Things I’ve Learned as a creative business owner
Being a business owner wasn’t something I dreamed of as a child*.
*Fun Britta Fact: my childhood career aspiration was to be a veterinarian. But after a cat (struggling through some serious mental health problems) jumped on my head for one horrifying minute when I was 13, I decided to entertain other options.
Through college, I was sure I wanted to be a journalist of some kind. Either a writer or a photographer, or both. It seemed like a good career for someone who loved finding out about the world and sharing it with others
While a career in journalism didn’t really pan out, I did get super lucky and landed a job with Dave, a former photojournalist who was starting a new “wedding photojournalism” business in Fargo. Y’all, this was before candid wedding photography was even a thing. There was no Instagram and digital cameras were just starting to take off in the consumer market.
What Dave was doing was pretty unique - especially for Fargo- and I learned a lot from him. He was a great boss and a good business owner. But after seven years I started to get a little itchy and it finally made sense for me to leave the nest and pursue my own thing.
I was terrified.
I felt like I had a good understanding of what the day-to-day operations were to run a photography business. A big chunk of my job had been running most of the creative wing of Dave’s company. But the other stuff - accounting, networking, customer relations -it all was so scary.
Before I even started my business, I made it a point to chat with a bunch of savvy business owners. I asked them about the things they’d learned, what they wish they would have known and any advice they had for a newbie. Hands down, this is the best thing I could have done to start off my business right. I’m still so thankful to all the people that were willing to sit down with me at the beginning. It has saved me from so many struggles.
Still, there are things I needed to learn on my own. And after ten years in business, I have my own roster of wisdom nuggets I’d share aspiring and young business owners.
It’s okay to not know what you’re doing
Let’s be honest. Unless you grew up in a family business or attended business school, most of us do not know what we are doing when we go down the business ownership path.
Ask a lot of questions, do your research and understand that you’ll be learning things a whole bunch of things along the way (and that’s okay).
Hire things out (especially the accounting)
It’s almost cliche to offer this as a wisdom nugget as it’s the #1 business advice you’ll get from any successful business owner. But it’s 110% true. If it’s not something you feel confident (or worth your time) doing, hire it out.
This especially rings true for accounting. Unless you have a background as a CPA, you should absolutely hire an accountant to deal with the money side of your business. There are so many rules and procedures regarding tax, it is best to have a professional do it.
And I’m not just talking about your yearly tax filing. Consider having your accountant do ALL your books. Making sure your books are in tip-top shape is not only good for your sanity, but can be a lifesaver in times of unexpected tax trouble.
Someone is always going to be More Creative, charismatic + Cunning Than You
I’d be lying if I told you I still don’t struggle with insecurity in my abilities, both as a business owner and a creative. I’ve wasted so much time green with envy watching other people flourish in their craft and their companies thinking that I was somehow failing.
This might be a Britta problem, but I have a sneaking suspicion I’m not the only one.
I’ve found sitting with these feelings and understanding that you are just one little fish in a very large pond has been extremely helpful. Someone will always be better than you in one way or another. And that’s okay.
Do your best, focus on the important stuff and be a good human.
Rejection of your services is not a rejection of you personally
Again, maybe a Britta problem. But knowing that we humans are social, emotional creatures, I bet I’m not the only one who has felt sad because someone didn’t buy into what I was selling.
Being a business owner has taught me to remove the ego-centric expectations of the services I provide. This hasn’t been easy. I’ve always considered my connection with others to be my strength as a photographer and a business owner
But, the reality is that people choose your service for many reasons. Sure, liking you personally may play a role (no one wants to work with someone they don’t like), but it’s usually not the only reason. I’ve found that budget usually plays the largest role, but connecting with your style (in my case, how I see the world) is a factor too.
At the end of the day, you want to make sure you vibe well with the people you serve and that they value what you offer.
Let go of the things that aren’t serving you
I started off my career (and eventually my business) as a wedding photographer. I loved weddings and adored the couples I photographed, but after time they became unbearably draining - both emotionally and physically.
In 2018, I quit cold turkey and it wasn’t until 2020 did I even entertain the idea of photographing weddings again. These days, I’m very choosy about the weddings I do take and it serves as a creative outlet instead of a cornerstone of my biz.
Stepping away from weddings was super scary but ultimately the best decision for my business and my mental health.
Staying in Business is about being Adaptable
Flexibility has always been part of my core values, and something that I really believe has served my business. Learning to pivot when appropriate, embracing those inevitable bumps and being willing to adapt to a changing world is extremely important.
Your business will not be the same tomorrow as it was today. You will not be the same business owner tomorrow as you are today.
I’m only a decade into this journey, so there is no doubt I have plenty more to learn. Fellow business owners, what sort of wisdom nuggets would you share with a newbie or a veteran business owner? I’d love to hear them… after all, I still have some learning to do.
