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For our first newsletter, let's talk about an important part (yet often looked over) of being successful as a creative in todays world. Combining creativity with business. Many creatives often shy away from seeing themselves as entrepreneurs/businesses but to truly succeed in this game changing that view is a must not a need.

Other than The Creative Hussle, I own an another media brand alongside my long time friend, which has done really well.

With that we alway say we're not creatives; we're entrepreneurs with a creative business.

That’s because While we have creative skills, these were essential skills we taught ourselves, needed to build something from the ground up, with the aim of using these skills to grow our business. Viewing ourselves as a business meant taking ourselves seriously from the start— having the business cards, the budget planning, the business plans and more. These are often things that are overlooked when the driving force is solely creativity.

In the early stages, much of the content on our media platform was solely shot by me, but to the outside world we presented it as a company product. Positioning ourselves as a company rather than me working as a freelancer opened up conversations and opportunities that wouldn't have been possible if I'd approached situations solely as a freelancer.

Set clear, measurable goals for your creative career. These should include both creative and business objectives. Think about where you want to be in a year, five years, or a decade. Define what success looks like for you—whether it's financial stability, recognition, or personal fulfillment.

Spend time learning basic business concepts. You don't need to go uni for this, but understanding things like marketing, finance, and operations is crucial. There are LOTS of YouTube videos, online courses, books, and resources available (i’ve put some in the curiosity corner below).

Your creative endeavor needs a business plan. This should outline your vision, target market, competition, and growth strategies. Include financial projections and a marketing plan. A good business plan guides your decisions and keeps you on track.

Marketing is crucial. Develop a strategy that includes both online and offline tactics. Use social media to showcase your work, engage with your audience, and build a following. Consider email marketing, content creation, and collaborations to expand your reach.

Any business is down to how much money you got coming in vs how much money you’ve got coming out. It’s important to develop a system for tracking income and expenses, setting budgets, and saving for taxes as early as you can in your journey.

These were just some short tips but to wrap up, creativity and business go hand in hand. Embracing a business mindset helps you turn your creative passion into a sustainable career. By setting goals, learning business basics, creating a plan, building your brand, and continuously learning, you can thrive as a creative entrepreneur. Start thinking like a creative entrepreneur today and watch your vision come to life. Stay creative, stay inspired, and keep pushing boundaries.

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_{I’ve found that curiosity is one of the keys to growing in this industry. The moment you stop learning, is the moment you stop growing so every week in Curiosity Corner. l share a bunch of random books, youtube videos, music I listen to and more that have and still help me develop both personally and professionally. Have a look and let me know your thoughts!}