Technology has expanded the approach to finding work, especially for those who are striving for independent and progressive roles in the arts. Traditional hierarchies don’t really work for everybody. Becoming your own boss demands a bit of psychological strategy. You’re basically inventing your own hierarchy.

It sounds like an intimidating word; hierarchy. But if there is no hierarchy, there is disorder. If you’re building something, you’ll more than likely be working with people. And if there is disorder, well…  

Developing your own creative business is an ambitious undertaking. You’ll spend every waking hour thinking about it. You’ll deal with family and friends pulling you in another direction; fighting for your time. You’ll indulge in experiences with people you love, yet your head might end up somewhere else. Not intentionally, of course. It’s just a consequence.

People who are determined to design their own career have to learn to mentally organize and establish their territory, and the tactics to sustain it from within. 

How does a person go from zero to surrounding themselves with the right people? Who are the right people? Along the journey to your dream, you’ll encounter both healthy peers and manipulatively hostile bullies. Often, those who are more dangerous to your career are going to be harder to detect. You have to be “on” constantly. Keeping your ambitions and accomplishments safe is a lot about mental strategy. Here are just a few things that can get anybody started in organizing that hierarchy.

1. There’s nothing more damaging to a reputation than allowing other people to walk all over you. It sends a weak message, and opens you up to infiltration. We teach people how to treat us.  And there’s a very easy way to interpret the difference between bullies and just healthy competition. It boils down to a matter of safety; in regards to finances, mental stability, physical safety, and reputation. The very first thing you must do is make sure anyone you work with understands that you are in charge of your career, your ideas, and your future plans. Establish your territory. Being a bully isn’t necessary; anyone can be a leader and still be humble and listen. Claiming your place in the world isn’t about putting others down, or refusing to listen. Good leaders always listen. They just make sure they have the final decision, and that everyone knows it.
2.  Stick with your convictions, and be as honest as possible without giving away too much. Telling the truth is hard. Sometimes it’s brutal. Partners can be wasting company cash on bad ideas. You can say your product is selling like wildfire—but it had better be true. For your investors’ sakes as well as your own.
3. Establish credibility. Building your own job out of nothing requires some kind of understandable blueprint, backed by someone who can prove they know what they’re doing. It’s up to you to present this to people and get them on board. Someone who hates exercise and doesn’t care about their health would probably not be the best person to operate and try selling memberships to a gym. 
4. Learn the difference between competition and revenge. If your industry is music based, it’s going to be very cutthroat. You’re going to run into some nasty people and dirty tricks. You must learn when you need to expose something that’s genuinely hurting you as a person vs something that’s just healthy competition. For example, if you are caught in a situation with someone who could be a ticket to jail, you can likely be sure that’s not healthy competition. 

The best way to build a good hierarchy, claim your territory and build a great reputation is to keep focusing on what makes you happy. Listen and stay aware, allow yourself to evolve and take opportunities, and stick with your convictions. Love what you do; show people you love what you do. We can all see it, and that’s what builds respect.