The fourth pathway is called Managerial Tools & Leadership Skills by Lisa Sonora Beam. I find that a bit of a mouthful, so I think of it instead as Business Skills.
This is where you have the most capacity to learn, grow and develop your business. The other three pathways are about taking stock of your skills and possible customers – in both cases they can be developed but will largely exist already; whereas pathway four offers great scope for development.
What kind of skills are we talking about? A partial list of the business skills you need to develop to have a thriving creative business include:
– financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and managing of finances
– business development (finding new customers)
– marketing and communications (xconnecting with potential and current customers)
– sales and negotiation skills
– supplier management
– customer and employee management
– networking
– advertising
This is a hefty list but gives a suggestion of all the business skills you must develop (or hire other people to manage) in order for your business to thrive.
While this might seem overwhelming, it also presents an opportunity: the more you can learn about and manage these areas, the more successful you will be in turning your creativity into a livelihood.
It’s important to consider the first three pathways to identify the epicentre of your creative (business) practice. But it’s the mastery of these other skills which will really give you a competitive advantage.
It’s these areas we will be looking to develop further here at the Thriving Creative.
Until next time may your creative business thrive.
Steven
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