How Creative Thinking Can Help You as an Entrepreneur
Creativity is often thought of as a skill that is reserved for artists, designers and writers. But here at Being Boss, we recognize creativity as a crucial skill for any entrepreneur or small business owner. At its core, entrepreneurship is driven by creativity. As a small business owner or entrepreneur, you’ll use creative planning and thinking every day. It’s the key to developing new ideas, solutions and processes that keep your business moving forward.
So, how does creativity show up in entrepreneurship? Below, eight entrepreneurs, members of the Being Boss Community, share their perspective on how using creativity has helped them succeed in their businesses and life.
Using Creative Thinking to Build a Unique Business
Thinking creatively has helped me grow a business that doesn’t fit in any boxes. We’ve been able to take the best processes and methods from many different industries and combine them to solve our customers’ needs and build some amazing custom vehicle conversions.
Jenn McAmis // West Coast Adventure Vehicles
Develop a Process Around Your Creative Ideas
As a creative professional, my business is dependent on my creativity. I have discovered that the process for coming up with creative ideas is just that: a process. Yes, I will occasionally have an idea pop into my head at unexpected times, but, more often, it takes me sitting down, being intentional, doodling, looking at other creative inspirations, and simply doing the work. Sometimes it flows, sometimes not so much. But when my creativity excites my clients and my work makes them proud to represent their organization, I know my brand has made a difference!
Cheryl Baldwin // Sweet Boo Design
Cultivating Creativity with Continued Learning & Practice
Instead of putting pressure on my creative process, I’ve given myself the space to hone in and brush up on my skills which has in turn helped with my creativity. Having better skills allows me to create better work.
Gillian O’Neill // Worthy Design Studio
Infusing Creativity in All Aspects of Your Small Business
I use my creativity not just for the artsy design and ‘fun’ work, but also for the business and marketing work. In taking a more creative and genuinely thoughtful approach to marketing my products through content, my customers feel more connected and excited about the brand. Using my creativity in this way has helped foster relationships with customers and positioned me as the expert in my niche.
Erika Neumayer Ehrat // Rare Dirndl
Creative Solutions for Solving Business Problems
My core creative genius is in finding solutions to problems, and occasionally that means creating the solution from scratch. I’ve been able to use that creativity to launch new services, courses, or create blog content that solved a problem I’d been asked about in different ways. The same goes for creating that same content on behalf of clients. Often it only helps a few people, or one business specifically but by being flexible to think about things based on their particular limits, the solution can be tailored to suit them when there isn’t currently other options for them. This has helped me to have a business at all, and to continue to do something new, so it’s always interesting to me.
Emma Peacock // Honey Pot Digital
Narrow Your Focus to Increase Your Creativity
I’ve found that having constraints can increase the quality of my creative work. As a designer, I’ve niched down to mostly brand and web projects and focusing in on these two areas has really helped me get way better at them. When you’re offering everything under the sun it can take a lot of mental energy to remember different software programs, processes, and client preferences, whereas getting really good at a smaller number of tools and following a smooth, proven process allows you to dive deeper into the creative work and come up with really strong solutions!
Meg McConnell // Due West Design
Showing Up with Creative Thinking
I use creativity on a daily basis to help my clients think differently and to help them execute on items they haven’t been able to accomplish on their own. I can envision what their brand, website or marketing materials will be and can encourage them to envision and co-create those items with me. I use communication to describe a future state or help them imagine what it might feel like to show up differently in their marketing and that usually gets their excitement and creative idea generation flowing.
As a creative, my way of thinking, living and showing up has always been a bit non-traditional. I am excited that I get to use those ways of thinking to construct a business that helps me thrive, while serving my clients with my core skillsets.
Personally, I use creativity through journalling, visual goal-setting, vision board/collaging in my bullet journal and visually documenting on my wall calendars. When I take the time to do these things, it always gives me a boost so I can bring my highest self to my client engagements. When I allow myself the creative habits that get my energy up, I can show up best and do my best work.
Jolinda Smithson // Shapes & Colors by Jolinda
Staying Flexible to Allow Creative Thinking
As a self-employed Efficiency Expert and Consultant my creativity comes into play when I am open and flexible to the unique scenario that each client brings to the table. Each situation requires a different approach. Sometimes clients have their own ideas, and providing space for clients’ creative problem solving to come up really allows us to take it to the next level and create custom solutions that fit their business just right.
For my own firm, I have few expectations for how I have to run, other than serving the client. This gives me a lot of freedom to try new things like a goals-based versus time-based schedule or a funny and easy to read blog.
Marissa Mosunich // Operate Well Consulting
