, especially so close together, I figure the universe is trying to tell me something.
So I asked questions. Why do I need a battery backup? What will it do for me? What will it cost? Where do I get it?
Here are 3 reasons to consider plugging your computer into a battery backup power source:
- If your power goes out and you don’t have a battery backup, your computer turns off. Nothing is saved and your hard drive could be damaged. Computers shutting down abruptly due to loss of power can hurt or even destroy your computer. (according to the guy I talked to at my local Apple Store.)
- Power going down even for a second or two can affect your electronics. It can mess with your hard drive and you can lose what you are working on.
- All power is not created equally. Apparently power can be “dirty” – meaning the level of power coming out of your outlet can fluctuate enough to cause problems with your computer.
By adding a Battery backup / surge protector to your setup, you are giving yourself peace of mind and protecting your investment at the same time. The size of the unit you get and the number of things you plug into it will affect the amount of time your battery backup will keep you running. The idea is that if there is a power outage, you will have 15-30 minutes to save what you are working on and gently shut down your systems. Electronics, like people, don’t like large jolts of power when they aren’t expecting it and will last longer with a consistent power supply.
I purchased the best battery backup they had at my local Best Buy. Here are the details:
This battery back-up system features a 355-joule rating to protect your equipment from power surges and spikes and powers your components for up to 121 minutes in the event of a power failure.
What’s Included
- APC 1000VA Battery Back-Up System
- Automatic shutdown software
- Owner’s manual
Product Features
- 355-joule rating
Absorbs a high quantity of energy for improved performance. - 1000VA (600W) capacity with up to 121 minutes of battery backup time
Along with automatic voltage regulation for safe system shutdown when power is lost. - 8 outlets (4 battery backup/surge protection)
With telephone, Ethernet and coaxial protection help protect your computer and peripherals from power surges and spikes. - Master outlet
Controls 2 surge outlets to conserve energy. - Multifunction LCD display
Keeps you aware of power status. - 6′ cord
Allows flexible room placement. - Automatic shutdown software included
For added equipment safety. - APC $150,000 equipment protection policy.
The unit has 8 outlets – 4 are surge protection and battery backup, 4 are just surge protectors. I plugged my iMac, scanner and external hard drives into the battery backup outlets and other less essential equipment into the surge protector outlets. (Like my iPod speakers…)
I decided to get it when I bought my new computer – I would be crawling under the desk moving cords and plugs anyway so it seemed like the perfect time. Even though we lose power rarely, it would only take once to make me kick myself for not doing it – especially now that I know about it.
I think it’s an investment worth every penny just for the peace of mind! Let’s face it, without backing up data and keeping my computer alive, my art licensing business would be dead in the water. Now… it’s up to you to decide if this is something to add to your system.
Here’s to your creative success and the longevity of your equipment!
– Tara Reed
* I don’t get anything from Best Buy or APC for the recommendation – just sharing what I learned and what I got. 
(But if Best Buy or APC sees this blog and wants me to test things, feel free to contact me!)
Magic Art Licensing Fairy Dust available here!
And if you believe that, I have some magic beans too…
There’s been an interesting thing going on and I decided it needs to be addressed. Believe it or not, I don’t have all the answers. I have no secret short-cut. I can’t look at your website and magically tell you if you should find an agent or if you would be successful on your own. If you want to work together I can help you as a coach, but a quick glance won’t give you the golden ticket.
Unfortunately I can’t respond to every artist who emails me telling me their story then asking me to look at their website and tell them what to do. I must be honest and say that it is especially frustrating when people say things like “I think my art would be good but I don’t have much time so can you tell me what to do / who to contact / etc.” Umm… ok. So do I have somehow unlimited time? There are over 360 blog posts about what to do. There are eBooks, audio recordings, tutorials. There is coaching that tells you what to do. And surprise! It all took time to create.
There is no magic fairy dust my friends!
No matter what you want to do, be it license your art, raise a great kid, run a marathon – TIME is required.
Who wouldn’t want to have someone say, “do x, y and z and you will have a million dollars in 3 years.” I know I’d love that kind of information. But it doesn’t work that way. Like everything else in life, you have to put time into learning, perfecting your art, making the connections. Respect your own time and respect the time of others. If you really want to build your business, how much time are you spending DOING the things you need to do? How much time are you spending talking about how it’s too hard or how everyone else has it easier than you? Really think about that for a minute – it’s a rut most people fall into at one point or another, so check yourself often – I do.
I spend a lot of time blogging, networking in the art licensing industry to bring you new experts for the Monthly Ask Call Series, creating information products and more. So please – look to these resources – it’s a gold mine!
Now, in the interest of time, here are some quick links if you are feeling pressed for time:
45 minute Beginner Basics audio – this is a great place to start! For $20 and 45 minutes of your time (you can listen while you do something else if you want!) – you can decide if licensing might be a fit for you.
How to Get Started in Art Licensing – this is the intro eBook that gives you the basic overview of what it takes to get started. You can even get the first chapter for free.
eNewsletter – it comes out twice a month and keeps you up to date on what’s going on. Highly recommend you sign up!
Free monthly calls – experts put in a lot of time to create these monthly calls where we answer questions submitted by artists. The link will get you to the page with the upcoming call schedule and the list of free and $25 replays from past calls.
Coaching – there are currently three artists (myself, Paul Brent and Jill Seale) who offer individual coaching for artists wanting one-on-one help with their business.
of course… an overview of everything available can be found at www.ArtLicensingInfo.com
Here’s to your creative success!
– Tara Reed
P.S. You don’t need magic fairy dust – with consistent time and effort, you can do this!
Art Licensing Story – Karyn Servin
While I was uploading Karyn’s video to YouTube, I was searching the far reaches of my brain to figure out how I met her… Karyn lives about 5 minutes from me but we definitely connected through my blog. If memory 
serves, I think she emailed me… maybe she has a better recollection! Regardless of how we first connected – I am so happy to have Karyn’s smiling face nearby! Always fun and optimistic, Karyn is an amazing artist armed with a positive attitude.
Little known fact about Karyn – she LOVES costumes and she is a runner. Karyn has combined these two passions and won prizes in the Portland Rose Festival’s Starlight Run two years in a row. I couldn’t find any photos to show you but let me tell you – Karyn was the spitting image of Marge Simpson this year and I have no idea how she saw where she was going! (She let me try on the glasses – it was like instant blurry vision.)
Karyn recently got her first licensing deal for fabric with this fun wine repeat… I think that may be why she told me I was permitted to bring my camera over and shoot her video. Whatever the reason, now everyone gets to know a little bit more about Karyn Servin. (Not wearing her Marge Simpson costume however…)
To learn more about Karyn Servin, visit her website at www.KarynServin.com
Thanks again Karen for the tea, conversation and of course, video!
– Tara Reed
P.S. Anyone who submits a video will receive a $20 coupon good towards eBooks, teleseminars (live or replays) or Ask Cal Replays from ArtLicensingInfo.com as a way of saying “Thank you for sharing!”
When can I expect to see your story?
For all the details or to see all the stories submitted to date, click the “Stories” tab at the top of the blog or go to http://artlicensingblog.com/stories/
Great deal on Ask Call Replays thru July 5th
Do you get the bi-monthly eNewsletter? And if so, do you read it? If you answered “No” to either of those questions, I encourage you to reconsider. Sometimes I add information and even discounts in there that aren’t advertised elsewhere. (A little reward for opening the email and seeing what is going on!)
In last Monday’s eNews, I announced that you could get 4 Ask Call replays for the cost of 3 when you use code ASK4 at checkout. There is so much amazing information locked in these audios – many free and a dozen that sell for a mere $25 for the hour long info session.
So what are you waiting for?
You only have until Monday night to take advantage of this deal. Visit www.ArtLicensingInfo.com/audio-archives.html NOW!
Here’s to your creative success!
– Tara Reed
P.S. Sign up for the bi-monthly eNews at www.ArtLicensingInfo.com/newsletter.html
Intel on when to draw the line on infringement suits – guest post by Cheryl Hodgson
Attorney Cheryl Hodgson has done several Art Licensing Info Ask Calls with our community and has agreed to do another on August 18, 2010. You can submit your question anything at www.AskCherylHodgson.com.
Trademarks have been a topic of conversation and will be well into the future, I’m sure. They are much more complicated than copyrighting your art and harder to police and enforce. Cheryl recently posted a great example on her blog and has given me permission to post part of it here too. There is a link at the end if you want to get the full story.
It is not unusual for companies with famous marks such as “eBay” or “McDonalds” to file trademark infringement suits against competitors, especially when trying to avoid confusion in the marketplace. But the number and nature of suits filed by Intel, the world’s largest semiconductor company, leaves the impression that it is an overprotective bully, without knowledge that “intel” is common shorthand for the word “intelligence.”
Since 2008, Intel has filed infringement and dilution suits against at least 20 other companies (mostly small ones) for using the word “intel” in names and domains, even when there is obviously no similarity in goods or services or any possibility of consumer confusion.
Examples of recent suits include Intel’s infringement case against a jeans company with “intel” in its name and a travel agency by the name of Intellife Travel. Trademarks only cover specific areas of business, and because Intel sells microprocessors, not clothes or travel services, both of these suits were filed without consideration of basic trademark interpretation.
Click here to read the full article…
Here’s to your creative and legally protected success!
– Tara Reed
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