Considering turning your artistic passion into a career? As a creative, you may feel incredibly enthusiastic about your craft but need help navigating the business end of things. You’re not alone. Many small business owners need guidance at some point. Fortunately, your imaginative mind holds many advantages as you enter the business world. Here are our four tips for starting a creative business.

1. Find Your Niche

As a creative person, you’ve probably gained a broad skillset by jumping from one exciting hobby to another. While developing your business idea, consider your most significant interests, passions, and strengths. Brainstorm these ideas, and you might find you already have skills or expertise that could define your business.

Whether fulfilling customer’s needs, solving a problem, or creating beautiful items, lean into a business idea that gives you purpose. From there, hone in on what could separate you from your competition. Is it your one-of-one products, artistic style, or expertise?

Why Find a Niche?

You may think defining a niche pigeonholes your business and limits its appeal to a wider market. But in a crowded marketplace, there are many ways honing in on a niche can help you. Some of these include:

• Marketing and selling your product more effectively
• Reducing your competition
• Finding something unique to attract customers
• Retaining a loyal client base and gaining returning customers
• Building your brand credibility

When you target a niche, you’re able to understand your target market better and tailor your products specifically to their wants and needs. As a small business, you have greater flexibility to innovate and adapt your products to meet changing customer demands. Catering to a niche also makes it easier to focus your marketing efforts on a specific group to maximize impact and effectiveness.

2. Reach a Balance

You may wonder how you can support and nurture your creative process while maintaining the business side of things. Even though artistic ideas are what your business relies on, you’ll need to level them out with practical considerations. You can strike the perfect balance between creativity and practicality. It just takes preparation.

Start with a great idea, then develop a business plan. Ask yourself what you want to accomplish, who you want to target, how you’ll manage your finances, and so on. Find systems or resources to help you manage all the different aspects of your business and allow your creativity to thrive. For example, try Asana if you need help with project management and organization, or use QuickBooks for help with accounting.

3. Leverage Online Platforms

Social media and digital marketing are some of the most impactful tools around, and they’re right at your fingertips. Here are a few ways you can benefit from using online platforms:

• Design a website – This gives you space to showcase your portfolio, share information about your product or service, and list contact information.
• Blog – Adding a section to your website where you can make blog posts can help you connect more deeply with your audience and claim a position as a knowledgeable authority figure in your field.
• Open an e-commerce shop – Using platforms like Etsy to sell your products online makes it easier for customers to access and purchase your products.
• Apply digital marketing strategies – Use digital marketing strategies to reach a wider audience and share your creativity with potential customers.
• Use social media – Platforms like Instagram and TikTok allow you to engage and connect with your audience. You could share your creative process, inspiration, latest creations, and more.

Especially in terms of social media and marketing, being a creative gives you a step up. You have the ideas and flexibility to experiment and see what resonates with your audience. After all, you’re in charge. If you want to use less traditional means of posting or marketing, go ahead. There aren’t any wrong answers; just be patient.

Embracing online tools is often low-risk and high reward for small businesses. It’s inexpensive, efficient, flexible, and offers greater reach and customer engagement.

4. Seek Out Other Creatives

With the convenience of the internet, it’s easier than ever to find and cultivate a community of your own. Seeking out other entrepreneurs who have gone through the process of opening a creative business can be extremely insightful. Whether you gain a mentor or some new friends, these are great people to bounce ideas off of and can help you navigate challenges. As you gain experience and confidence as an entrepreneur, you could even consider paying it forward and fulfilling that role for others.

Making new connections could also lead to creative collaborations. Not only can you help each other business-wise, but you can help inspire one another as well.

Embark on Your Creative Business Journey

Starting a business is an exciting endeavour. By embracing your creative vision, cultivating a plan, and taking advantage of online resources, you’re paving the way for a venture that fulfills your passion and resonates with your audience. With your creativity and determination, watch as your business begins to flourish.

Small Business BC is Here to Help

SBBC is a non-profit resource centre for BC-based small businesses. Whatever your idea of success is, we’re here to provide holistic support and resources at every step of the journey. Check out our range of business webinars, on-demand E-Learning Education, our Talk to an Expert Advisories, or browse our business articles.