Reaching out and working effectively with other people is not a natural skill for everyone. However, a lot of creativity, how to work together, and better marketing skills are three benefits I have noticed when I have collaborated. Collaboration is not welcomed by all, so do not be disappointed if you reach out to a fellow artist or brand and do not hear back from them or they give you a negative response. Hopefully more creative artistes learn to work together instead of withholding the knowledge they have to share with others.

• Creativity: I do believe we are gifted differently, therefore a collaboration allows each individual to share their ideas on how a project can be achieved. My experience collaborating has allowed me to learn new techniques on how to pose properly and learn better makeup tips.

• Working together: Collaboration allows creatives to learn how to respect each other and their time when working on a project. Most collaborations lay out a plan as to what is expected of each participant in terms of what to bring, when to arrive, how long it will take, and a timeline of what to expect. In so doing, participants develop the effective skill of working together efficiently which increase their professionalism. These collaborations have also led to forming lasting friendships and business  partnerships.
• Marketing skills: As a creative, I cannot stress the importance of collaboration in improving your marketing skills. The art of reaching out to a fellow creative or brand can be nerve wrecking for many of us. We are all scared of being rejected, however we need to remember that everytime we get a positive answer after numerous rejections it means  you are doing better at marketing yourself. Someone believed in you and thinks you will be a great fit for their brand, so give yourself a pat on the back

On the other hand, if another creative invites you  to collaborate on a project, that is very impressive because someone thinks you are exceptional. Another advantage of collaborating is that all artistes involved are able to share the project on their different social platform which increases exposure and opportunities for paid work. I can attest to that fact that some of my collaborations have led to more paid work and followers on my social media network.

Personally, I enjoy it and I am open to seeking opportunities to collaborate with both small and bigger brands because we are all truly unique and do better as a team.The work of my latest collaboration between talented photographer Elizabeth Hanson of el photography and stylist and fashion truck owner Kim Huston of styleagogo are in this blog post.They are both based in Minnesota so reach out to them .

Please comment below either your negative or positive experience collaborating. Happy Sunday!