In this post I’ll be sharing some of my experience-based tips and valuable advice that may help you thrive as a multi-passionate creative entrepreneur.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
You may be familiar with the popular (and often used as an insult) phrase “Jack/Jill of all trades, master of none…” but the complete saying actually ends with “…although often better than a master of one.”
If you’ve landed on this post, you may consider yourself a multi-passionate creative.
Multi-passionate creatives are people who are insatiably interested in a multitude of creative projects and tend to have several notable talents. They often find themselves becoming curious about new subjects and enjoy spending time learning and accumulating skills across various creative fields over time.
If this sounds like you, welcome. I too, consider myself a multi-passionate creative and have spent the last eight years navigating the rollercoaster of solopreneurship. I’ve designed my own career blueprint that allows me to thrive financially while feeling at peace with my (seemingly neverending) multitude of interests and creative ideas. While we’re often told to focus on one passion and choose a “solid” career path, or criticized for starting too many projects left unfinished, we’re also the ones people turn to for advice on how to design a gallery wall or tips on how to sew a pant hem. Because someway, somehow, we know a little bit about a lot of creative things.
Today I felt inspired to sit down and share some of my humble opinions and advice for those of you who are also looking to create a career blueprint for yourself that accommodates your multi-passionate creative ideas. Because while deciding to become an entrepreneur can feel inspiring and exciting, it can also feel like you’re staring at a vast and unpredictable road ahead, especially when you have a dizzying amount of creative interests and skills to navigate.
A bit of backstory.
Eight years ago, I quit my 9-5 office job in the fashion industry and decided I would be a creative entrepreneur. I didn’t know exactly how, but I knew there was zero option to “fail” aka go back to working towards someone else’s dreams. I have to pause and acknowledge the privilege of having the support of my family and fiancรฉ at the time, who helped me survive during the first few months of literally zero income. But eventually, and rather quickly, I created a small business that earned a full-time salary, even far surpassing that of my previous 9-5 job.
I have since then learned to adapt and pivot my business to continue earning money while also feeling fulfilled creatively. I currently have ten streams of income and my creative endeavors range from week to week depending on the current project in the works. There’s never a dull moment, and I have no doubt that this post will help you consider if solopreneurship as a multi-passionate creative is the right path for you.
To start off, I want to quickly go over some of the ways you can actually make money as a creative solopreneur. Because, well, it isn’t a career unless you’re earning money. Otherwise, it’s just a long list of hobbies.
In this day and age, information and opportunity are everywhere. All you need is an internet connection and a strong will to get something started without the option to fail.
How to make money online as a multi-passionate creative entrepreneur?
1 / Sell a service.
In this case, you’ll be exchanging your time for money. Working with a client on a specific project with set parameters and deadlines. You’ll need to pre-establish terms like exclusivity – will you be able to re-sell all (or a portion of) the work you’re creating to another client down the road, or is this work exclusive to one client? You’ll want to charge accordingly and put systems in place to protect your work like contracts and copyright agreements.
This method of earning income is best suited for those who also consider themselves extroverted (or at least ambiverted) as the projects often require meetings, calls, presentations, and other collaborative interactions with clients.
Some examples of service based work include: copywriting for blogs or e-commerce, interior design, commissioned artwork/illustrations, private lessons/tutoring, event planning, etc.
My recommendations for selling services: Start on a marketplace like Fiverr. Once you have a few projects under your belt and have built up your portfolio, expand to an independent shop on a platform like Squarespace. Squarespace is a user-friendly platform that allows you to quickly set up a clean and modern website for businesses to display large image galleries, portfolios, and informational pages, while seamlessly incorporating the option to sell services online.
2 / Sell a physical product.
In this case, you’ll be designing and creating physical products for sale to an end customer. You can choose to sell via online marketplaces like Etsy or Amazon, direct to consumers from your own independent online shop, or a combination of both. I personally think this is one of the more complicated ways to make money as a multi-passionate creative because we tend to have a hard time narrowing in on a reasonable range of products to design. We do too much too fast which can lead to a quick crash and burn.
There is also often a larger upfront monetary investment for things such as sampling, production, shipping, and packaging materials, to name a few. As well as higher overhead costs due to storing inventory and the manual labor it takes to pack and ship physical items. You’ll also need to consider things like production lead times, which vary but often require designs to be finalized and sent to manufacturers 6-12 months before the finished product even lands in your hands. And, of course, you have to be mindful of those profit margins so that it’s all worth it in the end. If you are creating the product yourself (for example handmade jewelry) the same general order of operation applies, just on a smaller scale.
While product based creative small businesses aren’t the most lucrative at first, they can still be very successful over time if the marriage of product and marketing is on point.
Some examples of product based creative businesses include: stationery lines, jewelry brands, pet accessories, personalized gifts, handmade pottery, etc.
3 / Sell a digital product.
My personal favorite! In this case, you’ll be designing a digital product that will be bundled up and delivered to your customer as a download file (think PDFs, PNGs, etc.) This has a relatively low cost of entry, but you’ll need to invest more of your time at first while creating the product. However, once completed, a singular digital product can be sold unlimited times. You can choose to sell digital products on marketplaces like Etsy or Creative Market, from your own independent online shop, or a combination of both. You’ll want to have certain systems in place where the downloads are sent automatically to the customer after checkout so that you don’t have to lift a finger when a sale comes in. This is known as passive income. Truly, the best kind of income – the kind that flows in while you are literally sleeping.
Designing digital products is ideal for those who consider themselves introverted. The work can be done individually and at your own pace, and you have very low levels of interaction or client collaboration. However, this type of product will require some extra hours set aside for customer service, as not everyone is tech savvy and may need additional assistance with digital downloads, regardless of the extent of instructions or tutorials provided.
Some examples of digital products include: clip art, ebooks, brushes and tools for graphic designers, fonts, stock photography, invitation templates, printables, etc.
My recommendations for selling physical or digital products: Start on a marketplace like Etsy (click here to create an Etsy shop of your own and receive 40 free product listings to start out with). On Etsy, the option to sell digital products is seamlessly integrated into your shop. Once you have a bit of momentum and a stronger customer base, expand to an independent shop on a platform like Shopify (click here to sign up and create your own e-commerce shop). On Shopify, you can sell digital products using a third-party app that automatically delivers download links to your customers after every transaction.
4 / Start a blog.
This one is often overlooked or perhaps used as a complimentary form of earning money for a creative small business. But when it comes to being a multi-passionate, I think starting a blog is one of the most creatively fulfilling and rewarding ventures out there. You own the platform and can choose to create content on any topic, category, or interest that may arise, at your own pace without too large of a time/money investment.
You can earn money by using affiliate links within your posts, and eventually, as traffic picks up, incorporate ad management companies that let you earn money off of clicks from ads placed throughout your blog. At the end of the day, it’s almost impossible to monetize every creative interest, but a DIY blog post can help scratch the itch of diving into a new passion without launching a full blown 6 month project that can become all-consuming without much ROI (return on investment). Trust me, this is something I’ve personally learned the hard way. Blogs are also a great way to bring traffic to your main sources of income (this blog is currently my #1 source of traffic to the top earning products in my shop) by using search engine platforms like Pinterest, where blog posts are evergreen and can be found by millions of users over time.
My recommendations for blogging: Set up your blog on the WordPress.org platform. Be sure to use the self-hosted .org version so that you have absolute control over the blog’s themes, plugins, and all the backend customization. Using a self-hosted platform is by far the most popular and scalable for long-term blogging when you plan to incorporate monetization. Then, use a domain host, like BlueHost, to get your blog up and running with a custom domain. Bluehost and WordPress are the two powerhouses I currently use to run my blog seamlessly.
Now that we’ve covered what you can sell, here are some tips/nuggets of humble advice that I’ve accumulated over the years of being a multi-passionate creative solopreneur that may help you thrive in your own small business journey.
1 / Just Do It.
My first tip for a creative entrepreneur who is just getting the ball rolling is to start with one thing. Whether it’s writing, drawing, or pottery making… pick a skill or talent and learn how to monetize it. Don’t get caught up in the “what.” Just start with something you love to do and you will build confidence as momentum starts to happen. The more you see that others are interested in your craft, talent, or services, the more you will want to improve, and new ways to expand your business will present themselves over time. You’re never 100% ready to start. So… just do it.
2 / Batch It Out.
When the time comes to branch out into other creative endeavors, learn to manage your time efficiently. One thing about multi-passionates is that we’re not usually the best at time management. But it’s true that as a business owner, time is money. So learning how to allocate your days, weeks, and months for certain projects is key to staying productive and not getting distracted by the “shiny new things” along the way. I personally find that batching works best. First, take a calendar year and map out the projects that have specific deadlines or are seasonally based. Then fill in the year with other projects that are more time fluid. Take a calendar month and split it into projects on a weekly basis. Then break down the week and assign certain days for certain tasks. For example: admin work on Mondays, focus on customer service on Tuesdays, design on Wednesdays, create marketing materials or ads on Thursdays, etc.
Batching tasks like this will keep your creative flow focused on one thing at a time and you’ll check way more off your to-do list by the end of the week. Another tip is to make a schedule but remain flexible. As creatives, we are often inspired by things in waves, and it’s important to take advantage of certain creative bursts while they surface. Then shuffle the schedule around to accommodate. This is, after all, one of the many perks of being your own boss.
3 / No Niche.
Here’s an unpopular opinion: forget about a niche. You may have heard that it’s super important to find a niche in an industry and hone in on that to become successful. I think “niching down” can actually keep you small. It may work for a few months or even up to a couple of years, but eventually, you have to grow and evolve your business as the times change, your customers change, and the nature of your industry changes. Instead of focusing on a niche, I say focus on your customer. What types of interests are they branching out towards, and how can your skills create a product or service to fit seamlessly into their lives? They have already purchased from you before, so they are way more likely to trust a new product or project and purchase from you again. So keep up with your customers and what they are interested in, and that’s a far better target to focus on than a niche.
4 / Diversify, Duh.
*Cue the classic quote of not putting all your eggs in one basket* But this is a big one, folks. Multiple streams of income will definitely help you sleep better at night – take it from me, an ex-insomniac! If you’re just starting out with entrepreneurship and a creative small business, the quickest way to start earning the equivalent of a liveable salary is to double up. Double up on your exposure. Be everywhere, show up on all the selling and social media platforms (later on we’ll narrow it down to the ones that bring us the most ROI) but to begin with, you really have to put the pedal to the metal and just try it ALL.
If you stay confined to one selling platform, for example, Etsy, you are automatically missing out on the millions of customers that prefer to browse and shop on Creative Market, and vice versa. You need to be putting your product in front of as many eyeballs as possible. Then continue diversifying your income based on other skills and talents, and think outside the box to come up with new streams of income. For example, do you love thrifting and have a good eye for fashion? Open up a Depop shop or offer virtual styling sessions to customers on a monthly basis, or whenever you have an open slot in your calendar. You never know what will really hit the mark unless you try a lot of different avenues.
5 / Set Reasonable Boundaries.
This one is a bit of a contradiction: remember that “no” is a full sentence, but also keep in mind that nothing is beneath you. Once you start getting traction and seeing monetary success in your small business, it may be tempting to start turning down certain projects you’re not super excited about or clients who may be less-than-pleasant to work with. But, keep in mind that every client interaction is a networking opportunity, and often times the most challenging projects teach us the most about something we didn’t even know we were lacking. Plus, solopreneurship can tend to get lonely and isolating. Working with clients on exclusive commissions or collaborations keeps you learning and growing creatively. At the same time, keep in mind that your skills and years of expertise are valuable, and if you feel pretty certain that a project is not worth your time or creative energy, then accept that saying “no” isn’t always a bad thing. Turning down a project that won’t positively serve your business will only leave room in your calendar for more lucrative and inspiring prospective projects.
6 / Ride The Financial Rollercoaster.
Accept that some months (or even years) will be slower than others. Sometimes you’ll experience superabundant chunks of time, while others will feel like you’re dragging your feet through mud or quicksand just to make ends meet. It’s all okay. It’s all a part of the process. I’ve learned that money management (in whatever way works best for you) is very important. The sooner you figure out what’s coming in and out on a monthly basis and how to make sure your business is “living within its means” the better off you’ll be in the long run. I’ll admit that cash flow analysis and business finances are not my forte – and chances are as a creative you’re also in the same boat. But it’s one of those not-so-fun hats to wear as a solopreneur that we simply cannot avoid putting on.
I’ll also add the importance of really looking at your ROI. Are you spending too much time focusing on things that are dead ends? For example, spending 3 hours filming and editing a reel for Instagram that gets a small handful of views in 24 hours versus spending an hour to create 5 posts for Pinterest that will be evergreen on the platform and potentially bring in thousands of clicks to your blog posts or products over time. When you’re experiencing a slower season in your business, this is the perfect time to focus on the next tip…
7 / Hunker Down.
As a multi-passionate creative entrepreneur, there will be times when you’ll need to spend countless days attending YouTube University, googling things for hours at a time, taking notes, making pros and cons lists, and essentially learning how to develop a new skill. Take advantage of slower months to tackle the projects that require you to deep dive into something new, or brush up on some talents that you feel less confident about. A lot of times, you’ll be working in silence while creating a new product for your business, before finally marketing and launching it for sale. Just know that these times of “behind-the-scenes” work may feel like you’re not earning enough or barely getting by, but it’s all a part of the process.
Nothing comes quick and easy, so expect to put in way more hours than you think to get the ball rolling on a new project or product launch. Nowadays you see people selling courses about “get rich quick” programs that claim you can throw an item on Etsy in 1,2,3 easy steps and start bringing in thousands of dollars a day. Um, no. The harsh reality is that it takes time and tons of effort to get a product rolling. Of course, there are exceptions and some lucky hits, but for the most part, I’d recommend steering clear of creative entrepreneurship if you’re looking for a “quick and easy” way to make money.
8 / Stay High.
Not to sound completely “woo-woo” but… keep your vibrations high. Creatives are also often empaths. We tend to absorb energy from people and situations like sponges, both good and bad. Be mindful of the people you surround yourself with, the content you consume, and the environments you find yourself in, especially during periods of creative productivity or when working on a new project or product launch. I truly believe that you attract the energy that you put out. So while it’s not always rainbows and butterflies for creative entrepreneurs, I think it’s important to try to keep a positive mindset, meditate, take time to clear your thoughts, and keep your vibe nice and high to help manifest what you truly want and bring more abundance to your business all around.
9 / Chill Out.
Take a break every once in a while. Remember that you are your own boss. Duh, we love that don’t we!? But just like we don’t have anyone pressuring us to meet a specific deadline, we also don’t have anyone to remind us to take a lunch break or let us know that our vacation days are expiring soon. In fact, we don’t have vacation days. And when we do end up taking some time off, it can tend to feel that every day we choose to vacation and frolic on a beach is a day we don’t “advance” in our business. However, I actually think this couldn’t be further from the truth. Burnout is real. And when you’re running a creative business, burnout tends to happen more often. (I go further into burnout and how to avoid it in this post.) So be sure to enjoy a few guilt-free days off when you start to feel the beginnings of a creative lull or burnout. Your future self will thank you, and be 10x more productive as a result.
10 / Rapid Fire Tips: Stay organized. Keep records of everything. Pay attention to feedback from customers and keep a running log of ways to improve your products/services. Stay up to date with social media trends, but don’t feel like you have to partake in every single one to stay relevant. Reach out to people who you’d like to work with, they don’t know you exist until you make them aware. Launch new products before you think you are ready because you are never truly ready and done is better than perfect. Try new things. Push yourself out of your comfort zone even if it feels embarrassing, nobody cares as much about you as you think they do. Ignore impostor syndrome and don’t let it linger for too long. Remember that someone out there with less talent than you and more confidence than you is making more money than you. Every once in a while, do some pro-bono work, you never know who is watching or paying attention.
11 / BONUS (and one I’m currently working on myself). Ask for help. As a solopreneur who has poured endless years of love and effort into your creative business, it can be scary to let someone peek behind the curtains and access the ins and outs of how you run your day-to-day. But, if you are steadily growing and feel overwhelmed, learn to ask for help. Invest in a part-time or seasonal assistant, or take on an intern if you can’t financially afford to hire. Again, I am currently working towards this goal and finding it much easier said than done.
I hope you were able to gain something from my personal experience with running a creative small business over the past (almost!) decade. It takes a lot of self-discipline and determination to thrive as a multi-passionate creative entrepreneur but it’s a fun and exciting journey that’s sure to keep life interesting if the traditional 9-5 life is not for you.
For more small biz content, check out this post where I share 5 helpful habits that keep my creative business running smoothly, and click here to check out my independent design and illustration studio.
Xx Laura
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