Creative Professionals and Entrepreneurs: Balancing Creativity and Commercial Reality
Creatives see the world differently. Whether you are an artist, designer, musician, or innovator, turning your passion into a creative job and/or a sustainable business requires balancing the boundless world of ideas with the structured demands of commerce.
Creative individuals thrive on inspiration, originality, and personal expression, but running a business also requires strategy, planning, and market awareness. Successful entrepreneurs are not just dreamers; they are doers who know how to navigate the business world without losing their unique creativity. Balancing creativity and commercial reality is not about choosing one over the other—it’s about integrating both to build something sustainable, impactful, and authentic.
Think of it like your brain. You have one brain with two sides—the left (logical) and the right (creative). The key is to use them together, rather than relying solely on one side, to achieve the best outcome.
In my experience working with creative professionals and entrepreneurs, I’ve noticed two common challenges. Here’s what they are—and how to overcome them.
Challenge 1 : Bad at Numbers?
Creative individuals often experience deep feelings and strong personal expression, which they channel through their work. They may focus on beauty and storytelling, sometimes overlooking financial aspects such as costing and pricing. Many creatives tell themselves, "I’m bad at numbers."
But business maths is simple: Price – Cost = Profit.
Instead of saying creatives are bad at maths, a more accurate statement is that they often prioritise the purpose of their work over its financial value. Their focus tends to be on aesthetics and meaning rather than costing and pricing.
Creative individuals frequently invest heavily in sourcing the best tools and materials to produce their work. Basic consumer psychology tells us that people often associate higher prices with higher quality—just as your potential clients do when they see your work. Personal branding is not only reflected in your craft but also in how you price it. So, price your work carefully to reflect both your brand and the costs you put into it.
Don’t sell yourself short!
Another common issue I’ve noticed when working with creative individuals is that labour costs are often missing from the pricing process. Some creatives still view earning a profit as greedy, especially because they enjoy the process—after all, many are turning their strengths and hobbies into businesses.
It’s a wonderful thing to do work on what you love and that others are willing to pay for. However, many creatives shy away from valuing their time. Assigning a monetary value to your time is an act of self-respect. You can enjoy the creative process without feeling guilty because including labour costs is standard practice across all industries.
Large companies don’t worry about earning "too much"—they focus on creating, buying, and selling their products, expanding their business by hiring when needed, and, when possible, giving back to the community. We all know the saying: "Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others." The same principle applies here—you need to earn enough to sustain yourself first so you can continue creating opportunities for others and giving back to society.
Challenge 2: Overwhelmed with Ideas
Creative professionals often have an endless stream of ideas. Visualising opportunities and dreaming of success are not the problem—but having too many ideas without action can lead to overwhelm and procrastination.
As creatives, they can’t stop thinking and dreaming about their visions. However, these visions bring not only excitement but also fear in two common ways:
Fear of failure – What if I try and fail? If I don’t try, I won’t fail.
Fear of imperfection – I can’t start until I find the perfect starting point.
To shift these negative thoughts, ask yourself reverse questions and replace the fear with positive perspectives:
What if you try and succeed? If you don’t try, you won’t succeed.
What if the perfect moment to start is now?
Having countless ideas is a gift, but without structure, it can feel paralysing. Taking action, even imperfectly, is the key to turning ideas into reality. Here's some strategies to Turn Ideas into Action
Capture Your Ideas in a Brain Dump
Instead of trying to hold onto every idea in your head, write them down or create a mind map. Use a journal, a whiteboard, or a digital tool like #Notion or #Trello—but only if you’re comfortable with them and prefer a digital record.
Seeing your ideas on paper (or screen) reduces mental clutter and helps you evaluate them more clearly. And remember, you can be creative here! If digital tools aren’t your thing, don’t use them—pen and paper are just as powerful.
Use the 80/20 Rule
Not all ideas are equal. The Pareto Principle (80/20 rule) suggests that 20% of your efforts will produce 80% of your results. Identify which ideas will have the biggest impact and focus on them first.
If you’re just starting your business, prioritise ideas that are easy to execute and generate the most revenue—because survival comes first. Revenue (i.e., how much you can earn from this work?) is one of the most common ways to measure a business’s impact, helping you compare options more effectively.
However, some ideas may not generate immediate revenue but can help build your reputation. In that case, make sure you're in the right position to leverage that recognition effectively.
Use Ikigai to Narrow Your Choices
Use this checklist to evaluate your ideas:
What you love – Do you truly love this idea?
What you are good at – Does this idea showcase your strengths?
What the world needs – Does your target audience need this?
What you can be paid for – Will your audience pay for it?
Revisiting these four fundamental questions of #Ikigai can help guide your decision-making. If you haven’t read my previous blog on Ikigai, you can check it out here:
🔗 Ikigai for Start-Ups: A Guide to Motivation for Business Founders
Break Down Big Dreams into Small, Actionable Steps
Big ideas can feel overwhelming because they seem impossible to achieve. The key is to break them down into smaller, manageable steps.
Successful businesses are built through a series of tiny steps. Take Chanel, for example. Today, it’s a global brand selling couture, ready-to-wear, handbags, fragrances, and more. But if you read Coco Chanel’s story, she started as a machinist. Every big success begins small.
Start with one thing at a time—something you’re good at—then master it. Excellence leads to expertise.
By breaking your big dream into smaller steps and setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound), you move from dreaming to doing. If you're unfamiliar with SMART goals, check out this article on setting realistic expectations from Tree Shepherd :
🔗 Setting Realistic Expectations – Tree Shepherd
Remember, you only need to be 1% better than yourself every day. By the end of a year, you'll be 365% better than you are now.
Set a Realistic Time Limit and Find Your Workflow
Creative individuals often dislike strict schedules—they prefer spontaneity. However, setting time limits can help channel creativity into action. Without deadlines, perfectionism often leads to procrastination.
Set realistic time limits without stressing over exactly when and how you will finish. Instead, focus on finding your workflow and minimising distractions. Try working in small, focused sessions without interruptions from your phone or social media.
Even if you don’t feel inspired or worry you’re out of ideas, tell yourself to just think or work for five minutes. Once you start, you'll likely keep going—humans have a natural tendency to finish what they begin.
And even if you don’t complete the task, those five minutes still bring you closer to the final goal.
Test and Iterate Instead of Seeking Perfection
Don’t obsess over results. Creatives often hesitate to start because they want everything to be flawless. But the perfect time to start is always now—we can’t change the past, and we don’t know the future.
The best way to refine an idea is to test it, gather feedback, and improve. Start small, learn from the process, and make adjustments as you go. Your work can evolve and be polished along the way.
Remember, you are your own boss. You have control over your actions, your emotions, and the meaning you attach to them.
The challenges discussed above are common among creative professionals, and I hope you found something insightful in this article. If you'd like to gain clarity and explore different perspectives, feel free to reach out. Having a coach can be valuable, but it’s not compulsory.
Whatever path you take, enjoy the journey! Thank you for reading.
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