philippa craddock

THE BEST SMALL CREATIVE BUSINESS

STRATEGIES FOR 2025

The best changes won't be about reinventing your business - they'll be about making what you already do well even better.

"Build a sustainable business around what you naturally do best."

"Omg, I can't believe this exists. It's my favorite purchase ever already!"

DESIGN

for life

This is your main shop page and we've populated it with a number of different kinds of grids so you can find the one that works best for your brand.

BUSINESS STRATEGY

Practical Approaches For Creative Businesses That Really Work

You know how everyone says business is changing? Let's talk about what that actually means for creative businesses like ours. I've been looking at research and chatting with peers across online marketing, AI, and the creative industry, and some interesting patterns are emerging about what's likely to work well throughout this year.

The good news? You definitely don't need to transform everything about your business. Instead, it's about taking what already works for you and tweaking it thoughtfully for what's ahead. Let me share what I'm seeing and how we might prepare for it in a way that feels natural.

What's Really Going On

Overview

The creative and small business landscape of 2025 presents a fascinating paradox: as digital spaces become increasingly crowded, authentic expertise becomes more valuable. Research suggests this trend will intensify, creating unique opportunities for creative businesses that maintain their distinct voice. And this change requires a thoughtful approach.


1. Making Sustainability Part of Your Story

Let's Look at What's Working

Sustainability in creative businesses needs to go beyond surface-level claims to become truly woven into how we operate. This isn't just about environmental impact - it's about building businesses that are sustainable in every sense: environmentally, economically, and ethically. When your business practices naturally align with your values, you create stronger connections with clients who share those priorities.

This means thoughtfully considering:

1. Current Operations

Where you can make genuine impact through thoughtful choices (like considering the full lifecycle of your operations and building partnerships with suppliers who share your values. This means looking at everything from where you source materials to who you collaborate with, ensuring your whole supply chain reflects your commitment to sustainability)

2. For Your Own Future

How to build sustainability into your pricing and business model (this means ensuring your eco-friendly choices don't compromise your profitability. It's about finding a good balance where sustainable practices actually support your business growth - whether that's through more efficient processes, reduced waste costs, or attracting clients who value and will pay for environmentally conscious work)

3. Most Overlooked

Making your digital presence more energy-efficient (something many don't realise - websites, emails, and digital files all require energy-hungry servers to run. By 2025 and beyond, more businesses will be choosing eco-friendly web hosting, optimising their websites to use less energy, and being more mindful about digital storage)

4. Looking Forward

Creating processes that scale without proportionally increasing your impact (thinking carefully about how your business can grow sustainably. This might mean developing more efficient production methods, finding smarter ways to serve more clients, or creating systems that actually become more resource-efficient as you grow)

This isn't a new strategy, but it's such an important one that I wanted to include it, and with more and more small businesses being launched each year, it becomes ever more important. This is about getting really clear on the core reason you do what you do. Maybe it's how you help clients feel more confident through beautiful brand design, or how your photography captures moments families will treasure for generations, or how your products are created to become loved, everyday favourites.

When you're clear about your purpose, it shows up naturally in everything - from how you describe your offerings to the way you work with clients.

The interesting thing is, when you're clear about this deeper 'why,' you start attracting clients who value not just what you create, but how and why you do it. They tend to respect your expertise more, trust your process, and become the kind of clients who recommend you to others who share their values.


What's particularly interesting is how these choices are becoming central to client decisions, especially in the creative industry. Clients are looking for businesses that demonstrate genuine commitment to sustainable practices throughout their operations.


2. Being Clear About Why You Do What You Do

3. Making AI Work For You

AI tools are getting smarter, and throughout 2025 and beyond they'll be even more sophisticated, many in ways we can't even imagine yet - but they're still just tools, like having a very clever assistant. The key is using them to enhance your natural creativity, not replace it. I've noticed the most successful creative businesses use AI in very specific ways:

For the day-to-day:
  • Handling email responses to common questions
  • Organising your calendar and scheduling
  • Managing your social media content
  • Keeping track of client follow-ups
  • Taking care of basic bookkeeping tasks

For thinking and planning:
  • Brainstorming initial content ideas (which you then make your own)
  • Researching market trends in your industry
  • Analysing what content performs best with your audience
  • Helping outline blog posts or newsletters
  • Suggesting different approaches to creative problems

For client communication:
  • Creating first drafts of project proposals
  • Setting up automated but friendly booking systems
  • Handling basic customer service inquiries
  • Sending thoughtful follow-up messages
  • Managing feedback collection

The really interesting part? When you use AI for these tasks, you free up mental space for the work that actually needs your personal touch - the creative problem-solving, the unique ideas, and those unique touches that make your work distinctly yours.

But here's something important to remember: AI should feel like it's lifting weight off your shoulders, not adding complexity to your day. Start with one or two areas where you feel it could help most, get comfortable with those, and then gradually explore other possibilities. And always, always maintain your voice and vision - that's what makes your work so special and important.




4. Keeping Marketing Real

"The best changes won't be about reinventing your business - they'll be about making what you already do well even better."

Email is still going to be your best friend in 2025, especially if you keep it genuine. Just to note, many feel social media is the key to marketing, but email consistently yields stronger results and it's a list you own, unlike social media where you're effectively borrowing eyes from the platform's own audience.

With so many businesses using AI for everything, your real voice and actual experiences become even more valuable. Share what you know, solutions you've discovered, and what actually works - this could be your unique approach to what you do, specific techniques you've developed, or challenges you've overcome along the way - people really appreciate that authenticity.

"The best changes won't be about reinventing your business - they'll be about making what you already do well even better."

5. Being Flexible About How Work Happens

This is one for celebration! Whether you work alone or with a team, 2025 and beyond is about finding ways to work that actually suit you and your creativity. This might mean mixing up where and when you work, or finding new ways to collaborate that feel natural.

There's also a really encouraging shift happening - clients and customers are increasingly understanding of the need for balance in creative work. They're becoming more accepting of longer timelines, especially when you're clear about your process and keep communication open. This shift gives us more freedom to work in ways that maintain our energy and creativity, rather than pushing for constant availability.

And while the Amazons of the world may thrive on speed and 24/7 availability, smaller businesses have a different advantage - people choose to work with you and buy from you for many other reasons. Your unique approach, personal touch, and quality of work matter far more than instant delivery and round-the-clock availability


"The best changes won't be about reinventing your business - they'll be about making what you already do well even better."

6. Staying Curious

Whilst not a specific strategy, this is something to consistently adopt as a small creative business owner: The creative world keeps evolving and what's interesting right now is how we can be more selective about what we learn and adopt. Instead of trying to master every new tool or trend, think about what actually makes sense for your work and your clients.




"The best changes won't be about reinventing your business - they'll be about making what you already do well even better."

For example:

If you're a photographer, this might mean getting comfortable with AI editing tools that handle basic retouching, freeing you up for the creative aspects you love. If you're a designer, it could be learning new automation features in your favorite software that speed up repetitive tasks. Or if you're a maker, it might be exploring new sustainable materials that align with your values and your customers' expectations.

"The best changes won't be about reinventing your business - they'll be about making what you already do well even better."

The key is to stay curious but focused. Set aside a little time each month to:
  • Read trusted industry publications in your field
  • Talk with peers about what's working for them
  • Test one new tool or technique that interests you
  • Notice what your clients are asking for more often
  • Pay attention to how your industry is shifting

You don't need to become an expert in everything new that comes along. Instead, think about what would make your work either noticeably better for your clients or significantly easier for you. The most valuable learning though isn't about the latest trend - it's most likely about deepening your expertise in something that's already core to your work.




7. Being Online Where It Matters

"The best changes won't be about reinventing your business - they'll be about making what you already do well even better."

You don't need to be everywhere online - just be consistent and genuine where your clients actually are. It's better to do a great job on one or two platforms than a mediocre job on five. We're seeing even more social platforms and digital spaces emerging, but interestingly, success absolutely isn't coming from being on all of them. Instead, the creative businesses that are thriving are those that pick their platform(s) thoughtfully and show up there consistently with real value. And while video content continues to dominate, there's also a growing appreciation for thoughtful, well-created content in any format.

8. Working With People Who Get You

2025 will be great for meaningful partnerships and collaborations, especially with smaller influencers who really understand and care about what you do. Look for micro collaborators whose work naturally fits with yours. These smaller creators/brands often have much deeper connections with their audiences, leading to better results than working with larger influencers/companies. Their followers tend to be more engaged and more likely to act on recommendations, making these partnerships surprisingly valuable.



"The best changes won't be about reinventing your business - they'll be about making what you already do well even better."

9. Getting Really Good at Your Thing

This strategy forms the foundation of every strong creative business I've worked with, and it will continue to be crucial in 2025 and beyond. Instead of trying to do everything, get known for doing your specific thing really well. Whether that's photography, design, writing, or whatever your craft is - being really good at your specialty creates the strongest foundation for sustainable success.

I've seen this play out countless times in our programmes: when creative businesses focus deeply on their core expertise instead of diversifying too broadly, not only does their work become more distinctive, but they often find they can charge more while working less. It's like that old saying about being a master of one trade rather than a jack of all.




"The best changes won't be about reinventing your business - they'll be about making what you already do well even better."

Think about it this way

When you focus on your specific expertise:
  • You develop solutions that others can't easily replicate
  • Your confidence naturally grows as your expertise deepens
  • You attract clients who specifically want your unique approach
  • You spend less energy trying to be all things to all people
  • Your marketing becomes clearer and more effective
  • Word-of-mouth referrals increase because you become known for that specific thing

This focused approach doesn't mean limiting your creativity - quite the opposite. When you're really clear about your core expertise, you often find more interesting ways to apply it. You might discover new niches within your specialty or innovative ways to serve your clients better.

And this focus becomes even more valuable as markets get more crowded. While others try to diversify and end up spreading themselves thin, businesses that stay focused on deepening their expertise tend to build more sustainable success. Their deep knowledge becomes their greatest asset, leading to stronger client relationships and more satisfying work.





10. Taking Really Good Care of Your Clients

"The best changes won't be about reinventing your business - they'll be about making what you already do well even better."

Like focusing on your expertise, exceptional customer service remains timeless, but the tools we have available in 2025 make it easier than ever to deliver great experiences, even if you are solo or have a tiny team. What's interesting is how AI and automation tools now let small creative businesses offer the kind of responsive, attentive service that used to require a full support team.

Think about combining your care and attention with smart tools that help you stay consistently attentive:
  • Using AI to handle initial enquiries while maintaining your tone of voice
  • Setting up automated but thoughtful check-ins throughout projects
  • Creating personalised update systems that keep clients informed
  • Building customer service processes that scale without feeling robotic
  • Maintaining detailed client notes and preferences effortlessly

The key is choosing tools that enhance rather than replace your natural way of caring for clients. For instance, you might use AI to draft quick responses to common questions, but add your voice before sending. Or set up automated project milestones that trigger personalised check-ins, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks even during busy periods.

Happy clients will always lead to more clients, and in an increasingly digital world, genuine care and attention stand out more than ever. Focus on making your current clients' experience so good they can't help but tell others about you - but do it in a way that feels sustainable and natural for your business. 

As you think about 2025 and beyond, don't feel pressured to change everything at once. Pick one or two things that feel most important for your business right now and start there. The best changes are usually the ones that feel natural and build on what you're already good at.

You don't need to keep up with every trend or adopt every new tool. Focus on what makes sense for your business and your clients, and let that guide your choices for the year ahead.

Moving Forward

"The best changes won't be about reinventing your business - they'll be about making what you already do well even better."

Personal Examples

THAT TIME: My Design Work Was Viewed By Billions And I Ended Up On The Cover Of Newspapers!

Business Strategy

EIGHT WAYS I'VE TRANSFORMED MY BUSINESS: Reshaping Business Through Intentional Choices

Digital Marketing

HOW I ACTUALLY MANAGE INSTAGRAM FOR MY BUSINESS : Making Social Media Work Without The Overwhelm

NEXT IN THE JOURNAL

Quick Read

SETTING PRICES THAT FEEL RIGHT: Moving Beyond The "What Should I Charge?" Question

Business Strategy

10 BEST BUSINESS TOOLS: When Your Tech Stack Actually Makes Things Easier (Instead of More Complicated)

Shall We Begin?

COMING SOON: An introductory and quick to implement guide, helping you to recognise the value in what you do best. Perfect when you'd love to improve your pricing but you're not sure where to begin.

JOIN WAITLIST