As an architect or designer, you can enjoy a profession that allows you to pursue your creative passion. If you want to take your artistic pursuits to the next level, you might consider establishing a formal business. Making the shift from creative soul to entrepreneur may seem daunting at first, especially if you don’t have much experience with the administrative side of things or have a troubled financial past.
In fact, you have all the tools needed to succeed; you just have to know how to harness them. This guide explains how architects, designers, and other creatives can found startups even if they don’t have a strong financial record.
Define your niche and professional direction
The creative field is vast. Even if you’re an architect, there are many areas you may focus on. Rethinking The Future identifies possible fields of expertise, from residential architecture to restoration architecture. Whatever your creative field, if you want to start a business, you need to hone in on a niche. This will allow you to distinguish yourself from competitors in the field.
Write a business plan to cover the administrative details
A business plan provides a full guidebook to how your creative company will be run, covering everything from financial projections to operational structure. It also includes a competitive landscape analysis. As Crayon explains, a landscape analysis allows you to identify competitors and pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses. You can then leverage this data to drive your own business success.
Look for ways to fund your startup expenses
Any type of startup will inevitably require some financial investment. If you have a checkered financial past—like a former bankruptcy filing—this may be concerning. However, if you don’t have the money to cover expenses, external funding sources are available. You can also look to peer-to-peer lenders, angel investors, venture capitalists, or crowdfunding platforms for help.
Build a successful support team
Odds are you will have to hire some staff to get your creative business off the ground. Start small. It could be just you and an administrative assistant to start. You can always expand your team as your business grows. When hiring, in addition to looking at an applicant’s credentials, consider his or her personality. Architect Magazine explains that “culture fit” is important to building a happy team and retaining talent.
Establish a strong brand and start marketing
With the aforementioned details taken care of, it’s time to start attracting customers. Shutterstock provides a guide to personal branding for creative professionals that can help you develop a marketable profile that will appeal to your target audience. Once your brand is set, you can undertake proactive marketing measures. Creative Bloq has ideas on how to market your services, from blogging to creating videos and utilizing social media. You may even want to go so far as to investigate the possibility of hiring a business consultant to assist with marketing; check out the current marketing consultant hourly rate to see if this option is within your budget.
Get the admin tools and tech you need manage your business
One mistake creatives make is forgetting to pay attention to the administrative side of their business. The right tech tools will help you avoid this trap. Project management and telecommunications technologies are useful. You can also rely on software to streamline tasks like payroll. Time tracking software allows you to easily manage worker hours and timesheets. There’s even a mobile app so you can do business anywhere.
Making the move from self-employed individual to full-blown business owner doesn’t have to be stressful. The above guide lays out the practical considerations you need to take into account to ensure a successful transition.
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