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How Does Entrepreneurship Happen in the Creative Industries?
Something a little different this month.
I recently completed my PhD research into entrepreneurship in the creative industries, which has been bubbling away for the last (eep) 7 years. I know many people struggle with completing PhDs, often towards the end when a lot of complicated words suddenly need to be written before the deadline. But I genuinely loved doing it throughout because it was a terrific opportunity to think deeply about a topic I’m passionate about. (And if anyone reading is thinking of embarking on a PhD, drop me a line. I have notes!)
So, this month, I thought I’d share some of the data from my research. The question I sought to answer was how do entrepreneurs in Australia’s cultural and creative industries develop?
To answer this, I interviewed 18 entrepreneurs from various creative fields to learn about their experiences in building, running, and exiting their ventures. These founders hail from diverse creative sectors, such as design, film and TV, music, architecture, fashion, games, marketing, communications, theatre, circus, and visual arts. Some started for-profit companies, while others founded not-for-profit organisations.
What I discovered was that entrepreneurship for Australian creatives is messy, unpredictable and driven by creative choices as much as commercial ones. And that makes it a uniquely tricky endeavour to understand and to assist.
Here’s what I learned from the stories those 18 creatives told me about their experience of founding and running enterprises:
- They started with an innate self-confidence. Quietly expressed, but there all the same. Whether or not they had entrepreneurial role models or family members with business backgrounds, they were willing to give running a business a go. In fact, they saw no reason why they couldn’t succeed. As one creative agency owner mentioned: “I didn’t see any reason why with the right attitude, and getting the right people around an idea, that it couldn’t work.”
- They were led by the desire to create, rather than an opportunity to make profit. Unlike conventional entrepreneurs who chase market opportunities, creative entrepreneurs are driven by a desire to explore their creative passions. An architect told me about starting her business: “I didn’t see it as a market opportunity; it just resonated so deeply with me. You know when something just takes your breath away and you go, that’s what I want to do.”
- They often started a business to set a personal direction for them. Several interviewees told me that they were a little lost before starting their venture. For them, starting a business provided a sense of direction and purpose. As a jewellery designer told me: “I felt very bad about myself, and this was a way of giving myself a direction, and psychologically, it was the best for me.”
- They started their businesses tentatively, and they grew gradually. No hockey stick stories here. Many entrepreneurs began as freelancers and progressively built their businesses from there, often almost subconsciously. They almost fall into running a business. A design entrepreneur noted: “I don’t think I thought about running a business. I just thought about, ‘Oh, if there’s a gap here, I can speed up a couple of the private jobs I’ve got.’”
- Some creative businesses are born from regulatory necessity. Certain professions, like filmmaking, necessitate a business structure to access tax benefits. As one filmmaker put it: “I realised, ‘Am I gonna have a company for every film I make?’ Like every time I make a film you’ve got to have a company!” For her, this led to forming an overarching production company structure to house all the companies she had for her films.
- Creative entrepreneurship loves company. Many entrepreneurs prefer working with partners to avoid isolation and benefit from collaborative decision-making. A music entrepreneur told me, “I struggled at times making decisions by myself. I was much better having a bit of a sounding board.”
- They like risk-taking, but on their own terms. While they take risks, they ensure they are calculated to limit financial and reputational exposure. A games designer explained: “Weirdly enough, for someone who started a business and does very risky things, I tend to take the lowest risk version of it.”
- They build networks but dislike networking. Despite disliking traditional schmoozing and networking, creative entrepreneurs’ narratives showed how they build networks of support through long-term industry contacts. A circus producer shared: “We’ve spent a lot of time developing partnerships with different people and companies. Some of those partnerships last a really long time.” And those partnerships led the company to produce ongoing work around the world.
- The entrepreneurial struggle is real. Many entrepreneurs mention coping with stress and finding support systems. In particular, many highlighted the balance of maintaining family and business responsibilities. A campaign producer remarked, “It’s not a healthy lifestyle necessarily. The level of stress never eases… It’s like every year you’re reinventing the wheel.”
- They have mixed feelings about being called “entrepreneurs”. “It’s not a term that I would use for myself,” a graphic designer told me. While a theatre creator said, “I certainly do [identify with the term]. I think, and people sometimes describe me as an entrepreneur.” But more often, people were ambivalent about it. “It’s just such a thrown-around word,” said a fashion entrepreneur. “Everybody’s like, “I’m an entrepreneur. I’m a CEO. I’m a public figure.” No, you’re an Instagram model.”
Many of you will read this list and think, “Yep, I know all that.” That might be because you’re already deeply embedded in the business of creativity (lucky you!). But what I hope might come out of this research is a broader understanding among government policy makers and program designers that creative entrepreneurship differs from other forms of entrepreneurship. And if we want it to prosper, we need different support mechanisms and assistance programs that recognise those differences.
Over the next few newsletters, I’ll occasionally post more insights emerging from my research. There are lots of micro-topics to explore! Let me know what you’d like to hear about. But next month, regular service will be resumed.
Until then, wishing you many fun adventures in creative entrepreneurship!
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