The Creative Entrepreneur: A DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real

This is an unique book where the author presents the visual journaling techniques and prompts to meet the three basic challenges faced by many creative/visual-oriented entrepreneurs: dealing with the emotional & psychological mental blocks, misunderstanding the creative process, and lacking the practical business knowledge.

The first three chapters of this book focus on the self-analysis, discovery of skills and talents, and mental/psychological blocks. The last two chapters provide the strategic tools for managing and growing your business. The author show how a visual journal can be used as a living document that is subject to change over time, and also is adaptable to ever changing personal needs and business climate.

The first chapter, the shortest one in the whole book, shows how various journaling techniques can be used for brainstorming, problem solving and gaining insights. Additionally, it lists the benefits of a visual journal, and also briefly mentions what supplies (simple) are needed to create one.

Chapter two starts with the creation of a flower with four intersecting ovals that can be viewed as the creative entrepreneur’s mandala. This enables one to see a “big picture” of the essentials needed for the realization of one’s business vision. Chapter three, the largest of all, views the blocks not as personal barriers but opportunities for growth. It explains the characteristics of each side of the brain (left & right), and how they can work together rather than compete. It also shows that it is necessary to understand the four modes of functioning so that they can be controlled and managed more effectively. Both the constructive and destructive aspects are identified for each of the mode, and the remedies are provided for each of the destructive ones.

The fourth chapter shows how one can think strategically like a CEO using the managerial planning tools provided in the book. The basics of promotion and marketing (branding, packaging, advertising and media selection) are presented in the last chapter which utilizes the strategic approach rather than the tactical one. At the end of this book is a DIY project: a mini journal that allows one to document the strategic plans, to keep track of one’s progress, and to recycle the existing paper cards and ephemera instead of buying expensive business planning books.

I have submitted several pages from my own journal for the inclusion in this book; however, I did not get the whole manuscript when I did some of the exercises. Consequently, I did not get a chance to develop the strategic plans for bringing my business ideas to fruition before I got this book. Pretty soon, I will have to go back to my visual journal pages for refinement and reassessment. But I can rely on this book to help me develop my own strategic plan with its visual journaling techniques and prompts.
Rating: 4 / 5

Books on helping creatives grow their own business are hard to find. I’ve read and reviewed Craft, Inc. and it was a good resource for starting a creative business. However, while it covered many aspects of running a business, I found that it wasn’t good for actually teaching you how to set-up and create your own business from conception to reality. Enter Lisa Sonora Beam and The Creative Entrepreneur. Billed as a “DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real”, this book not only teaches readers the fundamentals of building a business to match their creative dream, but it presents the core business concepts in a way that makes them easy for creative personalities to understand.

The Creative Entrepreneur developed out of workshops that Beam created and offered “creatives” who wanted to take their craft and turn them into viable business opportunities. She does not believe that artists need to starve in order to succeed. This book is her legacy; it shows artists that they, too, can grasp business concepts that turn their artistic visions into concrete and functioning business plans–no matter what they are. At first glance, this book looks more like an art technique book than a business fundamentals primer. Don’t let the shiny fool you; this book packs an informative punch. Beam introduces the book by explaining how the visual journalling process aides in the process of business creation. She encourages readers to follow along with the exercises in this book, just as if they were sitting in on one of her workshops.

The rest of the book explains and shows examples for various business concepts that are key to uncovering exactly what form your artsy business will become. Beam helps you explore your strengths, develop a vision and goals plan, and set SMART goals for yourself. She also helps you overcome your fears. By exposing them, Beam helps you to minimize and remedy them so they don’t distract you from attaining your successful goals. At every step of the way she presents the information in easy-to-digest bites that also include plenty of fun exercises, journalling prompts, and examples from people who have already gone through her process.

The Creative Entrepreneur helps you lay the foundation for your business. But that’s about as far as the material in the book goes. Beam quickly glosses over the idea of promotional materials that could help your business expand and get noticed, but she doesn’t cover how to obtain licenses, or networking with other entrepreneurs and suppliers. Therefore, I wouldn’t consider this book as the “all inclusive” text for creatives looking to go into business for themselves. Instead, I see this as a companion to Craft, Inc. which delves into the daily business running aspects in greater detail.

I loved this book. There’s so much good information in it that I think it’s valuable for anyone to read through. I especially loved her breakdown on the left brain/right brain and the information on SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats). While I’m not ready to create a business out of my bookbinding just yet, I know that the information and exercises are things I can use to help propel and transform my writing life into something more. I recommend this book to any writer, artist, or crafter who desires to do more with their art, or just become more attuned to what you can offer the rest of the world. Even if you’re not interested in operating your own business, this book gives you a lot to think about on assessing your creative strengths and weaknesses.
Rating: 4 / 5