tips for growing a creative business and a FLASH SALE!

I get all kinds of email and asked TONS of questions about all sorts of creative things and once in a while I will take the time to answer many of the frequently asked questions here on my blog!

Something I get asked a lot is what is my advice for growing a creative business? While I am not an expert, I do have experience under my belt when it comes to working and growing a full time creative business. Today I thought I would share a little advice about growing a creative business.

HAVE FORWARD THINKING: One of the best and only ways to grow your creative business is to have forward thinking in all of the things that you do. 

EXAMPLE: When I was younger, while I knew I wanted to an artist, I spent a lot of time only thinking about the present. But the minute I began planning for the future and dreaming about the big things I wanted for my art and career, was the day that things really began to change. Nothing happened over night but I did start seeing movement and growth. I learned fast that "forward thinking" is the best way to move toward growth.

MAKE BIG PLANS: Begin making larger plans. They don't have to be GIANT but try to figure out what types of projects and plans feel big to you and what types of goals can create growth for your business.

EXAMPLE: Once upon a time, opening an online shop felt HUGE to me, then traveling and teaching at retreats was a big decision and then creating online classes felt really big. Over time my definition of "big plans" has changed and it often changes as I conquer each of my goals. But every time I challenged myself to try something a little bit bigger I was met with a lot of positive growth in my business.

JUGGLE MORE THAN ONE PROJECT: If you want to grow, it is inevitable that you will need to start juggling multiple projects- they don't all have to be big projects but taking on more tasks and trying different things, often at the same time will create momentum and often more income.

EXAMPLE: When I began juggling my online shop with teaching, my income grew and I was able to grow different sides of my business.

IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE MONEY: There was a time when I would say yes to everything simply to grow and to bring in enough money to pay the bills. But what ended up happening is that I was saying yes to opportunities that did not fit the direction that I wanted to go. I was saying yes simply because they paid. Over time I found that while I was making money, I wasn't doing things that felt right for me and my business. Those projects were making me unhappy. It became clear to me over time that no amount of money makes feeling miserable worth it!

TEST THE WATERS: Test the waters before moving in a new direction or taking on growth. Often change will mean lots of work so before you take on that work it is helpful to start small. Sharing ideas on social media, releasing one new products (instead of an entire line) or simply sharing your new ideas with family and friends are great ways to take small steps towards your change.

THINK AHEAD: Fashion designers, magazine editors, photographers all tend to work at least 6 months ahead. And while it is not always realistic to operate this way, thinking ahead a little bit (even if it is a few weeks ahead) can help you make decisions for the direction you want to go and the projects you want to tackle. 

EXAMPLE: I like to plan and create my blog content, online classes and products weeks and months in advance. This way I know what is happening in my business. I can schedule specific things to coincide with holidays, other projects and my long term goals. This helps me stay on task and keeps me thinking more about the future- instead of spinning my wheels at the last minute!

And if you are looking for more inspiration, tips and insight into how I started, grew and run my creative business I've got The Business of Being Creative and The Art of Blogging marked down this week! Head on over to the shop for all the information!