WHAT IS A CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR?
Creative entrepreneurship (as defined by Wiki) "is the practice of setting up a business – or setting yourself up as self-employed - in one of the creative industries. The focus of the creative entrepreneur differs from that of the typical business entrepreneur or, indeed, the social entrepreneur in that s/he is concerned first and foremost with the creation and exploitation of creative or intellectual capital. Essentially, creative entrepreneurs are investors in talent – their own or other people’s.
Caves listed seven basic economic or “bedrock” properties that he believes distinguish creative activities from other sectors of the economy:
- (1) Demand is uncertain
- (2) Creative workers care about their product
- (3) Some creative products require diverse skills
- (4) Differentiated products
- (5) Vertically differentiated skills
- (6) Time is of the essence
- (7) Durable products and durable rents"
A Creative Entrepreneur as defined by the British Council is as follows:
- "Somebody working in the creative sector who is able to demonstrate business success in the classic terms of business growth (profit, market share, employees) and/or in terms of his or her reputation (creativity, quality and aesthetic) amongst their peers.
- Somebody working in the creative sector who has developed a successful (in terms of impact and reach) social or not for profit enterprise in this sector.
- Somebody working in the creative sector who has shown leadership in the industry by championing its development in their country.
- Somebody working in the creative sector who has developed initiatives (exhibitions, trade fairs, festivals etc.) that develop and grow the market for this sector in their country."
Amazon list a few books for Creative Entrepreneurs which I can personally recommend:
"This book is for the large audience of artists, crafters, and creative individuals from all walks of life who desire to make a livelihood from their creative work, or who possibly have achieved some success, but don't know how to replicate it or move to another level of accomplishment.
The Creative Entrepreneur takes readers on an inner journey of creative exploration to discover how to make their dreams of creative livelihood real.
It's a visual, project-oriented, step-by-step approach to business development for anyone who is mystified and possibly frustrated by how to make a business out of their creative work."
"Turn Passionate Ideas into Profitable Enterprises
Do you dream of making a living doing what you love but find the process of creating a viable business plan like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole? Jennifer Lee knows what it’s like to make the entrepreneurial leap — and how to do it successfully. The key is using, rather than stifling, imagination and intuition. Lee’s illustrated, colorful worksheets and step-by-step instructions are playful yet practical, transforming drudgery into joy. They’ll enable you to define your vision and nail down plans for funding, marketing, networking, and long-term strategy.
Discover how to:
* Develop a financial plan with fun and flair
* Select your circle of support to get the work done
* Clarify your business values and goals
* Paint a picture of your business landscape
* Understand your competition and what makes you stand out from the crowd
* Identify your perfect customers and create a marketing plan to reach them
* Map out concrete action steps to bring your Right-Brain Business Plan to life"
Do you dream of making a living doing what you love but find the process of creating a viable business plan like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole? Jennifer Lee knows what it’s like to make the entrepreneurial leap — and how to do it successfully. The key is using, rather than stifling, imagination and intuition. Lee’s illustrated, colorful worksheets and step-by-step instructions are playful yet practical, transforming drudgery into joy. They’ll enable you to define your vision and nail down plans for funding, marketing, networking, and long-term strategy.
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| The Right-Brain Business Plan: Jennifer Lee |
* Develop a financial plan with fun and flair
* Select your circle of support to get the work done
* Clarify your business values and goals
* Paint a picture of your business landscape
* Understand your competition and what makes you stand out from the crowd
* Identify your perfect customers and create a marketing plan to reach them
* Map out concrete action steps to bring your Right-Brain Business Plan to life"
Digital Arts explains "How to be a Creative Entrepreneur" because we have all had those light-bulb moments, but very few actually act on them and then when we do take that leap of faith, are not sure how to proceed. Make no mistake, this certainly is a very challenging road to embark upon for Right-brained Creatives as one has to get that Left-brain to do all those boring admin matters too. Especially, if you only have a small budget to work from and start off as a one man team. Having said that though, when it all starts to come together, that sense of accomplishment just makes you want to pat your own back ;-)
The Atlantic describes it as "The Death of the Artist—and the Birth of the Creative Entrepreneur"
The Atlantic describes it as "The Death of the Artist—and the Birth of the Creative Entrepreneur"
"... in the age of creative entrepreneurship, producing becomes an experience, even the experience. It becomes a lifestyle, something that is packaged as an experience—and an experience, what’s more, after the contemporary fashion: networked, curated, publicized, fetishized, tweeted, catered, and anything but solitary, anything but private."
Creative Entrepreneurs.co believe that "Creative Entrepreneurs are Different. They’re often primarily motivated by a creative idea, not financial reward. The size of the ventures they create has a broader range, many of them smaller than in other sectors. They work differently, with less predictable business cycles and business models based on subjective factors like taste and emotional intelligence." Join Creative Entrepreneurs.co and you will soon learn all you need to know about becoming a Creative Entrepreneur by bringing together all the resources you need to start your Creative business.
Questions to ask yourself:
Questions to ask yourself:
- Are you doing what you Love?
- What can you contribute to the Market?
- Do you trust your gut?(If you don't believe in yourself, how can you expect others to)
- Are you resourceful?
- Can you manage your funds/overheads? (That left-brain stuff)
- Will you be able to overcome those challenges? (Rome wasn't built in a day)
- How will you engage with your community? (Social Media, Expo's, Marketing, etc.)
- Are you able to work longer/flexible hours? (Being self-employed means longer hours, but they are flexible)
The Art of Creativity Studio started in my study and I hope to grow it with other Creative Entrepreneurs who share the same vision as myself. I would love to be able to hire an administrator who can do all the Left-brain stuff, so that I can just be creative all day and everyday ;-)
how you started your business and what you think defines a Creative Entrepreneur.
Until next week, go on and Make your Creative Life your "Proper Job" and embrace being a Creative Entrepreneur.
Keep Creating
Shirley
Creative Entrepreneur
