Let’s talk about Dolly Parton and what she means for your business.

I was watching Queen Dolly Parton in a documentary.

And it’s amazing, of course, because Dolly’s amazing. But one little moment in that documentary blew me away. And it it gave a little insight, one, into how Dolly Parton thinks about herself and her business and her her operations.

But also, I think it can help us a little bit, especially for creatives who are a little bit nervous or timid about trying to go for it with your creative business.

Dolly Parton had been asked by Jane Fonda to be in this brand new movie they were working on called 9 to 5.

Of course, we all know that movie now. It’s very famous. The soundtrack is great. We all know the song. But the back story on that and what I think is huge for us as creatives. Dolly tells the story that when Jane Fonda asked her to do this, you have to remember who these two women were and where they were in their careers at the time.

Jane Fonda was one of the biggest movie stars in the world at this time. And she approached Dolly, who was a famous musician, but she was not a famous actress at the time. Matter of fact, I think 9 to 5 might have been her very first big film she was in. Now, if you’re Dolly Parton or if you’re any standard creative person and Jane Fonda, the biggest star in the world, ask you to be in her movie.

Most of us would just say yes. I’m just I’m just happy to be in it. Just let me be in it in any way. But that’s not what Dolly did.

Dolly said, Yes, I’ll be in your film. But I have a condition. My condition is I get to write the soundtrack for the film as well.

Now think about that. Think about the guts. It took at that moment for Dolly Parton, who had not broken into a film yet, to say, Yeah, I want to be in your film, Jane Fonda, but I want to write the soundtrack as well. In other words, Dolly asked for what she wanted. Dolly up the game. Dolly upped the ask, and I think that’s important for all of us.

We all have big dreams as creative business people, and there’s certain things we want. There’s certain clients we want, there’s certain work we want to do. And sometimes we’re afraid to go ask for it. We’re afraid to say, You know what? I think I’m pretty good at what I do, and I’d love to be involved with you. And as a matter of fact, I’m so confident in my abilities.

I want to ask for more. I want to ask for the next level up. I think I can do even more for you. I think I can do even better for you and make this project better. So today, don’t be so worried about asking for what you want. You don’t get what you don’t ask for. Be like Dolly.

Ask for what you really want. You just might get it.