Chances are that you are a talented person if you’ve picked up this book. You may be a whiz Web developer who can churn out gorgeous, functional Web sites. Or an illustrator who can bring a drawing to life. Maybe you’re a jewelry designer who constructs beautiful necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. Or you may be a writer, like me, with a knack for stringing words together. Whatever your creative talent is, it can be something you enjoy as a hobby—or, as many creative professionals have proved, it can be the source from which you make a living.
Have you ever thought about making a living off your artistic ability? Many people start a creative business—it’s relatively simple to launch due to the low overhead costs—but never build the foundation necessary for long-term success. Why? They think all they need is their talent. They do not realize that they need to know how to manage a business, too.
A business doesn’t stay strong for too long if you think that you can rely on your flair for prose or eye for design. For example, a competent graphic designer probably can create a logo, but how does he or she secure a client? How can he or she satisfy that client? What happens if the client does not like that first draft? When the project is over, assuming it went well, how does he or she bill for the work? And what about paying taxes on the money earned?
To make a living doing what you love, you will need to go beyond simply doing what you love. There are other aspects of running an enterprise that you will have to be familiar with—yet not necessarily master—in order to excel. You don’t have to calculate taxes yourself to keep your business going strong, but you will need to understand some financial principles to build and sustain it. On the same note, you may very well be able to work from home in your pajamas, but you will have to have a professional tone when you’re on the phone with clients as if you are face-to-face. In short, you will have to do business to have a business.
They say, “Do what you love; the money will follow,” however, that’s not entirely true. The income only follows when you treat your creative venture like a real business—because that’s what it is! Without some professional know-how, you won’t be able to establish a legal entity, attract and retain clients, earn enough money, manage your finances, or protect your rights.
I know, it sounds like everything is about money, money, money. Well, a business operation is about money. It is about technicalities. And it can definitely involve things you don’t like to do. Earning enough money isn’t the only measure of success, yet it is a viable component of true professional achievement.
My first book, Creatively Self-Employed: How Writers and Artists Deal with Career Ups and Downs, was about coping with the emotions related to leading a creative venture. I didn’t really talk about the nuts and bolts of business. At the time, I felt there were plenty of resources that gave the basics. After several years running my own copywriting business, I’ve learned that there are tools out there to help people start general businesses—but only few cater to creative moonlighters and full-time freelancers. As such, most of them are overwhelming, dry, and difficult to comprehend.
That’s why I wrote this book; my hope is that it gives you information that is easy to understand and relate to, and hopefully enjoyable to read.
Whether you go straight to the chapter that entices you most, or you read this book cover to cover, my wish for you is to find the tools you need. I want you to build a strong business that stands the test of time, provides you with a gratifying lifestyle, thrives even during a recession, and, most importantly, lets you enjoy all the wonderful feelings that come with doing something you are innately good at.