While there is an element of creativity in all entrepreneurship, “creative entrepreneurs” are a unique bunch. They employ out-of-the-box thinking in their business as much as their art.
I have always considered myself a creative entrepreneur with a talent for approaching problems with ingenuity and an open mind and for recognizing the beauty in shades of grey. If these are two traits of a creative entrepreneur, what others might we share?
Vision
“Some men see things as they are and say, “Why?” I dream of things that never were and say, ‘Why not?’” - George Bernard Shaw
The ability to see things differently, to have a particular vision of the world or ones work is common among creative entrepreneurs. They are the idea people producing endless new concepts and designs and engaging in the kind of thought that changes industries. It is popular these days to use the term “Disruptors” to describe business leaders who change the world, but visionaries have always been disruptive.
This is, in fact, the downfall of some creative entrepreneurs. Their ideas are so wildly disruptive that they can at times fall victim to “Shiny Object Syndrome,” flitting from one interesting concept to the next without ever seeing one to completion. Learning to focus, to create and abide by both short and long-term plans is essential for creative entrepreneurs if they are also to be successful business leaders.
Curiosity
A questioning nature and inquisitiveness are typical of creative entrepreneurs. There is no such thing as, “because we’ve always done it that way,” in their vocabularies. Every challenge presents a new opportunity to innovate an untested solution.
Creative entrepreneurs are rule breakers with open minds who need the freedom to both question and devise answers. Often this means a little extra time and space – adaptations that colleagues must commit to in order to enjoy the best of the fruits of their talent and inspiration. Curiosity is about breaking the rules and allowing a mind to open so innovation can take over and creativity can breathe
Passion
Passion is the energy behind creativity. It fuels everything creative entrepreneurs do. Lose passion, or fail to find it for some of the necessities of business, and you sometimes run the risk of watching the mechanics of entrepreneurship fall by the wayside. It is difficult for someone passionate about floral design to find the same inspiration in paying employment taxes.
This isn’t to say that the creative entrepreneur is incapable of managing a business. It simply highlights the fact that it may be more difficult to motivate one to perform necessary functions. It can help to frame them as the structures needed to provide the creative space and platform for their art. Others simply accept these as weaknesses and outsource the functions that don’t fit their dreams.
The events world is full of creative entrepreneurs in many different fields. Yours may be baking cakes, playing music or writing stirring ceremonies. Whatever form your creativity takes, recognizing how it plays into your entrepreneurial strengths and weaknesses will help you take the steps necessary to achieve your creative business goals.
Kylie Carlson is the owner of the International Academy of Wedding and Event Planning. With six locations globally, the academy boasts an internationally recognized accreditation program that brings professional training to wedding planners, designers and stylists.