Being an Entrepreneur in a Creative Industry
I find it highly valuable to be a creative entrepreneur and not just a “dollars and cents” business thinker (although you need that too). Building something from the ground up, new or better than it’s been done before, takes a lot of skills/attitudes that creatives possess: taking original approaches to problem solving, willingness to make mistakes and learn from them, not being tied to conventional thinking and being able to take criticism then turn it into motivation. Creative professionals are excited by the process, not just this month’s numbers, have huge egos and tons of nerve (this is an asset and challenge) to see things in a different way.
You have to be a highly functioning creative thinker to succeed in a creative industry.
You can’t fake it or rely on specific skills (accounting, legal, etc.) in this type of business. The key is adding “left brain” skills to move creative ideas into potential business ideas. That’s the biggest hurdle for most creatives entrepreneurs. Some people can do both, most can’t. Those who do most often find success.
