How to Balance Your Art and Business as a Creative Entrepreneur
By: Jordan King
A wise street prophet once proclaimed: “I’m not a businessman; I’mma Business, Man!” While business creation has become a big part of creativity these days; in an ideal scenario, the art would be the main focus. There would be no badgering about creating a brand. You wouldn’t be concerned with creating constant content. Making money wouldn’t consume your mind as you work on your passion projects. Long story short, you could just be an artist instead of becoming a business.
Look, I completely get it. Most creatives don’t like to focus on certain aspects of business, especially when it impedes on the artistic process. Now there’s nothing wrong with that. First and foremost, the creative/artist is supposed to focus on their talent and craft. However, it’s been shown through various patterns in history, that if you don’t have somewhat of a good understanding of the business side of what you’re doing, you can end up not just losing money, but also losing ownership.
Creating & Marketing
Authentic and organic moments are where the true magic lies during the journey. Some of the most creative and amazingly talented people I met in life were honestly by chance. Whether it is during a train conversation, out and about during the day, or maybe you just happen to hear a song on the platform and you wander to find the musician(s). There’s inspiration and divine gifts all around you. Often times some people try to force things, things that would maybe happen naturally. This approach however, can tend to produce a rigid and uncomfortable situation all around for everyone involved.
It’s okay and completely fine to be motivated and driven in your personal life. Especially when you feel that fire, and you’ve gained those individual convictions that give confirmation along your path. There will be people who will not understand or see your vision, and their lack of foresight will be projected upon you as you navigate your journey. Also, it’s important to note that while it’s admirable to be ambitious; one can only do so much at a time. The 24/7 grind culture of our world, in speaking about the influence of the Internet; has created a false narrative of expecting a person to be “on” all the time.
In this digital age, it is extremely important to not just understand ownership but how to obtain copyrights and maintain a paper trail for overall accountability purposes. This era has created an illusion where things are constantly misinterpreted or that you must constantly maintain a social media presence to maintain relevance. Some creators fear that if they’re not constantly producing content or engaging with their base that they will be overlooked or even left out of potential opportunities. Ownership is very powerful and important to people of color because it was something that we were constantly denied in the past. But the reality is that outside of being an artist, you’re still a human.
The world is fueled by creativity. Everything under the sun and even in nature can be traced back to art being a foundational component. Not everything has to be monetized or turned into an LLC. Doing it for the fun of it is honestly the true passion shining through in the process. Don’t let hustle culture consume you; yet protect what’s yours at all costs and get to the bag! Your vision is ultimately your role in society and you are the captain of your fate!
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