How Can I Make Money Using My Creative Talents?

When you have a naturally creative mindset, you want to be surrounded by your art. And, if you’re no longer happy with your nine-to-five grind, you might be wondering if you can use your artistic talents to support yourself. The answer: yes.

People Pay for Creativity

Something that many artists don’t realize is that not everyone is born with the creative gene. For example, while everyone has access to cameras, not everyone has the time, money, or eye for photography or videography. This is partly why these services are so popular for events, such as weddings and corporate functions. However, it is not simply enough to have talent, you must also have a mind for business.

Setting Up Your New Business

Still using the photography/videography example from above, it’s time to think about getting your new business set up and running. A few tips here that can also be translated across many different creative endeavors include:

• Have the right equipment. No matter what you do, make sure that you have the right equipment, including additional charging stations and portable lighting so that you can go out of the studio when requested. D&O Lighting can help you figure out what you need for the types of situations you’re most likely to be in, such as interviewing someone in their home taking photographs in a crowd. The last thing you want is to book a job only to realize that you were not prepared.

• Establish a legal business entity. The chances are good that you will begin your creative business as a side gig. But, if you think that you might have your heart set on a long-term career, go ahead and get your business set up now. This includes forming your business structure and applying for a tax ID number. Your tax ID, or EIN, makes it easier to pay your taxes, and it’s how the IRS identifies your business. Having an LLC or other structure in place makes you look more legitimate, and it will make it much easier to take on financial partners or apply for a business loan later.

• Set up scheduling, invoicing, and other processes. All (for-profit) businesses have one thing in common, and that is that they take money. Your business will be no different, so you must establish processes that allow you to collect payments on time. Use an online invoice generator to give your customers a more personalized billing experience. Your invoices should match your logo, text, and other branding materials, and you should have the option to import your template into whatever invoicing software you use.

• Priced competitively, but don’t sell yourself short. If you’re sending invoices, it stands to reason that you have to assign a value to your services. Don’t simply throw out an arbitrary number. Instead, Premium Beat suggests that you factor in the value of your time, travel expenses, gear, and behind-the-scenes editing and processing.

• Make sure you have work and storage spaces. Once you are done shooting for the day, you still need a place to go back and edit. Make sure that your home workspace gives you positive vibes. Eliminate clutter, and, importantly, ensure that you have a spot to store your equipment. The Shark & Palm blog offers valuable advice on how to store your equipment and touches on how humidity can damage your equipment, which is crucial information when you’re dealing with electronics.

Once you get up and running, you can think about transitioning from a part-time role into using your creative talents for a full-time income. But, until then, take it slow, and give yourself the time to refine how you operate so that you have it down and won’t have to skip a beat jumping from one project to the next.