That story running in your head about being too far from the action? It might be exactly what’s keeping you stuck. When I started my flower business outside London, I watched established city florists dominate every venue list and felt genuinely constrained by my location. But here’s what I’ve learnt from building my own business and watching hundreds of creative entrepreneurs succeed: your distance from major hubs is never the disadvantage you think it is. In fact, it can become your most powerful differentiator. Here’s how to rewrite your location story and turn perceived limitations into genuine competitive advantages.

That invitation that makes your stomach flutter with nerves? It might be exactly the opportunity your business needs. Last week, I found myself on a stage interviewing Cath Kidston, not at all because I’m naturally confident in that environment, but because I said yes despite feeling nervous. The experience reinforced something powerful: our businesses don’t grow through individual effort alone, but through the connections we make and opportunities we create together. Here’s why stepping outside your comfort zone… even when it feels scary, can be one of the most important things you do for your creative business.

Something’s shifting in the creative business world. I keep witnessing creative entrepreneurs who are walking away from the “this is how everyone does it” approach—and their businesses are absolutely thriving because of it. They’re asking themselves one brilliantly simple question: “What am I naturally better at than most people?” Then building everything around that answer. Here’s why the prescribed path might not be your path, and how to find the courage to build something that actually works for you.

Running a creative business can feel remarkably isolating. While friends and family are wonderfully supportive, they don’t always understand the specific challenges of pricing creative work, the vulnerability of putting your designs into the world, or the constant balance between creativity and commerce. But when you connect with other creative entrepreneurs who truly get it, something transformative happens. Here’s why community is essential for building the creative business you want.

After months of development and hundreds of conversations with creative entrepreneurs, I’m revealing the complete framework that transforms struggling creative businesses into thriving ones. This is all about recognising what you already do naturally and building your entire business around those exceptional strengths. Here’s the pattern I’ve identified across every successful creative business, and how you can apply it to yours.

Many creative entrepreneurs operate with an invisible wall between their “creative work” and “business tasks.” We switch hats, separate our schedules, and sometimes even resent when business pulls us away from creating. But what if this division is actually limiting both sides of your work? I’ve identified a pattern: those that thrive don’t just balance creativity and business—they integrate them. Here’s what happens when you stop seeing these forces as opposing and instead allow them to enhance each other.

Sunday evening, I watched an interview that completely shifted my perspective on something I’ve felt for years but couldn’t quite articulate. Sir Jony Ive, the legendary designer behind Apple’s most iconic products, spoke about an element that transcends aesthetics and functionality – the spiritual dimension of care in design. It’s a revelation that applies directly to creative businesses: what if the invisible care we pour into our work becomes our greatest differentiator in a noisy marketplace? We are focussing on intention, meaning, and the human connection created when someone encounters work made with genuine care. Here’s why this principle might be the most powerful business strategy most creative entrepreneurs overlook.

Have you ever caught yourself downplaying your ambitions for your creative business? Perhaps you’ve hesitated to share your bigger dreams or even allowed yourself to fully imagine them. You’re very much not alone. Many creative entrepreneurs start with modest goals—enough work to pay the bills, flexibility for family life, or simply doing what they love. But when you align your business with your exceptional strengths, something remarkable happens: your ambition naturally expands. This is about giving yourself permission to recognise what might genuinely be possible when you build from what you naturally do best.

“I love thinking about my work all the time. It doesn’t feel like an imposition—it feels like the privilege of doing something I’m obsessed with.” When my friend said this to me during dinner recently, it struck a chord. We’re constantly receiving subtle messages that our dedication to our creative businesses is somehow unhealthy, that our ambition should be modest rather than magnificent. But what if that passion—that healthy obsession—is exactly what creates exceptional work? Here’s why embracing your natural enthusiasm might be the most powerful business decision you can make, and how to stop unconsciously limiting your potential.

I’ve been noticing something interesting happening in design right now – while AI rushes forward, there’s this equally powerful pull back towards handcrafted work and connection. But, rather than feeling pressured to chase every trend (who has the time?), I’m sharing which ones actually matter for small creative businesses, and how they might complement what you already do brilliantly. These insights from leading design studios reveal opportunities that play to your natural strengths rather than working against them – and isn’t that the kind of trend worth paying attention to?